Lane Kiffin deserves credit for leading Ole Miss to an unprecedented run of success. That does not mean the Rebels' administration can afford to waste time moving to replace him. If, as expected, Kiffin does bolt for LSU, Ole Miss needs to get on the phone quickly to secure his replacement. In fairness, Ole Miss Athletic Director Keith Carter likely already has a suitable list of replacement for his head football coach. Leaders of programs the size of Ole MIss cannot afford to be caught off guard by a coach leaving in any sport. That's particularly true when it comes to the football program.
The good news for Ole Miss is that Kiffin has shown what type of success is possible in Oxford. The bad news is that the Rebels roster may be gutted after the high-profile departure of their head coach. Anyone Ole Miss hires will inherit a tough job with a high ceiling and even higher expectations. These are three calls the school need to make immediately if Kiffin does head to Baton Rouge.
"I talked to LSU sources this morning, and they are very confident that Lane Kiffin is going to come to Baton Rouge and accept this job." @BruceFeldmanCFB gives the latest update on Lane Kiffin's future ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/qP570FgjHp
— Big Noon Kickoff (@BNKonFOX) November 29, 2025
Jon Sumrall is an obvious solution to replace Kiffin
Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall is almost certainly going to get a Power Four job in the coming weeks. Ole Miss would do well to beat the competition to bring him in as Kiffin's replacement.
The challenge in landing Sumrall might be beating out the SEC competition vying for his services. He's in the mix at Florida and has been mentioned prominently in connection with Auburn's opening. Ole Miss will need to move swiftly if they want to hand Sumrall the controls of their program.
Moving from Tulane to Ole Miss would be a big jump, but Sumrall has the personality to handle the uptick in pressure. He may not have the gravitas that Kiffin brought to town, but he'd be an above-average hire for Carter in a crucial time in the program's history.
Jeff Brohm can be tempted to the SEC at Ole Miss
Louisville is a good job, but there's no question the lure of the SEC is stronger than the ACC. That's why Jeff Brohm could be tempted to make the leap to the nation's top conference.
Some Rebel fans won't be enamored with the idea of hiring a coach who has only led the Cardinals to a mediorce total of seven wins heading into their regular-season finale. His overall record with Louisville is more indicative of how good Brohm's been. It's intriguing to consider what he might do with a program with something closer to elite resources.
Hiring Brohm would be a bit of a gamble for Ole Miss, but his offensive system could give them a clean transition from the philosophy Kiffin brought to town. The Rebels need to offer a high-octane offense to recruits to stay relevant against their SEC brethren. Brohm can give them on offensive identity that few candidates can.
Can the Rebels swoop in on Bob Chesney?
Curiously, James Madison head coach Bob Chesney's name hasn't been featured prominently with any SEC openings to date. Instead, he's been rumored heavily at both Penn State and UCLA.
It's unclear if the Rebels have the resources required to swoop in and steal him away but it's worth a phone call. Chesney has taken the Dukes to a new level during his tenure in Harrisburg. His team is 10-1 heading into their regular season finale at Coastal Carolina.
It might take recruits a bit of time to warm to an "outsider" like Chesney in the deep south, but Curt Cignetti did remarkably well after leaving James Madison for a Power Four job. The Rebels should dial Chesney up to see if he's willing to try the same trick in Oxford.