By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
When Division II Ferris State quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and his family from Grand Rapids, Michigan, went down south in early 2025 to Ole Miss on a recruiting visit with then-Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, the Oxford they saw did not have the reputation that Kiffin later described second hand in a controversial Vanity Fair feature last spring.
“Me, personally, I don’t agree,” Chambliss told reporters Friday at the Manning Passing Academy on the Nicholls State campus in Thibodaux. “I don’t think that what he said was truthful. The Oxford community is nothing but love, and they care about their people no matter what they look like – brown, black, purple, yellow, you know what I mean?”
Chambliss comments came at one of the most famous and star-studded youth football camps in the country, which was started in 1996 and still run by Archie Manning, an Ole Miss superstar quarterback from 1968-70 who also played with the New Orleans Saints. Manning is not a fan of the way Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU after the 2025 regular season and called him “a narcissistic jerk” at the time last December.
Manning also did not appreciate Kiffin’s comments about his former school and Oxford.
“I’m very proud of my school,” Manning said after the Vanity Fair article came out. “My school had to make changes years ago and did. I know so many people who send their kids to Ole Miss that have a great experience. It’s my school and always will be.”
Ole Miss Rebels fans, many of whom are known for waving Confederate flags (particularly older fans), waved flags of the Caribbean Republic of Trinidad that has a history of African descent last season for Chambliss, who is named after boxer Felix Trinidad of Puerto Rico.
Chambliss signed with Ole Miss and Kiffin last year, and the rest is history. Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. got Chambliss ready to play in their offense, even though Chambliss missed spring practice and did not get to campus until the summer. Chambliss finished No. 3 in the nation in passing yards last season with 3,937 with 22 touchdowns and rushed for 527 yards on 133 carries and eight touchdowns in leading the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals and a 13-2 (7-1 SEC) finish.
What Kiffin said in the Vanity Fair article was a recollection of what black players from other states (not necessarily Chambliss) told him in recruiting.
“Hey, coach, we really like you. But my grandparents aren’t letting me move to Oxford, Mississippi,” Kiffin said recruits told him. “That doesn’t come up when you say Baton Rouge, Louisiana.”
At least, not that Kiffin has heard yet.
“He said what he said,” Chambliss said. “But the people in Mississippi and Oxford showed me nothing but love. One thing that I took away from my visit and the reason why I did commit to Ole Miss is I asked my family what they genuinely thought about the visit, what they thought about the people, if they trusted what they were actually saying, if they’re gonna be true to their word. They said, ‘I feel like this is the right place.’ And my mom’s super religious, too, and she just had a good feeling. We prayed on it, and that was the main thing.”
And Chambliss never entered the transfer portal. Four Ole Miss players from the 2025 team did and joined Kiffin, Weis and several other Ole Miss coaches on the LSU staff. Those were No. 1 edge rusher/No. 6 overall portal player Princewill Umanimielen, No. 6 interior offensive lineman Deven Harper, No 13 linebacker TJ Dottery and No. 39 wide receiver Winston Watkins.
“I felt like Oxford is home, and it’s a great place,” Chambliss said.
But Chambliss remains on great terms with Kiffin and Weis.
“There’s no bad blood between me and Kiff,” Chambliss said. “Super grateful for him giving me the opportunity at Ole Miss to play under his system. Me and Kiff, we’re still cool. Super grateful for coach Weis and for the staff that was at Ole Miss that’s now at LSU. They gave me an opportunity. They gave me a shot. Super excited to go against them.”
LSU plays at Ole Miss on Sept. 19. Chambliss completed 23 of 39 passes for 314 yards and a touchdown with an interception and rushed 14 times for 71 yards in a 24-19 win over LSU in Oxford last season.
“They obviously will run our offense that we did at Ole Miss, and they got a great defensive coordinator (Blake Baker) there as well,” Chambliss said. “So I’m just super pumped up and excited to play them again. And I’ll give coach Weis a big hug when I see him. On my visit, he was one of the reasons why I committed to Ole Miss. Just have to give him so much thanks and just super grateful for him for sticking with me through the ups and downs this last year.”
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