By Andrew McCartyShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe rumors connecting former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin to LSU reached a fever pitch when his ex-wife, Layla, boarded a private jet for Baton Rouge. Just two weeks later, he left the Rebels in the midst of a College Football Playoff run to become the newest head coach for the Tigers.
“I just thought it was really important when they offered to have the family come down without me and get a feel for it,” Kiffin said at his introductory press conference. “I don't know that I could have made the decision, or certainly couldn't have made it and felt good, without everybody on board like it was after going to multiple places and coming back and saying, ‘Hey, we're all in. We're all in to go to Baton Rouge and to go to LSU.’"
His ex-wife seemingly signing off on the move was just one of several reasons Kiffin took the job.
Another was Nick Saban.
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During his introductory press conference, Kiffin intimated that a conversation with former Alabama head coach and current ESPN analyst Nick Saban helped steer him to Baton Rouge.
"Coach Saban kind of coached at another place in this conference so I can't really say exactly what he said," Kiffin said. "I will say, I think the world of coach Saban and I respect him. So there's a reason I'm here."
After his comment, Saban took the spotlight for offering insight on a potential coaching search while still holding an office in Tuscaloosa and a seat on ESPN's massive college football pregame show. Amanda Christovich of Front Office Sports hinted at a potential conflict of interest and asked ESPN for comment.
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The Worldwide Leader declined.
Kiffin and Saban share the same agent, Jimmy Sexton, one of the most powerful figures in college athletics.
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