OXFORD — Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin is treating the Rebels’ revenue-sharing strategy like a questionable quarterback on gameday. Top-secret.
U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken hinted Monday she would grant final approval to a proposed settlement of three athlete-compensation antitrust cases against the NCAA and Power Four conferences, as long as the parties agree on some alterations.
It’s a landmark case with the potential to make sweeping changes in college football. Final approval could allow schools to directly compensate athletes for their name, image and likeness as well as bring roster limits to sports and loosen scholarship restrictions.
Kiffin said it is difficult to prepare for rulings that may or may not happen. He is intent on keeping whatever plans Ole Miss has formed close to the vest.
“It’s kind of like giving the gameplan for the game Saturday,” Kiffin said Tuesday. “It’s pretty strategic. I think different people are doing different things. I can’t really get into that. It’s a continuation of a very complicated system. Even more now that you don’t exactly know what the rules are, or cap, or when that is going to start.”
In the agreement now, which is not finalized, schools could begin to compensate athletes directly for their NIL on July 1.
“I don’t think anybody knows the exact answer of what to do,” Kiffin said. “I think people are doing different things.”
Kiffin said there is risk for schools that form plans around contingencies that may never materialize. Although he is not keen in disclosing how, exactly, the Rebels are preparing for the settlement. And Kiffin has reached out to other decision-makers to gauge strategies.
“I’ve had a conversation with other coaches,” Kiffin said. “Again, there’s some strategy in there kind of like offseason studies and stuff where they are only going to give you so much.”
Kiffin said talking with retired coaches is not very helpful, as there is no precedent for how to approach looming changes in the sport. Kiffin said he has talked most with his in-house team.
“(Athletic director) Keith (Carter), (Director of the Grove Collective) Walker (Jones), Billy (Glasscock) our GM, there’s a lot of conversations in there strategically,” Kiffin said.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
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