Lane Kiffin Talks Culture, Charlie Weis Jr. Prior to Sugar Bowl
NEW ORLEANS -- No. 8 Ole Miss had no opt outs prior to its matchup with No. 7 Baylor in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, and Lane Kiffin gives credit for that to the changing culture on his Rebels' team.
Ole Miss reached the Outback Bowl last season in year one under Kiffin's leadership, and although the 2020 season was a step up from where the Rebels had been in recent years, they had to wade the waters of numerous opt outs prior to the game.
This year, that changed.
"I think a lot of that has to do with the culture and the players that you have," Kiffin said. "I think when your quarterback would be the most obvious opt-out, never even thinks about it, and the players know that and he's played through injuries when he could have not played in games, I think it starts at the top. I think our culture's come a long way."
Prior to Kiffin's arrival in Oxford, the Rebels were emerging out of a proverbial purgatory brought on by NCAA violations and their ensuing penalties. Ole Miss went 4-8 in 2019 and 5-5 in 2020's COVID-impacted season before securing the first 10-win regular season in school history in 2021.
With a win in the Sugar Bowl, Ole Miss would have 11 total wins for the first time in program history, as well.
Many of the players who are on this Sugar Bowl-bound team were present for the lows of the 2019 season, and Kiffin believes that experience helps them appreciate this record-setting season even more.
"Our last job at FAU (Florida Atlantic University), they had won three games and then won 11 games our first year," Kiffin said. "So, we were able to see that excitement. They'd only won three games for three years in a row. So it's exciting to be part of as opposed to just being on the top and staying on the top. I think our players have a better appreciation for being here because of that."
In order for Ole Miss to reach that 11-win mark on Saturday night, it will have to get past the Big 12 champion Baylor Bears, led by defensive-minded head coach Dave Aranda.
"They're so well coached," Kiffin said. "You don't just see many big plays against them or screw-ups, which makes it hard to beat. He basically has created a team like his defense always have been: limit big plays, very smart, disciplined defense. Now, he has a whole team of it."
Another headline in the Ole Miss world this week has been the hiring of new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. Weis has experience at various stops with Kiffin, and he will take over in place of Jeff Lebby who will be coaching his final Ole Miss game in the Sugar Bowl. Lebby accepted the offensive coordinator job at his alma mater Oklahoma earlier this month.
"When you do well, you, a lot of times, lose coaches," Kiffin said. "That's part of it. You don't lose many when you're not doing well. So with winning, a few problems come, and that's one of them. We're excited to bring Charlie Weis aboard. Charlie's been with us before at Alabama, at FAU. Very familiar with how we do things."
Ole Miss and Baylor are set to kick off on Saturday at 7:45 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Click Here.
