LSU Coach Lane Kiffin Addresses Rumor About Leaving His Dog at Ole Miss
In the midst of the uproar surrounding Lane Kiffin’s contentious move from Ole Miss to LSU, fans have been curious about the fate of his cherished yellow lab, Juice.
On Sunday, November 30, when Kiffin, 50, departed Ole Miss for the Tigers, observers noted that Juice was absent from the flight. As anyone acquainted with the college football rumor mill knows, what may appear to be a minor issue can escalate rapidly.
Speculative conversations on message boards suggested that Juice might not belong to Kiffin, or that the dog had not lived with the coach for years. One fan even created a photoshopped image depicting Juice abandoned on the airport tarmac.
The dog (or perhaps his handler, unless Juice has developed reading skills) took to X on Thursday, December 4, to clarify any misunderstandings.
In a post that included a photo of a Tiger, LSU’s mascot, his account wrote, “Can’t wait to get down to Baton Rouge with my dad, brother, and sister!”
As for the swirling rumors, while nothing has been officially confirmed, NFL agent and Ole Miss alum Aaron Brynildson attempted to set the record straight.
“To clarify regarding @JuiceKiffin: yes, he’s Lane’s dog,” he stated via X. “Lane acquired him from @wildrosekennels. Juice is an energetic hunting dog in need of constant attention. Lane doesn’t have the time, so the breeder took on the role of Juice’s handler and caretaker. Juice would spend numerous nights either with Lane or at the kennels.”
As speculation around Juice’s future continues, the LSU coach has also commented on the situation.
Kiffin shared a post via X from SEC Shorts that featured a humorous video mimicking Kiffin’s relationship with his dog. In it, an actor portraying a fictional LSU football coach goes through a decline in public popularity and uses a fictional app called PR Paws to find a dog to regain favor.
Kiffin added a couple of laughing emojis to his post.
During his six-year tenure in Oxford, Kiffin significantly boosted the Ole Miss football program, while Juice became an unofficial mascot of the team. He often accompanied Kiffin at games, frequently appeared on the Rebels’ social media, and even participated in meet-and-greet events with fans.
It’s no wonder that fans were quick to notice Kiffin’s departure without Juice. Discontented Ole Miss supporters greeted him at the airport, booing him as he boarded his flight, and Kiffin recounted during his introductory press conference at LSU how one fan even attempted to run him off the road.
“It was really hard. I’m human,” he reflected. “While I understand it’s the passion [from the fans], I was with my son, and I had to call a cop that I knew to help me because… I had to turn around, and people were screaming at me, trying to run me off the road.”
Kiffin remarked, “That airport scene and everything being said— I get it. It’s the fans’ passion. But they’re saying these things about you… after you thought you did a really good job for them over the past six years. It affects you. Even on the flight down here, I’m feeling like, ‘Man, we made this decision, but, wow.’”
