By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry told then-Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin during an interview for the LSU head coaching job in November that he would have no problem with Kiffin coaching the Rebels in the College Football Playoff after becoming, and while working as, LSU’s head coach.
“It would’ve been great public relations for LSU,” Ausberry told Tiger Rag.
Kiffin was not allowed to do so by Ole Miss, but several of his just-hired LSU assistant coaches and other staff from Ole Miss have been in Oxford since Monday and will be coaching the Rebels throughout the playoffs that start on Dec. 20. And Ausberry feels the same way about those assistants winning for Ole Miss, and indirectly for LSU.
5 Former Ole Miss assistant football coaches signed to be LSU assistants under Lane Kiffin will coach Rebels in playoffs in Work/Release program:https://t.co/KIdn5abhoo
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) December 9, 2025
The No. 6 Rebels (11-1) host No. 11 Tulane (11-2) on Saturday, Dec. 20, in a CFP opener at 2:30 p.m. on TNT. The winner advances to the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 against No. 3 Georgia (12-1). If Ole Miss continues to advance, it will play in a semifinal on Jan. 8 and the national championship game on Jan. 19 in Miami.
“That would be great for LSU,” Ausberry said.
But just in case just-hired LSU offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Charlie Weis Jr. starts to enjoy himself and the players back at and Ole Miss (where he coached from 2022-25) too much during the playoffs, Ausberry and LSU have sweetened the purple and gold pot for when Weis returns … so as to avoid the “if” he returns question.
Apparently comments by new Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding on Sunday got LSU concerned.
“There was never any indecision with Charlie,” Golding said of Weis in an interview on ESPN on Dec. 7. “When he left on Sunday (Nov. 30 to LSU), he was, ‘Hey, I am 1,000 percent coaching in the game for the players. I just want to give myself the opportunity after the season concludes to decide whether I want to coach at LSU with coach Kiffin or come back to Ole Miss and continue to be the offensive coordinator.'”
Golding was either putting words in Weis’ mouth, or Weis chose LSU for good since Nov. 30.
Weis signed his new deal last Monday. Also on Monday, Ole Miss hired East Carolina offensive coordinator John David Baker from East Carolina to be its offensive coordinator after the playoffs.
Weis will be paid $2.5 million a year in a newly enhanced contract over three years at LSU after his original terms of agreement signed on Nov. 30 had him making $1.9 million a year – just in case Ole Miss tries to keep Weis in Oxford longer than the playoffs. The salary bump will make Weis the highest paid OC in the country in 2026 at the moment.
The new payment terms for Weis were released Wednesday by the LSU Board of Supervisors going into its next meeting on Thursday. The Board routinely releases its meeting agendas beforehand.
The Board will vote on Weis’ contract, which includes LSU giving Weis a raise after each season, should another Southeastern Conference offensive coordinator’s salary exceed his. If another SEC offensive coordinator surpasses Weis in salary early next year as of March 1, Weis will get a raise to make more than that coach.
The Board also plans to vote on the contracts of Kiffin ($91 million over seven years) and three former Ole Miss coaches now at LSU – George McDonald (wide receivers), Joe Cox (tight ends), Dane Stevens (assistant quarterbacks coach) – as well as former Ole Miss strength coach Nick Savage and other staff now at LSU from Ole Miss.
LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker is following what he calls “The Kirby Smart Plan.”https://t.co/oSBqYh1tX9
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) December 8, 2025
In addition, the Board will be voting on the new contract of returning LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker ($9.3 million over three years), who will be the highest paid defensive coordinator in 2026 at the moment. New offensive line coach Eric Wolford’s contract (1.8 million over two years) will also be voted on.
LSU’s Lane Duck Bowl …https://t.co/rZNjSZ53Ww
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) December 9, 2025
Meanwhile, LSU interim coach Frank Wilson got a pay bump of $169,583 in November and in December after replacing Brian Kelly, who was fired on Oct. 26. Wilson will coach the Tigers (7-5) against No. 24 Houston (9-3) in the Texas Bowl in Houston on Dec. 27 (8:15 p.m., ESPN).
Kiffin has not yet named a running backs coach, which was Wilson’s job title along with associate head coach before he replaced Kelly. But Wilson said Tuesday that he is unsure if he will be retained by Kiffin after the bowl game, and he is up for the running backs coaching job at Texas, according to On3.com.
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