In his career as a head football coach, Lane Kiffin has a reputation for fielding explosive offenses.
That’s fine. But it’s the implosive defenses that give folks in Oxford cause for concern.
Last year, the Ole Miss Rebels averaged a healthy 33.5 points per game on the way to an 8-5 finish. That’s great.
But in four of its five losses, Ole Miss allowed at least 30 points.
Kiffin figures to have a productive offense again. All-SEC running back Quinshon Judkins returns. So does quarterback Jaxson Dart. So do four starters in the offensive line.
There is some concern with 2022 leading receivers Malik Heath and Jonathan Mingo moving on to the NFL, but Ole Miss seems to always locate capable receivers.
The real concern is on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage.
There, only five starters return from a unit that was a so-so 75th in the nation. That’s despite facing five opponents which were ranked between 93rd and 116th in total offense.
Ole Miss lost whenever it faced a Power 5 opponent with an offensive plus.
The Rebels fell 45-20 to LSU (28th offensively). They lost 30-24 to Alabama (11th), 42-27 to Arkansas (15th), 24-22 to Mississippi State (62nd) and 42-25 to Texas Tech (22nd).
Ole Miss lost defensive end Tavius Robinson to the NFL Draft. Four other starters signed as NFL free agents, and two more left via the transfer portal.
The Rebels are counting on the new arrival of defensive coordinator Pete Golding from Alabama as well as former James Madison defensive end Isaac Ukwu and six other transfer portal additions to bolster the defensive unit.
2022 record: 8-5, 4-4
Returning starters
Primary Area of Strength: The running game ranked No. 3 in the nation last season. It doesn’t project to decline much, if at all. Running back Quinshon Judkins rushed for 1,565 yards as a true freshman. He could be even better as a sophomore. Quarterback Jaxson Dart can run, too. He gained more than 600 rushing yards in 2022.
Primary Area of Concern: Linebacker play is worrisome. The Rebels are highly dependent on the transfer portal and haven’t landed an impact player there. Ashanti Cistrunk, once a transfer from Louisville, is the top tackler among returning linebackers. Last season, he had 72 tackles with 3.5 resulting in lost yardage. Senior Khari Coleman, once a transfer from TCU, only notched 45 tackles in 2022 but had 4.5 sacks. UCF transfer Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, who had 52 tackles last season, doesn’t figure to be a difference-maker. Maybe Suntarine Perkins, a five-star rated freshman, will be one. Complicating matters, there’s a lack of elite talent on the defensive line to take some pressure off the linebackers.
Significant additions
Significant losses
Top Players
2023 Ole Miss Schedule
