Lane Kiffin: Former Tennessee coach blasts 'Rocky Top' at Ole Miss practice

Lane Kiffin is bringing shades of his past to his Ole Miss football practice. The former Tennessee head coach blasted “Rocky Top,” the song synonymous with the Volunteers, at fall camp this week as the Rebels prepare for the 2021 season.

Brad Logan was on hand at Ole miss practice to capture the scene.

Lane Kiffin was once the head coach at Tennessee.

Today at practice in Oxford, a nod to his former team, as “Rocky Top” was one of the songs that played. pic.twitter.com/iUs7Udb76E

— Brad Logan (@BradLoganCOTE) August 10, 2021

Ugly exit from Tennessee

In 2009, Kiffin was named the youngest head coach in college football at just age 33. Kiffin was tasked with replacing Volunteeers’ legend Phillip Fulmer, who retired following the 2008 campaign.

Though Tennessee was Kiffin’s first college football job, he made an immediate impact.

Kiffin’s Vols’ finished 2009 with a (7-9) record, and improvement from (5-7) the year before. His offensive prowess was on full display and the Volunteers pulled off impressive wins against Georgia, South Carolina and Kentucky. Ole miss, where Kiffin now leads the football program, was one of the SEC squads that knocked of Kiffin’s Vols’ that season. After falling to Virginia Tech in a 23-point blowout loss in the Chic-Fila-Bowl, Kiffin suddenly left Tennessee to accept the USC job, with the departure of Pete Carroll to the Seahawks leaving a vacancy.

Since the sudden exit, there has been bad blood between Kiffin and the Tennessee fanbase.

“This was not an easy decision, this was something that happened very quick, a decision that myself and my family made,” Kiffin said in his 60-second press conference back in 2010. “I really believe that this is probably the only place I would have left here to go, to go to Southern Cal.”

Kiffin returns to Tennessee on Oct. 16

For the first time since his controversial exit, Kiffin will return to Neyland Stadium on Oct. 16 as the Rebels face the Vols’ in a classic SEC clash.

“It will be exciting to go back there,” Kiffin told USA Today Sports of playing at Tennessee. “We had an exciting year there. I’ve said it before, I love the fan base there, very passionate, and it’s a special place.”

On paper, Ole Miss should be the favorite heading into the SEC clash.

The Volunteers aim to right the ship with first-year coach Josh Heupel, who turned UCF into a consistent contender in the college football landscape.