Ole Miss football officials reportedly had the FBI sweep its facilities for listening devices in the period following former head coach Lane Kiffin's departure for LSU, according to Walker Jones, executive director of Ole Miss' NIL collective.
Jones made the claim on the "Assorted Crackers" podcast, stating that the sweep occurred as Ole Miss prepared for a College Football Playoff appearance without Kiffin. He cited concerns about "how they operated" in Baton Rouge and the potential for electronic surveillance. Jones described personally checking under desks for bugs during this time.
Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding addressed the report, not denying that a sweep occurred but offering a different explanation. Golding suggested that a current player's father works for the FBI and lives locally, implying that a formal FBI hiring process for the sweep was unlikely. He stated that increased security measures are common for bowl games and playoff systems, especially when players or staff might be moving to other programs. Golding emphasized that the priority was ensuring the security of players and team materials.
Kiffin's departure for LSU involved multiple assistant coaches joining him, and concerns arose about potential recruitment of Ole Miss players and the security of team data. The period was marked by high turnover and uncertainty in college athletics, with ongoing debates in Congress and legal challenges regarding player eligibility and coaching contracts.
The situation highlights a broader climate of heightened security and suspicion within college football, particularly during coaching transitions. Ole Miss and LSU are scheduled to play each other in Oxford on September 19, 2025.