Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin gives touching tribute to dad Monte Kiffin in wake of his death

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin paid a heartfelt tribute to his late father, Monte Kiffin, following the NFL coaching legend's passing at age 84. Speaking at SEC Media Days in Dallas, Lane described his father as a "superhero" who touched the lives of many with his kindness and mentorship.

Reflecting on the profound impact his father had on everyone he encountered, Kiffin said:

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“He [Monte] used this term and now I’m using this term in description of him because I feel like there’s very few superheroes, there’s very few great ones that loved everyone and tried to help everyone they came in touch with forever. Whether you were big or small, whoever you were, he tried to help.”

Monte Kiffin's coaching career spanned decades across both college and professional football. He was the chief architect of the iconic 'Tampa 2' defense during his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

What else did Lane Kiffin say at the 2024 SEC Media Days?

At the 2024 SEC Media Days, the Ole Miss coach also addressed managing expectations for his team. He called the outside hype "rat poison," echoing Nick Saban's phrase:

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"This is a rat-poison situation here, to have all this attention on our players and it means nothing."

For Kiffin, the focus remains on team cohesion as he highlighted the importance of bonding and leadership:

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"It’s not all about the Xs and Os. They gotta come together. You get all these free agents and they don’t gel and they don’t play well together. This is the ultimate team sport."

As Ole Miss prepares for the 2024 season, Kiffin's message remains clear: focus on the process, not the hype, as they strive to translate potential into performance on game day.

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