"Don't confuse silence with inaction": Josh Pate adds fuel to Lane Kiffin-Florida rumors hours after teasing Ole Miss HC's possible exit

Lane Kiffin has been the talk of the town amid rumors suggesting that he could leave Ole Miss for a new coaching gig, with Florida and LSU among those interested in landing the coach. The No. 6 Rebels are on course to make a maiden College Football Playoff appearance this season, but are also eagerly awaiting Kiffin's decision on his future plans.

Amid the uncertainty around Kiffin's future, analyst Josh Pate has fuelled speculation that the could might join Florida.

“The one thing I’ll say about Florida is I know there only seems to be a fraction of the noise coming out of Florida that there is LSU,” Pate said on his "College Football Show" on Sunday. “That may be because he ends up signing with LSU. I would just caution you: do not confuse silence with inaction. Sometimes there’s a lot going on behind the scenes and it’s just buttoned up pretty tight. So I don’t take the relative silence out of Gainesville compared to Baton Rouge to mean Florida’s just cooked here.

“I know a lot of the reporting is that Florida is a distant third and this and that. I still think they’ve got a shot. That’s all I’m saying. Not a leader in the clubhouse, nothing like that. I’m not making a pick, I’m just saying I still think they’re in it. I think he could stay at Ole Miss. I absolutely think he could go to LSU.”

According to reports, Ole Miss has given Kiffin an ultimatum to inform the school about his future plans before the Egg Bowl vs Mississippi State on Friday.

Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin receives a reported $90 million offer from LSU

NCAA Football: Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin - Source: Imagn

According to reports, LSU offered Lane Kiffin a $90 million contract to coach at Baton Rouge ahead of the 2026 season. Although the deal is not finalized, the contract is set to stretch for seven years, which would make Kiffin tied for the highest-paid coach in the country.

Kiffin's current contract with Ole Miss expires in December 2031. He is making around $9 million per year with the Rebels.