Lane Kiffin Says It's 'Very Important' To Coach Remainder Of Season At Ole Miss. We'll See About That

The buildup to a pivotal Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State should be centered around the Rebels having a chance to clinch a college football playoff berth. But, here we are, five days before the game, and Lane Kiffin's future is the focal point of conversation. 

By the way, none of this should surprise anyone. Given the past few weeks of banter around which job Kiffin should take has turned into a media frenzy that feels like we're all living in a simulation. 

Lane Kiffin And Ole Miss AD Continue This Circus Past Egg Bowl, With Future Still Uncertain At LSU Or Florida

Whether it's the family trips to Gainesville or Baton Rouge, along with the conversation held by Kiffin and AD Keith Carter on Friday that spurned a statement telling Ole Miss fans that the focus should be on the players ahead of a critical game on Friday, it's all one big circus. 

Are fans really expected to believe that both sides will meet on Saturday to get Kiffin's final decision, which feels like a buildup to a recreation of the LeBron James debacle where he decided to play for the Miami Heat? 

All of this resembles a reality show, no matter if Kiffin wanted to wait until the regular season ended to decide his future. Sorry, that opportunity left the train when family members were searching for houses in two different towns not named Oxford. 

Important For Kiffin To Coach In CFP, His Decision Will Determine It

On Monday, Kiffin met with the media to discuss Egg Bowl week, and how his team is preparing for such a monumental game. Ok, I'm kidding. This was a moment he created and now had to answer for. 

But, on Monday, Kiffin was not going to get into anything else besides the game ahead, though he did give a hint about whether he'd want to coach out the season at Ole Miss. 

"Very important, I've never thought of anything differently," Kiffin responded. 

I think that's the most obvious answer Lane has given in recent weeks. He would love to coach his players in the college football playoff, but Ole Miss is simply not going to allow him on the sidelines if he's planning on leaving for another school. 

But, when it comes to outside noise, the Ole Miss coach mentioned that we are in a different generation when it comes to players being caught up in outside noise, pointing towards the transfer portal and money the athletes make. 

"It's a different generation, guys," Kiffin started. "It's different than we were in as players couldn't leave and players chose to go play for their home state a lot. They all can leave every year. A lot of that is financially based. And so, they don't think the traditional way that years ago about their coach and what can go on with him next year. 

"That's not how they think anymore. So, that makes it a lot easier to not listen to the noise. Because, as a fan, that noise is really loud because it's your team, it's your team for a long time. These kids don't think that way. It's a product of the system."

In this case, Kiffin is not wrong, though that doesn't make the situation any easier for those who have jobs on the line, or the players who are not looking to leave. 

Either way, the questions will continue, whether he wants to answer them or not. We are headed towards a monumental clash on Thursday in Starkville, with a lot on the line in terms of Ole Miss making the playoff, and hosting a first round game. 

We'll see on Friday if his players have truly blocked out the noise. And then, we'll find out how much he wants to coach this team in the playoff.