A big twist in the Auburn Football head coaching search occurred on Monday night.
WCBI News sports director Jon Sokoloff reported on Monday night that Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin was leaving the program to take the vacant job at Auburn.
“BREAKING: #OleMiss HC Lane Kiffin plans to step down as the Rebels coach Friday and head to Auburn to become the Tigers next head coach, according to sources. Sources say the Tigers haven’t officially offered the job to anyone yet. So Lane to Auburn is happening. Story soon,” Sokoloff tweeted.
A little over an hour later, Kiffin took to Twitter himself. Kiffin publicly disputed the report via quote tweet.
“That’s news to me Jon,” Kiffin said with various emojis. “Nice sources”
That’s news to me Jon. 🤦♂️. Nice sources 🚫👿🪑🍽 https://t.co/P8rdpxEk0p
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 22, 2022
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In a follow-up story from Sokoloff and WCBI on Monday night, Sokoloff said that “sources in the Ole Miss athletic department denied that report.”
Lane Kiffin has led the Rebels to an 8-3 record and the third spot in the SEC West through the first 11 games of the season. Kiffin has a 23-11 overall record over the span of his three years in Oxford.
Auburn parted ways with former head coach Bryan Harsin on October 31 less than two years into his tenure with the Tigers. Harsin finished his Auburn career with a 9-12 record. Auburn has gone 2-1 with interim head coach Cadillac Williams including a 13-10 win over Texas A&M.
Kiffin and the 20th-ranked Rebels will host Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl this Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. ET in Oxford.
Auburn and Williams, meanwhile, will travel to Tuscaloosa for an Iron Bowl matchup with No. 8 Alabama this Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET.
UPDATE:
Kiffin is having plenty of fun with the situation as whole. The Ole Miss head coach trolled Sokoloff by tweeted out a word-for-word “report” that Sokoloff was leaving the WCBI station for a different station.
“BREAKING NEWS: Jon Sokoloff of #WCBINews in Starkville MS. plans to step down as lead anchor and head to #WLOX to become their new lead anchor. Sources say WLOX hasn’t officially offered the job to anyone yet. So Jon to WLOX is happening. Story soon,” Kiffin tweeted.
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 22, 2022
