Report: Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss expected to promote Kelvin Bolden to TEs coach

Lane Kiffin is reportedly promoting from within to fill a vacant spot on his coaching staff. Kelvin Bolden will be the new tight ends coach for the Rebels, according to John Brice.

Bolden was serving as coordinator of recruiting strategy at Ole Miss.

He will replace John David Baker, who left to take the offensive coordinator job at ECU.

“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,” Lane Kiffin previously said.

Kelvin Bolden is a big part of an Ole Miss program that is recruiting at a high level, both at the high school level and as far as the transfer portal.

Ole Miss has the No. 20 recruiting class in the country for 2024, according to the On3 Industry rankings, as well as the No. 3 transfer portal class.

Kelvin Bolden played at Southern Miss, prior to getting into coaching. He will be an on-field coach for an Ole Miss program that is on the rise.

The Rebels won 11 games this past season, ending the year with an impressive win over Penn State in the Peach Bowl.

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart announces return to Rebels for 2024

Kelvin Bolden will be a part of an Ole Miss offense that should be loaded in 2024. A big reason for that is quarterback Jaxson Dart returning for next season.

Dart finished the 2023 season with a career-high 3,364 yards and surpassed the 3,000 mark in the Rebels’ impressive Peach Bowl victory over Penn State. In his first season as then Ole Miss starter in 2022, Dart recorded 2,974 passing yards and 20 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. This season, those figures improved to 23 TDs and just five picks.

Dart’s decision isn’t a massive surprise, especially after he spoke so glowingly about his coaches ahead of the Peach Bowl game.

“The basic thing is I have a great support staff around me that’s able to give me really good advice,” Dart said. “I have great coaches. Obviously my family is amazing, and I have great friends on the team.”

A current CBS Sports mock draft conducted by five NFL Draft experts did not have Dart in the first round. He’s likely a Day 2 prospect, something that likely led to him coming back. Perhaps he can build his first round case for 2025 next fall.