Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin is infamously one of the more entertaining coaches on social media, unafraid of confrontation for the sake of a joke, even among his peer coaches.
Mississippi State Bulldogs first-year coach Jeff Lebby took a direct shot from some of those punchlines, with Kiffin stoking the fire of an already fuming rivalry inside the state of Mississippi. What did Kiffin say, and how did Lebby respond at SEC Media Days?
Lane Kiffin Trolled Jeff Lebby After His Return to the Magnolia State
The beef between Kiffin and Lebby goes back a few years with the latter previously working on the former’s staff.
After serving as UCF’s offensive coordinator in 2019, Lebby was hired by Kiffin to be the OC at Ole Miss. He guided the Rebels’ offense to No. 8 in the nation in his first year, leading to a two-year contract extension.
Lebby wouldn’t see the extension through as he left for Oklahoma following the 2021 season. The Sooners were 13th in 2022 and fourth in 2023 in total offense, leading to Lebby’s return to the Magnolia State in November 2023, this time at the helm of Mississippi State.
Kiffin, never one to back away from an opportunity to troll a rival, took to social media for a series of barbs aimed at Lebby after he was hired. First, he shared a post from December 2021 of Lebby wearing socks that say “WE RUN THE SIP” after Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State when both were on staff in Oxford.
Then, Kiffin took it a step further, quoting a meme with his face imposed on a dad carrying a child that had the face of Lebby, captioning the post, “Welcome home @Coach_Lebb #BackInTheOtherSip.”
Kiffin added one last jab at Lebby’s weight, replying to the quoted post, “I knew you missed the food!”
Lebby Respects Kiffin Despite Calling His Social Media Antics ‘A Little Childish’
At SEC Media Days, Lebby was asked about his former boss’ social media quips. He had a diplomatic answer for the most part while revealing he wasn’t too amused and that Kiffin’s posts were “a little childish, but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect him.”
“Yeah, a ton of respect for Lane (Kiffin) and what he’s done, the energy he’s created,” Lebby said at the podium during SEC Media Days. “I’m not going to talk a ton about the social presence. I’ll let him continue to tend to that game.
“But again, my time there created an experience for me that gives me the opportunity to hopefully be able to create advantage, and that’s what it’s all about for Mississippi State.”
As if either side needed more motivation when the Egg Bowl comes around, Kiffin’s and Lebby’s history together adds an extra element to an already fascinating rivalry. The two programs meet in Oxford on Nov. 29 this season.
College Football Network has you covered with the latest news and analysis, rankings, transfer portal information, top 10 returning players, the 2024 college football season schedule, and much more!