Stephen A. Smith backs up Lane Kiffin comments about recruiting at Ole Miss: ‘This is the South’

The latest chapter in the long, messy story of Lane Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss came this week in the form of a controversial quote about the difficulties he faced recruiting Black players to the school.

The comments, which were part of a larger profile of Kiffin by Vanity Fair magazine, suggested that young Black athletes’ families were hesitant to allow them to live in Oxford, Miss., because of the lack of diversity in the town, a remnant of the Deep South’s history of racial segregation.

Though Kiffin had apologized by Tuesday, telling On3, “it wasn’t calculated” as a cheap shot at the school or the town, the quote quickly turned into its own news cycle. And later Tuesday morning, Stephen A Smith weighed in on First Take, backing up Kiffin’s claims.

“You know this is going to be a blemish on Ole Miss and Mississippi, that’s just a fact. But in the same breath, it wasn’t like he was lying,” Smith said. “If you are a brother and you ain’t from Mississippi, and the word Mississippi comes up … it’s going to give you cause to pause.”

Smith harkened back to his original comments when Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU, stating that Kiffin would have an easier time recruiting. Smith received significant backlash after giving that opinion and traveled to Oxford to see for himself.

And while Smith said this week that they had a “wonderful time” and that they plan to go back for Kiffin’s return game, he believes Kiffin’s concerns have been shared by many coaches in the Deep South over the years.

“This is not new,” Smith said.

“This is the South. It’s Mississippi. And although times have changed and things have evolved and stuff like that, as we know, throughout this country, in certain parts, there are people that want to hold on to the ‘good old days,’ as they say. That is a fact of life, that some people still feel that way.

“And if you are Black and you are not from Mississippi, I mean to cast no aspersions on a lot of wonderful people that I’m sure are there, but from an historical perspective, being Black, when you hear Mississippi, and you are not from there, it gives you cause to pause. Especially if you have parents and grandparents who are still alive and are in your ear and have influence in your life.”

Smith also revealed that he talked with ESPN’s Ryan Clark and Marcus Spears, both LSU alumni, about their feelings toward Ole Miss. According to Smith, both confirmed his claims that the families of young Black athletes are uneasy about the university and the state’s culture more broadly.

Even among southern universities, Ole Miss carries a deeply racist history; Confederate culture and iconography are deeply interwoven with the campus.

Smith acknowledged the timing of Kiffin’s comments wasn’t ideal, and expressed hope that Mississippi can “overcome” its reputation in time. But he defended Kiffin’s assertion:

“Lane Kiffin, saying what he said, although him being the former coach, being there for six years, winning and stuff like that … if they’re pretty ticked off with him, I wouldn’t blame them. because you didn’t have to say this to Vanity Fair. But he wasn’t lying in terms of his experiences.”