Rebels Preseason Camp: Leaders An 'Ongoing Challenge' For Lane Kiffin

With the regular turnover a college program sees due to graduation and now the transfer portal, it can be tough for a coach to find players to fill leadership roles.

One of the biggest potential challenges for a collegiate coach is identifying leaders on his team. With the regular turnover a college program sees due to graduation and now the transfer portal, it can be tough for a coach to find players to fill leadership roles.

On Wednesday, during Ole Miss' first preseason practice of the year, Rebels coach Lane Kiffin might've found one in senior defensive end Cedric Johnson. Johnson thinks he's up to the task too, as he told reporters after practice. "I've already been a leader in my position," Johnson said. "I already gotta somewhat show the way."

Kiffin acknowledged that challenge after practice on Wednesday. "That's an ongoing challenge for us, to bring people along, and that was a big message in the team meeting (Tuesday)," Kiffin said. "You have to do work to come together, this isn't an individual sport. You have to do a lot of work off the field with each other to build trust and prepare."

Kiffin and his staff are being proactive in finding potential leaders this offseason in hopes of avoiding another late-season collapse like what occurred last season. After a 7-0 start, the Rebels went just 1-5 to finish the year.

One player who wasn't around to experience that collapse last season is Louisiana Tech transfer wideout Tre Harris. Harris indicated he's had talks with the coaches about his potential as a team leader.

"It was definitely said to me," Harris said. "Just talking to (receivers) coach (Derrick) Nix and Coach Kiffin, me and them both had an understanding: 'You're gonna come in and you're gonna be an older guy. You have more experience than those guys, so we want you to lead those guys because we got a younger group of receivers.' I was like, I'm down for it."

If the Rebels hope to accomplish anything above and beyond what happened last season, they'll need leaders both on and off the field. Who will step up? It all starts on Sept. 2 against Mercer at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

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