Lane Kiffin: Hugh Freeze Will 'Try to Steal Walker Jones Like He Did All Our Coaches'

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze had some nice things to say about Ole Miss during an SEC teleconference call, but Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin didn't return the favor.

After learning that Freeze praised Ole Miss for its Grove Collective exclusive NIL program run by Walker Jones, Kiffin took a slight jab at Freeze by saying the Tigers head coach would "try to steal" Jones the same way he poached a few previous members of Kiffin's staff:

Freeze was the head coach at Ole Miss from 2012 to 2016 before taking over at Liberty from 2019 to 2022. Auburn hired him prior to the 2023 season.

Kiffin still has a point, as multiple members of Freeze's staff at Auburn have ties to Ole Miss. Tigers offensive coordinator Derrick Nix spent 16 seasons with the Rebels, serving as assistant head coach under Kiffin over his last two seasons with the team. Defensive coordinator DJ Durkin joined Freeze's staff after working at Texas A&M, but he also spent two seasons at Ole Miss before that.

Auburn offensive line coach Jake Thornton spent two years in the same position at Ole Miss and helped the team rank in the top 10 nationally in total offense both years. Tight ends coach Ben Aigamaua also worked at Ole Miss while Freeze was at the helm. Cornerbacks coach Wesley McGriff, who was hired by former Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn, also spent two seasons as defensive coordinator for the Rebels.

Ole Miss (4-0) and Auburn (2-2) won't face each other during the regular season this year, so Kiffin will have to wait a while before he's able to settle his differences with Freeze on the field.