Just a few days ago, as Lane Kiffin was heading towards a private jet that was set to take him to Louisiana, the 50-year-old play caller was serenaded by a cascade of booing Ole Miss fans. Feelings of frustration and betrayal, as well as accusations of greed, were aired out one last time, and then the door shut behind him.
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For Kiffin and those who he left behind on the tarmac that day, that was the official end to his six-year tenure with the Rebels. Of course, the newfound coach of the LSU Tigers could only hide out in the clouds but for a few hours, and upon his landing, he knew that analysts and the critics would be waiting for him.
After all, he did elect to take a $91-million contract in favor of a program that is currently on the cusp of a playoff run. Figures from the media, college athletics, and even NFL stars have cried foul at the situation, and among them now is the former face of the Carolina Panthers, Cam Newton.
Kiffin has repeatedly stated that his decision was predicted on a family more so than football or cash. In fact, he bluntly stated that “I would never make a decision based on money” while speaking at one of his latest press conferences.
According to Newton, however, that’s an egregious claim for Kiffin to make. In referring to LSU’s newest play caller as “Lane Zachariah,” the 2015 NFL MVP made it abundantly clear that he isn’t buying what Kiffin is selling.
“You’re a liar. It ain’t about the money? It’s always about the money,” Newton exclaimed during the latest episode of his 4th & 1 podcast. In highlighting the fact that the SEC’s revenue distribution system includes bonuses for teams that appear or succeed in meaningful events, such as the playoffs, Newton suggests that Kiffin’s decision is actually the result of “loopholes” in the “college football system.”
“LSU is a part of the tier one of the SEC, that’s what Lane knows. It’s going to take way more to perform at Ole Miss than it is at a LSU. The reports say that, annually, LSU is giving Lane Kiffin the opportunity to spend $25 million a year to acquire talent and to keep talent… If ol’ Lane Zachariah wants to get them [SEC] bonuses, he knows he’s got to go somewhere that can get him the talent that he needs.”
Much like his fellow critics, Newton ultimately believes that “some type of cap” is needed to prevent issues like this from happening again. Unfortunately, change seldom comes fast in the world of NCAA politics, so until further notice, fans may just have to accept last-minute coaching changes at playoff time as the new norm.
