Trinidad Chambliss Pushes Back on Lane Kiffin’s Comments About Recruiting at Ole Miss
THIBODAUX, La. — Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss did not hesitate when asked Friday about recent remarks made by former Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin regarding recruiting in Oxford.
Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss addressed Lane Kiffin’s comments in Vanity Fair. Says Kiffin “said what he said” but he doesn’t agree and the people of Mississippi have been nothing but welcoming. pic.twitter.com/dP8eGXCbvi
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Speaking while serving as a counselor at the Manning Passing Academy, Chambliss said his own experience with Ole Miss and the Oxford community stands in sharp contrast to comments Kiffin made earlier this year.
“Me, personally, I don’t agree. I don’t think that what he said was truthful. … The Oxford community is nothing but love, and they care about their people no matter what they look like: brown, black, purple, yellow — you know what I mean?”
Trinidad Chambliss on Lane Kiffin’s comments
Earlier this year, Kiffin discussed recruiting at Ole Miss during an interview with Vanity Fair, recalling conversations he claimed to have had with prospects and their families.
According to Kiffin, recruits would tell him, “Hey, coach, we really like you. But my grandparents aren’t letting me move to Oxford, Mississippi.” He contrasted that experience with recruiting at LSU, adding, “That doesn’t come up when you say Baton Rouge, Louisiana.”
Chambliss, however, said those comments simply do not reflect what he and his family encountered throughout his recruitment.
“The people in Mississippi and Oxford showed me nothing but love,” Chambliss said of a visit he made before deciding to transfer to Ole Miss from Ferris State.
For the veteran quarterback, the decision to come to Oxford extended well beyond football. Before committing, Chambliss leaned heavily on the opinions of the people he trusted most.
“One thing that 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, what they thought about the people, if they trusted what they were actually saying, if they’re gonna be true to their word,” Chambliss added.
Their response helped eliminate any lingering uncertainty.
“They said, ‘I feel like this is the right place.’ And 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.“
Trinidad Chambliss on choosing Oxford
Chambliss also made it clear his disagreement with Kiffin’s comments has not altered the respect he has for the coach who brought him to Oxford. The quarterback credited Kiffin for giving him an opportunity and indicated there is no lingering resentment regarding Kiffin’s departure to LSU.
Instead, Chambliss focused on sharing what he believes is an accurate reflection of his own experience.
Now entering a new era under head coach Pete Golding, Chambliss will have an opportunity to face his former coach this fall when LSU travels to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Sept. 19 in one of the SEC’s most anticipated matchups of the season.
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
