The college football coaching carousel has already begun, with Penn State and Florida making notable moves before the final month of the regular season.
Florida’s decision came after head coach Billy Napier continued to struggle in his fourth season at the helm. The Gators defeated Mississippi State last Saturday, but are still below .500 overall (3-4) and only 2-2 in the SEC.
Before the win over the Bulldogs, Florida lost four of its last five games, including three losses by 10 points or more. That stretch also featured an upset loss to South Florida, in which the Gators allowed an 8-play, 87-yard game-winning drive, capped by a 20-yard field goal as time expired.
During an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up, Paul Finebaum was asked if Penn State or Florida is the most attractive opening in college football. Not only did Finebaum lay out why Florida is the better job, but he also leaked a name to watch for the opening.
“I think Florida is easily the best choice,” Finebaum said. “Florida can win national championships, Greeny. They’ve done it three times since the 90s. One with Spurrier, two with Urban Meyer. You have to go back to yesteryear for Penn State. Really back to the 80s.
“Penn State is a good job. Florida is better. And keep your eyes on Lane Kiffin for the Florida job.”
It seems like Kiffin has been linked to nearly every opening across the SEC over the past few seasons. He’s found a ton of success at Ole Miss, leading the Rebels to 10 or more wins in three of the past four years. Kiffin has compiled an overall record of 50-19 over his six seasons in Oxford.
Kiffin got his first head coaching opportunity in the SEC, spending one season at Tennessee before leaving for USC. He spent four seasons with the Trojans before getting fired in 2013, which led him to Alabama, where he spent three seasons as the offensive coordinator.
Kiffin also served as the head coach at Florida Atlantic, giving him ties to the state, which could play a role in establishing recruiting pipelines for the Gators. He was 26-13 over three seasons, winning two C-USA conference titles and making two bowl appearances.
It remains to be seen if Florida can pull Kiffin away from Ole Miss. He’s one of the highest-paid head coaches in the sport, earning $9 million per year and ranking among the top 10 among college football head coaches.
Another major factor could be his daughter, Landry, who is a student at Ole Miss. She also played a key role in Lane turning down the Auburn job in 2022. His son, Knox, is also a quarterback at Oxford High School, where he’s already received multiple FBS offers as a sophomore.
Florida will look to find some positivity under interim head coach Billy Gonzales after a much-needed bye week. The Gators will return to action next week against No. 5 Georgia in Jacksonville, FL. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 pm CT on ABC.
