Flake Kiffin Takes Flight

Lane Kiffin has finally made his decision. After what seemed like an eternity of cat-and-mouse, Kiffin is headed to Baton Rouge. This should be breaking news. The hottest name in coaching is heading to another fixer-upper program, with $13 million in his pocket each year to help him get acclimated to the Louisiana heat. However, this is a cautionary tale and a blaring alarm as to what’s to come in college football. Lottery over loyalty is the current name of the game, and there is no better example of an opportunist than Mr. Flake Kiffin.

The job in Baton Rouge will be Kiffin’s eighth coaching job in the past 20 years. Outside of Ole Miss, Lane never stayed in one place for more than four seasons. The fact that Kiffin isn't even seeing players from freshman year to graduation should say a lot. As a recruit, how can you trust a coach when you can’t be sure he will stay with you through your whole career, or even stick around your program long enough to develop you as a player? As an investor, how can you invest so much money into a man who will most likely leave you for another program and/or not provide any remarkable accomplishments during his time?

Let’s take a look at Lane Kiffin’s greatest coaching achievements: he was on the coaching staff of Nick Saban’s 2015 national championship team, led Florida Atlantic to two Conference USA titles, and brought Ole Miss back to relevancy. All of these are good, but are they great enough for $90 million and the ability to come and go as he pleases? I’m not sure. I’m excited to see what Flake can do in Death Valley; hopefully, he can earn his very own national championship.