Ole Miss legend Eli Manning had some fun with a parody post linking him with the newly created coaching vacancy at his alma mater.
Lane Kiffin announced on Sunday that he is leaving the Rebels for LSU. An account for “274 Sport,” a play on 247Sports, said Manning is on his way to Oxford. The retired quarterback responded:
Kiffin also revealed that he won’t finish out the season with Ole Miss, with the school 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” will not get a chance this time around. It largely goes without saying that Manning, who possesses no coaching experience, isn’t an actual candidate.
The two-time Super Bowl champion could plausibly return to Ole Miss in a different form, though.
As a way to attract more talent in an even more competitive recruiting landscape, schools are increasingly bringing campus legends back to gain some instant credibility. Andrew Luck is the general manager for 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 in retirement, and younger players will know who he is even if they aren’t familiar with his college and/or pro careers. That might be leveraged to raise the profile for Rebels football under new leadership.
