Proud Dad Moment: Lane Kiffin on son Knox’s game-winner for Oxford High
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has been part of plenty of big wins in his coaching career, but one he won’t soon forget happened this past Friday night in Oxford. Yes, Friday night, not Saturday…as in Friday Night Lights and high school football.
While Lane Kiffin and the Rebels were on the road preparing to face Georgia, his son, Knox Kiffin, led Oxford High School to a thrilling overtime victory over Germantown. The Rebels’ head coach couldn’t be there in person, but he wasn’t about to miss it.
Oxford was down 14 last night against Germantown, when they called on Knox Kiffin. He went on to lead the Chargers to an OT win in a THRILLER 👏
Something about the Kiffins and Oxford 👑 @KnoxKiffinQB @Lane_Kiffin
pic.twitter.com/xdZkvIKWIl— Sidelines – Ole Miss (@SSN_OleMiss) October 18, 2025
“That was awesome,” Kiffin said when asked about it in his Monday press conference.
“I mean, for a dad. I wish I could have been there, but I was watching it on the phone, you know, on the feed and there’s just something that only dads can explain about their kid playing ball and going down and winning the game like that. It was just awesome.”
Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin talks about the feelings he felt when his son, Knox Kiffin, led Oxford High to a comeback OT win over Germantown last Friday. ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/hY1Y2a5CBo
— Steve Barnes (@RebelWalkSteve) October 21, 2025
Kiffin smiled as he described the pride only a parent can feel.
“You kind of wake up — the same thing when you have a big win as a coach — you know, you wake up and I can always say like, the sun’s brighter, coffee’s better, everything’s good, no matter what,” he said. “Somebody can say something to you and you don’t even care. You know, like they’re honking at you and you just wave at them anyway.”
It’s a feeling Kiffin said he carried with him the next morning in Athens.
“And so I had that feeling — even bigger — Saturday morning in Georgia,” he added. “And I was so happy when he (Knox) got (to Georgia) there for the game….And I mean, that’s what it’s all about.”
Kiffin shared that Georgia head coach Kirby Smart even joined in on the excitement for Knox’s moment.
“Kirby said it. We were talking before and he actually left me a message because I sent Kirby the highlights on our little group chat,” Kiffin said.
“And so they (the coaches on his group chat) were fired up for Knox. And he just said, ‘there’s nothing like high school football, man.’ And we talked about it before the game, like it’s just not the same. It’s definitely not in the NFL. And now college has moved more towards the NFL, and it (high school) is so pure. And so it was awesome.”
Lane Kiffin
For a coach who spends his days navigating the pressures of big-time college football, the moment reminded Kiffin what makes the sport special — and what matters most.
“I mean, that’s what it’s all about,” he said.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com
