Lane Kiffin: Ohio State's reported $20 million NIL figure would rank on 'the extreme high end' nationally

Lane Kiffin has never been shy about sticking his nose into things, and the Ole Miss head coach drew plenty of attention when he shared an ESPN story earlier this week.

The story, outlining how Ohio State apparently spent in the ballpark of $20 million to assemble what many consider to be the most talented roster in the country, is something Kiffin just found interesting, he said, so he shared it. Speaking on the SEC coaches teleconference, the Rebels head coach — who oversaw an infusion of high-end talent on his own roster through the offseason — demurred on there being more to his sharing of the article than just general interest.

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“Not very much. I think I retweeted one thing, so I don’t — not a lot. I just thought that it was an interesting article and that’s all,” Kiffin said.

How Ohio State built a $20 million, 'national championship or bust' roster – via @ESPN App https://t.co/HF9OAXKRf3

— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) August 26, 2024

He got asked a follow up about whether the reported $20 million being poured into the roster is comparable or different from the other NIL budgets that Kiffin has knowledge about.

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Simply, he thinks the Buckeyes are near the front of the, if not leading it, when it comes to this type of NIL spend.

“I would definitely think, from my knowledge, that would be the extreme high end,” Kiffin said. 

Kiffin has made things a family affair in Oxford

It’s a cliché that a football team resembles a family, but that will quite literally be true for Ole Miss coach Kiffin this season. It was reported Sunday that Kiffin hired his brother, Chris Kiffin, to be a defensive analyst for the Rebels.

The move comes just a little more than a month after their father, Monte Kiffin passed away at the age of 84. Kiffin revealed in his press conference Monday that his brother even moved in on the same street as him to allow them to see each other even more often.

In a time where both of them need the other, he has enjoyed the company of Chris.

“This is something that kind with a lot of of different things and my father, something that we discussed, and was able to work out,” Lane Kiffin said. “It’s really awesome to have him around, without being too personal. I think that my dad is excited about that. This is, as he reminded me, our fourth time working together.

“So it’s awesome especially as his four kids will be here and they’re actually on the same street as me. Moved in two nights ago. So that’s really and really awesome. From a coaching standpoint, it gives us someone with a lot of experience and good ability to game plan and knowledge.”

Chris Kiffin comes to Oxford after spending the past six years in the NFL as a defensive assistant. He most recently worked as the linebackers coach for the Houston Texans in 2023, helping the team reach the playoffs.