Lane Kiffin’s back to his old tricks, stirring up controversy with his takes on college football’s hottest issues. This time, NIL is firmly in his sights. He sure sees NIL deals as a headache, pointing out how teams are bleeding players to the portal or getting outbid before recruits even sign—like Bryce Underwood’s reported $12 million before playing a down. That’s insane money for a freshman. Then there’s Carson Beck’s $4.3 million move to Miami. And Kiffin, naturally, chose to throw some subtle shade at Mario Cristobal.

Look, the CFB world knows Lane Kiffin’s unfiltered opinions. Whether he’s taking shots at the playoff committee for keeping them out last season, or sarcastically pointing out their misjudgment when SMU lost to Penn State with a “Way to keep us on the edge of our seats, Committee. Riveting,” Kiffin’s blunt takes are well-known.

Just days ago, Kiffin played it cool on the Nico Iamaleava NIL buzz, saying he needed all the facts before commenting on a 20-year-old’s deal. But when it comes to fellow coaches and programs? Different story. This time, his hard-hitting reality check might actually shift things for Mario Cristobal’s Miami’s future. How so? Well, after Cam Ward’s move to the NFL, the team made a massive $4.3 million investment to bring Georgia’s quarterback on board. Only for Kiffin to drop this bomb on the Pivot Podcast….

“Miami gave him $4.3M? Did they watch his game against us?” It might be a playful jab, but fans can’t forget Beck’s shaky performance against Ole Miss—just 186 passing yards, zero touchdowns, one interception, and five sacks in their 28-10 loss to Kiffin’s Rebels. Now you see why Kiffin’s words might sting.

Truth is, Carson Beck had his inconsistencies last season. Still, he finished with 3,485 yards, 28 TDs, and 12 interceptions, and Georgia’s struggling WR room didn’t help. Alex Donno of Locked on Canes echoed this: “The fact that Georgia’s offensive line was not good last year, they led the nation in drops from their receivers, and they were 102nd in rushing, so they didn’t exactly help their quarterback last year. Still, they had a really darn good year despite being down a little bit from the year prior, but not even in the top 10. Carson Beck is not even in the top 10.”

The drop-off from 2023 was clear: 3,941 yards, 24 TDs, and a 72.4% completion rate compared to last season’s 64.7%, and a doubled interception ratio. So, while taking shots at Beck is easy, he did lead Georgia to a playoff run before his elbow injury.

And get this: even without throwing in the spring game, Beck focused on bonding with his new teammates. Miami’s OC, Shannon Dawson, praised his development: “Beck has a very high football IQ; you could tell he’s played a lot of football. His personality comes out over time. He said he’s done a really good job of building relationships with people in a fast way.” So, while Kiffin’s jab might sting, there’s a bigger picture with Beck.

But fans aren’t letting Kiffin off the hook, quick to bring up his own hefty $9 million deal and throw some shade right back.

Fans aren’t letting Lane Kiffin catch a break

You can dish it out, but you got to take it too. And Lane Kiffin is finding that out after his $4.3 million NIL dig at Carson Beck. One fan quipped, “Ole Miss gave Lane Kiffin $9 million. Did they watch his game against Kentucky?” Ouch. Remember, Ole Miss was a 15.5-point favorite against Kentucky but lost 17-20. And speaking of Kiffin’s $9 million annual salary (thanks to a 2022 extension), losing to Kentucky wasn’t exactly in the playbook. Plus, Georgia made the playoff despite Beck’s ups and downs, while Ole Miss didn’t.

One fan directly accused Kiffin: “Lane is obsessed with Miami.” Miami fans roasted Kiffin, flooding the comments with gems like, “Lane looks sick 😂.” But hey, he’s in a position to speak his mind. And Beck choosing Miami over the NFL shows he sees room to grow.

One Miami supporter even threw Kiffin’s own program’s inconsistencies back at him: “Kiffin’s always talking about other programs. Less talk and more focus on your perennial 9-3 program…” Ole Miss finished 10-3 after their bowl win, but Miami also ended 10-3, though they didn’t finish strong, losing their bowl game to Iowa State.

But this fan delivered the ultimate zinger: “Lane Kiffin talks a lot for a team that will never make the playoffs.” It’s hard to argue with the fact that Ole Miss has never reached the CFP, and despite Kiffin’s efforts last season, they still didn’t. Let’s see if this year will be any different for Lane Kiffin.