Ole Miss legend Eli Manning had some fun with a parody post connecting him with the newly created coaching vacancy at his alma mater.
Lane Kiffin announced Sunday that he is leaving the Rebels for LSU. “274 Sports,” a play on 247Sports’ account, said Manning is headed to Oxford. The retired quarterback replied:
Kiffin also revealed that he would not finish the season with Ole Miss, as the school is on track to qualify for the College Football Playoff.
Defensive coordinator Pete Golding will be the team’s permanent head coach.
With that news, “Coach Manning” won’t get a chance this time. It largely goes without saying that Manning, who has no coaching experience, is not a real candidate.
However, the two-time Super Bowl champion could potentially return to Ole Miss in a different form.
As a way to attract more talent in an even more competitive recruiting landscape, schools are increasingly bringing veterans back to campus to gain some instant credibility. Andrew Luck is the general manager of Stanford football. Stephen Curry, Gordon Hayward and Jayson Tatum have received official men’s basketball roles at their old schools.
Manning remains a visible presence even after retirement, and young players will know who he is even if they are not familiar with his college and/or professional career. This could be leveraged to raise the profile of Rebels football under new leadership.
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