What Spurrier had to say about Lane Kiffin and ‘even Jon Gruden’ to HC

The Florida Gators are again looking for a head coach after firing Billy Napier, and early reports suggest the Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is among the top names on the radar.

According to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin had already begun “due diligence” on Kiffin before Napier was fired. “At Ole Miss, Lane is the happiest he’s ever been, but how he handles the expected interest from Florida will be fascinating,” Zenitz wrote on X.

While Kiffin is settled at Ole Miss, making $9 million a year, one of the highest salaries in college football, Florida’s history and resources could make the deal difficult to ignore.

Zenitz added that “there aren’t many, if any, jobs that could lure Kiffin away from Ole Miss at this point, but Florida is on a very short list.” The idea of ​​becoming the spiritual successor to Gators legend Steve Spurrier reportedly intrigues Kiffin, who has openly admired the former coach for years.

That connection was not lost on Spurrier himself. Speaking to On3 Sports, the “Head Ball Coach” discussed the competition for coaches and the names that are circulating in Gainesville — including Kiffin, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz and even Jon Gruden.

“They throw Lane’s name around a lot, and he’d be good here,” Spurrier said. “Look at what he did at Ole Miss … it goes back to the Johnny Waugh days.” Added Spurrier, who won six SEC titles and a national championship at Florida, “We just need to get the right guy in here, get behind him and get the Gators to where we all want to be.”

Spurrier also noted that Kiffin would be a “fit” in Florida given their shared offensive philosophy and fast-paced personalities. Kiffin has admitted in the past that he modeled his sideline demeanor after Spurrier’s, saying he started wearing the visor because “I wanted to be Steve Spurrier.”

While Florida considers its options, other candidates, such as former Penn State coach James Franklinalso appeared. Franklin, who led Vanderbilt to back-to-back Top 25 seasons and won the Big Ten title at Penn State, made it clear he intends to coach again. His SEC experience and reputation for rebuilding programs make him another intriguing prospect for Florida’s leadership.

Still, Spurrier’s words carry weight in Gainesville. His hope is simple: that Florida will finally find stability after going through four coaches in just over a decade. “I hope we get this right,” he told On3. “There’s no reason we can’t win more than we have.”