What makes a good college football coach? Would you say the ability to develop players? Does making the best use of the transfer portal also matter? National analysts Willis and Crain did not hold back in their assessment of coach Lane Kiffin, the head coach of Ole Miss, calling him a “college football Goldilocks coach.”
Why Lane Kiffin’s Balanced Approach to Transfers and Development Sets Him Apart In College Football
Coach Kiffin has mastered the art of developing his players while effectively using the transfer portal. Commenting on his overall credentials, Steven Willis on the Locked On Ole Miss Podcast on YouTube said, “I think Lane Kiffin is absolutely the perfect coach in college football for all of the chaos that is around the sport at the moment.”
The chaos refers to the alarming impact of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) on college sports. Co-analyst Jake Crain believes this is organized chaos.
Commenting further, he said, “As far as being able to decipher what percentage you need to lean on the transfer portal and developing guys through high school, I feel like Lane Kiffin is kind of in that middle ground, maybe leaning a bit heavier towards the transfer portal. But it is not to the level that Deion Sanders is, right?”
Crain continued, “While it is a little heavier on the transfer portal side, you still see that high school development. If you are able to pull enough money to compete and go get these guys, and you blend that with the personality and the methodology that Lane Kiffin has at a place like Ole Miss, it tends to work out pretty well. It is the Goldilocks Porridge message.”
The Key to Kiffin’s Impressive Style
Since the introduction of the transfer portal, many programs have invested more money to secure the best players. In such an era, Kiffin’s strategies stand out.
To Kiffin, the portal is a precision tool he uses to strategically fill essential roster gaps. Yet, he remains committed to developing the players already on the roster.
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Unlike some programs that chase every high-profile transfer, Kiffin focuses on his team’s specific needs and how to address them. This innovative use of the transfer portal has made Kiffin a college football Goldilocks coach, capable of finding the right balance amidst the chaos surrounding the sport.
Undoubtedly, his approach is a blueprint for the future of coaching. Blending the portal and player development could help tame the chaos surrounding college sports.
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