The spring of 2024 and all the hype in college football were regarding Ole Miss and a playoff run. I was even pulled into it; I started to believe that even the possibility of an SEC Championship Game. Lane Kiffin played it all down, 'rat poison' consistently uttered in press conferences and posting on X when a media outlet dropped them in their top 10 pre-season rankings.
Other coaches in the conference were the same; they saw what Kiffin had done in the transfer portal and thought that roster was dangerous. In fairness, it was beating Georgia and South Carolina. However, consistency was the problem, just falling short of the playoffs.
This season, the transfer portal has been Kiffin's best friend again, maybe not to the extent of 2024, but he has still built a solid roster. Athlon Sports has dropped their annual anonymous coach comments regarding fellow SEC programs, and two don't believe in the Ole Miss roster this year.
"The first program in the league that went all-in on portal players to take them to a playoff bid went bust. Now what? [Austin] Simmons is talented but unpolished, and it’s going to take some time to develop him."Anonymous SEC coach
"They could be just as talented on defense and maybe bring Simmons along quickly, but they’re still a step removed from the top-end programs. With the level of competition in this league, it’s hard to see a roster like this one immediately come in and secure a playoff bid."Anonymous SEC coach
The comments are the opposite of what was said last year, something that I'm sure Lane Kiffin and his staff will love to hear. Less attention on the program will be better for new quarterback Austin Simmons as he gets his feet under him. However, many media believe Ole Miss is a dark horse, but the little that keeps coming up, the better.