LSU head coach Lane Kiffin laments how he handled his controversial exit from Ole Miss last season.
"Yeah, I do (regret it)," Kiffin told ESPN's Mark Schlabach on Thursday. "But I think that's a good thing that I look at life that way now instead of saying, 'No, I don't. I was right.' I look at things always now, like, how could I have done them better? But it's also easier when you're further removed. There's no emotion involved."
LSU and Florida heavily pursued Kiffin for their respective head coaching vacancies. He ultimately accepted the Tigers' offer two days after guiding the Rebels to an Egg Bowl victory in their regular-season finale. In six seasons at Ole Miss, he posted a 55-19 record.
In the aftermath of his agreement to join LSU, Kiffin clashed with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter over his desire to continue coaching the team through the College Football Playoff - a request Carter denied. Kiffin's relationship with the program became further strained when he chose not to allow all of his assistants to remain with the Rebels for their CFP run.
"I wish I would have gone in when I met with Keith and said, 'I've made the decision to go,'" Kiffin said. "I wish I would have just said, 'Hey, I'd like to coach the team,' and he'd say, 'No.' And I'd say, 'Hey, OK, I appreciate it.' (I wish I'd) move on, never even discussed it again."
The 51-year-old Kiffin admitted Thursday that he should have accepted Carter's decision rather than fight to coach the team and drag out the situation.
Kiffin will return to familiar territory when LSU visits Ole Miss at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Sept. 19.
