OXFORD — The Lane Kiffin-to-Auburn saga was very real. But, now that the dust has settled, Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter is excited as ever about the future of Rebels football.

In an interview with the Daily Journal, Carter discussed the week or so in late November when rumors of Kiffin potentially taking the head job at Auburn reached their highest point.

“It was certainly real. The interest from Auburn was real,” Carter said. “ … In the past, coaching fires would happen at the end of the season … All of that just ramps up so much earlier. And, when you have a high-profile coach that’s doing really good … it’s kind of unavoidable that you’re going to get (outside interest).”

Auburn fired head coach Bryan Harsin in late October and, as always seems to be the case when jobs come open, Kiffin’s name came up as a potential suitor. That happens with big-name coaches, Carter said, even when there isn’t substance behind the rumors.

While Carter declined to confirm whether Kiffin was offered the Auburn job, he did confirm there was “absolutely” interest. Auburn hired Hugh Freeze, who served as Ole Miss’ coach from 2012-2017 before resigning due to personal misconduct. 

It’s an interesting balance, being an athletics director of the school you played for and graduated from and knowing college sports is a business. Carter starred for the Ole Miss basketball team from 1995-99 and has been in the school’s athletics department since 2009.

There is “no manual” for how to handle these situations, Carter said, though he admitted that, in hindsight, he wished he and Kiffin had been “a little more public” with their discussions.

Kiffin and his representation were very up front about the whole situation, Carter said, and Ole Miss felt good about where it stood.

“… You have to look at it as not taking anything personal from what coaches do … We always want people to grow professionally,” Carter said. “ … But ultimately, we want them to be here.”

In previous eras of Ole Miss athletics, coaches have left for jobs at other schools considered bigger or better, whether it be for better salary or resources. Tommy Tuberville famously left Ole Miss for Auburn in 1998 after adamantly saying he wasn’t going anywhere.

A lack of resources isn’t the case — Kiffin’s new contract will pay him around $9 million per year in base salary, which is in the top-10 nationally — and Ole Miss is currently upgrading facilities and sits in a good spot as far as NIL is concerned.

In Carter’s opinion, there aren’t a lot of jobs that can be considered “better” than Ole Miss right now. He is all ears when it comes to suggestions on what the program needs — evidenced by the hiring of Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding.

Kiffin chose to be in Oxford. That hasn’t always been how the story ends.

“What’s really cool about that whole experience is, Lane chose to stay. And, in the past, we’ve had coaches leave for other opportunities,” Carter said. “ … And I think it’s really cool that Coach Kiffin felt like Ole Miss was the place he wanted to be.”

Ole Miss started its 2022 campaign 7-0 but finished 1-5 down the stretch, including four straight losses to end the season. This will only be Year 4 under Kiffin, Carter noted, but consistency season to season is crucial going forward for the program.

“We have to avoid these really high highs and low lows,” Carter said. “ … Make sure Ole Miss has the opportunity to not ride the roller-coaster.”