Ole Miss Football: Lane Kiffin and Rebels begin Spring Practice

Coach Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss football were back on the field this week as the Rebels began their spring practice in Oxford.

All eyes are on Oxford, Mississippi, and Ole Miss football as well as coach Lane Kiffin. After a surprising 2020 season in which the Rebels went 5-5 and picked up a huge Outback Bowl win, expectations are high among Ole Miss football fans. The Rebels had a record-setting year in 2020 with the top offense in the SEC. Ole Miss averaged 555.5 yards per game with 334.9 yards coming thru the air and 210.6 yards on the ground.

With much of the supporting cast coming back and a year under Lane Kiffin’s belt, the Rebels should be a tough SEC team to beat. Matt Corral returns as the starting quarterback with a bevy of great wide receivers at his disposal so Ole Miss fans can once again expect the big numbers in the passing game. Add to that the return of Jerrion Ealy and Snoop Conner in the backfield and there is no reason why the Ole Miss offense can’t be as good as in 2020.

Gearing Up

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We have to wonder just how good Ole Miss can be in 2021. When you take a look back at the 2020 Ole Miss football team, there are questions that need to be answered. Rebels fans already know they will have one of the top offenses in not just the SEC but also the nation.

But what about the defense? In 2020 the Rebels allowed 519.0 yards per game on average. 312.10 came through the air and 206.9 came on the ground. When you say the defense was bad then it was one of the worst in the SEC.

After the 2020 season, coach Kiffin made changes on the defensive side of the ball. Kiffin made a hire on the defensive line in Randall Joyner. Joyner comes to Oxford from SMU where he was the defensive line coach for three seasons from 2018 thru 2020.

Ole Miss football fans can expect the Rebels defensive line to be much better if Joyner’s success at SMU over the past three seasons is any indication. In 2019, the SMU defensive line was part of a defense that ranked No. 1 in the nation for sacks per game at 3.92 and ranked in the top three in tackles for loss at 8.5 per game.

It should be interesting to see just how much the Rebels defense evolves behind a new d-line. The Rebels defensive depth chart is loaded with talent and now with Joyner at the helm fans should see a very aggressive front. When the d-line performs well then the rest of the defense can step up to play better.

So as the Rebels continue to practice thru the spring OHT will be giving updates from the practice field. The Rebels will conclude spring practice with the annual Grove Bowl on April 24. Please be sure to check back here or follow OHT on Facebook and Twitter for more Ole Miss news and updates. As always, stay safe and Hotty Toddy!