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WATCH: Fireside chat with 80th annual TaxSlayer Gator Bowl head coaches

Ben Garrettby:Ben Garrett•01/02/25•

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Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin (Photo credit: USA Today Images)

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has been a regular critic of the college football schedule in the transfer era. 

The Rebels this postseason have dealt with their own share of roster turnover despite preparations for the Gator Bowl. Ole Miss (9-3, 5-3 SEC) closes out the 2024-25 campaign Thursday at 7:05 p.m. CT against Duke (9-3, 5-3 ACC). 

Kickoff was pushed back from 6:30 p.m. following the rescheduling of the Sugar Bowl in lieu of the deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans.

Ole Miss has three starters missing for the game: Chris ‘Pooh’ Paul, Micah Pettus and Jadon Canady. Paul, a linebacker, is already preparing for the NFL Draft. Pettus, a multi-year starter at right tackle, was dismissed and transferred to Florida State. Canady is a defensive back with multiple starts this season. He’s in the portal.

Kiffin and Duke head coach Manny Diaz held a fireside chat on Wednesday to preview the Gator Bowl.

Kiffin used some of his time to again address the challenges programs now uniquely face this time every year.

“There’s so many problems within (the system),” Kiffin said. “You’re basically a lot of times renegotiating with your own players as the season is going on at the end because you’re trying to get them locked down before the portal starts. Then you’ve got other players coming in, and they’re visiting places. And you’re still playing.

“We’ve even had kids go in that we’ve still let play in the game because they’re still part of the game. First off, it’s not the kids’ fault. It’s the system’s fault. Sometimes you can get upset with the kids. It’s not their fault at all.

“We’ve actually had kids that play in the game that miss practice to go visit other schools and come back to practice, come back to the game. If you think of it that way, what a broke system it is, or broke schedule. We’re just all trying to manage through it, but it definitely needs to be fixed.”

A full transcript of Kiffin’s comments can be found HERE. The full sit-down is included in the video below, as provided by Ole Miss Athletics.

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