Report: Ole Miss finalizing deal with Lane Kiffin for HC vacancy

Florida Atlantic head coach Lane Kiffin could be manning another team's sideline next season.

Kiffin and Ole Miss are finalizing a deal to make the 44-year-old the Rebels' next head coach, ESPN's Mark Schlabach, Adam Rittenberg, and Chris Low report.

The school hopes to officially announce Kiffin as early as Saturday.

Ole Miss parted ways with Matt Luke on Sunday after three seasons and has been searching for someone capable of reigniting the spark in the program.

"We've got to find a head coach who can walk into a room and absolutely take over that room and galvanize people, bring them back," athletic director Keith Carter said Monday, according to Brian Rippee of The Associated Press. "I think people want to support, they want to come back, they want to come to Ole Miss football games, but we just lost some of that luster."

Ole Miss hasn't posted a winning season since 2015, combining for a 15-28 record over the past four years. The Rebels lost five of their last six games to finish the current campaign 4-8.

Kiffin posted a 25-13 record in three seasons at Florida Atlantic. The Owls will play the Conference USA title game Saturday seeking their second conference crown under Kiffin's command.