Kicking for a ‘cool place’ in Ole Miss, Caden Davis named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week
Now-fourth-year Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin went off-script Saturday at Tulane.
The Rebels were only up a touchdown and near midfield when Kiffin called for a 56-yard field goal try from veteran kicker Caden Davis. Davis is in his first Ole Miss season after transferring in from Texas A&M in the off-season.
The usually-analytically-inclined Kiffin, in years past, would have likely attempted a fourth-down conversion, or, at the very least, punt as to avoid giving the opposing defense good field position in a one-score game off such a low-percentage play.
But Kiffin trusts Davis — who, in an under-the-radar, highly-competitive preseason competition, beat out returning, big-legged Rebel kicker Caden Costa.
Davis was true. Actually, for the afternoon, he connected on three field goals in a 37-20 Ole Miss win — the first double-digit comeback over a Top 25 team for the Rebels since 2016.
“The furthest one I hit in pregame was 67,” Davis said Monday. Davis earlier in the day was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week by the SEC office. “I think it had a little bit of room on it. I told coach, if we get to the 50-yard-line going that way (and) with the wind, I’d be good.”
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Davis, for the day, was 3 for 3 on field goals and 4 for 4 on point-after attempts.
His 56-yarder came with 1:53 remaining in regulation and was a new career-long. Davis put the Rebels up 10 after being down 10 in the first half. His was the fourth-longest field goal in school history, as well as the best by a Rebel since 1988.
The kick also leads the SEC and ranks tied for No. 2 in all of the FBS. Davis had just one make in four career kicks over three seasons at Texas A&M. His previous long was 40 yards.
Ole Miss is home this week to play host to Georgia Tech on Saturday, September 16. Kickoff inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network. The SEC also announced Monday the Rebels’ SEC opener against Alabama will kick off next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.
“I wanted to stay in the SEC,” Davis said of his decision to finish his college career at Ole Miss. “It’s by far the best conference in football. I liked coach Kiffin a lot and just thought this program had a lot of excitement. I wanted to come help this team win. I’ve always thought Ole Miss was a cool place.”
