Lane Kiffin's offseason pettiness continues and it could be costing Ole Miss big time

Never change, Lane. Never change... That is usually what I write whenever Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin says or does something not necessarily out of character for him, but somewhat unbecoming of a Power Four college football head coach. This is just who he is as the greatest internet troll of all time. We have to just accept this, no matter how poorly one of his jokes land...

Admittedly, I do find what Kiffin normally says to be quite funny, and rather insightful. Again, he may have a point in backing up what former USC Trojans legendary running back LenDale White said over on X about Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. While Kiffin may technically be right about saying they did what White accomplished in less games, be smarter here.

Kiffin continually babbled about how it was such a travesty that 9-3 (5-3) Ole Miss did not make the College Football Playoff last year. That team was talented enough to get in, but do not lose to teams like Florida and Kentucky. Kiffin poking holes in Henderson and Judkins' argument for being the best running back tandem in college football is okay, but keep in mind that Judkins used to star for him.

White and Reggie Bush may have a stronger claim than Henderson and Judkins, but do not go there...

Here is why Kiffin emphatically voicing his opinion over this is the absolute wrong way to go here.

Lane Kiffin punches down when it comes to Ohio State's elite RB tandem

I would have just let that one slide. Yes, he and White are probably right that the USC tandem from back in the day was otherworldy. While Georgia's elite running back tandem of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel did not win a national title, that is my alma mater's best argument from the playoff and even the BCS era. Kiffin has to understand that dampening Judkins' shine will only hurt him in recruitment.

What you have to remember is Judkins was not a four or five-star coming out of high school. The Alabama native got overlooked by the Crimson Tide and Auburn in the recruiting process, going to a team that seemed to be on the rise in Ole Miss. While Ole Miss has yet to make the College Football Playoff, Kiffin routinely has this Rebels program winning around 10 games annually. That does matter.

However, Ole Miss is simply never going to have the NIL war chest that a college football juggernaut like Ohio State has. Kiffin may be bitter over this, but he has developed quite the reputation for being a wizard in the transfer portal. Portal Lane is one of his many non-Joey Freshwater nicknames. For the Lane Train to not run over former Rebels who are no longer about his cause, he has to be careful.

Ultimately, I am looking at a team that blew its golden opportunity to make the playoff last year. Austin Simmons may offer a ton of upside at quarterback, losing Jaxson Dart and Walter Nolen to the NFL Draft is considerable. Ole Miss will still probably win eight or nine games next year, but 2024 was the year for them to finally get it done. At the end of the day, Kiffin's detractors gained more evidence.

It may be small potatoes, but little becomes big over time in recruitment in the wonderful world of NIL.