After coach Lane Kiffin abruptly left Ole Miss for LSU before the College Football Playoff, the Ole Miss football program implemented heightened security protocols at its facilities. This included a sweep for listening devices, conducted by a player's father who works for the FBI. While defensive coordinator Pete Golding clarified that the FBI was not formally called in, he confirmed a local FBI-connected individual assisted with securing the Manning Center due to concerns about information leakage.
The increased security was a response to the unusual situation where coaches, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and running backs coach Kevin Smith, committed to follow Kiffin to LSU but still had responsibilities with Ole Miss during the playoffs. Golding noted that security measures, such as monitoring internet activity and checking trash cans, are common during playoff games, but the Kiffin departure necessitated extra vigilance. The program even resorted to parallel meetings and separate communication channels for staff to prevent information from reaching those joining LSU.
Walker Jones, director of Ole Miss' Grove Collective, initially claimed on a podcast that the FBI formally swept the facility for bugs. This claim was later clarified by Golding, who explained the involvement of a player's father. The concern stemmed from the potential for Kiffin's new team to gain an advantage by accessing Ole Miss's strategies or by poaching players and coaches during the playoff run. Despite the extensive measures, it appears no listening devices were found in the Ole Miss offices. clarionledger.com, usatoday.com, sportingnews.com
