Everything Lane Kiffin said before Ole Miss plays Arkansas

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin spoke with the media Monday ahead of Saturday’s game against Arkansas. Here’s everything he had to say.

Opening statement: “Really challenging week playing against Arkansas preparing for them. Really good team with dynamic offense and really dynamic quarterback, you know, one of the top offenses statistically in the country in run and pass so these guys present a lot of challenge. Coach Petrino’s done a great job there. Even our game last year they did as well as anybody offensively against us in moving the ball and different things. On defense, prior to last year we had some tough games against them. We’re gonna have to prepare really well and play our best game of the year. We got a lot to clean up from last week especially turnovers and lack of getting turnovers. You not gonna win many SEC games -2 in turnover margin so we’re gonna definitely clean that up.”

On Ole Miss run defense: “Well, I think a lot goes into those things. People get lost sometimes in statistics on certain things and have to understand that people play different games different ways. Like on the other side, we were run heavy in the game and took the ball out of the air. Playing Kentucky and getting ahead and so if you look at our passing numbers aren’t that big. I think sometimes on defense that can be misleading. We’ve done some really good things in the run game. Now we’ve missed some tackles and also we have backups in at the end of the first game where the long run goes and then we give up some safe long rushing yards at the end of the first half in this game, so I think we’ve done a good job in the run game. We’ve lost contain a couple of times and some big plays have happened, but we’ve also schematically done certain things for the opponent we were playing.” 

On having the run game to lean back into for the Rebels when Simmons has moments of adversity: “For the most part have had that every year before last year, the ability to run the ball. That was good to have it back especially when you’re on the road in the SEC against a good defense. I think in that game, we played that game maybe differently than we would have a year ago as we got the lead and running the ball more and less passes in those situations. Also, Austin also made some big plays prior to the fourth quarter. We only had one pass attempt I think in the fourth quarter. Like the 4th and 1, he’s thrown two interceptions and makes a big throw on 4th and 1 in our territory down 10-0. He did some good things and there’s two times just like the game before, that’s two games in a row where one of his interceptions is a lot of pressure right here in his face as he releases the balls. That will affect any quarterback.”

On Arkansas QB Taylen Green: “Really dynamic. First of all, he’s dynamic, you know, athlete from a height, weight, speed standpoint to be able to run like he can, and I don’t think he was fully healthy in our game a year ago. He’s a problem. He’s a lot to deal with and I think kind of similar that way to the South Carolina quarterback, LaNorris Sellers. Here’s two guys that are really hard to game plan for because they’re big and they can throw and run.”

On Arkansas defense: “There’s a lot of new players, which is kind of what seems like everybody around the country has, which is on a different topic on that. It’s like teams are able to really change from year to year. So the year before doesn’t mean very much. You used to have some teams, maybe they were down in a position area or a whole offense or defense, and then you’re like, well, you play them again the next year, they’re probably down again. Everybody just has the ability now with the portal and money to fix their problems. I think you’re seeing that in the conference. It’s why our bottom of our conference is, I think, different than everybody else because they fix their problems. So these guys have a lot of new players that they’ve plugged into places where I think they probably want to get better, and they look like it.”

On TJ Dottery leading Ole Miss in tackles and his growth: “I think just learning all the intricacies. We have a very complicated defense, and once you really get to know the things like Trey Washington a year ago, you can play at a really high level, and that’s what he’s doing now.”

On what he wants to see from Austin Simmons: “I think, and usually coming back home, I’ll say again, that was his first road start, and we have high expectations for our players, but, you know, first road starts in any level, including NFL, guys sometimes struggle early.  I think coming back home would be good and want him to take care of the ball, and not feel rushed when it’s not there. There were times in that game early I felt like because they were getting beat on some good rushes early, he started to feel that even when it wasn’t there. So, just calming him down.”

On if Arkansas transfers Ole Miss brought in matters to the actual game: “No, no, I don’t think so. I think Georgia State had two or three of our players. So, I think that’s a little overrated.”

On ESPN documentary on him: “That was not my idea. They approached me and I kind of really didn’t realize there was so much involved in it, but It was just strange seeing the trailer because it’s like kind of your life and you’ve so far removed from a lot of it, over the years and the different jobs and stuff. Just kind of kind of interesting to see, kind of makes it all real.” 

On if he could confirm report about Ole Miss opening against Pitt next year: “I mean I was told that was gonna happen I didn’t know it was like finalized finalized. That would be a great matchup, very historic team and you know, they’ve done a really good job.” 

On if Ole Miss needs to get Cayden Lee involved more: “Yeah, I mean sometimes that’s not play calls. There’s twice he’s been down the middle and Austin’s been hit both times trying to get him the ball for big explosive plays and we missed him on a 3rd down. We took the air out of the ball so there’s not a lot of you know receptions for anybody last week and even in that first game those guys were out early, so I wouldn’t think too much into that. He’s a great player and he’s gonna make a lot of plays for us this year.”

On single transfer portal in January: “Yeah, I think that cleans stuff up. I think for I’ve said this before there. There’s two views I I usually give you the view for the best of college football. It’s not necessarily always the best for Ole Miss. Really the best for college football would be one transfer period and real contracts. I don’t think that anybody should think it’s good that you go to play a player on his fifth school. I mean, what are you going to five schools for in in five years? Everybody should have the ability to transfer and I understand why people think it’s good, but there’s so much bad to it at that age when you have the ability to leave all the time when things don’t go your way and you don’t push through anything because they’re not giving the ball enough. I don’t like how they talk to me. That ain’t gonna help you in real life, and that’s too much of what’s going on now. It’s not the kids fault. Kind of a Saban rant there… but if to your question, yeah, one’s probably better just to limit that so again once you’re there, and you’re in spring ball, you’re not going well I didn’t like how they used me on that Saturday scrimmage. I’m leaving.”

On what he’s seen from Ole Miss TE Luke Hasz in recovery: “Yeah, I think he’ll play this week. He’s been working really hard and we’ll know more in the next couple days.”

On if transfer portal is chasing the money: “Well, it’s a combination, but that’s okay. People do that in all professions, you know, go for bigger salaries. I’m more on the part that you just continue to set up for young people that you can just keep leaving at times, no penalty to it, and just because you don’t like how things are going, and certainly doesn’t help their transfer of academic units, and nobody even thinks about it anymore. We’ve gotten to a place where recruits come here and one of the questions that parents always ask, talk to me about academics, what’s the plan for them to graduate? I don’t ever get that question anymore. What’s he going to get paid? Is that what’s really good? So when those kids don’t graduate and they got a little more money, then it’s all gone and they don’t have a degree, did we really help them with the system?”

On Princewill Umanmielen: “Yeah, I don’t know what those analytics think. I do know what my eyes see which is a really good rusher that impacts the game and makes plays on a fourth down, beats the left tackle so the guy can’t get the ball off on time. So he’s been a great addition. Obviously there’s looks a lot like his brother out there and he’s a defensive player at a game.”