The faculty soccer common season is finished. With convention championships on the horizon, Lane Kiffin‘s resolution to go away Ole Miss for LSU is making the main headlines. The Rebels are 11-1 and in line to make the Faculty Soccer Playoff. The Tigers completed as a center of the pack crew and are within the midst of a $54 million buyout lawsuit with their former coach, Brian Kelly. But Kiffin determined that Baton Rouge is the place he wanted to be, and the Tigers are paying him handsomely.
LSU beat author Wilson Alexander shared particulars of Kiffin’s time period sheet, and it is bought numerous perks. The deal is price $91 million over seven years. Kiffin will make $13 million per season, which is second solely to Georgia’s Kirby Good, who’s making $13.28 million. Nevertheless, Kiffin’s contract contains escalators for advancing within the playoff. These escalators may attain as much as $4 million if the Tigers gained each the SEC championship and a nationwide title in the identical season. That will make Kiffin by far the highest-paid coach in all of school soccer.
However there’s extra to the deal. Kiffin’s contract additionally contains a buyout price 80% of his remaining wage if he is fired with out trigger. Ought to that occur in yr one of many deal, Kiffin could be owed $72.8 million. If he did get fired, he’d obtain month-to-month installments via 2032—even when he bought one other job elsewhere.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs
All through his profession, Kiffin has amassed a file of 117-53 over 14 seasons. He is by no means gained a nationwide championship, which is one thing the Tigers consider he can obtain. Kiffin might be coming off a sizzling stretch, too. The Rebels have gained at the very least 10 video games in 4 of the previous 5 years, together with a program-record 11-win common season this yr. Ole Miss additionally gained 11 video games in 2023, although that included a victory within the Peach Bowl.
Kiffin will not be teaching the Rebels throughout this postseason, although. The Ole Miss administration turned down his request to take action because it strikes on with out him. As a substitute, he’ll begin attending to work at LSU. The college additionally plans to offer Kiffin $25 to $30 million per season to construct his roster via identify, picture, and likeness (NIL) cash. Kelly spent round $18 million on LSU’s 2025 crew, although it solely led to a 7-5 end for the Tigers.
The choice to go away Ole Miss included many components, however one aspect that appeared to tip the scales towards LSU was a name from Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. The governor expressed his enthusiasm for Kiffin and supported LSU’s efforts to rent him. It was a fast 180 from Landry’s earlier stance. He criticized former LSU athletic director Scott Woodward for providing Kelly a one-sided deal after giving Jimbo Fisher an much more outlandish deal whereas at Texas A&M. Fisher is receiving funds from a $76 million buyout via 2031.
“We’re not doing that once more. And you recognize what? I consider that we will discover an important coach,” Landry stated throughout an Oct. 29 information convention. A month later, the college had discovered its alternative, providing an excellent wilder contract than what Kelly had.
It appears each Landry and the college are keen to make an exception for Kiffin. He simply agreed to his contract over the weekend, and already, he has the load of large expectations on his shoulders.
