Lane Kiffin defends decision to leave Austin Simmons off SEC availability report vs. Arkansas

The availability reports are still relatively new to the SEC. For the most part, they’ve been a success, allowing for more transparency regarding injuries. However, Ole Miss and head coach Lane Kiffin recently did land themselves in some controversy regarding their decision to leave quarterback Austin Simmons off it against Arkansas.

Austin Simmons went down with what appeared to be an ankle injury against Kentucky. The next week, he would not appear on availability reports, but when kickoff rolled around, Trinidad Chambliss started for Ole Miss. Even with Simmons entering the game briefly, reaggravating the injury, it was seen by many as a kind of gamesmanship by Lane Kiffin.

For his part, Kiffin defended that decision during the weekly SEC Teleconference. From his perspective, it’s an availability report, not an injury report. Clearly, Simmons was available to play since he did so in that game.

“I think you phrased it as ‘what led to us leaving him off when he’s available,'” Lane Kiffin said. “That’s why we left him off because he was available. It is an availability report. It’s not a specific injury report. If a player is available, he’s available. He was and played in the game. So.”

Outside of the brief appearance in the Arkansas game, Simmons hasn’t been able to play for Ole Miss since the Kentucky game in Week 2. There would not be a report before the Tulane game, given that it was a non-conference game. Notably, Simmons would warm up but not play in that game.

How availability reports are handled has been debated around the conference. However, from his perspective, Kiffin is just operating how the SEC told him to operate.

“I’m going by what I was told by the league and how to operate on it. It’s an availability report,” Kiffin said. “And if the player is going to be available to play, then they shouldn’t be on there. I’m following direct orders from the league.”

In all of this, Lane Kiffin has never announced a change in starting quarterback for Ole Miss. That is to say that Austin Simmons is the starter, but Trinidad Chambliss has been starting because he isn’t completely healthy. At the same time, worst-case scenario, he has been healthy enough to be available to play.

Wednesday night will feature the first availability report of the week, leading into the LSU game. That will be one of several to come out leading into the game. Whether or not Simmons appears and if he plays in the game itself both remain to be seen.