‘Works for what we’re doing’: Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss unchanged on QB plan
Third-year head coach Lane Kiffin said Monday Ole Miss this week will handle its quarterbacks in similar, if not exact, fashion to its preparations for Georgia Tech.
There’s no arguing the results.
The Rebels are 3-0 out of the 2022 gate following their 42-0 drubbing of the Yellowjackets. Jaxson Dart started for the second time in two games, while Luke Altmyer played only one snap outside of garbage time midway through the second half.
To be fair, Altmyer did tweak his right, throwing shoulder a week earlier, and Kiffin admitted he wished he’d have been able to get more pass attempts for him.
But the game script turned conservative, with an emphasis on clock-bleeding, once the score got out of hand.
“I know that’s probably not exciting for you guys (and) won’t get a lot of coverage on it, but it works for what we’re doing,” Kiffin said of sticking to the same QB script.
Kiffin, as usual, said a lot without saying much at all about a competition that’s lasted nearly half a year.
However, while he wouldn’t commit to starting Dart, the USC transfer is the odds-on favorite to get the nod again on Saturday, when Ole Miss hosts Tulsa at 3 p.m. CT.
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Dart continued to show game-to-game growth in bouncing back from a sluggish first two quarters at Georgia Tech to complete 10 of 16 passes for 207 yards, no touchdowns and the one interception. He connected on six of his last seven passes for 115 yards.
“I thought our players played really well in all three phases of the game and going on the road,” Kiffin said. “Obviously not a hostile crowd like we’ll eventually face, but still the obstacles of being on the road and being away from home.
“Put up a good recipe to win. Basically make them go three-and-out or four-and-out every series and run the ball for over 300 yards on 60-something carries, you’re going to win a lot of games. They played with really good effort, good energy.
“For two games in a row, have not come out flat at half with big leads like we did the first week (against Troy). A lot of progress there. Obviously got a lot of work to do with better opponents coming up, and it starts with the No. 1 pass offense in the country by far (in Tulsa). Not even close. Most challenging team, for sure, schematically.”
Here’s everything Kiffin had to say Monday, in a video provided by Ole Miss Sports Production.
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