Almost 100 days away from Week 1, the storylines are already heating up this summer. Among those storylines, two notable ones that stand out are LSU Tigers coach Lane Kiffin and Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian’s jabs at fellow SEC program Ole Miss Rebels.
As the SEC heads into its spring meetings this week, narratives about a possible fine are circulating on the internet.
Kiffin said to Vanity Fair that recruits refrained from coming to Ole Miss because their grandparents didn’t want them coming to the town of Oxford due to its racially volatile past.
Sarkisian, on the other hand, called out the academics at the school.
“At Texas, we will only take 50 percent of a player’s academic credit hours,” Sarkisian said. “But at Ole Miss, they can take you. All you have to do is take basket weaving, and you can get an Ole Miss degree.”
According to On3’s Chris Low, despite no public comments from the Rebels’ management, extensive discussions have taken place on their actions. They want a fine to be imposed on the two coaches based on the SEC’s bylaws.
10.2.3 Bylaw says coaches and staff should “avoid making any derogatory statements” about another member institution’s athletics program, facilities or educational opportunities.
Bylaw 10.5.2 says coaches and administrators shall “refrain from public criticism of other member institutions, their staffs or players.” Those provisions are the core of the current Ole Miss complaint.
A decision is likely coming soon from commissioner Greg Sankey.
Greg Sankey Has a Precedent
GettyGreg Sankey, the commissioner of the SEC.
Sankey is not new to this kind of situation. In 2022, the SEC publicly responded after Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher went at each other over recruiting.
The league also fined Kiffin $25,000 in 2020 after a social media post that violated SEC rules on coach commentary. Sankey has used both public statements and financial penalties when he believes a line was crossed.
The question here is whether the SEC wants to make an example of them both. Kiffin is now at Baton Rouge, which complicates the optics. Sarkisian works at Texas, one of the league’s flagship brands, even though his comment was directed at Ole Miss.
A formal reprimand would not surprise people around the league because the bylaws are broad and Sankey has already shown he will police public behavior when it threatens conference relationships.
If Sankey acts, it would likely be about deterrence as much as punishment.
Steve Sarkisian Also Took a Shot at Texas Tech
GettyHead coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns is looking forward to a dominating season.
This off-season, Sarkisian also took a shot at the Texas Tech Red Raiders’ schedule during a recent Houston appearance.
The Houston Chronicle reported that Sarkisian said there is “a team in our state that plays in another conference” whose schedule was so light that Texas could go undefeated with backups and still reach the CFP.
The remark appeared aimed at Texas Tech, which had just made its first playoff run after a 12-1 season.
The response from Lubbock came quickly. Texas Tech billionaire booster Cody Campbell replied on X, “Schedule us then! We’ve been talking about it for years and we are more than willing!!”
Seems like Sarkisian is bringing in the heat this season.
Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian Bracing for Punishment From SEC