SEC Kickoff Preview: Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss started the 2022 season with a bang. The Rebels raced out to a 7-0 record and a high national ranking before going 1-5 down the stretch. The end-season losing spell included a disappointing 42-25 loss to Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl.

Head coach Lane Kiffin has a 23-13 record in Oxford. By all measures, his mark on the Ole Miss program has been fruitful. Kiffin’s teams have enjoyed three consecutive bowl appearances.

There is a quarterback competition that could linger into fall camp. Kiffin is looking to revamp, re-tool, and advance his passing game. The Rebels brought in several transfer receivers to assist. Running back Quinshon Judkins is special. The true freshman was named First Team All-SEC last season after being the fastest RB to run for 1,000 yards as a true freshman since Emmitt Smith in 1987.

Kiffin has a new defensive coordinator who has a familiar name in the SEC West. Former Alabama play caller Pete Golding left Saban to call plays for Lane Kiffin. Golding is considered to be an upgrade in that role and one of the better defensive coordinators in the league.

Ole Miss is a program that heavily relies on the transfer portal for roster construction. The 2023 Rebels are no exception. The two-deep is filled with players that started their careers with other programs. Kiffin has done an excellent job of unifying the new with the old or existing personnel. Let’s get into it.

OFFENSE

Co-coordinators Charlie Weis Jr. and John David Baker’s major focus will center around All-SEC running back Quinshon Judkins. The true sophomore is special. His running style is an exciting blend of power, burst, and speed. You can read more about him below.

The Rebels led the SEC in rushing after posting a 256-yards per game average in 2022. The Rebels scored 33.5 points and accumulated 496 total yards per outing. A 47% success ratio on third down led to the unit’s overall output.

There is an ongoing quarterback competition taking place in Oxford. Returning starter Jaxson Dart is being pushed by Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders and former LSU Tiger Walker Howard. Dart completed 62.4% of his passes last season. He also threw for 2974-yards and 20 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.

Incoming transfers dominate the receiver room. Tre Harris (Louisiana Tech), Zakhari Franklin (UTSA), Chris Marshall (Texas A&M), and others will influence the two-deep rotation. Zakhari Franklin is considered one of the top WRs projected to the 2024 NFL Draft. He was a prized and coveted portal pickup. Jordan Watkins returns after catching 40 passes for 449 yards, and 2 touchdowns.

The offensive line’s leader is guard Jeremy James. The veteran interior lineman is an All-SEC performer. Redshirt freshman Jayden Williams returns. The Rebels allowed just 16 QB sacks a year ago but must improve run blocking in 2023.

Much like most other position groups, the tight-end position is manned by transfers. Memphis TE Caden Prieskorn will play his first season for the Rebels in 2023. His 2023 production includes 48 catches for 607 yards, and 7 touchdowns a year ago for the Tigers. USC transfer Michael Trigg is entering year two in Oxford. The 6’3, 240-pound junior registered 17 receptions, 156 yards, and 3 scores last season.

Best Offensive Player: Quinshon Judkins

Judkins enjoyed a tremendous true freshman season in 2022. The Pike Road, Alabama product rushed for 1576 yards and scored 16 rushing touchdowns as a true freshman. The preseason All-SEC and All-American also caught 15 passes for 132 yards and 1 touchdown.

Most Important Offensive Player: The Quarterback

Can Jaxson Dart hold off transfers Spencer Sanders and Walker Howard and retain the starting quarterback job? That’s the question that will need to be answered prior to September 2 when Mercer comes to town. Maybe. Kiffin is unique. The manner in which the competition will be conducted and announced could vary from the norm.

Dart rushed for 614 yards to go along with 2974 through the air. The junior combined for 21 touchdowns and threw 11 interceptions a year ago. Spencer Sanders started 42 games at Oklahoma State. He threw for 9,553 career yards, 67 touchdowns, and 40 interceptions. The versatile QB also rushed for 1,956 career yards and 18 scores on the ground. Walker Howard is the least experienced competitor in the race. The former Tiger completed 2 of 4 passes for 7-yards during a redshirt season in Baton Rouge.

The SEC has several programs with undecided matters at quarterback. If and when the Rebel starter is announced is unclear at the moment.

DEFENSE

Coordinator Pete Golding enjoyed success at Alabama prior to making the move to Oxford. The move was odd. Leaving Saban for an SEC West competitor while performing the same duties is something that we are not used to seeing. Golding is inheriting a defense that allowed 26 points and 388 yards per game. Last year’s Rebels also recorded 35 QB sacks which ranked third in the SEC. 81 tackles for loss accompanied. Those two combined numbers (QB sacks/TFLs) are a derivative of an attacking defensive philosophy.

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Golding had some of the best defensive players in college football at his disposal in Tuscaloosa. No disrespect intended, but that’s not always going to be the case at Ole Miss. There may be an adjustment period for Golding as he becomes familiar with a two-deep that’s not dominated by 5-star talent.

JJ Pegues recorded 26 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 3 QB sacks in 2022. Nose tackle Joshua Harris transferred in from North Carolina State and should shore up the middle of the line of scrimmage. Jared Ivey, Cedrick Johnson, and Isaac Ukwu give Ole Miss a trio of explosive pass rushers. You can read about them below.

Best Defensive Player(s): Three-way tie: Isaac Ukwu, Jared Ivey, Cedrick Johnson

Ole Miss has a trio of pass rushers that could be the strength of the defense. Jared Ivey plays a hybrid LB/DE combo. He produced 37 stops to go along with 3.5 QB sacks in 2022. Ivey is joined by Cedric Johnson on the edge. Johnson tallied 32 stops, 4 QB sacks, and forced a fumble in 2022. A new addition is one of the most intriguing transfer portal additions in the SEC.

Former James Madison edge defender Isaac Ukwu brings high-level production from the FCS level. The question is will it transfer to the SEC? Ukwu racked up 87 career tackles to go along with 27.5 tackles for loss and 16.5 quarterback sacks. He could be a player to watch for in 2023.

Most Important Defensive Player: Monty Montgomery

I’m familiar with incoming transfer Monty Montgomery from the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry series. Montgomery led the Louisville defense to become one of the best in the ACC last season. He recorded 70 tackles, 6 QB sacks, 2 interceptions, and forced 4 fumbles. Montgomery adds a punch to the Rebel defense and could captain the unit for Pete Golding.

Schedule Preview

Ole Miss’s 7-0 start a year ago was aided by a back-loaded schedule. 2023 sets up differently. The Rebels must face Tulane and Alabama on the road and matchup up against LSU in Oxford on September 30.

Additional non-conference opponents include Mercer, Georgia Tech, and Louisiana Monroe. A home conference slate features LSU, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, and Texas A&M. The road slate includes trips to Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and arch-rival Mississippi State.

2023 Projection: SEC West – 5

What Does All This Mean?

Lane Kiffin has embraced the transfer portal as much or more than any other coach in the Southeastern Conference. The Rebels have added talent and depth to the two-deep. Quinshon Judkins is special. His true freshman season was one for the record books. The sky is the limit for the Ole Miss running back.

A quarterback competition will grab headlines. But, defensive improvement is also a high priority. Ole Miss is a unique program with distinctive advantages and disadvantages. From Kiffin’s distinctive personality to embracing and thriving in the portal era, Kiffin’s 23-13 record at the school speaks for itself.

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