The expectation Lane Kiffin has created can disappear quickly for the fans
At Monday's press conference, the Ole Miss head coach returned to the podium around 20 minutes after he had concluded with the questions. He started off by saying he had forgotten to mention what he was about to say next in his 12 minutes of talking earlier.
Kiffin talked about the fans' expectations being higher than those of previous seasons, which is good because he, the staff, and the players have created that. However, the next five games and the next off-season could be vital in keeping those expectations high.
Momentum is the key for Lane Kiffin and the program
Despite sitting at 5-2, most Ole Miss football fans have not written off the hope they can make the playoffs. That's Lane Kiffin and his staff's mark on the fanbase: the belief that they can beat anybody. The two losses were by three points, and the Rebels could have won both those games on any other day.
Those expectations are great, but Ole Miss is not a Georgia or an Alabama, not yet, anyway. Those expectations have yet to be ingrained into them to head into every season and expect to be a double-digit winning team. Kiffin has to keep the momentum going, starting with the next five games.
Lane Kiffin came back into the team room 20 minutes after his press conference wrapped up to give one more statement:
— Grace Ybarra (@gnybarra) October 14, 2024
"I'm glad that our fans are upset. I'm glad our fans feel like us. I'm glad that we've created a new expectation that we're supposed to go into LSU and win." pic.twitter.com/o7BjZDzA5W
Kiffin and the staff did a great job utilizing the transfer portal after their 11-win season in 2023. Players saw an opportunity to arrive on a team that could push for a 12-team playoff spot. Ole Miss does not need to make the playoffs, but reaching at least nine wins, possibly a big win over Georgia, would put them in a good place for Kiffin to attack the portal again.
They recruit at a decent level, mainly on defense, and attacking the portal will continue to give them success, but is it time now to ramp up recruiting even further? That would certainly give fans the optimism that they could be a playoff team every season. Adding more five—and four-star recruits can push you over the top to become consistently good, especially alongside experienced players from the portal.
Most top players want to go to schools that will challenge in their conference and beyond. Ole Miss has the culture; they just need to prove they can win, which is why these five games become crucial in keeping the fanbase's expectations high.
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