Lane Kiffin explains decision to change Ole Miss spring game format

The Ole Miss spring game looked much different than usual when the Rebels took the field on Saturday. Named the “Grove Bowl Games,” the event resembled the new-look version of the NFL Pro Bowl with players partaking in challenges that often had little to do with football.

There was a slam dunk competition, a hot dog eating contest and a tug-o-war challenge. Of course, football was still part of the day as well with the Red Team taking on the Blue team in a 7-on-7 flag football match.

Kiffin spoke with SEC Network live during the spring game on how he came up with the new format, as well as why.

“I kind of wanted to think outside the box because the spring game, everybody just runs a few plays and a few defenses,” he explained. “So really analyzing doesn’t do us a whole lot of good. You potentially get injuries. So we just weighed that and we said, ‘let’s make it like the Pro Bowl and have a skills 7-on-7.’

“Then in between just said, ‘OK, what are our ideas?’ I said, ‘What about a dunk competition?’ thinking Tre Harris would win. Then a hot dog eating competition. If we can hit Joey Chestnut, we can figure that thing out. Then a skills challenge and a relay race. We just tried to make it exciting for fans and for players. Pretty cool day.”

Kiffin missed the mark on his slam dunk contest prediction, as it was transfer Brandon Turnage who claimed the crown. However, his creative idea seemed to be a success with fans and players alike as it was a fun-filled afternoon all around.

Chestnut, the world’s top-ranked competitive eater, participated alongside players in the hot dog eating contest. Despite giving everyone else a head start, he still finished with more than twice the amount of hot dogs eaten than anyone else with a final tally of 20.

Kiffin joked before the contest about Chestnut’s status among the greatest competitors of all-time.

“For everybody out there, don’t quit the first time,” he said. “Joey lost his first eating competition. He lost a lobster competition and stayed with it. So like Michael Jordan didn’t make varsity and he got cut, Joey Chestnut lost the eating competition.”

When all was said and done, the Blue team narrowly edged out the Red for a 71-70 victory according to the scoring system. The final dagger proved to be a missed field goal from 65 yards out that, if made, would have won the game.

Although the spring game was much different than what Ole Miss fans were used to, it seemed to be a positive change. As Kiffin said, the team was able to avoid unnecessary injuries while still putting on a show, and can now head into the fall ready to tackle its goals.