Lane Kiffin: Ole Miss 'heading in the right direction' regarding cleaning up penalties on offensive line
If No. 10 Ole Miss wants to be feeling good on Saturday afternoon with a win over Texas A&M it will need one of, if not the best games from the offensive line this season.
More importantly the Rebels front five on offense need to play the cleanest game of its season as it will have one of the top defensive fronts in the country breathing down their necks less than a foot in front.
When the offense has bogged down this season some if has had to do with getting backed up behind the chains due to penalties. More specifically holding calls by the offensive line.
Through eight games the Ole Miss offense has racked up 20 holding penalties, averaging 2.5 per game. This stat looks alarming on paper and it is as that is part of a 7.2 total penalties per game. The Rebels are tied for 115th in the nation in FBS for least penalties per game.
The most holding penalties in one game was five against LSU. In the other four Southeastern Conference games the Rebels have had no more than two holding penalties on offense with only one called against Vanderbilt last week.
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin was asked about the penalties issue on offense during his Reb Talk appearance on Thursday.
“Well, we are much improved. Going the right direction last week,” Kiffin said. “Only had a few of them. Only one holding (penalty). We were leading the country in that which we made a big deal to make sure the players knew that all week. Think they responded. So, we’re heading in the right direction.”
The defense of the Aggies (5-3, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) was a popular topic during the fan question portion of Kiffin’s coach show.
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Texas A&M is second in the country with 33 sacks and three clear of the Rebels (7-1, 4-1), who have 30 sacks and tied for fifth in the nation.
Ole Miss getting the best protection up front for quarterback Jaxson Dart is the number one priority on Saturday.
“Helps to make first downs and get them moving around and tire them out,” Kiffin said. “They got a lot of them. This has to be the deepest defensive line room in the country and then the next week there’s a really good one, too. That’s a big challenge with (Texas A&M). These guys …these are elite, talented players and you’ll see that when the draft happens.”
Related: Kiffin’s Rebels ‘don’t even discuss’ their Top 10 CFP ranking
The Ole Miss head coach was also put on the spot with questions regarding other aspects of Texas A&M.
One question directed at Kiffin was what he thought about the Texas A&M yell leaders.
Kiffin was quick on his feet, though.
“I’m staying away from that,” Kiffin quipped. “Check Juice’s twitter out. Juice has some comments about that.”
Juice did, in fact, have some comments earlier in the week about the Aggies spirit group.
A question prior asked Kiffin what areas did he view Ole Miss has an advantage in over Texas A&M, which he was also careful how he answered.
Though he ended up making an indirect comparison to Oxford and College Station
“They have great players, too, so that’s kind of hard to say advantages,” Kiffin said. “Our radio show’s better. …And Oxford’s a better place to live in, too.”
