2020 Team Preview: Can Ole Miss Reposition Itself For The Future?

It was an amazing offseason in the SEC, a reality which has been easy to forget in light of the pandemic and all the changes which have occurred in our world since then. Nevertheless, a lot did happen in late December and early January. One of the bigger events in the SEC was the transition at the head coaching spot in Oxford. Let’s take a closer look at the Ole Miss Rebels.

Offseason Changes

The Ole Miss Rebels were about to tie Mississippi State in the final regular-season game of 2019. If Ole Miss had won this game, head coach Matt Luke might have stayed on the job for another season. However, after a last-minute touchdown put Ole Miss down by only one point, the player who scored the touchdown for the Rebels engaged in a celebration mimicking a dog peeing on the ground. The player was given a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. The flag moved the ball from the 3-yard line to the 18 for the resulting extra point kick. Ole Miss missed the kick, losing the game by one point instead of going into overtime. Weeks after that game, Ole Miss fired Luke and replaced him with Lane Kiffin. The well-traveled coach had just completed a very successful season with Florida Atlantic in which he won the Conference USA championship. Kiffin has coached before in the SEC, leading Tennessee for one season in 2009 before moving to USC. Kiffin is easily the big change at Ole Miss. His story is fascinating, and everyone in the SEC is waiting to see how he will handle this job.

The Rebels Will Succeed If…

They can find a quarterback who can mesh with Kiffin. John Rhys Plumlee showed flashes of quality last year in an uneven season, but he is a young quarterback who has plenty of room for growth. The big worry about Plumlee is that he is more of a running quarterback than a passer. Kiffin would need to be able to teach him how to read defenses and become much more adept at finding gaps in opposing defenses. If Kiffin can unlock Plumlee’s potential, the season could become surprisingly good for Ole Miss.

The Rebels Will Fail If…

Their defense falls apart. Kiffin will likely never have an elite defense at Ole Miss. He is an offensive coach whose focus will be on turning the Rebels into a team with a high-octane offense, a team which can win 42-35 shootouts. However, if the Rebels are giving up over 40 points to SEC opponents, they won’t be able to win those shootouts. This defense doesn’t need to be great, but it can’t be terrible. Kiffin doesn’t know where he stands right now; the season doesn’t have to deliver spectacular results, but it needs to involve a lack of complete implosions on defense.

Prediction

The slow growth curve with Plumlee at quarterback is a problem. Ole Miss wants to have an explosive offense, but the passing game is not yet ready to hit its stride. Kiffin will need to adjust to his surroundings. It will be extremely difficult for Ole Miss to crack the top four in the SEC West.

Prediction: 5th In SEC West