Archie Manning praises Lane Kiffin as 'king of the portal' amid strong run at Ole Miss

In 2024, Ole Miss won 10 games for the third time in four years. It’s part of an impressive turnaround under Lane Kiffin, which also featured the Rebels’ first-ever 11-win season in 2023.

Ole Miss legend Archie Manning has been paying close attention to the job Kiffin is doing in Oxford. He sees a Rebels team staying competitive in a crowded SEC, while also knocking on the door of the College Football Playoff.

Manning specifically pointed to Kiffin’s success in the transfer portal the last few years. While the Ole Miss coach has shrugged off the title of “Portal King” before, Manning is ready to crown him.

“Lane’s done a good job,” Manning said at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La. “We’re always around that 10-win season in a tough league. It is a tough league. Ole Miss has competed real well. Very close to going to the playoffs last year. Kind of go about it a little different.

“Coach Kiffin’s kind of the king of the portal. A lot of changes, but that’s what he chooses to do. But can’t argue with the number of football games he’s winning.”

Ole Miss has 32 transfers coming in from the portal this cycle as part of a class that ranks No. 3 in the On3 Team Transfer Portal Index. It marks a fourth straight Top-5 class for Kiffin and the staff, headlined by former Nebraska EDGE Princewill Umanmielen – the No. 22 overall player in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings.

But although Ole Miss has another talented portal class on the way to Oxford, the Rebels’ quarterback is not a former transfer. Austin Simmons is the heir apparent to Jaxson Dart – a former top-rated transfer himself – at quarterback, and he is also attending the Manning Passing Academy. Archie Manning said he likes what he sees in the early going from the former four-star recruit.

“We’ve got their next quarterback here in Austin Simmons,” Manning said. “Good-looking young player. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and play good.”

As a true freshman in 2024, Simmons appeared in nine games. He completed 59.4% of his passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns in that time, and he didn’t throw a single interception. Now, he’ll have the keys to Kiffin’s offense as Ole Miss looks to build on yet another 10-win season. The Rebels will open the 2025 season at home Aug. 30 against Georgia Southern.