Ole Miss Coach Lane Kiffin Addresses Media Following First Day of Full Pads

Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin discusses the state of the roster through six fall camp practices.

The Ole Miss Rebels completed their first day of full pads on Tuesday, and coach Lane Kiffin addressed the media following day six of fall camp. 

The press conference began with Kiffin explaining how crucial the last six days of practice have been for a team that has brought in 17 transfers. 

"These have been some good hot days and a lot of hard work out there," Kiffin said. "This is really the grind time where players have a lot going on mentally; there's obviously the physical toll with the way that we practice, and that's been an adjustment for a number of these transfers."

Kiffin then talked about how the team looks through the first six days of camp. 

"I think we're close, probably not where we would want to be normally, but you have to take [the new transfers] into consideration," Kiffin said. "Because your new guys are usually at the bottom [of the depth chart]. We've got a lot of new guys who haven't played a lot, and we expect them to play, that's why they're here." 

Kiffin went on about how the NCAA Transfer Portal has impacted the reloaded Ole Miss roster. 

"Easily half the guys going against each other are [transfer] portal guys," Kiffin said. "I mean, there was a play today where I saw one guy who was just playing for Auburn covering a guy that just played for Mississippi State. It's just the world we're in."

The Rebel coach then gave an update on the ongoing quarterback competition at Ole Miss between Luke Altmyer and Jaxson Dart.

"I know I sound like a broken record," Kiffin said. "But [Altmyer and Dart] have done some things really well, and, at times, they've looked young again."

Kiffin went on to explain that the team is still adjusting to the loss of former Ole Miss quarterback, Matt Corral. Corral was drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers which created the current quarterback competition.

"I kept telling our guys the last two years, especially last year, that not just anyone is making these throws," Kiffin said. "And everyone is just used to every throw being in there and not missing. It takes getting used to having new quarterbacks and losing [Corral who] was an elite arm talent."

He was also asked if Dart's status as a high-value transfer would impact his decision in naming a starting quarterback for Week 1. 

"That absolutely would have nothing to do with how we play players [at Ole Miss]," Kiffin said. "We've got tons of examples over time, we don't care how many stars you are, where you're from, or whether you're from the state or not. When I got here I was 'dumb' for playing [Corral over John Rhys Plumlee], so we don't look at anything that way."

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You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.

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