Mike Florio ,
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On Thursday night, Ole Miss will play Miami for a spot in the CFP championship. Only two LSU coaches will remain on loan for the game — offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and running backs coach Kevin Smith.
Appearing on ACC Network, former Florida State and Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher unloaded on LSU coach Lane Kiffin for not letting more of the former Ole Miss assistants help the Rebels finish the job.
“ It’s selfish ,” Fisher said. “That’s what it is. It’s stupid. And because here’s why I say that. He wanted to coach [Ole Miss] and thought he didn’t get his way. ‘Everybody get on the plane with me, or you don’t have a job.’ All right? And he makes them all go. Then he gets down there and takes a P.R. hit, because it looks bad that you really don’t care about the kids. Then he says, ‘Okay, you can go back.’
“But here’s where he screwed up. He thought they were gonna lose to Georgia. The portal thing was all over with, and it was going to be all over with. He said, ‘I’ll look like a hero.’ Now, he’s got egg on his face because the real Lane came back out. You know what I’m saying? And if those guys were allowed to coach a first game, they should be allowed to coach — because those kids are doing something that you get one time in your life to do. That team. And those guys. One time. And as a coach? Listen, I know, I’ve left a job, I get that. But if you took them on and said they’re never coming back, that’s fine. You set the rules of the game. You don’t change the rules in the middle of the game. And as a coach, it’s hurting the kids and it pisses me off.”
Fisher’s right. If the former Ole Miss assistants were going to be available for any playoff games, they should have been available for all of them.
The entire situation is just another example of the chaos that the custodians of college football have created. It’s on them. And, no matter how hard they try to get someone else to clean up their mess, it’s on them to get the mop and bucket.
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