Lane Kiffin not expecting many opt outs for Ole Miss vs. Penn State

There is always a good chance that players opt out of bowl games, even major bowls like the Peach Bowl. Still, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin isn’t worried about too many opt outs against Penn State.

Kiffin explained that he isn’t aware of any opt outs at this point. He also said he doesn’t expect many to come because there aren’t many projected high draft picks on the roster, which is typically the type of player to skip a bowl game.

“I have not heard of any,” Lane Kiffin said. “I would expect that we don’t have any of we’re kind of not in one of those years where we really have some first rounders that are coming out that are concerned of injuries and so forth. So I would not anticipate that happening with us.”

For projected high draft picks, opting out makes sense to avoid injury. However, more often than not, it’s recommended that lower-projected players stay to add more to their film.

No matter the case, a head coach like Lane Kiffin does have conversations with players and lends some advice to them as it relates to opting out of a bowl game. However, again, he isn’t worried about that being a problem this season for Ole Miss.

“I kind of mentioned before, I don’t think that — no disrespect to our guys just from grades coming back and in conversations with our players in general, I don’t think that we have guys really in that conversation, of that first round type of grade or projection to potentially opt out. I don’t think that will be an issue for us this year.”

Penn State opened as a 2.5-point favorite in the Peach Bowl over Ole Miss.

Lane Kiffin expects John David Baker to coach in bowl game after taking ECU OC job

Ole Miss tight ends coach and co-offensive coordinator John David Baker recently took the ECU offensive coordinator job. Despite that, Lane Kiffin is still expecting Baker to coach Ole Miss through the Peach Bowl.

“I do think that he will, we’ve had discussions about that,” Kiffin said. “Very excited for JDB getting that job, and being able to call an offense, and take the next step in his progression in his coaching career and he did a great job here. So we’re really happy for him and trying to work out with them how he can do both jobs and still coach for us in the game.”