Lane Kiffin talks about the Rebels’ upcoming game against an LSU team loaded with talent
OXFORD, Miss. — Last week, the Ole Miss defense was tasked with chasing around Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. The Tide signal caller ran for only 28 net yards after sacks, but his legs kept plays alive as Bama ran to a 24-10 win in Tuscaloosa. This week, Ole Miss will have to deal with a talented LSU 1-2 offensive/defensive punch.
Not only will the Rebels deal with LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, but on the other side of the ball, sophomore Harold Perkins, Jr. seems to have found his comfort spot on the Tigers’ defense.
“This guy (Daniels) is playing great, playing better than he was a year ago at that time,” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said.
“Early on, he actually throws one where our safety is there that I think could’ve changed the game. We don’t find the ball and he throws a touchdown and gets hot. (Daniels), as you see, gets really hot. Completes a lot of passes, hard to bring down. I don’t know that we’re in a better position. Need a really good game plan, and we’re gonna need to play really well.”
Lane Kiffin on LSU QB Jayden Daniels
Daniels has thrown for nearly 1,300 yards already this season and 12 touchdowns in just four games. He is also averaging nearly 50 yards a game on the ground.
When he does go to the air, he has located a favorite target. Receiver Malik Nabers already has 32 catches, with five of them going for touchdowns. Nabers poses a particular threat to the Ole Miss defense according to Kiffin.
”(I’ve) seen him before, unbelievable receiver,” Kiffin said. “This is what LSU looks like. There’s a reason that the last three coaches there have won national championships. They’ve got great receivers, (defensive tackle Mason Smith) looks unbelievable and I’ve already talked about (Harold) Perkins. Lot of challenges.”
With all the Tigers’ weapons, Kiffin on Monday seemed to say the Rebels won’t use the defense they incorporated last week when freshman Suntarine Perkins was utilized as a spy against Milroe.
“That (last week’s game plan) was specific for who we were playing,” Kiffin said. “That’s like playing Michael Vick, he’s so dynamic taking off with the ball and running with it. Most of your guys can’t catch him. That was a very specific plan for that quarterback and that offensive play calling, so I wouldn’t think that would be used again.”
On the other side of the ball, Harold Perkins was allowed to be used in a freelance position in the Tigers’ 34-31 win over Arkansas last week. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder racked up six tackles, 1.5 for loss and a sack in the win.
Kiffin thinks Perkins is back in his natural position.
“I don’t know if they’ve talked about it, but it looks like they tried to use him as a normal backer in Week One,” Kiffin said. (It) looks like they scratched that after the Florida State game and went back to last year’s plan. Just put him out there, make a few calls with him and let him play. I wish they’d put him back in there,” Kiffin added.
Coach Kiffin knows Tigers’ head coach Brian Kelly will have his team prepared to face the Rebels in the Vaught.
“He does a good job. Seen him at Notre Dame over the years too, very organized and his teams play really well. They play with good discipline and play tough and physical. He’s a really, really good recruiter. There’s some great players out there.”
Lane Kiffin on LSU head coach Brian Kelly
Game info
Kickoff against the Tigers Saturday is set for 5 p.m., at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Steve Barnes
Steve Barnes joins The Rebel Walk staff as a senior writer and brings a trifecta of journalistic experience. As a writer, he has covered college sports for Rivals.com, Football.com and SaturdayDownSouth.com as well as served as a beat writer for various traditional newspapers.
He has been a broadcaster for arena football and several national tournament events for the National Junior College Athletic Association as well as hosting various shows on radio.
A former sports information director at Albany (Ga.) State University and an assistant at Troy and West Florida, he has helped host many NCAA conference, regional and national events, including serving five years on the media committee of the NCAA Division II World Series.
Barnes, a native of Pensacola, Fla., attended Ole Miss in 1983-84, where his first journalism teacher was David Kellum. The duo has come a long way since that time.
He will bring a proven journalistic track record, along with a knack for finding the out-of-the-ordinary story angles to The Rebel Walk.
Barnes continues to reside in Pensacola a mere ten minutes from the beach because he does have taste and a brain.
