Biggest SEC Media Days storylines for Ole Miss

Next week marks the end of the summer doldrums and college football awakes from its hibernation with Southeastern Conference Media Days taking place in Nashville. For Ole Miss and head coach Lane Kiffin it is the first time to get on main stage and discuss the 2023 season in earnest.

An Ole Miss team led by Kiffin has never been short on hot topics or buzzworthy storylines when Media Days week rolls around and this July is no different.

Plenty will be asked and discussed when Kiffin and Ole Miss are front and center on July 20 at the Grand Hyatt Nashville on Broadway. The fourth year Rebels head coach has never shied away from the spotlight and do not expect that to change this year.

Just what are some of the more pressing storylines and news items for Ole Miss at Media Days where it will be just two weeks out from starting fall camp.

Here are a few we here at The Ole Miss Spirit will be watching

Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin and the NIL

Whether Kiffin is in the midst of a media scrum or up on stage at a formal press conference the setting does not matter as one topic is always a constant this days: NIL and the transfer portal.

Name, Image and Likeness has enveloped college football, and college athletics as a whole, almost like a dark cloud while programs work to try and keep up with the ever-evolving times and stay above water.

Ole Miss has managed to keep up with the current and ahead of any changes in the river that is NIL. With help from Walker Jones and the Grove Collective the Rebels have one of the most ambitious NIL collectives, according to On3 last month.

So when Kiffin gets in front of the national media next week most the questions lobbed up to him on stage will more than likely have NIL flavor to them. Depending on the questions Kiffin might offer up some good sound bites and one-liners but specific information will probably be kept at bay.

Though one thing that is sure to be offered up is Kiffin’s opinion on the matter. Just ask him.

Pete Golding’s new SEC West (for now) home

When it is not a NIL question Kiffin is all but sure to get at least a handful of questions regarding Alabama and head coach Nick Saban. The media just cannot help themselves.

In fact last year Kiffin even quipped it took as long as it did for him to get a Saban/Alabama question.

But this year the ammunition is already locked and loaded after Kiffin lured Pete Golding over from Alabama to Ole Miss as its new defensive coordinator. This topic is probably more low-hanging of fruit than asking Kiffin his thoughts on NIL or Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher.

Golding leaving Tuscaloosa and the safe nest of Saban’s to try and overhaul the Rebels defense is one of the more intriguing offseason moves within the SEC, if not all of college football. It is a big swing Kiffin is taking to try and wake up a defense that has been asleep for the most part the past couple season outside of a few flash performances.

The Kiffin-Golding partnership is going to be high up on the list of questions. Do not be surprised if Saban himself gets a few Golding-related questions when he takes the podium on July 19.

Ole Miss formally introduces Quinshon Judkins to the SEC

As Jay-Z once eloquently said, ‘Allow me to introduce myself.’

This is what the 2022 SEC rushing title holder will be doing next week when Quinshon Judkins makes his Media Days debut. Judkins was named as one of the three player representatives Ole Miss is taking to Nashville.

Cedric Johnson and Deantre Prince are the other two.

For Judkins it is the formal introduction to the SEC world after he crashed the party last season, torching defenses up and down the field. The sophomore will be front and center as he makes the rounds through radio row, the TV show hits and then takes his place in the main room for the breakout sessions.

The Rebels running back is sure to generate one of the bigger crowds when it is time for the interview sessions and deservedly so.