Lane Kiffin looks ahead to Rebels’ road matchup with Wake Forest: ‘We’re going to have our hands full’
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin met with the media on Monday as the Rebels prepare for this week’s test against Wake Forest.
“Excited about this week and going on the road for the first time with this team,” Kiffin began. “The challenges that are presented with that going to play an ACC opponent,” Kiffin continued.
“You’ve got a Power Four ACC team, better than the first two opponents and on the road. I think this is a really good measuring stick for where we are at.“
Lane Kiffin on playing Wake Forest
Wake Forest comes into this matchup 1-1 on the season after falling to Virginia 31-30 on Saturday.
“(Wake Forest) has played extremely well in a lot of big games, like Clemson 17-12 just a year ago,” Kiffin said. “We’re going to have our hands full. These guys play really tough and aggressive. I’m excited about that challenge and our guys coming together and getting ready to go on the road…Preparation is the challenge.”
The Rebels’ head coach believes his team has somewhat of an advantage with the experience of the returners and upperclassmen on the roster; however, there are still some challenges.
“I think that there’s a lot to that, when you mention a veteran team that’s played a lot of road games but not necessarily together…So there’s a challenge with that, but they’re not true freshmen, so that’s a good thing. You’ve got to just weather storms when you’re on the road, and it’s not what you’re used to.”
Coach Kiffin on the challenges of the first road game of season
“It’s not just games here at home where you practice and walk through in there. You’re going to a totally new place that you haven’t been,” Coach Kiffin continued.”Obviously, the crowd plays into home-field advantages at certain places, but also just familiarity that people are naturally more comfortable where they’re used to [being]. It’s like being in your house vs. a hotel,” Kiffin continued.
Kiffin has taken his Rebels on the road to face an ACC opponent before, that time coming in 2022 when Ole Miss traveled to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech. The Rebels won that game 42-0.
“We have done this well before, a couple of years ago we went to a different ACC opponent in Georgia Tech and were concerned about that and played really well,” he said. “We stopped the run and ran the ball. We need to continue what we are doing in the turnover margin — (we are) plus three for the season. Pitching shutouts last two weeks and go from there.”
Kiffin’s offense through two games has scored 128 points, something he talked about Monday.
“It’s hard to complain as the first team in every series have played, they scored touchdowns in every series and one field goal. That’s really good. They have done really good things. The challenges and opponents will get harder and we just have to continue to push on.”
Lane Kiffin on the Ole Miss offense
Up Next
Ole Miss and Wake Forest will play at 5:30 p.m. CT and can be seen on the CW.
Adam Brown
Adam Brown joins The Rebel Walk as the Managing Editor after being on the Ole Miss beat as a Sports Editor for over 11 years. He is a lifelong Oxford resident. Brown graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Prior to The Rebel Walk, Brown was the sports editor of HottyToddy.com covering every Ole Miss sport and local high school sports in the community.
