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Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin answers if air raid offense can work in the SEC

On3 imageby: Dan Morrison07/22/25dan_morrison96
Mike Leach, Lane Kiffin
Nov 25, 2021; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach and Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin shake hands after the game at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Throughout his career, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has become known as one of college football’s great offensive minds. Now, as a head coach in the SEC, he’s proven he knows what works within the conference offensively too.

Kiffin was asked about the air raid offense, in particular, at SEC Media Days. In the wake of Oklahoma hiring Ben Arbuckle as their new offensive coordinator, there has been an argument popping up that the air raid offense he runs may not work in the SEC. However, Kiffin pushed back on the idea that it can’t work in the conference.

“It can work,” Lane Kiffin said. “I could be wrong on the stat. I feel like the most yards ever in a game was [Mike] Leach. What was that? Against LSU or something. So, it works. So, I would disagree with that.”

Mike Leach was, of course, the mastermind or guru behind the air raid offense. He had used it at multiple stops, including SEC school Mississippi State. There, he went 19-16 over three seasons before his death. Each season saw the Bulldogs improve their record while Leach was there, and as Kiffin pointed out, in his first SEC game against LSU in 2020, Mississippi State put up 632 yards of total offense.

Ben Arbuckle, the new Oklahoma offensive coordinator, comes off an air raid tree. He coached under the likes of Zach Kittley. Now the head coach at FAU, Kittley worked for Sonny Cumbie, who himself worked for Mike Leach. However, to say they’re all running the exact same offense wouldn’t be correct.

“Plus, you’ve got to be careful about systems. Whether something is titled as a type of system, like West Coast way back before,” Kiffin said. “Whatever it is. Spread or whatever. That doesn’t mean they’re all exactly the same. There’s intricacies within it. So, that guy [Ben Arbuckle] has done a great job, and I’m sure he’ll be really good.”

Lane Kiffin himself doesn’t come off the air raid tree. He was initially coached by Jeff Tedford, and later he was largely working under Pete Carroll before getting his first opportunity as a head coach. Their influence undoubtedly impacted Kiffin, but his offense is also not a carbon copy of their offenses.

Ole Miss and Oklahoma do meet on the field this season. On October 25th, the Rebels go to Norman. There, Kiffin has the opportunity to take on Arbuckle’s air raid in a head-to-head battle.