Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin certainly had a memorable return to Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium. He left, however, feeling let down by one particular aspect.
Kiffin and the Ole Miss players had to negotiate angry Tennessee fans rioting and throwing items on the field over several key calls by officials. Kiffin in particular seemed to be targeted with items, with some Vols fans still remembering his acrimonious departure over a decade ago.
In a Friday appearance on “The Paul Finebaum Show,” Kiffin recounted the experience and humorously remarked that he didn’t feel particularly protected by the police on duty.
“Players keep your helmets on and I kind of moved about 5 yards off the sidelines,” Kiffin said he told Ole Miss players, via Erik Hall of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger. “There were some cops behind me, which by the way, they didn’t do a very good job.
“Because when I was walking off, I had the cops that are supposed to protect you. They throw a bottle. The cops duck, and I grab the bottle. So I was kind of down on our cops.”
Video more or less supports Kiffin’s assertion. He actually reaches up and grabs the bottle as the officers flinch.
Kiffin says it all with good humor. He’s been making light of the situation all week, as he typically does. It probably just bothers his detractors even more.
