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Ole Miss legend describes ‘hurt’ created by Lane Kiffin’s decision to join LSU: ‘There’s anger’
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As the Ole Miss Rebels prepare for their College Football Playoff (CFP) game this Saturday, it’s hard not to think about Lane Kiffin not being on the sideline.
Kiffin helped lead the Rebels to its first CFP appearance, but he left after the final regular-season game to become LSU’s new head coach.
The decision by Kiffin has created a bitter end to a program that has been built up well the last six seasons. It’s one that has impacted both current players and students as well as alumni like former New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister.
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NFL legend Deuce McAllister gives back to the New Orleans hospitality and military community at the Crown Royal #GenerosityHour on Nov. 22, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Josh Brasted/Getty Images)
McAllister, who played for the Rebels from 1997-2000, can speak for many supporting Ole Miss when he says there was disappointment and pain when Kiffin decided to head to Baton Rouge.
“Immediately, there’s scorn, there’s fury, there’s anger, any other nasty word. Most of all, there’s hurt,” McAllister told The Athletic. “Because you thought there was trust. You thought there was genuine trust and genuine caring there. And not to say that there wasn’t, it just didn’t end that way. Long-term, you can’t take away the success.”
Since Kiffin’s departure, there has been fallout and conflicting statements from both sides, starting with his statement to the Rebels faithful.
“I was hoping to complete a historic six-season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern,” Kiffin’s statement read. “My request to do so was denied by [athletic director] Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance.”
Carter disputed several claims from Kiffin during his first public comments on the matter.
“A lot of things publicly that I’m not sure are totally accurate,” Carter told SuperTalk Mississippi.
Deuce Mcallister of the Mississippi Rebels runs with the ball during a game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi on Oct. 3, 1998. (Getty Images)
Carter said that Kiffin and his reps were given several weeks’ notice that coaching the Rebels in any potential playoff games was effectively a nonstarter.
“It was very clear that coaching in the postseason was not going to be an option for Coach Kiffin several weeks ago,” Carter said.
Also, one of Kiffin’s Ole Miss players, Spencer Sanders, disputed his coach’s claim that players wanted him to coach their remaining games in the CFP.
“I think everyone that was in that room would disagree,” Sanders posted on X.
Fellow offensive lineman Jayden Williams chimed in on Sanders’ sentiment: “Let ‘em know. Every single person.”
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin in the fourth quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Nov. 2, 2024. (Nelson Chenault/Imagn Images)
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Since then, Kiffin has allowed four assistants that followed him to LSU return to Oxford to help the Rebels prepare for Tulane in the first round of the CFP on Saturday.
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Today is a very important and decisive clash between India and Pakistan to reach the semi-finals in the Under-19 World Cup 2026.
This important match will be played today, Sunday, in Zimbabwe, which will start at 12:30 pm according to Pakistani time and 1 pm according to Indian time.
This match is the last match of the Super Six stage and one team is yet to be decided for the semi-finals, England from Group 2 has already qualified for the semi-finals, while the other team will be India or Pakistan.
India is currently in a better position with six points and its net run rate is 3.337, it is very easy for India, it only has to win the match and it will qualify for the semi-finals.
But on the other hand, Pakistan has four points and its net run rate is 1.484, which is significantly lower than India. Pakistan not only needs to win this match but also by a large margin to equal India in points and also surpass them in net run rate.
If Pakistan scores 300 runs batting first, it will need to win by at least 85 runs. If Pakistan bowls first and restricts India to around 200 runs, the target will have to be achieved in 31.5 overs.
If India scores 251 runs, Pakistan will have to achieve this target in around 33.2 overs to make it to the semi-finals.
It should be noted that this match will not be just about winning or losing but will be a test of runs, overs and nerves where a small slip-up can knock one team out of the World Cup.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The judge in Alabama men’s basketball player Charles Bediako‘s eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA has recused himself from the case.
Tuscaloosa Circuit Court Judge James Roberts filed the order Wednesday, according to court documents. AL.com first reported Roberts’ recusal.
The case was reassigned to Judge Daniel Pruet, an Alabama graduate who is overseeing the murder case involving former Crimson Tide player Darius Miles.
The NCAA filed a motion for recusal Tuesday, noting Roberts’ donations to the university as well as public perception that his relationship with Alabama athletics could alter his judgment in the case. Roberts was listed as a donor on the Crimson Tide Foundation’s website.
“Courts in Alabama and beyond have widely recognized that a mere appearance of partiality is sufficient to require the recusal of a trial judge,” the NCAA wrote. “This appearance can be compounded by widespread media and public scrutiny questioning the trial court’s impartiality. Despite the NCAA’s confidence that the Court can disregard his connections to the University of Alabama and its athletics programs, recusal is still necessary to protect these proceedings from an appearance of impropriety.”
Bediako’s attorneys did not oppose the motion.
Bediako is suing the NCAA in an attempt to regain college eligibility despite leaving school and entering the 2023 NBA draft. He went undrafted but signed a two-way NBA contract and played the past three seasons in the G League. Roberts granted a temporary restraining order last week that allows Bediako to play for the Crimson Tide, at least until a hearing on an injunction can be held.
No. 23 Alabama plays at No. 19 Florida on Sunday.
The NCAA and several college coaches, including Florida’s Todd Golden, have strongly opposed Bediako’s return to college basketball.
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Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson was fined $50,000 for “aggressively pursuing, berating and making inadvertent contact with a game official,” the NBA announced Saturday.
The league’s announcement said the incident happened with 10:59 left in the fourth quarter of Cleveland’s 126-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns Friday.
Atkinson was assessed his second technical foul of the game when he stormed the court after a no-call against Sam Merrill for driving on Collin Gillespie after he bumped into an official before being escorted off and ejected from the game.
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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts during the second half in Game 4 of a first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat April 28, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)
Atkinson whipped his arm against the nearby referee before the whistle was blown.
Atkinson ripped the officials in a postgame news conference.
PGA TOUR STAR JUSTIN THOMAS RIPS NCAA FOR CURRENT STATE OF COLLEGE SPORTS
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers during Game 2 of the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena in Cleveland May 6, 2025. (David Richard-Imagn Images)
“We had one free throw after three quarters against a team that [is 26th in fouls],” Atkinson said. “And the second free throw we got was after a flop. I’m not pleased. I thought the game got out of hand, quite honestly. Parts of the game seemed circus-like, quite honestly. I don’t know if that’s what we want as a league.
“Certain characters in this league take liberties, and we don’t stand up to them. And the game turns into reviews, challenges, go to the monitor for 20 minutes when we’re just trying to play basketball. I don’t think it’s good for the league, and I know it wasn’t good for us tonight. Thought they let the game get out of hand.”
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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts during the first half against the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena in Cleveland May 4, 2025. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)
The Cavaliers fell to 29-21, while Phoenix improved to 30-19.
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