Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin is in it for the long haul with contract extension

The extension proves that Kiffin has unfinished business to tend to in Oxford.

Since 2021, the Rebels have compiled a 16-8 record in Southeastern Conference play, their best three-year stretch in conference games since 1961 to '63.

This season, Mississippi's only losses came to Alabama and Georgia, each of whom went undefeated in regular-season SEC games. In non-conference play, the Rebels handed Tulane its only regular-season loss with a 37-20 road win on Sep. 9.

Kiffin has also made the most of the transfer portal during his four seasons at Ole Miss. Junior quarterback Jaxson Dart is in his second season with the Rebels following a transfer from USC. 

Each of Mississippi's four leading receivers this year were transfers as well — Tre Harris (Louisiana Tech), Dayton Wade (Western Kentucky), Jordan Watkins (Louisville) and Caden Prieskorn (Memphis).

The Rebels' future is bright as well with three of the top 15 players in 247Sports' transfer portal rankings committing to Ole Miss - senior defensive ends Princely Umanmielen (Florida) and Tyler Baron (Tennessee) and senior wide receiver Antwane "Juice" Wells (South Carolina). 

247Sports also predicts that its top-ranked player in the portal — sophomore defensive lineman Walter Nolen - will transfer from Texas A&M to Ole Miss.

Not only is Kiffin looking to make a bigger run at Alabama and Georgia in the SEC, he's almost exclusively pilfering from other conference rivals to do so. The SEC is only getting bigger as well with Texas and Oklahoma joining the coalition next season.

After dealing with speculation each offseason about their coach's future, Ole Miss fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Kiffin isn't going anywhere, and a long-awaited berth in the College Football Playoff becomes increasingly likely with each additional transfer.