I've been thinking this morning about the entire Lane-drama going on, and I think I've pretty much come to the point where I expect Lane to take the Auburn job. And I'll explain why...

When all of the talk to Auburn really heated up, Lane had a chance to squash it at that time - he didn't do that. When we watched the team play Arkansas, the team looked totally different than they have all year. We ended up getting crushed. 

That mess yesterday and last night was just a really bad look - no matter what happens. Lane was again asked about the Auburn job, and he again refused to give an absolute denial. We all know that he has a contract extension on his desk - and he hasn't signed it. A contract that would make him one of the top 10 paid coaches (and by some accounts, the #5 paid coach) in the country. He asked for a better NIL program, and from everything being said, we have exceeding his asking by a million dollars on that. On Ole Miss's part, we have done everything that he has asked for, and more, but him not signing that contract already, and continuing to let all of this going on as long as it has - I believe he's gone. 

As I mentioned, last night was a really bad look for him. When the reporter from WCBI tweeted that Lane as indeed heading to the Plains on Friday, Lane really went after the reporter:
1. First, he tweeted at him saying that it was news to him and "nice sources". 
2. Next, he tweeted a "troll" at the reporter, of the reporter's original tweet about the reporter going to another station. 
3. Finally, he retweeted a meme on that reporter's career being over. 

That brings up two different things:
1. It comes across as incredibly childish of Lane to go after the reporter that hard, when he has refused to outright make a denial. 
2. If he does leave for Auburn, that makes his attack on the reporter look even worse.

Lane had a poor reputation before he rehabbed his image at FAU and then to Ole Miss. Him leaving for Auburn would certainly hurt his image after how he acted like night. Now, if he does stay, him acting so childish last night is still not a good look for someone that is leading a multi-million dollar business (the football program). 

At the end of the day, of course I hope Lane stays. I think he's done a lot of good at Ole Miss. If he leaves, Ole Miss will be the butt of a lot of jokes (no telling how many pinebox memes we'll see) as well as how many players (such as Judkins) will hit the portal and follow him to Auburn. We'll continue to be Ole Miss when he does leave, but the manner in which this is occurring (if it happens) will be very hurtful. 

The good news is we have seen the fanbase step up with a significant NIL program, and an administration that is willing to pay top dollar for a coach. We're certainly in better shape, as a program, than we were before Lane got here. And, I believe if he stays then we'll end up competing with the conference championship - the Lane Kiffin brand is a selling point to recruits, and he is a very good coach. If he leaves, then it'll set the program back a bit - Keith will need to hire a bigtime coach to prevent all of the momentum we've gained from being wasted. 

Having said all of that, I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens this week. We'll know by this weekend what he's gonna do.