Lane Kiffin explains why Ole Miss will not overlook a talented A&M team: ‘It really is an NFL roster’
OXFORD, Miss. — Texas A&M comes to Oxford Saturday with a 5-3 overall record, 3-2 in Southeastern Conference play. Listening to Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin Monday, it sounds as if the Aggies don’t belong in the SEC West, but belong instead in the National Football League’s NFC West.
Kiffin is impressed with the overall talent that dots the Aggies’ roster.
“These guys are absolutely loaded, it’s actually a mind-blowing collection of talent,” Kiffin said.
“As you watch them offensively, defensively, return game, special teams, it really is an NFL roster. Height, weight, speed, explosiveness. Receivers that can score at any time, and great running backs. Their defense is playing as well as anyone in the country. The collection of defensive line has to be one of the best ever. And the linebacker [Edgerrin Cooper] is playing like the SEC Player of the Year.“
Lane Kiffin on Texas A&M
A&M’s front seven immediately got Kiffin’s attention when he saw them on film.
“Just dominant,” Kiffin said. “They’re dominant players in the run, they can pass rush and they bring other ones in to rush too. It’s not very exciting for our O-Line coach (John Garrison), I can tell you that. A&M’s done a great job of collecting players and putting them together, so it’s a big challenge.”
The Aggies are surrendering just 269 yards per game and fewer than 20 points.
Kiffin believes Texas A&M could be the best defense the Rebels will face the rest of the season and that is a bold statement considering Ole Miss travels to No. 1 Georgia the week after hosting the Aggies.
“I mean talent wise it’s got to be as good as anybody. I certainly realize who’s coming next on the schedule. But these guys, when you look at height, weight, speed, and the way that they run, I don’t know how you collect much better [talent]. So, congratulations to their group that collected these guys.”
Lane Kiffin on the Aggie defense
Texas A&M also has an offense that cannot be overlooked. The addition of offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino to the Aggies’ staff makes Kiffin believe his defense will be put to a huge test this week.
“Bobby does a great job,” Kiffin said. “Always has, wherever he’s been. Really great scheme, great players. I actually was the quality control coach at the Jacksonville Jaguars when he was the offensive coordinator. I’ve always had unbelievable respect for him.
“I think that he calls his plays and does a great job of it,” Kiffin said of Petrino.
“He kind of has a pro-style passing game, but then causes you some problems because it has college elements to it too. Like I said they’re better personnel than a year ago and a lot of those young guys are a year older, and they’re obviously way better schematically.“
Lane Kiffin on the A&M offense
The Aggies are averaging just shy of 400 yards per game and are scoring 32 points per contest.
Kickoff at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is scheduled for 11 a.m. and the game can be seen 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.
