"Ridiculous" - Coco Gauff's ex-coach criticizes college football rules after Lane Kiffin's controversial move from Ole Miss to LSU

Coco Gauff's ex-coach Brad Gilbert has come out in criticism of college football rules after Ole Miss' coach Lane Kiffin making a controversial move to LSU just days before the start of the playoff season. According to some reports, he was offered a massive $90 million deal to make the move.

Kiffin, who coached the Ole Miss Rebels from 2020 to 2025, ended his time there with one of strongest years in their history, recording a 11-win regular season for the first time in the school's history. Yet, now he will join one of their direct competitors, with LSU being one of the teams Ole Miss defeated in the regular season.

Kiffin had reportedly expressed wishes to complete the playoff run for the Rebels, but the offer was denied by his former employer. In light of all this, Gilbert called out the rules in college football for allowing coach shuffling to even take place before the playoffs, saying that it was 'ridiculous.'

"Just a thought about college football 🏈 don’t allow any coaching movement and especially portal stuff to after the national championship game . ridiculous already happening now," he wrote on X.

Gilbert also agreed that Ole Miss was right to deny Kiffin's offer to coach them through the playoffs this year when he was already set to start a job with LSU next year.

"Good 👍 for @OleMissFB to not let the coach continue in the playoffs, he is at LSU where the grass is not always greener, and you had a great 👍 thing going," he wrote.

Brad Gilbert coached Gauff for one year between 2023 and 2024, during which time she won the US Open for her maiden Grand Slam title. Before that, he had coached the likes of Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick.

Coco Gauff ended the 2025 tennis season ranked World No. 3

Coco Gauff at the WTA Finals 2025 - Day 6 - Source: Getty

As for her own 2025 season, Coco Gauff had an impressive year, winning one Grand Slam title and one WTA 1000 title. She won the French Open for her second Major trophy, and the Wuhan Open for the first time in her career.

With two titles and two runner-up finishes, Gauff finished 2025 as the World No. 3, ranked only behind Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. Gauff will start her 2026 season at the United Cup in Australia.

Edited by Shyam Kamal