Ole Miss Athletics Announces Three New Additions to Lane Kiffin's Staff
Ole Miss Athletics announced on Wednesday morning that three positions on the Ole Miss football staff have been filled.
The Rebels have their new co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach, special teams coordinator and football chief of staff.
Maurice Crum will take over as the new co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach after Chris Kiffin, brother of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, decided to head back to the NFL after joining his brother's staff in January.
Crum has spent the last five seasons at Western Kentucky, where he served as the Hilltoppers' linebackers coach all five seasons and defensive coordinator for the final two. In 2021, Crum's defense held opponents to 21 points or less in seven of their last eight games of the regular season.
Before heading to Western Kentucky, Crum spent 2016 with Indiana State coaching corners and nickelbacks, and in 2015 served as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame.
On special teams, Kiffin brought in Marty Biagi who joins the Ole Miss staff after two seasons with the Purdue Boilermakers as their special teams coordinator. Biagi is a two-time finalist for Football Scoop's Special Teams Coordinator of the Year. In 2021, Purdue kicker Mitchell Finneran made 24 out of 29 field goals.
On the administration side of things, Kiffin hired Austin Thomas to be his new chief of staff. Thomas served as the general manager for the LSU Tigers in 2021, after previously working at Baylor and Texas A&M.
Thomas will oversee the day-to-day operations of Ole Miss' recruiting, player personnel, performance analytics, and academics.
© Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
A general view of a Mississippi Rebels helmet during the game against the Missouri Tigers at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Click Here
