Paul Finebaum on Florida's potential coaching search: 'They want Lane Kiffin'

Paul Finebaum knows Florida wants Lane Kiffin, at least based on who he’s talked to. At the moment, Kiffin coaches Ole Miss and Florida still employs Billy Napier.

Florida fell to 4-4 on the season with a 34-20 loss to Georgia after losing freshman QB DJ Lagway to an injury. How the Gators finish in the final four games remains to be seen.

One thing’s for sure, Finebaum expects there to be rumors surrounding Kiffin and Florida for the rest of the season.

“I’m talking to people in the parking lot at Ever Bank Stadium. I’ll say that on the front end,” Finebaum said on the Matt Barrie Show. “They want Lane Kiffin. You can agree or disagree America, but that’s who they are fixated on, and that has not changed in 10 weeks.”

But with Kiffin and Ole Miss beating down Arkansas, the Rebels are suddenly back in the College Football Playoff picture, despite two losses (both in the SEC).

“And I don’t think you can leave if you’re in the CFP, unless Florida goes ‘you know what we’re going to announce after the Florida State game, he’s leaving,” Finebaum said. “If they don’t have a coach within a week, it’s pretty obvious it’s somebody in the CFP. I don’t think you can pull that off in today’s world without just blowing your program up. But there’s no way Lane Kiffin is leaving Ole Miss while his team is in the playoffs.” 

Kiffin is 41-17 since 2020 with Ole Miss, a fairly impressive record. Last year was a breakthrough, going 11-2 and winning the Peach Bowl.

Will he stick it out with the Rebels or head to Gainesville if the Gators come calling?

“I mean, the only thing you can do is completely lie and keep your coach and then fire him in January,” Finebaum said. “You’re still going to pay the same price, though, because whatever you get on signing day, you can lose the next day when you get rid of your coach. So it’s a Hobson’s choice. I don’t know what Florida is going to do, because the narrative on Florida is already baked in. 

“They have an interim president who happened to be the president, the full time president, who hired all these people. So I don’t think that’s really fair. It’s just really the will of the people. And I don’t know … The last time I heard from the Florida athletic director was exactly 10 weeks ago, when he told me he was all in on Billy Naoier so he hasn’t said another word since.”