Lane Kiffin breaks down what he's learned about the challenges of adding so many transfers

Different programs have embraced building through the transfer portal to varying degrees, with many still preferring to build through high school recruiting. Lane Kiffin and his Ole Miss program, however, have clearly embraced the transfer portal.

For Kiffin, it’s been a learning process. Now, he’s explained what he’s learned about the challenges of adding so many transfers to a program.

“Yeah, I feel like we’re in a similar situation [to last season], probably not as many impact players,” Lane Kiffin said.

“I feel like, maybe this time a year ago that I thought there were going to be, even though it doesn’t always pan out the way you think it’s going to and there were a couple of guys specifically that I thought would have had bigger roles than they ended up performing last year. So, there’ll be a lot of new faces and new names, and that’s very challenging.”

Along with the transfers, Ole Miss is dealing with several changes on its coaching staff. That includes the team’s strength coach and defensive coordinator among other spots. These changes, for Kiffin, are just as big of a concern as transfers.

“It’s challenging when your staff turns over. Our strength coach, Wilson [Love], leaving was a very big challenge because that’s your offseason where a lot of that develops. So, Coach [Nick] Savage being here again helps that transition. That was a very big concern of mine and not just all the coordinators changing a year ago, but the strength coach changing.”

“So, I think that does help that,” Lane Kiffin concluded.

Lane Kiffin previewed the Ole Miss QB competition

2022 starter Jaxson Dart is returning to Ole Miss. Still, Lane Kiffin brought in two big-name transfers, Walker Howard and Spencer Sanders.

Now, Kiffin has provided an update on the team’s quarterback competition.

“Usually comes down to — timing, accuracy and decision makings are three things that, forever, we’ve kind of looked at. But, we’ve got a long time. Spring and fall, to figure it out, let guys play. And the goal is to improve depth of every room that you have,” Kiffin said.

“And that’s when you become a really good team. I think that if there’s some rating of quality of that room, that room’s improved from where it was a year ago. Basically to have two returning starting quarterbacks and a very high-profile recruit in there that redshirted last year, is really good.”