Lane Kiffin's stint with Florida Atlantic was definitely one to remember, but he is stepping back in to a major conference with a return to the SEC. Kiffin finalized a deal this week to become the next head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. Kiffin is returning to the conference after he spent time as the Tennessee Volunteers head coach and the Alabama Crimson Tide offensive coordinator. He will not assume the position until after finishing things with the Owls, who were in their second Conference USA Championship Game under Kiffin.
The 44-year--old will be moving on to the fifth head coaching job of his career, as he was reportedly bound to return to the conference somehow. Kiffin was also in talks with the Arkansas Razorbacks to be their head coach, but the Rebels' gig came around first. He does bring plenty of coaching experience to Ole Miss, including in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders, as well as under Nick Saban with Alabama. He was with them from 2014 to 2016, a span that included an SEC Championship and a National Championship. He went on to win five conference titles in six years with Florida Atlantic, and now he looks to haunt some familiar foes in the SEC.
Elsewhere, Mike Norvell is moving on from the Memphis Tigers after this season, looking to contend in the ACC as new head coach of the Florida State Seminoles. He was introduced by the Seminoles this past Sunday, this after spending four sparkling seasons with the Tigers. He led them to their third consecutive AAC Championship Game his past weekend, as they won their first ever title with a win over the Cincinnati Bearcats. That ended their season at 12-1 and they now await a trip to the Cotton Bowl for a matchup with the 10th-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions.
The Tigers have won at least eight games in six straight seasons, including the past four with Norvell, who now replaces Willie Taggart with Florida State. He was just 38 years old when taking the Memphis job, and now looks to bounce back the Seminoles, who went 9-12 in 21 games under Taggart. Norvell is now the second-youngest head coach of a Power-5 school, only behind the 38-year-old Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners.
The 44-year--old will be moving on to the fifth head coaching job of his career, as he was reportedly bound to return to the conference somehow. Kiffin was also in talks with the Arkansas Razorbacks to be their head coach, but the Rebels' gig came around first. He does bring plenty of coaching experience to Ole Miss, including in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders, as well as under Nick Saban with Alabama. He was with them from 2014 to 2016, a span that included an SEC Championship and a National Championship. He went on to win five conference titles in six years with Florida Atlantic, and now he looks to haunt some familiar foes in the SEC.
Elsewhere, Mike Norvell is moving on from the Memphis Tigers after this season, looking to contend in the ACC as new head coach of the Florida State Seminoles. He was introduced by the Seminoles this past Sunday, this after spending four sparkling seasons with the Tigers. He led them to their third consecutive AAC Championship Game his past weekend, as they won their first ever title with a win over the Cincinnati Bearcats. That ended their season at 12-1 and they now await a trip to the Cotton Bowl for a matchup with the 10th-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions.
The Tigers have won at least eight games in six straight seasons, including the past four with Norvell, who now replaces Willie Taggart with Florida State. He was just 38 years old when taking the Memphis job, and now looks to bounce back the Seminoles, who went 9-12 in 21 games under Taggart. Norvell is now the second-youngest head coach of a Power-5 school, only behind the 38-year-old Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners.
