Black Sunday Blow-by-Blow: Lane Kiffin and the Coach Carousel in Real Time

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comSUBSCRIBER EPISODE: Richard spent Sunday on his phone, gathering information on the day’s many college football coach hirings and firings. This episode takes you through Richard’s day of reporting. Alex joins him to discuss a bunch of moves: * Lane Kiffin heads to LSU, and Ole Miss replaces him swiftly with the internal succession option we talked about a few weeks ago: Pete Golding * The argument between Kiffin and Ole Miss at the end, Kiffin’s efforts to own the narrative, and how much of this is his doing vs. the calendar’s * Florida hires Jon Sumrall, who’s technically a consolation prize but brings a lot more to the table than many Florida fans realize * Auburn, after weeks of pursuing Sumrall, winds up not with DJ Durkin but with Alex Golesh. But did Durkin play a role in how it shook out? * Arkansas gets Ryan Silverfield, angering Hogs fans but not Memphis fans* Michigan State fires Jonathan Smith and moves quickly to replace him with Pat Fitzgerald, in a sequence that looks like a set piece * Recapping some hires at Oklahoma State, Stanford, Colorado State, and Oregon State, while other jobs wait to be filled * Penn State’s search is quieter than a whisper, but it’s getting down to two options: Hire a coordinator, or take a big swing on a mystery man. If there’s a mystery man, is he coaching a conference championship game? It’s a great time to subscribe to Split Zone Duo Our coach carousel episodes, including this one, go behind the $10 monthly paywall for subscribers. If you’re looking for a mix of reporting and longer-form discussions about the coach movements that shape the sport, we’d love to have you. Everyone can listen to a free preview of this episode, of course. Further listening from us * Alex’s solo episode about DJ Durkin’s time at Maryland. For a limited time, we’ve pulled this 2024 episode out from behind the paywall. If you’ve ever wondered why this podcast talks about Durkin in a certain way, and what his story has to do with CFB media, this will be the episode for you. * The Week 14 Sunday Hurry-Up, presented by Dad Water.

Alex and Richard recap dozens of Rivalry Weekend college football games, taking you through the most interesting events from Week 14: Texas asserts itself as the big brother An absolutely box-office Iron BowlOhio State flips The Game back in its favorOle Miss fights through “distractions” Duke makes the ACC Championship with FIVE losses Vanderbilt finishes an incredible season in styleGeorgia and Oklahoma grit their way into the postseason, but man, it was not pretty NC State sends UNC into the offseason on an appropriately sour noteTexas Tech and BYU take care of business North Texas and Tulane do the same in the American A fresh path to the Playoff for the JMU Dukes Yale’s massive comeback in the FCS playoffs And much more on the Sunday Hurry-Up, presented by Dad Water. Produced by Anthony Vito. Want much more? Become a paid subscriberSubscribers get bonus episodes each week, usually multiple during the season. We’d love to have you as we continue into one of our busiest times of the year.Join at www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribeThanks to our partners and subscribers20% off Dad Water: https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZDJoin us at 12 p.m. on 12/6 in NYC, along with Nokian Tyres! RSVP for our championship watch party at Mason Jar at https://www.nokiantyres.com/szdShop Homefield at https://www.homefieldapparel.com/ and use code HOMEFIELD30 at checkout to get 30% offThis episode is produced by Anthony Vito. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Richard Johnson and Alex Kirshner guide you through the coming Rivalry Week in college football, going through dozens of games with 1) playoff stakes, 2) conference championship stakes, and 3) none of those stakes at all, because many of these week’s games don’t need them to be fascinating. Among the many, many games that we discuss on this episode: * The Egg Bowl: “Distractions” shouldn’t matter here. Right? * Georgia vs. Georgia Tech: Why we’re not discounting the Yellow Jackets, despite their defense falling off a cliff lately * Texas A&M at Texas: At least half of this podcast thinks the Longhorns are about to pull the upset at home. Why? * Miami at Pitt: A bad matchup for the Panthers, but could Carson Beck gift them a chance at an upset? * Clemson at South Carolina: Which fanbase would be more despondent? * Kentucky at Louisville: Have the trajectories here flipped? * WKU at Jacksonville State: Will the Gamecocks prove harder for WKU’s defense to stop than LSU’s offense was? * Vanderbilt at Tennessee: Why are we a little nervous about the Dores?* The Iron Bowl: Again, why does at least half of this podcast think the home team is going to pull the upset? * And finally, in THE MAIN COURSE presented by Modelo, we’ve got Bill Landis of “Bill and Doug on Ohio State Football” in the house. Bill gets us up to speed on this Ohio State season and talks about the Buckeyes’ path to ending their four-year drought against Michigan. And much, much more. Producer: Anthony VitoThanks to our subscribers and partnersSubscribers get about twice as many SZD podcasts during the season. Now, during the coach carousel, is a great time to join. Thanks to everyone who’s decided to become a subscriber over the past few weeks!Shop Black Friday a week early at Homefield, using the code HOMEFIELD30 at checkout. Thanks Dad Water. Code SZD for 20% off, or just click https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZDThanks to Nokian Tyres. RSVP for our CFB watch party on December 6 at Mason Jar in NYC here. (Entry is free!)Modelo: Drink responsibly. Beer imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, IL This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comSUBSCRIBER EPISODE (join here): The coaching carousel is about to reach max velocity. Richard leads Alex and Rodger through a broad overview of the state of play six days before “Black Sunday,” starting with the Lane Kiffin extended universe and moving outward from there. Among the topics discussed here:* The media apparatus behind Lane Kiffin and Jimmy Sexton’s moves, plus Rodger’s grand idea to finally reveal what’s happening* Why you shouldn’t trust anyone claiming to know for sure what Kiffin is doing, and why you shouldn’t read too much into his slow process pointing him toward one school or another* Auburn has a clear plan in mind and has been focused on it for weeks. But until Kiffin gives a resolution to Ole Miss, LSU, and Florida, there’s a variable in play for Auburn’s main target* Terry Smith’s maneuvering to get involved in the Penn State search, a great example of how coaches aren’t hired, but elected* The options for Eric Morris, North Texas coach and leader of the nation’s current No. 1 offense by SP+* Florida State keeping Mike Norvell and showing it doesn’t want to compete (in the coaching market)* Cal’s firing of Justin Wilcox, and why the two impending new hires in the Bay Area will be unlike anything we’ve seen in college football* The toxic public conversation around UCLA’s athletic director and whether that makes the Bruins job less attractive* What’s the deal with Kyle Whittingham at Utah?* UAB’s missing-in-action AD. More on him here.And more. Produced by Anthony Vito.

Alex and Richard guide you through dozens of Week 13 college football games, from Oregon’s depth-driven win over USC to an all-time ending in the Division II playoffs. Just a few of the games covered in here include: Oregon 42, USC 27: Depth and special teams matter Pitt 42, Georgia Tech 28: Pat Narduzzi really did it this time Oklahoma 17, Missouri 6: Speaking of special teams mattering! Utah 51, Kansas State 47: A ground-game exhibition for the ages Duke 32, North Carolina 25: Have you ever seen a kicker run like that? Texas 52, Arkansas 37: “The Full Arch” against a horrible defense Tulane 37, Temple 13: The Green Wave roll through some distractionsYale 45, Harvard 28: A disaster from the jump for the Crimson Montana State 31, Montana 28: An upset in the Brawl of the Wild James Madison 24, Wazzu 20: The Cougs’ season of so-close continuesSan Diego State 25, San Jose State 3: The Aztecs’ defense is unreal Benedict 25, Wingate 24: A finish that must be seen to be believed Want much more? Become a paid subscriberSubscribers get bonus episodes each week, usually multiple during the season. We’d love to have you as we continue into one of our busiest times of the year. We are recording a coach carousel-focused episode early this week and will be sharing that with subscribers shortly. Join at www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe Thanks to our partners and subscribers20% off Dad Water: https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZDJoin us at 12 p.m. on 12/6 in NYC, along with Nokian Tyres! RSVP for our championship watch party at Mason Jar at https://www.nokiantyres.com/szd Shop Homefield at https://www.homefieldapparel.com/ and use code HOMEFIELD30 at checkout to get 30% off This episode is produced by Anthony Vito. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

To join our championship Saturday watch party with Nokian Tyres at Mason Jar in NYC on December 6, please RSVP at this page. Entry is free!Steven Godfrey, Richard Johnson, and Alex Kirshner discuss the penultimate week of the 2025 regular season. This week has very few premium FBS matchups but does have arguably the most important Harvard-Yale game ever, a critical edition of the Brawl of the Wild, and plenty of College Football Playoff stakes even as most of the SEC takes off for SoCon Saturday:* Florida State–NC State, a real “does Dave Doeren go quietly?” referendum with QB run issues lurking for FSU* Hawaii–UNLV, in which the nation’s most reliable kicker and a fun receiver group try to push the Rainbow Warriors to a special season* Missouri-Oklahoma, a great matchup of Ahmad Hardy against the Oklahoma front. Will Beau Pribula play? (It seems unlikely but possible.)* A big FCS interlude: Harvard and Yale play for a playoff berth as the Ivy League enters a new era, while the Brawl of the Wild decides the Big Sky* James Franklin’s Virginia Tech debut weekend: an unusually early coaching transition that could reshape VT’s portal and staff hiring timeline* Pitt–Georgia Tech, an ACC semifinal of sorts that doesn’t feel like one* Kansas State–Utah, the latest check on whether anyone can stay within 24 points of the Utes either way* BYU–Cincinnati, a Nippert Stadium night game and classic Dad Water Home Dog of the Week opportunity for the Bearcats, even off two losses* Arizona State–Colorado, where Kenny Dillingham keeps grinding out competitive football despite missing his best playmakers. (Note: We recorded this before reports started flying about Sam Leavitt possibly entering the transfer portal)* Cal–Stanford, a classic ACC test* USC-Oregon: THE MAIN COURSE, presented by Modelo. ESPN’s West Coast CFB reporter extraordinaire Paolo Uggetti has covered both of these teams in person frequently. He stops by to tell us how much he’s believing in Lincoln Riley, how Dante Moore is different from other bucket-getting Oregon QBs of the recent past, and what he thinks will happen in Eugene.And many more! This episode is produced by Anthony VitoThanks to our subscribers and partnersSubscribers get about twice as many SZD podcasts during the season. Now, during the coach carousel, is a great time to join. Thanks to everyone who’s decided to become a subscriber over the past few weeks!Oh look, here’s a new episode with Godfrey, Richard, and Alex going deep into 1) the Lane Kiffin situation, 2) Virginia Tech’s James Franklin hire, 3) Maryland and Wisconsin experimenting with a new kind of non-firing, and 4) Florida State.Shop Black Friday a week early at https://www.homefieldapparel.comThanks Dad Water. Code SZD for 20% off, or just click https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZDThanks to Nokian Tyres. RSVP for our CFB watch party on December 6 at Mason Jar in NYC here. (Entry is free!)Modelo: Drink responsibly. Beer imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, IL This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comSUBSCRIBER EPISODE: Godfrey is back with Alex and Richard to talk about this moment in the coach carousel. Lane Kiffin continues to make Ole Miss wait, and the rest of the SEC is right there with the Rebels. In this episode: Kiffin didn’t think his family’s private plane tourism around the SEC would go unnoticed, did he?The possibility of a coach leaving a team not just in the midst of a playoff race, but right before that team plays a home playoff gameWhy we can’t blame Ole Miss for being furious (and why LSU and Florida will be their own kinds of mad in different scenarios)Ole Miss’ contingency options if Kiffin walks … or just doesn’t decide What happens if Kiffin just doesn’t make a decision?James Franklin to Virginia TechDoes Franklin taking this job send a good signal about the Hokies’ level of financial seriousness?Why Franklin will be “old-school James” in BlacksburgWisconsin is keeping Luke Fickell, and Maryland is keeping Mike Locksley. This is a new kind of financial arbitrage in hiring/firing decisionsProducer: Anthony Vito

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comSUBSCRIBER SHOW: Our Richard Johnson made his debut as a sideline reporter for CBS Sports on Saturday, interviewing players and coaches and providing insight from the field during the Air Force vs. UConn game. In this bonus episode for subscribers, Richard goes solo to talk about what he learned: how the prep works and what it’s like to do the job. If you wanna know what the job entails, we hope you enjoy a BTS.This is a subscriber episode Everyone can hear a free preview. To get many, many more podcasts from Split Zone Duo, consider becoming a paid subscriber today. Your subscriptions allow us to make this show, and you also get a lot more of this show.www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

Richard and Alex take you through dozens of Week 12 games, sharing their best observations from the third-to-last week of the regular season. The full list: Oklahoma 23, Alabama 21Georgia 35, Texas 10Texas A&M 31, South Carolina 30Ole Miss 34, Florida 24LSU 23, Arkansas 22Kentucky 42, Tennessee Tech 10USC 26, Iowa 21Michigan 24, Northwestern 22Ohio State a lot, UCLA very fewIndiana 31, Wisconsin 7Penn State 28, Michigan State 10Oregon 42, Minnesota 13 (Friday)Notre Dame 37, Pitt 15UVA 34, Duke 17Georgia Tech 36, Boston College 34Clemson 20, Louisville 19 Miami 41, NC State 7Utah 55, Baylor 28BYU 44, TCU 13Arizona 30, Cincinnati 24Arizona State 25, WVU 23Texas Tech 48, UCF 9Navy 41, USF 38Tulane 35, FAU 24ECU 31, Memphis 27James Madison 58, App State 10Georgia Southern 45, Coastal Carolina 40Old Dominion 33, Troy 0Texas State 41, Southern Miss 14Jacksonville State 35, Kennesaw State 26Western Kentucky 42, Middle Tennessee 26Missouri State 38, UTEP 24FIU 34, Liberty 27San Diego State 17, Boise 7Fresno State 24, Wyoming 3UConn 26, Air Force 16Northern Illinois 45, UMass 3Western Michigan 17, Ohio 13Central Michigan 38, Buffalo 19Toledo 24, Miami 3Thanks to our partners and subscribers20% off Dad Water: https://drinkdadwater.com/discount/SZDShop Homefield at https://www.homefieldapparel.com/Tire safety tips for winter at https://www.nokiantyres.com/firstThis episode is produced by Anthony Vito. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.splitzoneduo.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.splitzoneduo.comThe 2025 UMass Minutemen are making a strong case for the title of “worst FBS team in modern history.” You might THINK that’s because the Minutemen don’t have any money, but you’d be wrong. Rodger Sherman and Alex Kirshner interview Michael Traini, publisher of UMass 247Sports site Fight Massachusetts, about how UMass got to this point. How did this team go from an FCS national champ to an FBS wanderer with no clear plan, no accountability, and waning fan support? We’ll give you the full story.This is the latest in a Split Zone Duo subscriber series, “Why You’re Always Bad”Previously, we’ve covered:* Kent State* Rice* ULMSubscribers can listen to all of these episodes and our entire catalog. Now’s a great time to join for $10 a month or $110 a year and get lots more SZD. And if you just want to support this podcast, we now have a “founding member” option where you can pay whatever Split Zone Duo is worth to you.Producer: Anthony Vito