The Lane Kiffin coaching carousel drama has officially hit the final arc. Maybe by this time next week, the Ole Miss head coach might mentally be on his way to Louisiana or even Florida. However, this whole carousel drag has put his coaching staff in an uncomfortable position.

On November 24, college football insiders like Andy Staples, Ross Dellenger, and Steven Godfrey hopped onto the College Football Enquirer and talked about how it could affect the coaching staff if Lane Kiffin dips to Baton Rouge and who would take over the role if Kiffin leaves before the playoffs.

The main issue is that Kiffin calling the offensive plays creates complications. If he leaves, assistants would have to take on bigger roles immediately. That creates tension inside the team, especially as they are still trying to focus on making the College Football Playoff. Andy Staples believes OC Joe Judge would take over a CEO-like role, not DC Pete Golding:

“This is not like we have talked about this for several weeks now, the Joe Judge thing, and the reason you do that is Joe Judge has the administrative CEO experience having been an NFL head coach… you want Pete Golding to be able to call the defense right? Charlie Weis Jr., meanwhile, would be beginning to call the offense because Lane Kiffin calls it now.” If he dips, Charlie Weis Jr. would suddenly have to step in and call plays.

This uncertainty is causing division among the staff. Some coaches want to follow Kiffin to a new school, and others believe Ole Miss can still make a deep playoff run. Andy Staples also added that the coaching staff is a bit frustrated and confused with Lane Kiffin’s transfer antics.

Steve preached that coaching hires should not be this complicated. They are usually concise and straightforward, but with Lane Kiffin, it is the complete opposite as he loves to drag things out as long as possible. This creates what they described as a theater-like environment similar to WWE or other pro wrestling, where rumors grow, tension rises, and no one inside the building truly knows what direction he will take next.

Both analysts agree this is Lane’s doing more than his agent Jimmy Sexton’s. It should not surprise anyone considering the gimmicks Kiffin loves to pull. Kiffin enjoys controlling the narrative, stretching out the process, and maintaining leverage with every school involved.

As a result, the Ole Miss staff is now split between those ready to follow him and those who believe the team can still make a strong playoff run, leaving the program in a state of internal conflict while they wait on Kiffin’s final decision.

Where is Lane Kiffin truly focused right now?

Right now, figuring out where Lane Kiffin’s heart really lies is the biggest drama in college football. To make it more complicated, LSU is reportedly preparing a 90 million dollar deal as we speak. Plus, his family was seen in Baton Rouge last week.

However, it would be hard to see him leave Ole Miss, especially after taking them to one of their best seasons and putting them on the verge of the playoffs. People are looking at his history of jumping jobs, like when he left Tennessee for USC after only a year.

Lane Kiffin is the last guy you expect to be serious or straightforward about the situation. His choice will likely come down to the chance to compete for a national championship, the salary, family, and what he feels is best for his future. He has some time to decide after this week’s Egg Bowl game. Will he stick with what he has built at Ole Miss, or take a leap of faith in a historical program like LSU where they could actually compete and quite possibly win a natty in the next three to fours years?