Thibodaux, La. — Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss on Friday disputed comments by LSU coach Lane Kiffin that Ole Miss’ past embrace of Confederate symbols made it harder to recruit Black players. “Me, personally, I don’t agree,” Chambliss said.
Kiffin told Vanity Fair in May that some prospective Ole Miss recruits had told him, “Hey, coach, we really like you. But my grandparents aren’t letting me move to Oxford, Mississippi,” and that similar concerns did not come up for Baton Rouge, Vanity Fair reported. Kiffin coached at Ole Miss from 2020 to 2025 and left for LSU before the College Football Playoff, a move Vanity Fair said drew scrutiny to the sport’s recruiting calendar.
Chambliss, who was coached by Kiffin last season and is serving as a counselor at the Manning Passing Academy this weekend, said his experience in Oxford did not match Kiffin’s description. “The Oxford community is nothing but love and they care about their people no matter what they look like,” he said.
Chambliss said his visit to Oxford and discussions with his family led him to transfer to Ole Miss from Ferris State. “One thing I can really take away from my visit and the reason why I did commit to Ole Miss is I asked my family what they genuinely thought about the visit,” he said. “My mom’s super religious, too, and she just had a good feeling. We prayed on it, and that was the main thing. … So, I felt like Oxford is home and it’s a great place.”
Kiffin will return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Sept. 19 when LSU visits Ole Miss. Pete Golding, who had been a defensive coordinator on Kiffin’s staff, took over as Ole Miss coach.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
