Marty Smith may have residency in Oxford, Mississippi after covering the Lane Kiffin saga.
The ESPN reporter, who spent nearly all of Saturday and Sunday at the Ole Miss football facility, got a 3-minute interview with Kiffin before the former Rebels coach boarded a private jet set for Baton Rouge to take his next chapter as LSU football coach.
Kiffin reiterated his desire to coach Ole Miss in the upcoming College Football Playoff, but Mississippi athletic director Keith Carter decided against it and promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach in Kiffin’s place.
“It was really difficult. This has been a really special place. Six years here,’ Kiffin told Smith. ‘I know there are a lot of feelings and emotions around right now. I hope when they settle down that there’s an appreciation about what we were able to do here and having the best run that’s ever been done in the history of the school. Brought some exciting times. I’m so appreciative of the people of Oxford and the relationships that I developed here… Just prayed a lot. Made a family decision and hopefully get a chance to go impact a whole new set of people.”
Lane Kiffin says CFP decision came down to Ole Miss AD Keith Carter ‘has to live here’
Kiffin told Smith he wasn’t part of Sunday’s meeting between Carter and the school’s chancellor, at Carter’s request.
“I totally respect Keith’s decision… He asked me not to come to the meeting, which I totally understand,’ Kiffin said. ‘I don’t know that I necessarily agree, we’re trying to find a way to make this work and coach the team and give the team the best chance to win… He’s got a job to do, and like he said, he has to live here. So maybe all the national people understand why he should let me be able to coach, but he has to live here, and it’s a little different when you’re the AD, so totally respect that. And Keith has been amazing to us over the six years.”
Lane Kiffin said mentors helped push him to LSU
“My heart was here (Oxford), but I talked to some mentors, coach (Pete) Carroll, coach (Nick) Saban, you know, and especially when coach Carroll said, ‘Your dad would tell you to go. Take the shot. Take the shot. You’ve accomplished a lot here.’ I always felt I always hated how we gave one year to Tennessee and then left. I really hated that feeling of that. Even though it was exciting, but I think we gave a lot to this program and to this city, and some of the most historic wins in this stadium they’ve ever had and best regular season in the history of the school, so I feel proud of that part. But it just became time, you know, talked to God and he told me it’s time to take a new step. It’s a new chapter.”