Did Ole Miss Accomplish Goals With 'Ramp-Up' Fall Camp? Lane Kiffin Shares Thoughts

The Ole Miss Rebels took a unique approach to fall camp this month, but did they accomplish what they set out to do in the process?

Dec 30, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin after a victory against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Game week is officially here for the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels, and with fall camp in the rearview mirror, it's important to look back and see if Lane Kiffin's team accomplished what it set out to do in August.

Kiffin and his staff took a "ramp-up" approach to fall camp, one that focuses less on grueling practices and more on mental preparation and walkthroughs. This was done with player health in mind, but does he think that the Rebels accomplished their goals with game week now upon us in Oxford?

"Yeah, we did," Kiffin said. "We'll see if it works as far as are we ready to play in the first quarter of the year because it is less physical work, less reps than our traditional style. So, with anything, there's a cost and benefit. Hopefully we've been able to take advantage of the mental walkthroughs in place of the practices.

"Outside of receiver, I think it's paid off, health-wise."

Ole Miss Rebels wide receiver Juice Wells in the team's mock game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. / Ole Miss Athletics

That's a key caveat from Kiffin who on Monday said that he is unsure whether or not a pair of his key receivers will be available on Saturday against Furman. Jordan Watkins and Juice Wells were seen by Ole Miss OnSI representatives during practices in black "no-contact" jerseys, so it's possible that Ole Miss will have to rely on names like Tre Harris or younger players to make an impact this week.

Still, that may not be a huge issue, given that Furman is an FCS opponent and how Kiffin feels about his ground game.

"We've got a lot of receiver injuries going into this first game, so the ability to run the ball is going to be very important in this game," Kiffin said.

Time will tell if Ole Miss' "ramp-up" version of fall camp pays off, but the Rebels appear to be mostly healthy outside of a few spots on the roster. Kickoff on Saturday between Ole Miss and Furman is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.