Lane Kiffin says no Ole Miss players opting out of bowl game

One of the biggest concerns facing college football head coaches as they enter into postseason bowl games is players electing to opt-out and prepare for the NFL Draft. And as the Ole Miss Rebels prepared for their showdown against Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl on Wednesday, head coach Lane Kiffin revealed his Rebels don’t have to worry about players opting out of the bowl game.

“Yeah, I’m pleased with the team. Guys that are even in the portal, going other places are still playing. no one is opting out,” said Kiffin.

The Rebels have a handful of players that could be headed off to the next level after this season ends. Those players include offensive linemen Mason Brooks and Nick Broeker, along with wide receiver Jonathan Mingo and star running back Zach Evans. Ole Miss’ regular season did not end the way that they envisioned. The Rebels ended the year on a three-game losing streak to SEC West rivals Alabama and Mississippi State at home and a loss to Arkansas on the road sandwiched in the middle. Still, it appears that all of the Rebels draft-eligible players want to end the season on the right foot with a victory over Texas Tech on Wednesday.

Kiffin says Ole Miss has done ‘a really good job’ responding to end of season

Ole Miss’ finish was not nearly as strong as its start. After starting 9-0, the Rebels free fell as they lost four of their last five games. Now, as they prepare for their Texas Bowl appearance against Texas Tech, Kiffin believes his team has shaken off that ending and are ready to finish on a high note.

Kiffin spoke about his team’s resolve during his media availability on Monday. He started by acknowledging that how his team ended the season was as unacceptable as it was disappointing. Still, it has set the stage for them to make things right this week.

“I think, at first, obviously that last game was disappointing. How we finished that, how we finished the season in general,” Kiffin said.

Disappointing is about as spot on as it gets when describing Ole Miss’ final five weeks. They lost four games, two at home and two on the road, to LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi State. Those defeats came by an average of 12 points per game. It was a complete script flip after they won their first nine by an average of 18.3 points per game. The one win was a close call in its own right as the Rebels had to come back and hang on late in order to beat Texas A&M by three.