LSU coach Lane Kiffin was not in attendance at Thursday night's Sugar Bowl after much speculation leading up to the game that he'd be there to keep an eye on his former team. Kiffin instead opted to take in a women's basketball game and walk out hand-in-hand with Kim Mulkey. But that doesn't mean the high-profile coach was not a part of the action in New Orleans as a major background player.
And the Rebels' second half comeback, sparked by Trinidad Chambliss, does more than secure Ole Miss a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals. It also increases the bonus due to Kiffin by LSU based on his former team’s postseason success.
The Tigers coach was owed $250,000 after Ole Miss' quarterfinal victory over Tulane—a figure that jumped to $500,000 after the Rebels ended Georgia's season. A victory over Miami would mean another $250,000 and a national title would result in a $1 million bonus. Again, this is money that LSU, not Ole Miss, will be paying out to Kiffin.
It's yet another unusual detail in what has been a most unusual season for Ole Miss and its former coach. There is now some uncertainty regarding which Rebels coaches will stick around for the rest of their run and which are off to Baton Rouge.
To their credit, all the distractions and moving pieces have not prevented the Rebels from taking major steps toward their ultimate goal. Objectively, it's a great and compelling story line. Plus, Kiffin gets a nice perk in addition to his new dream job.
All of this looking like a win-win for everyone involved seemed like an unlikely proposition when the move happened. Now, everyone is seemingly benefitting from the unusual arrangement.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lane Kiffin’s Bonus Keeps Getting Bigger With Ole Miss’s Playoff Run.
