NEW ORLEANS – The Sugar Bowl has always been a stage for college football drama, but this year’s showdown between No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 3 Georgia carries an added layer of intrigue far beyond the gridiron. Charlie Weis Jr., Ole Miss’s offensive coordinator, finds himself in an unprecedented situation: he’s not only orchestrating the Rebels’ high-powered attack in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal, but he’s also already signed on as the incoming offensive coordinator for LSU, effective immediately after the postseason. That’s right—Weis is officially on the payroll at both schools, pocketing $1.75 million from Ole Miss and a whopping $2.5 million from LSU through 2028.
Talk about a juggling act! Weis, who has been calling plays at Ole Miss since 2022, is leading the Rebels into battle against a formidable Georgia defense at the Superdome, all while preparing to transition his talents—and perhaps some of his players—to Baton Rouge. The unique arrangement has turned heads across the college football world, raising questions about loyalty, focus, and the ever-blurring lines of modern coaching contracts.
"It was a really hard decision," Weis admitted during Sugar Bowl Media Day, reflecting on the emotional whirlwind since Lane Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss for LSU. "But at the end of the day, I owe a lot to Coach Kiffin and the things he’s given to me in my career and brought me along and giving me opportunities to come here to Ole Miss and Alabama. And so we just have a really good relationship. And I think we work really well with each other. And, we have a system that kind of works. And so, I was excited to continue to do that. And obviously I’ve had a great time here at Ole Miss."
Weis isn’t alone in this two-team tango. Five other Ole Miss assistants—co-offensive coordinator/tight ends Joe Cox, pass game coordinator/receivers George McDonald, running backs coach Kevin Smith, inside receivers coach Sawyer Jordan, and quarterbacks assistant Dane Stevens—are also set to join Kiffin’s new staff at LSU. Yet, like Weis, they’re finishing out the playoff run with the Rebels before making the move. It’s a scenario that even Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding called "unprecedented," but he’s expressed full confidence in his staff’s professionalism and commitment to the team’s championship goals.
The Rebels’ locker room has remained remarkably steady through all the upheaval. Senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, a transfer from Division II Ferris State, has flourished under Weis’s guidance, racking up 3,298 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and adding 506 yards and eight scores on the ground this season. Chambliss currently ranks 15th nationally in passing efficiency—a testament to the up-tempo, pro-style scheme that Weis and Kiffin have honed together since their days at Alabama and Florida Atlantic.
"The whole time I’ve been here since 2022 when I first got here at Ole Miss, I’ve called the plays," Weis said. "We were together at Florida Atlantic as well, and in 2019 I definitely had all of it (the play calling). In 2018, it was much more of a blend of us two. So, it’s been pretty much the whole time, I’ve called the plays."
That system hasn’t missed a beat even after Kiffin’s exit. In the playoff opener on December 20, Ole Miss routed Tulane 41-10, rolling up 497 yards and 29 first downs. Chambliss was razor-sharp, completing 23 of 29 passes for 282 yards and a touchdown, while sophomore running back Kewan Lacy—another potential transfer to LSU—added 87 yards and a score on 15 carries. The Rebels enter the Sugar Bowl boasting the nation’s No. 2 total offense (498 yards per game) and No. 3 passing attack (312.4 yards per game), not to mention a top-10 scoring average at 38.5 points per contest.
But Georgia won’t be an easy mark. The Bulldogs, led by a stifling defense that ranks No. 10 nationally in total yards allowed (284.5) and ninth in scoring defense (15.9 points per game), already beat Ole Miss 43-35 back on October 18. In that contest, Chambliss threw for 263 yards and a touchdown, but Georgia shut out the Rebels in the fourth quarter to seal the win. If Ole Miss hopes to flip the script this time, Weis’s offensive creativity will be put to the test against a Bulldogs unit that’s vulnerable through the air (47th in pass defense) but relentless in the red zone.
Meanwhile, the coaching carousel continues to spin. Lane Kiffin, the architect of Ole Miss’s resurgence after inheriting a program mired in NCAA sanctions and losing seasons, is now settling into his new role at LSU. Kiffin was not permitted to coach Ole Miss through the playoffs, but he’s keeping a close eye on his former team. "He always wants to," Weis said. "He always watches the game and sees what we’re doing and all that stuff. Obviously getting to do things with coach is amazing. He’s the best offensive mind I’ve been around, and so being able to bounce ideas off of him is huge."
As for the future, all eyes are on the NCAA Transfer Portal, which opens January 2 and runs through January 16. Chambliss has petitioned for an extra season of eligibility and could follow Weis and Kiffin to LSU if granted a waiver. Lacy may also consider a move, potentially reuniting with former coaches and teammates in Baton Rouge. The next major recruiting signing day is set for February 4, and the rumor mill is already swirling with speculation about which Rebels might make the leap.
Despite the chaos, Weis has made it clear that he’s handling his dual roles with integrity. "I’ve made sure to go out of my way to not do anything that makes them feel uncomfortable, you know? There were no guardrails put in. But I’ve made sure to do things respectfully and the right way because I owe it to them, because they’re allowing me to finish this playoff run." Weis emphasized his respect for Golding and athletic director Keith Carter, insisting that he’s kept his LSU recruiting efforts entirely separate from his Ole Miss duties.
It’s a balancing act few coaches have ever attempted, but Weis and his staff seem determined to see it through. The Ole Miss players, for their part, have responded with maturity and focus. "Our players, they’re a very mature group too, and so I credit them a lot throughout the course of the year," Weis said. The Rebels’ ability to block out distractions and deliver on the field has been nothing short of impressive, especially with the stakes as high as they are now.
As Thursday night’s Sugar Bowl kickoff approaches, the storylines are plentiful: a high-flying Ole Miss offense led by a coach with one foot in Baton Rouge, a Georgia defense looking to prove its mettle, and a host of players and staff navigating uncertain futures. The outcome remains up in the air, but one thing’s for certain—college football fans won’t soon forget this wild postseason ride.
When the final whistle blows, Charlie Weis Jr. will step fully into his new role at LSU. But for now, his focus—and that of the Rebels—is squarely on the task at hand: dethroning the Bulldogs and keeping their championship dreams alive, no matter how unusual the circumstances.
