Ole Miss players insist they are not letting the Lane Kiffin storyline seep into their College Football Playoff run. If anything, they seem energized by it.
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The Ole Miss Rebels knocked off Georgia 37-34 in a CFP quarterfinal, and afterward the focus inside the locker room stayed mostly on the players who remained and finished the job. Kiffin's name barely came up. When it did, it came with some bite.
Defensive tackle Zxavian Harris did not shy away from addressing the situation involving his former head coach.
"He's been trying to steal our shine," Harris said, via Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports. "All of our coaches could leave right now and we'd still operate as a close team. We are our own team. Coaches can only do so much.
"I heard he was trying to get on TV with the announcers," Harris added. "We're not worried about Kiffin. Kiffin gone."
Harris appeared to be speaking partly in jest, as Kiffin was not in attendance Thursday night. Still, the comments reflected a broader sentiment. There does not seem to be much affection lingering after Kiffin's exit.
Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU on the eve of the playoff, a move that caught many around the program off guard. At least one Ole Miss player later suggested Kiffin tried to manage the optics publicly after the decision was made.
Whatever emotions remain, they do not appear to be a distraction. Ole Miss now turns its attention to a semifinal matchup with the Miami Hurricanes.
Win or lose, the Rebels made it clear. Lane Kiffin is no longer part of the conversation.
