Lane Kiffin might want to grab an umbrella because the storm clouds are rolling in over Oxford. The Rebels are coming off a solid 10-win season, but this offseason hasn’t been a walk in the park. The SEC grind doesn’t do favors, and Ole Miss is staring down some major question marks. A key shake-up just threw another wrench in the mix, and with holes all over the roster, Kiffin’s got his work cut out for him. Spring ball isn’t even in full swing yet, and the heat’s already turning up.
It’s like the SEC gods are out here testing Kiffin’s patience. College football’s favorite smack-talker, SEC Mike, hopped on ‘That SEC Football Podcast’ on March 11th and couldn’t help but throw a few jabs Ole Miss’s way. “I got a lot of questions about Ole Miss this spring. Where do you see the biggest question marks for the Rebels as they try to repeat as a 10, and hopefully 11, or more win team?” he asked. And his co-host Steve Lassen? Man, he wasn’t pulling punches either.
Lassen laid it out plain as day. “They have so many holes to fill, just four returning starters. But I think you could talk yourself into a few things. So, I’m not that worried about quarterback with Austin Simmons stepping in. So, I think the two positions, and they’re kinda tied together here—I think the running game. Who steps up at running back? Because we see Lane Kiffin usually churning out a very productive, uh, rusher, whether it’s at Ole Miss or FAU recently. Um, who steps up to be that guy?”
The 2025 season’s already looking like a dicey game of Jenga, where pulling the wrong piece sends the whole tower crashing down. The Rebels are saying goodbye to a whopping 18 starters. Yep, you read that right—18. Guys are either chasing NFL dreams or hopping into the transfer portal like it’s a get-rich-quick scheme. And it’s not just anybody packing their bags. We’re talking heavyweights like Jaxson Dart and Tre Harris, who pretty much carried the squad last season.
So, who’s left to hold down the fort? Four returning starters. Just four. Two of them, left tackle Jayden Williams and right tackle Diego Pounds, are supposed to be the anchors of an offensive line that, let’s be real, wasn’t exactly living its best life last season. They were struggling to create running lanes like a bad plumber trying to fix a busted pipe. When you’re averaging under four yards per carry in SEC games, something’s gone seriously wrong.
But the real crisis isn’t just about who’s throwing the ball—it’s who’s supposed to be running it. Ulysses Bentley IV had some sparks, but he spent more time battling injuries and inconsistency than actually tearing up defenses. Heading into 2025, the Rebels are left trying to piece together a ground game with a bunch of question marks and crossed fingers. Logan Diggs is supposed to be the RB bringing the muscle, standing tall at 6’1” and 215 pounds. Besides him, Jordon Simmons and Kewan Lacy are bringing their own flavor to the mix, but someone has to step up big time to take the heat off Simmons at quarterback.
The offensive line? It’s like a puzzle where half the pieces are missing. Transfers like Percy Lewis and Patrick Kutas are supposed to fill the gaps, but expecting them to suddenly become brick walls is wishful thinking. John Garrison’s got his work cut out for him, trying to turn this unit into something half-decent before they get steamrolled by the SEC’s defensive monsters.
Ole Miss’s rebel spring ball
Now, here’s another twist—Ole Miss isn’t even holding’ a spring game this year. Nope, Lane Kiffin’s taking that pro mindset approach, treating spring drills like it’s strictly business. According to Kiffin, “After careful thought, including the timing of the other spring events, we determined it was best not to hold a spring game.”
Instead, fans get a little something called “Meet the Rebels Day” at the Manning Center on April 12. Basically, it’s autograph city and a Q&A session with Kiffin and the staff. Sure, it’s a good move for hyping up the fan base, but come on, everyone wants to see what Austin Simmons can do under pressure. But nah, everything’s closed to the public. Guess they want to keep things on the down-low ‘til fall.
Still, Lane’s got his work cut out for him. Rebuilding a squad with holes like Swiss cheese isn’t a joke. Logan Diggs, Jordon Simmons, and Kewan Lacy have to step up big-time in the backfield to help Simmons shine. And with offensive line coach John Garrison trying to fix the trenches, it’s now or never for the Rebels.
Bottom line? Ole Miss has potential, but potential only gets you so far. They’re either going to sink or swim this season and right now, it’s looking like Lane Kiffin better start doggy paddling fast. Because if the Rebels can’t plug those gaps, this whole season’s gonna be more fumbles than touchdowns.
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