Ole Miss maintains continuity amid staff turmoil to reach CFP semifinals

Lane Kiffin left for LSU with several assistants, and despite those midseason departures Ole Miss reached the College Football Playoff semifinals and will face Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.

Ole Miss arrives in Arizona to play Miami in the Fiesta Bowl with a national championship berth at stake. The team reached the College Football Playoff semifinals after a 39-34 win over Georgia. The program has spent the past month dealing with multiple staff departures, but coaches and players describe the disruptions as manageable rather than crippling. Meetings, travel and split duties have become part of the week as the Rebels prepare for Thursday's game. Key details: - Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU on the eve of the College Football Playoff and took six assistants with him. - Some LSU-bound assistants split time between LSU and Ole Miss, traveling between Oxford and Baton Rouge while the playoff run continued. - Only offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and running backs coach Kevin Smith remained with the team this week, though 13 assistants attended an offensive meeting and nine have been with the team all season. - Pete Golding was elevated in the staff changes and is 2-0 in the College Football Playoff as the Rebels' coach in those games. - Charlie Weis Jr. has been balancing recruiting duties for LSU with game preparation for Ole Miss, using scripting on flights and video calls to communicate. - Ole Miss' offense averaged 40 points in its two CFP games and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss threw for a season-high 362 yards against Georgia. Summary: The staff departures have been a prominent storyline, but coaches emphasize existing routines, depth and culture as the reasons the team has continued to perform. Next up is the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Thursday, where game concerns will include slowing Miami's nation-leading pass rush and limiting Hurricanes playmakers such as Carson Beck, Malachi Toney and Mark Fletcher Jr.