Ole Miss Has an Offensive Line Decision to Make Before Missouri

Lingering injury issues for Tommy Kinsler IV could force Connor Howes into a bigger, more permanent role on Ole Miss' offensive line.

Mississippi Rebels offensive lineman Tommy Kinsler IV waits for the snap during the third quarter against the LSU Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels will play the No. 13 Missouri Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday in a pivotal ranked SEC matchup.

Although much of the attention around the game is on the return to Oxford of multiple former Rebels now playing for Missouri, as well as the game being a high-profile ranked SEC matchup, another story is developing for Ole Miss.

Ole Miss started the season with Miami transfer Tommy Kinsler IV at right tackle. However, injury trouble has given sophomore Connor Howes a chance to play, creating a difficult decision for Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding regarding who will start Saturday against Missouri.

How Did Ole Miss Get Here?

Mississippi Rebels offensive lineman Connor Howes against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ole Miss lost both its starting offensive tackles in 2025 to the NFL last offseason. Left tackle Diego Pounds and right tackle Jayden Williams are now with the Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals, respectively. Losing both created a hole in the Rebels' offense.

Early in spring camp, Terez Davis, who transferred from Maryland to Ole Miss prior to the start of the 2025 season, locked down the starting left tackle role and hasn't looked back.

Right tackle wouldn't have such a clear answer, however. The position battle was expected to be between Tommy Kinsler IV, a three-star transfer from Miami, and Carius Curne, a four-star transfer from LSU.

However, following Curne's arrest in April and a strong offseason from sophomore Connor Howes, a three-star recruit in Ole Miss' 2025 recruiting class, Howes was named the backup behind Kinsler IV, who won the starting right tackle job against Louisville in Week 1.

Late in that game against Louisville, Kinsler IV went down with a lower-body injury, pushing Howes into the game at a crucial moment. Howes would play in Week 2 against Charlotte while Kinsler IV remained out with his injury. The two would also split time against LSU and Florida, though Howes played more snaps.

Last Saturday, Oct. 10, against Vanderbilt, the two were expected to split time again. However, Howes would take nearly every snap at right tackle.

"Tommy (Kinsler IV) was a little more banged up than we thought," Golding said. "We thought we were going to get him back healthy, and he came out of pregame and wasn't in a great spot."

Prior to that comment, Golding also had praise for Howes while speaking on the development of the Rebels' offensive line.

"I think we're getting better and better every week, especially Connor (Howes). The more he plays the better he gets," Golding said.

It remains to be seen whether Kinsler IV will return to rotate snaps with Howes again this Saturday against Missouri. However, if Golding is as confident as his comments suggest in Howes, the sophomore is likely to handle the bulk of the snaps against Missouri and potentially for the rest of the season.

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