TRANSCRIPT: Everything Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said after Wednesday’s fall camp practice

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin met with media Wednesday after practice. The Rebels’ head coach was asked about practices, in general, as well as specific positions. Here’s everything Coach Kiffin had to say.

Lane Kiffin’s Opening Statement

Alright, I think the guys are doing really well. Excited about this team, there’s a lot of new pieces, a lot of different things to look at and schemes with different players. So, obviously we lost a lot of players but at the same time, we added a lot. So it’s kind of very different. I said the other day to our staff, you know, the days before we used to almost be able to figure out how good a team was based off the returning starters and say, ‘okay, these guys have a lot coming back. They’re going to be good. These guys don’t. Really it’s completely different because a lot of times you’re getting starters from other teams in the portal. So, I know on paper that wouldn’t look very good with four returning starters, but it doesn’t feel like that at all out there. I think that we’ve got a lot of good depth at spots and a lot of players challenging each other, and it’s been really good.

QUESTION: Lane, just how are you seeing (QB) Trinidad (Chambliss) progressing and even AJ (Maddox) now coming back after spring.

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, I think both guys have done a really good job. It’s a lot of offense on someone new like Trinidad. AJ’s really progressed mentally while he was out. And, both those guys are really good, which I think is very critical. Your depth in that room, even past three, you know, because that’s how we look to actually fix that and work on that this offseason — so your drills are thrown better, your service teams are running better. Even your one on ones and routes on air. So, that’s something that we tried to look at and tried to improve from 1 to 6.

QUESTION: We’ve seen a few fall camp practices the past week and a half or so. What’s the difference between a summer camp practice and a fall camp practice? What kind of things do you look for? What kind of intensity do you have there?

Lane Kiffin: Well, there wasn’t a lot different initially, but now with pads it becomes different and different drill work with that. And you see players show up a little bit different too, you know, as they say, when you’re not in underwear. So, and then as we get to scrimmages, we’ll learn more. But that’s really the big difference, the physical part of it. I think part of probably why I feel good about this team right now is because there were so many practices compared to the old days in the off season. So mentally, even with all these new players, they seem to know the systems really well and be ahead of that where you would have been back before all this, all the ability to do all this offseason work.

QUESTION: Lane, after the spring, obviously the secondary was an area y’all wanted to address, just didn’t have enough. Now that you’ve got all those pieces. Antonio (Kite), Ricky Fletcher’s coming on. Does that look more like what you wanted to see? Where does that come along? That group specifically?

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, that that’s been really big for us, obviously to get that group better, but that makes us better on the other side. In spring, I felt that was an issue. There wasn’t, you know, we weren’t challenged a lot with secondary issues, and some guys were just hurt. So, it’s much better now — deeper, more competition, and it’s in a really good spot.

QUESTION: We’ve we’ve talked a lot about the depth in the wide receiver room. How do you get guys to buy into the room rather than be concerned with their own numbers? Does that happen when they’re in the portal and you’re talking to them, or does that happen when they get there, I guess? How does that kind of manifest itself?

Lane Kiffin: Well, you know, a lot of guys are obviously motivated by the NFL and the draft. And so, we talked to them a lot. It’s you know, you can have missed some starts or be a part time starter. And you know they don’t care when they go to draft you. You know, look at where Jordan went — at one point not even starting early in the year. So we just tell guys, ‘hey, it’s going to take care of itself.’ We play a lot of snaps. When the system is at its best, you do have receiver depth. I think coaches say this stuff all the time. You know, I do think and have looked at every year we’ve been here. This is the deepest receiver group. That would allow us, if we stay healthy, to truly rotate like you should in this system and be better in the fourth quarter of games. I don’t have it in front of me, but I want to say the first quarter of games was something like 31 points to ten. If I’m right, so and sometimes in the fourth quarter, we were way ahead in a lot of the games. But that receiver depth allows you to play better in the fourth quarter.

QUESTION: Coach, at this point, how are you evaluating your offensive line? I know there’s not a lot of new faces and new pieces in that room, and I think they’re still trying to figure out their identity and their rhythm right now. How are you evaluating what your offensive line looks like for this year?

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, guys are doing a good job. Kutas out allows other guys to to perform in there. And so that’s been good. We’ve moved some guys around to look at different rotations, different spots. So, I think it’s in a good place, but, you know, that group needs to play together more than other groups and need scrimmages because of the cohesiveness of the O-line.

QUESTION: Lane, we’re going to talk to Deuce Alexander in a second. He’s one of five wide receivers you signed in the portal. What did you like about him then? And it looks like, I mean, from layman’s view that he’s coming on pretty much every practice. What do you like about him and what has he shown so far?

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, Deuce has had a great camp. He’s looked electric, dynamic. What we’d seen on film, they didn’t throw him the ball very much. But we could see on film a guy that if we had him, how much we’d want to get him the ball. And he’s got great work ethic and is in phenomenal condition, really. Those top receivers are in great shape mentally and physically, both. So we’ve actually backed off of them a little bit for prevention of injuries.

QUESTION: We don’t ask a lot about it, but with Lucas coming in new and we don’t get to see that part of practice, how is he coming along in the kicking game?

Lane Kiffin: Good, doing a really good job. That was really important for us. And, you know, we’ll know more when the game comes. But doing really well.

QUESTION: Uh, looks like Gushiken is playing a big role for you guys. I’m not sure I’m pronouncing that correctly, but what was it that you saw about him in the portal? Was it kind of a veteran presence back there?

Lane Kiffin: Yes, he’s really versatile. Can play a bunch of spots, really savvy player. Hoping he could be Trey Washington-ish for us. Really smart. So, really good to to have him then.

QUESTION: Completely off topic, there’s a lot of buzz around about the Netflix series with SEC teams. What led into your decision to opt out of that?

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, I just, to each their own. I’ve just never been a fan of those things when they come in. And over years of watching them, I just think it’s really hard for coaches not to be phony in that, you know, when there’s a camera in front of you and you know it’s going to be on air, and then your players, and I just I think we’re I think we’re unique in how we are. And that’s a big part of what we tell our guys. What you see is what you get here. You know, in recruiting, we don’t recruit one way and then coach a different way. And I just never wanted the cameras in there. And all of a sudden this position coach, you know, thinks, oh, here’s my shot for every AD to see me, what a great coach I am. And they start talking different than they normally do in coaching. So I’ve just always been against it. I know it makes a little money and, you know, fills people’s ego to be on TV and stuff. But I just look at it from a team perspective. I don’t think it’s good, but that’s just me.