Lane Kiffin And Jimbo Fisher Prepare For One Last Rodeo Before Newly-Formed SEC Arrives
Lane Kiffin is trying to hold back the punches he delivers toward other coaches entering his fourth year with Ole Miss. After all, he's no long the newbie of the Southeastern Conference.
Kiffin pokes fun at everyone in the SEC besides his former boss and king of college football Nick Saban. Even Georgia's Kirby Smart's gotten caught in the crossfires of the quick-witted coaches tongue-lashing in recent years.
The main target, however, remains Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M, something that has become the mix of a run-on joke and disdain under-the-radar rivalries in the SEC that no one asked for but people can't steer away from.
“The commissioner said, ‘Remember, we’ve grown a lot, and you don’t have to respond to every question to show everybody you have the answer,’ ” Kiffin said Thursday during the fourth and final round of SEC Media Days. “So I’m going to do that in this situation.”
The feud between Kiffin and Fisher started after Saban called out the program for "buying" its recruits during the historic 2022 recruiting cycle. Kiffin, coming off the program's first 10-win regular season, said that A&M should pay a “luxury tax” on its top-rated recruiting class of 2022 thanks to the players now being able to benefit from NIL ruling legally.
The back-and-forth banter has come from both ends. After the Saban feud made headlines, Fisher held a press conference, calling out the six-time national championship. "And then to have coaches in our league say it? Clown acts," Fisher added.
Following a 31-28 victory at Kyle Field, Kiffin was asked what he planned on dressing up for on Halloween.
"Maybe Jimbo has a Joker outfit for me," he responded.
On paper, A&M and Ole Miss might be the favorites as dark horses to win the SEC West one final time before the conference rids divisions in 2024 following the arrival of Texas and Oklahoma. Fisher, who is 39-21 in five years with the program, made offensive personnel changes that should help produce better results than the 101st-scoring offense.
Kiffin, who has gone 23-13 in three seasons on The Grove, returns one of the league's most potent offenses, led by sophomore Quinshon Judkins. Few rushers matched the consistency of Judkins last season, who set the program's single-season records in rushing yards (1,567) and rushing touchdowns (16).
“Quinshon is really special,” Kiffin said. “What he did as a freshman, to come in and have that workload … and like any freshman, you can get a lot better in year two.”
A&M will rely heavily on its defense to contain perhaps a Heisman sleeper when the team travels to Oxford on Nov. 4. By that point, questions surrounding both programs should be answered entering the final month of action.
For the Aggies, all eyes are set on if the marriage of Fisher and new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino can work. Fisher, who's called plays since his time as Cincinnati's offensive coordinator, is expected to relinquish the play sheet, but for how long remains a mystery.
"He'll call a lot of – hopefully he'll call the game," Fisher said Monday. "We'll have suggestions on things we do, whether it's offense or defense. Every coach is always involved."
Ole Miss' defense will need to rapidly improve under first-year coordinator Pete Golding, especially in the 89th-ranked run defense. Offensively, the Rebels have weapons — albeit new ones who still have to build a rapport with the quarterback. Therin lies Kiffin's most significant question entering camp.
Jaxson Dart is the presumed favorite after starting a dozen games last year. Still, the Rebels are in a battle with transfers Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State) and Walker Howard (LSU) entering the mix. Sanders played in 43 games for the Cowboys over the past four years, and Howard is one of the nation’s highest-ranked transfers.
Dart, who transferred from USC the year prior, threw for just under 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Ole Miss started hot, winning eight of its first nine games before dropping four straight, including a 42-25 loss to Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl.
“I didn’t do a very good job over the year of keeping our team together,” Kiffin said.
With the 16-team format being instilled next season, 2023 marks the end of the annual rivalry between Kiffin and Fisher. The Aggies face the Longhorns for the first time since 2011 at Kyle Field, along with South Carolina, Arkansas, Auburn, and others.
The Rebels will face off against former offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby at Oklahoma, along with LSU, Georgia, Kentucky, and Florida. Since being hired in 2020, Kiffin boasts a 2-0 record against Fisher, meaning he has the bragging rights until next time.
The Aggies and Rebels didn't play in 2020 due to COVID-19 scheduling conflicts, meaning 2023 marks the lone time Fisher can seal a win. For Kiffin, winning and keeping the Rebels in the hunt for a spot in Atlanta is the goal.
Knowing Fisher can't say, "We'll get them next year," might be the next closest thing to winning a national championship.
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