The college football world is waiting for Lane Kiffin's upcoming announcement regarding his future. Kiffin is set to make a public announcement on Saturday following Friday's Egg Bowl matchup between his Ole Miss Rebels and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Kiffin has been at the top of LSU hot boards since the minute Brian Kelly was fired, and he has been heavily linked to both the LSU and Florida job openings.
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Kiffin is the betting favorite to be LSU's next head coach, but until any contract is signed, anything can happen. As LSU awaits Kiffin's decision, one potential Brian Kelly replacement has made it clear he has no intentions on leaving his current job. Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea has signed a new six-year contract to stay with the Commodores for the long haul.
Clark Lea isn't leaving Vanderbilt anytime soon
According to Pete Thamel, Lea's new deal includes a significant salary increase, as well as numerous assets for the program. Lea has led a remarkable turnaround in Nashville, leading Vanderbilt to an 18-8 record over the last two seasons.
Sources: Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea has agreed to a new six-year deal to stay with the Commodores, which includes a significant salary increase. The deal includes numerous assets for the program to continue Vanderbilt football’s upward trend. pic.twitter.com/ijqESQ5Nrq
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 28, 2025
In the early stages of LSU's coaching search, Lea's name began floating around social media as a potential replacement for Brian Kelly. Lea's impressive results at Vanderbilt led many people to believe that he was in line for a new role at a bigger Power Four school. However, it seemed unlikely that Lea would leave Vanderbilt anyitme soon, as he played at Vandy from 2022-04. He has expressed his love for the Vanderbilt program many times, so it isn't surprising to see him ink a new deal to stay in Nashville for the long haul.
Lea won SEC Coach of the Year last season after leading Vanderbilt to its first winning season since 2013. The most noteworthy highlight of Vandy's 2024 season was the program's first-ever win over a No. 1-ranked team, which came on October 5 when Lea's Commodores defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide by a score of 40-35.
He is proving that last season was no fluke so far in 2025, as Vanderbilt is 9-2 and ranked as the No. 14 team in the country heading into the final week of the season. Vanderbilt takes on in-state rival Tennessee on Saturday to close out the regular season.