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Ole Miss recently had its football facilities swept for recording devices after the departure of former head coach Lane Kiffin to LSU. Concerns arose that Kiffin might use his remaining staff to spy on the program, prompting Ole Miss to enlist the FBI's help. Walker Jones, executive director of the Grove Collective, Ole Miss's NIL organization, discussed the situation on the Assorted Crackers podcast.
Jones revealed that the tension was so high that Ole Miss maintained two separate staff meetings and text threads, as half the coaching staff was preparing to join Kiffin in Baton Rouge. "We had to ask coaches to leave the room," Jones explained. "We had no hall-room conversations, nothing written down, nothing written on the grease boards in the office."
The FBI sweep was part of efforts to prevent any potential espionage. "We actually had the FBI come through and walk the building for bugs," Jones said. The situation was so intense that Jones spent several nights sleeping at the Manning Center to ensure the roster stayed intact. Ultimately, Ole Miss retained most of its players, including Kewan Lacy and Trinidad Chambliss, with only a few following Kiffin to LSU.
Kiffin's departure was contentious, with him initially wanting to remain at Ole Miss through the College Football Playoff. However, Ole Miss's athletic director, Keith Carter, did not allow this, leading to a heated split. Kiffin later expressed regret over his handling of the situation, telling ESPN, "I wish I would have gone in when I met with Keith and said, 'I've made the decision to go.'"
Ole Miss promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach, a decision widely supported within the program. Under Golding, Ole Miss enters the 2026 season as a top-10 team. The upcoming matchup between LSU and Ole Miss on September 19 is anticipated to be a defining moment for both teams.