Rebel recruits react to news of Coach Kiffin’s decision to return to Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. — In all the hoopla surrounding Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin’s decision to return to the Rebels in 2023 and spurn Auburn’s offer to become the Tigers’ head coach, there were quite a number of recruits watching it all.
We recently caught up with several of the young men and got their thoughts on Coach Kiffin staying with Ole Miss.
’23 4-star OL Commit Brycen Sanders: Baylor School, Chattanooga, TN
“I’m super glad he’s staying! Can’t wait to start going to work with him.”
NIL collective booming, new facility coming in the spring, and the best town in the nation. LFG ‼️ @Lane_Kiffin pic.twitter.com/xQ9auLZlXI
— Brycen Sanders (@BrycenSanders1) November 26, 2022
’23 TE Ole Miss commit Jayvontay Conner: East Forsyth High, Kernersville, NC
“Let’s work!”
Locked in regardless of what happens 💯 @OleMissFB See ya in January #Hottytoddy pic.twitter.com/HvDnpg0N28
— Jayvontay Conner🎬 (@ConnerJayvontay) November 23, 2022
’23 4-star Safety Ole Miss commit Braxton Myers: Coppell (Texas) High School
“I’m really happy Coach Kiffin is staying and I get to do it in Oxford for the next 3-4 years!”
Yep to the Sip!!💨 #HottyToddy @OleMissFB pic.twitter.com/v4TZKi8D7l
— Braxton Myers (@BraxtonMyers23) November 26, 2022
’23 Safety, Daniel Demery, Parish Episcopal, Dallas, TX
“It means a lot to me. It shows that he loves the people that he has been able to grow with over these past few years and that he wants to cointinue to grow Ole Miss and develop the players and the program.”
Experience at other positions has made Parish Episcopal's Daniel Demery a dominant safety 🔒
Demery, a Mississippi commit, has 44 tackles with three for loss and three interceptions this season. #txhsfb
Read more: https://t.co/xbwMSVS2H3👈 pic.twitter.com/ZXMqb09VRi
— SportsDayHS (@SportsDayHS) November 2, 2022
’25 4-star Safety Jarcoby Hopson, Jr., Lake Cormorant (MS)
“That is great for the program of Ole Miss he is staying. Ole Miss is recruiting me very high, and I appreciate him for that. I will be back in the spring or before then.”
Jarcoby Hopson 6',1" 200 class of 2025 is one of the premier players, not only in Mississippi, but throughout the entire south. Can play LB., DB, and some offense. Exceptionally gifted player with big-time speed, agility and balance. @JarcobyJ A difference maker. pic.twitter.com/GSuPpWouzT
— Tom Lemming (@LemmingReport) November 20, 2022
’24 ATH Jaiden Spearman, Loomis Chafee School, Windsor, CT
“I like what Ole Miss has done with the contract for Coach Kiffin because it shows they are committed to winning. I have gotten to know the staff over the last year and this is huge for me because I can continue to build relationship with them.”
Came into this season with one goal. Mission accomplished New England Champs‼️ 💍 💍 @loomisfootball #Ringseazon pic.twitter.com/2PEZWnzJ3u
— Jaiden Spearman 6’2 190 ATH 2024 (@JaidenSpearman) November 20, 2022
’24 4-star CB Noreel White, St. Martin High School, Ocean Springs, MS
“I had a great time and wish Coach Kiffin well.”
-end of season stats-
-1,109 All-Purpose yards-
-650 Receiving yards-
-255 Rushing yards-
-13 TDS-
-55 tackles-
-3 INT-@StMartinFB pic.twitter.com/khDdqYvHrO— TMT💵 (@NoreelWhite_) November 11, 2022
’24 4-star DL Jeffery Rush, Pascagoula (Miss.) High School
“I think it is a really good decision on his end. Ole Miss is a very special place and has a bright future, and I think staying there is a great decision.”
Super impressed with Jeffery Rush 6',2" 255 DE 2024 Pascagoula, HS, MS. he can do it all pass rush and stop the run. Dominates the point of attack with long arms and unusual quickness. Versatile, coachable, and hard-working. 3.0 GPA. 1st team Allstate. 4*+ talent. @JefferyRushJr1 pic.twitter.com/NC74BNLNJY
— Tom Lemming (@LemmingReport) November 20, 2022
’24 4-star QB Demond Williams – Basha High School, Chandler, Arizona
“It means a lot showing his commitment to the program and how he’ll be at Ole Miss for a long time. Great to know that you’d have longevity in your head coach.”
THIS PASS 🎯@QBDwilliams1 to 3⭐️@BrysonDedmon at the 1 yard line!
Deshaun Buchanan punches it in and Basha goes up 14-7 pic.twitter.com/EdF1tUTjoP— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) October 29, 2022
’25 TE Ryan Ghea of Milton High School, Alpharetta, GA
“Very exciting, Coach Baker was at the game last night and it feels good to know Coach Kiffin has committed to Ole Miss. Excited about their future.”
Had an awesome time in Oxford. #ComeToTheSip @RebelsFBRec @OleMissFB @coach_jdbaker @BroskoDASH_5 @Lane_Kiffin @JuiceKiffin @OleMissSports @Rebels247 @TheRebelWalk @MissKYUS2011 @OleMiss @OMRebelNation @EverythingRebs @SSN_OleMiss pic.twitter.com/fIrMHRkSWd
— RyanGhea (@RyanGhea2025) October 16, 2022
’25 5-star WR Caleb Cunningham: Choctow County High School, Ackerman, MS
“I think he made the right decision to stay because he helped Ole Miss a lot and he’s a great coach. He knows how to coach very well and he’s a perfect fit at Ole Miss.”
Caleb Cunningham 6',3" 180 Ackerman choctaw county,MS is a wide receiver on our 2025 All-American team. Sensational, all-around athlete who also stars in track and basketball shows good foot work, hands, and is a proven deep threat. 42vj.@calebcunning13 will be a national recruit pic.twitter.com/909ffNwnHA
— Tom Lemming (@LemmingReport) November 18, 2022
’24 3-star LB/RB Crews Law: Christ Presbyterian Academy, Nashville, TN
“I was definitely excited to hear the news that Coach Kiffin is staying. It’s good not to have to start over and build new relationships with a new staff, which makes it better for my recruitment.”
And the the Lions turn the turnover into points on this short @CrewsLaw11 run.
We’ve got an upset brewing folks.@CPAFootball 14@LAmustangFB 0
1:25, 1Q @Kreager @Tennessean pic.twitter.com/1fatExoeSU— Joe Spears (@joe_spears7) October 22, 2022
As more recruit reactions come in, we’ll keep you posted. Stay tuned to The Rebel Walk and click HERE to follow me on Twitter.
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Lee Ann serves as the Director of Recruiting for The Rebel Walk. She sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.
