Ole Miss Training Camp: Everything Lane Kiffin had to say Monday

Ole Miss football head coach Lane Kiffin met with local media on Monday following the most recent training-camp practice for his Rebels.

And we’ve got everything he had to say.

OPENING STATEMENT

“Been very competitive out there, been really excited about the energy and focus. For those of you following the schedule, we’ve gone with a little bit different schedule than traditional. We do practice a little bit less this way and do a lot more kind of walk-throughs and classroom stuff to take care of their bodies a little more. 

“So, that’s why you don’t see quite as much time on the field and number of practices. I thought guys have been really competitive out there. We got, as you know, a ton of new guys which is exciting to see. At the same time, that excitement comes with a lot of work to get them all pieced together.”

ON CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT:

“The end of that question is not good for college athletes. I think it’s really sad for fans, you know, that want to travel to games. You know we’re just talking about football, but let’s talk about all the sports that now have to fly around the country. They play weekdays, they get back at four in the morning, they have to go to school, parents aren’t going to be able to see near as many games. 

“So, you guys know I just call it what it is. It’s obviously about money. Anybody that says these decisions, well they weren’t about money or money was a small factor, no you don’t do that to all your student-athletes. That’s not the betterment of a student-athlete at all. It is what is about money. Like we do, call what it is.

Again, I hope nobody gets on these 17 and 18 year olds that make decisions based off NIL money when all these universities are doing that. It’s just the tradition part. You talk about 100 years of tradition just washed up for some more money.”

ON THE PROGRESSION OF THE DEFENSE

“Really well, again only a few practices in, but I think Pete’s (Golding) doing great. A lot of new pieces on the players and staff and they’ve spent a ton of time preparing for this and working really hard. So, really excited about that.”

ON OLE MISS CBs COACH KEYNODO HUDSON

“We’ve been around Key a long time. Ever since he worked for us at USC and then FAU and now here, he’s always done a great job in recruiting, a great job with player development and the phenomenal energy. 

“It’s great to add him.”

ON NFL-STYLE PRESEASON GAMES FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL

“I haven’t really thought about that because it’s never really come up. The spring thing has come up where they’ve talked about maybe playing one spring game or something, but I’ve not been a part of discussions about that. So, I haven’t given much thought to that. 

“I mean just in these few seconds of thinking of it, I could see where there’d be a use of that, but I’m sure that creates other problems too.”

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ON TRUE FRESHMAN QB AUSTIN SIMMONS

“He’s done a good job, really mature for his age. Extremely mature on and off the field and so he’s progressed really well.”

ON OLE MISS TRUE FRESHMAN WR AYDEN WILLIAMS

“I kind of rather you guys just report about how great he is so I can keep him humble and keep him working. But you guys see what I see. We still got a lot of work to do but you can report what you see. I’m not going to rat poison my own freshman.”

ON OLE MISS RB QUINSHON JUDKINS AS A RECEIVING THREAT

“Yeah, I think in year two with players you take the next step and everybody says that the player’s got to get better at these little things. But you can also take the next step in doing more things, whether that’s a quarterback or a running back. You can use a guy more in the passing game with things that, in my opinion, when you first get him, you don’t want to do all that, because then you never really get good at being a normal running back. 

“We are looking at some things with (Judkins), and he’s uniquely gifted for a bigger, stocky guy that he can play in the passing game. A lot of times that’s not the case.”

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ON CHEMISTRY OF OLE MISS TEs CADEN PRIESKORN AND MICHAEL TRIGG

“Prieskorn is fitting really well, players put him on a leadership committee already after not being here very long which says a lot. He’s extremely mature and so we’re excited about him. 

“Trigg has done some good things. We’re still pushing him forward, so it’s still early in camp.”

ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH OLE MISS QB JAXSON DART

“I like Jaxson a lot. I think he’s matured a lot, developed a lot, his game is a lot better. He’s mature, but he was still young, it was his second year of college his first year here. 

“I like Jaxson a lot, and he has really grown into a leader of this team. They vote that leadership group, and he was up there as high as anybody in their opinions, so that says a lot because he’s not real vocal. He won them over by how he invests in them.”