Why Trinidad Chambliss didn't follow Lane Kiffin to LSU? Explaining star QB's decision to remain at Ole Miss

The No. 7 LSU Tigers are set to take on the No. 8 Ole Miss Tigers on Saturday night, as Lane Kiffin will be coaching against his former team. In addition to several other former players and coaches, Kiffin will, for the first time, be coaching against his former Ole Miss quarterback, Trinidad Chambliss.

Chambliss, who came to Ole Miss last season from DII Ferris State, decided to stay in Oxford for his final season of playing college football. But there was plenty of speculation that Chambliss would follow his former coach to LSU instead.

Here's a look at why Chambliss decided to stay at Ole Miss instead of LSU.

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Why didn't Trinidad Chambliss follow Lane Kiffin to LSU? 

Chambliss had a breakout season at Ole Miss last season. Despite initially starting the season behind Austin Simmons on the depth chart, Chambliss started in place of an injured Simmons during a Week 3 win over Arkansas.

He never relinquished the starting job from there, throwing for 3,937 yards with 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions, as well as rushing for 527 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.

Since Chambliss was already playing in his fifth season, his school filed a waiver with the NCAA on Nov. 16 for him to earn an additional season of eligibility. The request cited the medical redshirt he took at Ferris State in 2022 stemming from respiratory issues that led to surgery to remove his tonsils.

After Kiffin's dramatic exit from Ole Miss to LSU following the Rebels' Egg Bowl victory, Chambliss remained with the Rebels, preparing for their first-ever CFP berth under newly named head coach Pete Golding.

Kiffin had his introductory press conference at LSU on Dec. 1, nearly three weeks before the Rebels were set to host No. 11 Tulane in the first round. Ole Miss won 41-10 at home and was set to face No. 3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

Chambliss sliced through the Dawgs' defense during an incredible 39-34 victory over the Dawgs, who beat Ole Miss during the regular season. Chambliss threw for a season-high 362 yards with two touchdowns in the win.

Players who made deep playoff runs were given a two-week window to enter the transfer portal. Ole Miss' season went through Jan. 8, as Chambliss' team just barely lost to Miami in the CFP Semifinal. Two days before the game, Chambliss had already announced he was returning to Ole Miss in 2026, if granted a sixth year.

Unsurprisingly, Kiffin apparently was trying to recruit Chambliss to LSU in the weeks he left Oxford.  According to an On3Sports report from May, Chambliss admits there "were discussions" between he and LSU.

"I had just transferred here," Chambliss said of weighing his options. "My offensive coordinator was Coach (Charlie) Weis. I had just learned that system. He was leaving, and they were taking most of the offensive guys. I didn't know who was going to be our head coach at the time. I didn't know who was going to be the OC. There were just a lot of unknowns and question marks."

Shortly after announcing he was returning to Ole Miss, Chambliss only said "I guess so" when asked if he considered going to LSU: 

According to new reporting by Yahoo Sports, Kiffin even texted Chabliss' attorney, Tom Mars, to try and get him to come to LSU. 

"He told me about this kid and how great he was," Mars told Yahoo of his conversation with Kiffin. "He said the waiver had been denied and it'd been going on for a long time and he wanted to get him to LSU and would I be willing to help him? We had a couple of conversations. I wanted Trinidad to have as many opportunities as he could have."  

Mars directed Kiffin to Chambliss' agent, Fletcher Smith. Smith told Yahoo that Chambliss struggled with the decision, which included what was best for his football career but having loyalty to Ole Miss.

"But there was a bigger picture," he continued. "Here was a Division II national champion who had defied the odds, stepped into the SEC and succeeded at the highest level. He had earned the respect of people in Oxford and across the country. So you had to ask: Do you walk away from everything you've built and potentially risk being vilified for leaving Ole Miss to go to LSU?"

Although Chambliss' initial appeal was denied by the NCAA on January 9, the quarterback filed an appeal in a Mississippi State Supreme court. In March, a judge ruled in favor of Chambliss, paving the way for him to return to Ole Miss.   

Kiffin had moved on from Chambliss in favor of highly-touted Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt, who committed to LSU on Jan. 12. 

In his first two games with Ole Miss in wins over Louisville and Charlotte, he appears as though he is picking up where he left off. He's thrown for 561 yards with five touchdowns, with just one interception. He's added 62 yards on the ground with a touchdown. 

“The best playing quarterback in the country last year," Kiffin said this week of his former quarterback in Chambliss. "When you look at how hot he was, and he doesn’t make many mistakes.

You’re dealing with someone that, not that much experience cause last year was the first year starting in the SEC. He’s got a lot of maturity in age and a lot of plays in big time games that you’re going to have to play really well for a long period of time.”

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Chambliss' journey to Ole Miss

Chambliss' huge 2025 season in Oxford seemingly came out of nowhere. Coming out of Forest Hills High School in Grand Rapids, Mich., he was not rated by 247Sports as a recruit. Although he received offers from non-scholarship schools in Dayton and Butler, COVID restricted his recruiting. 

But he did catch the eye of longtime Ferris State head coach Tony Annese, who has led the Bulldogs to four national championships. After spending the first three seasons of his career as a backup, he finally got his opportunity as a junior in 2024. 

Chambliss became Ferris State's starter that year, and helped lead the Bulldogs to a national title, which was Annese's third overall. He threw for 2,925 with 26 touchdowns and just six interceptions, and Ferris State defeated Valdosta State 49-14 in the title game. Chambliss had a great performance in the victory, throwing three touchdowns passes and rushing for another two. 

MORE: Trinidad Chambliss transfer timeline from D2 to Ole Miss in a flash

That game is where he caught the attention of then-Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, who saw highlights of Chambliss' win. 

"Get him on the phone," Kiffin reportedly said via ESPN of Chambliss. "He's flying here tonight."

Chambliss' NIL valuation estimation per On3 is $5 million, with Leavitt's estimated to be $4.5.

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