Report: Lane Kiffin sued for copyright infringement by Texas-based swimming psychologist

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has been known to post inspirational quotes, book passages or just general sayings to his social media accounts, but he now finds himself involved in litigation over one such instance.

According to a report from the Clarion Ledger, Kiffin has been sued for his social media activity.

The plaintiff in the suit is Dr. Keith Bell, author of the 1981 book “Winning Isn’t Normal” that Kiffin has occasionally referenced on his accounts and to his teams. Details of the suit, which seeks damages from Kiffin on a count of copyright infringement, stem back to 2016.

Per the Ledger, “Kiffin ‘retweeted’ a passage from ‘Winning Isn’t Normal‘ in 2016,” at which point Bell sent cease-and-desist notices informing Kiffin of copyright infringement.

Lane Kiffin took down that post.

However, several years later Kiffin tweeted a photo that would draw scrutiny. The photo included a seven-paragraph passage under the heading “Winning Isn’t Normal,” though the photo did not appear to be a direct representation of the book. It was, however, a near-exact copy of a passage from Bell’s book, the lawsuit alleges.

Lane Kiffin did not delete the post in question despite subsequent cease-and-desist letters, providing the basis for the lawsuit.

The suit comes right at the start of fall camp for the Rebels, who have extremely lofty expectations heading into the 2024 season. Many have pegged Ole Miss as a possible playoff contender as the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams this year.

Lane Kiffin has compiled a 34-15 overall record at Ole Miss in his four seasons in charge, despite going just 5-5 in his first season with the program. The Rebels boast a 20-13 conference mark in that span.

Ole Miss finished the 2023 season with 11 wins, which included a Peach Bowl win over Penn State to conclude the year.