Why Lane Kiffin didn't choose Florida as his next coaching stop

Lane Kiffin choosing LSU over Florida as his next coaching destination came with plenty of questions.

The biggest of them all: why did Kiffin not ultimately wind up in Gainesville with the Gators?

Well, according to CBS Sports' John Talty, outside influence, a general manager rift and an apparently icy relationship with Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin all played a role.

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Talty noted that CAA agent Jimmy Sexton was in Kiffin's ear, with many others, saying that LSU had the best professional opportunities for the Ole Miss coach. That was not a boost for Florida's chances.

Talty noted that Florida wanted a new general manager with NFL experience who wouldn't report directly to Kiffin. Talty shared that Kiffin believed in Ole Miss general manager Billy Glasscock's abilities to do the job.

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Talty also reported that the first conversation between Kiffin and Stricklin about Florida didn't go well, something already hindered by apparent reservations from the Florida AD's side. However, Stricklin eventually became comfortable enough to, as Talty reported, "heavily pursue" Kiffin as the new Florida coach.

However, Kiffin reportedly never felt comfortable with the whole Stricklin dynamic.

"Kiffin was concerned about Stricklin's meddling and how they would mesh, later telling confidants he had a 'weird vibe' about the situation," Talty reported.

Florida ultimately chose Tulane coach Jon Sumrall and former NFL executive David Caldwell for their coaching and general manager roles, respectively, while Kiffin took his talents to Baton Rouge. The rest is history.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why didn't Lane Kiffin choose Florida? Reported reasons surface