Lane Kiffin trolls Florida over Tom Petty tradition after Ole Miss flips QB commit
Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss made some major news Saturday morning when the Rebels flipped Florida quarterback commit Austin Simmons. A class of 2025 prospect, Simmons will also re-classify to the class of 2023 and enroll at Ole Miss this summer, doubling the blow to the Gators.
After Simmons made his announcement, Kiffin took to Twitter for a victory lap at UF’s expense.
Kiffin tweeted a picture of some Tom Petty songs on Spotify, including “I Won’t Back Down” — a staple at Florida football games ahead of the fourth quarter. He called it a vibe check of how things are going in Oxford as he adds yet another quarterback to the 2023 roster, but the first from the high school recruiting class.
Simmons is a four-star recruit and was the No. 72-ranked player in the nation from the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He has not yet been rated as a Class of 2023 recruit by any service.
Kiffin’s 2023 quarterback room underwent a major overhaul this offseason. With Jaxson Dart coming back, the once self-proclaimed “Portal King” turned to the transfer portal to bring in two big names. Former Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders is in the fold after five years with the Cowboys while former LSU quarterback Walker Howard also transferred in. Kiffin didn’t have a 2023 quarterback in the room until Saturday when Simmons announced his decision.
Austin Simmons sent a statement to On3’s Hayes Fawcett about his decision
After he announced his plans to flip to Ole Miss, Simmons released a statement to On3’s Hayes Fawcett about the move.
“First off, I would like to thank the Man above for giving me the strength and power to play these amazing sports,” Simmons said. “I would also like to thank my Father for always being there for me every step of the way, guiding me in the right direction ever since I started walking. He’s always stuck by my side through my ups and downs and none of this would be possible without him. I would also like to thank my Mother and Grandmother for always being supportive and giving me guidance throughout my journey
“As to my mentor and QB coach, Oliver Bozeman, thank you for my always guiding me in the right path. All of those long summer days in the hot sun helped me get to where I’m at today. I appreciate you and I love you coach! But with all of that being said, I will be Flipping My Commitment and taking my talents to The Sip! Also after long conversations with my family and mentors, I have decided to Reclassify to the Class of 2023. I can’t wait to see what my future holds!
“To Coach Kiffin and the rest of the coaching staff, thank you for giving me this opportunity to bring a National Championship to Oxford! Hey Rebels Nation, I’m Home! #HottyToddy”
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