Lane Kiffin on verge of deal to become new Ole Miss head coach

Dan Wolken | USA TODAY

Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss are on the verge of a deal that would make him the Rebels' head coach, and it could be finalized after Saturday's Conference USA title game, a person with knowledge of the matter told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the negotiations are supposed to be private.

Kiffin met with both Ole Miss and Arkansas about their head coach openings earlier this week in Boca Raton, Fla., but he preferred the Rebels, which set the negotiations in motion.

Kiffin, 44, has taken a long road back to the SEC after going 7-6 at Tennessee in 2009 and then jumping immediately to Southern Cal. After flaming out with the Trojans midway through his fourth season, he helped Alabama win an SEC and a national title as offensive coordinator under Nick Saban, rehabilitating his image as an offensive guru in the process. At FAU, he has gone 25-13 over three seasons (18-6 in the conference) and put himself in position for a triumphant return to the SEC.

Kiffin will be replacing Matt Luke, who was surprisingly fired after a loss to rival Mississippi State on Thanksgiving night. Luke went 15-21 in three seasons, taking over the Ole Miss program as it was recovering from NCAA sanctions related to recruiting violations during the Hugh Freeze era.