Neal McCready: Tuesday Kiffin update (6:47 a.m.)

https://247sports.com/college/ole-miss/board/103605/contents/tuesday-kiffin-update-647-am-262096204/?page=1

Welcome to Tuesday, which could be a big day or could be just another Tuesday.
There is player media availability after practice today, but no one is going to say anything. Tyler Komis will handle it.
We’re in the piecing-things-together phase of the story. I know that’s frustrating but it’s true. I know both Chase and I were working until late last night. Here’s what I know:

— This has become a pretty big point of discussion in the Manning Center among players and coaches. We have multiple sources on that, including players, players’ parents and more. I’m not sure I’d label it a “distraction,” but it’s definitely getting discussed.

— It’s also being discussed in the coaching industry quite a bit. A sitting SEC head coach is flying his family to two other SEC locations to look at neighborhoods, schools, etc., while he’s about to coach a rivalry game that could conceivably clinch a first-round bye to the CFP but would absolutely wrap up a home game Dec. 19 or 20 that would put his school in the national spotlight.
I think this is where the pressure on Keith Carter, Glen Boyce, et. al., is huge. They simply cannot look weak at this point. Don’t get me wrong. They don’t. Their ultimatum earned a lot of respect nationally. They do have to follow through at this point, and I believe they will.

— There are some who wonder what that will look like. What if Lane Kiffin ignores the ultimatum and just keeps coaching? What then? Do you suspend him with pay? What if he sought legal recourse? What are the legal grounds? We’re getting way ahead of ourselves here, but people around the sport are wondering.

— At least two — and likely more — national media people have been dispatched to Oxford. There’s no Kiffin media availability scheduled. Maybe they’ll get interviews with him. Maybe not. There’s a sense among some that something is coming soon, but I’m not sure they know anything. It’s just an unprecedented story potentially.

— Florida media — not all, just some — continue to maintain Florida and Kiffin have verbally agreed to terms and they expect to name him the UF coach next weekend. Some there even expect Kiffin would be allowed to coach Ole Miss in the CFP. They’re discussing staff he’d bring with him to Gainesville.

— Others in Florida media see some red flags with the LSU interest.

— I think that’s smart, as I wonder if LSU is the real threat. I know Kiffin’s representation views LSU as the better job and has strong ties to LSU acting/interim AD Verge Ausberry. LSU is prepared to go very high on a financial package to Kiffin, but be aware there are rumors out there about massive deals combined with NIL deals at Baton Rouge high schools for Knox Kiffin. Sources with knowledge in Baton Rouge say the Lane Kiffin contract talk is premature and the NIL talk about his son is ridiculous and patently false. In short, people are making stuff up.
We’re working and trying to be prepared for all scenarios. I know some want hourly updates but I’m not really sure that’s how this one is going to work. These waters are sort of uncharted, and we’re not positive where this is headed. As we’ve reported since the weekend, we still believe Kiffin doesn’t know what he’s going to do.