Everything Coach Kiffin said on Opening Day of Spring Football

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin met with media after Tuesday’s football practice, the first of spring camp. Kiffin talked about the new players and coaches, the new defensive scheme, and the situation with his three quarterbacks.

Here’s everything Coach Kiffin had to say: 

Opening Statement:
“It was really good to get back out there. Once again, a lot of new faces with the portal world that we live in. Also, again, a lot of new coaches, so a lot to work on there getting everyone situated and everyone together. It’ll be good to go watch film and see these guy run around today. I feel like there’s similarities from last year. We have a lot of new pieces in this year to look at and figure out, as well as a brand new defensive scheme to work them into as well.”

On the quarterback battle during spring camp:
“I see it being very competitive. We’ve actually been allowed to throw with them, which is a new rule within the last year or two.  We weren’t allowed to do that with a ball before. I think Jackson is throwing really well. He’s had some time to recover and has gotten stronger and has looked much improved. Spencer was limited throwing initially with a previous injury, but he was out there today taking reps. We’re excited about all three guys. It’s much different that where we were a year ago as far as depth and quality in the room.”

On importance of spring drills regarding new defensive scheme:
“It’s a little different scheme than what we played before and we have some new pieces here. We also have new coaches, including Pete (Golding), so we have a lot of work to do there. We’ve seen this system work at a lot of places and now we’ve just got to get our guys to learn it.”

On what he looks at in quarterback battle:
“I mean our evaluations usually comes down to timing, accuracy and decision making. But we’ve got a long time, spring and fall, to figure it out and let guys play. The goal is to improve depth of every room that you have and that’s when you become a really good team. I think that if there was some rating of quality of the room, the room is improving from where it was a year ago. So, basically to have two quarterbacks who have started collegiate games a very high-profile recruit in there that redshirted last year, is really good.”
 
On the offensive line:
“I mean we’re working guys in positions and new guys coming in there as well. With two transfer guys and a third one on his way, there’s a lot of things to look at there in different positions. Some guys like Jayden (Williams) will be out, so that just gives other people opportunities.”

On what he wants to see from his wide receiving group:
“I just want to see them really play well with the new quarterbacks. They need to mesh with those guys as spring drills continue. Those guys will have a lot of work to do and a lot of production to be replaced from those two outside receivers.”

On adding JUCO transfer Jamir Lewis:
“I think sometimes, you find guys around here later in the cycle that, and I think this goes all the way back to COVID, people are missed in recruiting because of that. I think sometimes you find these guys late and you’re looking for certain things. With the way the roster numbers are now, it really allows you to take somebody that maybe before you couldn’t.”

On talking to Yolett McPhee-McCuin about Ole Miss’ tourney run:
“I called her the other morning and said, ‘Go to the next game.’ We’ve all been in the situation where you’re focused on a big win from the week before and get beat … They’re going to hear how great they are and first time going to the Sweet 16 in so many years and all that stuff. You’ve got to get them away from that and get them on to the next game because upsets happen all the time. They’re a big story at the time, but if you don’t win the next one, you forget about them. So, just moving on to the next game, not that I have the answers, but I just was thinking about her yesterday morning.”

(Feature image credit: Kam Wicker, The Rebel Walk)

Evelyn Van Pelt

Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.