TRANSCRIPT: Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin’s 2024 Early Signing Day Press Conference

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin met with media Wednesday following Early Signing Day. The Rebels received letters of intent from all 21 of their verbal commits. (Click here for a list of the signees.)

Here’s everything Coach Kiffin had to say:

Opening Statement:
“Today was an exciting day. Lots of things going on between practicing for a major bowl and having Signing Day on the same day. I’m excited for so many players around the country that achieve their dream of making a college decision today. It’s always a special day for all of them and their families. We’re excited about the guys that are coming here. I want to credit our staff, really our whole building, for putting a lot of work into these high school, portal, and junior college players. To be able to put this many guys together takes a lot of work by a lot of people. I’m very grateful to all those that helped around here. Our staff put together, what I think, collection wise, would easily be our best class we’ve signed since we’ve been here.”

On the Grove Collective and Ole Miss fans:
“A lot of thanks goes to Walker Jones and the Grove Collective, and our fans. I think I said a while back in an interview we kind of feel like the Green Bay Packers of college football, where our fans and our state kind of own our team, and I think they’ve really shown up and done a great job in a number of ways, including support during the season and in the stands. This season was the highest attendance for a season in the history of the school. Lot of good things going on right now and we’re excited about that. ”

On Signing Day in 2023:
“I feel like there’s not as much buzz around the country because of the system the NCAA has created. It’s kind of a shame as we look at projections out and analytics, it’s looking like it’s headed in the direction of 75 percent of these kids who sign across the country today will end up in the portal and not where they sign today. The higher the rankings, more stars, the more likely they’ll be in the portal at least once. I think that’s kind of unfortunate about the system, but it is what it is. I’ve said all along, it’s a really poor system on all fronts. We haven’t even finished our season and we’re in free agency. Nowhere else, no other sport, would you have free agency before the postseason play. Just think if the NFL or the NBA, before the playoffs, started free agency and people could start taking players from rosters. It’s very unfortunate the way it is, but I’ve always said, it’s not complaining. We’ll maximize the rules around it and put together the best rosters that we can.”

On how the recent winning in the program has helped recruiting:
“It helps a lot. I think you guys know, I’m pretty realistic when I’m up here. From the beginning, NIL and collectives are important in this. People used to say they aren’t, but they are. But also, other things are a factor too, and I do think us winning helps. As you said, third most wins in the SEC since we’ve gotten here behind Georgia and Alabama, and I think it shows kids that you can come here and win. I definitely feel that helps. I feel that going into schools, family rooms, college campuses nowadays. I think that there’s a different feeling walking into Ole Miss than there was when we got here. Different acceptance level and different interest.”

On if he treats high school recruiting differently because of the transfer portal:
“I’m not going to come up here and give our whole studies and game plans to everything that we do, just like game day. I think that we’re pretty creative in those areas of research and analytics and studies. You’ve heard us say not just thinking outside the box but creating a new box and I think we really do that. Maybe some day I’ll explain why we do all this stuff, maybe it’ll make more sense, but there’s a lot into the breakdown of the high school players and the style of high school players that we take. The mentality of them, how they think, but I think that’s more important now, knowing that if things don’t go exactly how they want then other guys are going to go into the portal really fast. Then what do you really have? You’ve got nothing, and these collectives played this money out for these big star players, and a year from now they’re playing against you.”

On recruiting multiple defensive backs from the SEC:
“We sat in a press conference and this really started in Athens, Georgia. I think you guys sensed my disappointment after that game in the way that I coached and some other things. I just said ‘We’re going to do everything in our power to change the way that we look. As a team, but especially defensively.’ We might not be very good, but we’re going to look a lot better in our uniforms. A lot of that was signing players that are already significant players in the SEC, that we’ve seen play against these teams. We have not been a very big team. Especially defensively, we’re a very short team. I love our players, I love how hard they play, but length matters at times. That’s why the draft is drafted the way it is. We definitely have improved overall with significant players on offense, but really on defense. A lot more players that I think compete at a high level that give you a chance to be an elite defense in the SEC.”

On Pete Golding‘s impact in shaping the roster:
“Our whole staff’s done a great job. Pete has always been a relentless recruiter. I think that when you get someone out of Alabama, it’s easier to show that because at Alabama, they just always recruits at a high level regardless of who’s there, because coach (Saban) does such a great job. Now it’s so easy to recruit because of the amount of draft picks they’ve had. Pete’s been unbelievable. He’s done a really good job of improving our defense on the field and now. He really didn’t have a chance last season because he didn’t have an off-season because of how late he got here. His relationships with players from previous recruiting went a long way too. Like I said, maybe we won’t be very good, but we’ll look really good coming out of the tunnel.”

On his success with in-state recruiting:
“I think that like I’ve said with anything, there’s combinations of things that go into that. I think this was a really good year, in-state, of players, especially defensive linemen. I feel like it was the best class of in-state players, high level players, since we’ve been here.”

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.