OXFORD, MS – Lane Kiffin has denied plenty of rumors over the years, but sources say there’s one subject he’s no longer willing to spin: having to publicly acknowledge his participation in a rivalry game named after eggs. With LSU’s coaching search heating up, insiders say Kiffin is “extremely motivated” to make a move to Baton Rouge before Thanksgiving, mostly so he won’t be forced to utter the words “Egg Bowl” during any postseason interview.
According to one Ole Miss staffer, the tipping point came during a recruiting call when a five-star linebacker allegedly asked, “Coach, is that really what it’s called?” Kiffin reportedly hung up, stared at the ceiling for several minutes, and quietly muttered, “I deserve better.”
Privately, Kiffin has told associates he wants a job where the rivalry names “sound intimidating, not like something you find in a grocery store circular.” LSU officials remain tight-lipped about the talks, though one Baton Rouge booster said he sympathizes with Kiffin’s dilemma. “Nobody should have to explain that,” he said. “It’s not humane.”
As of Friday night, Ole Miss administrators were preparing contingency statements in case Kiffin bolts before kickoff, including one draft that simply reads: “He left. Please stop asking about the egg thing.”
