Walker Jones, executive director of Ole Miss' Grove Collective, revealed that the FBI searched the Rebels' football offices for recording devices after Lane Kiffin departed for LSU. The search occurred at the Manning Center following Kiffin’s exit after guiding Ole Miss to an 11-1 regular-season record and their first College Football Playoff berth.

Jones stated on the "Assorted Crackers" podcast that they suspected LSU's operational tactics. He recalled personally checking under desks for bugs, noting, "Trust me, you don't know this guy [Kiffin] like I do." Defensive coordinator Pete Golding clarified that Ole Miss did not hire the FBI; rather, a student’s father who is an agent assisted with the security sweep to protect player data.

Kiffin took several assistants to Baton Rouge, including Charlie Weis Jr., Joe Cox, George Mc Donald, Kevin Smith, and Billy Glasscock. However, he allowed some staff to return for the playoffs. Ole Miss defeated Tulane and Georgia before falling to Miami in the semifinal. Meanwhile, Jones worked tirelessly to retain roster stability as four players transferred to LSU.