That’s the magic of college football! It’s not just about calling plays—it’s about shaping lives. Ole Miss Rebels’ head coach, Lane Kiffin, is one of those rare individuals. Known for his brilliant game plans and recruiting skills, whether the Rebels win or lose the championship, they’ve already got a reason to celebrate. Kiffin is winning at something even bigger: the game of life. And guess what? The ‘mentor Kiffin’ had touched multiple lives like Zac Clark who dedicated a special podcast episode for him. But the Ole Miss HC had to learn it the hard way.  

Well, Kiffin is one such name in college football whose career has been marked by both successes and controversies. Things were still manageable until his personal challenges got way too much to handle. It was then alcohol entered his life plaguing his career even though Kiffin used it as a stress-coping mechanism. But kudos to the Ole Miss HC, it has been nearly four years and he is out of this deadly trap.

While the HC had dedicated to the path of sobriety only for himself, never had he thought that his story would save someone one day. And here entered Zac Clark, the former reality TV star owing his life to Kiffin. The podcast host started by mentioning a bleak possibility, “You ever seen a dude who’s got the willpower and stays sober for 90 day…that dude is miserable.”

While he too might have tried this option, he failed. Until one fine day, he got to know about the Rebels HC’s fight, “I just read about Lane Kiffin. That guy is an evolved human being.” He then urged, “And everyone, not just people trying to get sober can take a lesson from that message because so often times in life it’s about letting go.” But what did Kiffin write that saved someone like Clark from the deadly clutches of alcoholism?  

From rock bottom to redemption, Lane Kiffin’s story of recovery

The 49-year-old HC has now taken charge of his life. Alcohol no longer controls Kiffin. That’s what came forward in ESPN’s Chris Low’s feature story on the Ole Miss HC. He came up with a powerful message about what sobriety has meant for him, a part of which read, “I’m still not perfect, still have my moments. But there’s a freedom in not feeling like you need a drink to celebrate a big win or get over a tough loss.”

It was here he talked about the art of letting go that touched many others in this journey to get better like Clark. Kiffin added, “When you’re making changes to be the best version of yourself, you learn to let go of control, to let go of your ego, to let go of the things that don’t matter.”

Mind you, the enlightenment didn’t come so easily. Over time, it became harder for him to cope without alcohol. Lane Kiffin even lost his head-coaching job at USC. That’s when reality started to hit. Now, he’s made a major comeback, showing both players and fans how it’s done with an all-star move.

Also, in case, if you want to explore NFL and college football areas like NIL, you can dig into the latest episode of the Think Tank podcast.