Tommy Kinsler IV Remains on Track to Crack Ole Miss’ Starting Lineup

OXFORD | With just 12 days between Ole Miss’ season-opener against Louisville in Nashville, there aren’t many question marks remaining revolving around its starting lineup.

The two most critical position battles of the offseason are settling down. Terez Davis has locked down the starting job at left tackle, while Pete Golding confirmed that senior Miami transfer Tommy Kinsler IV remains the leader to emerge as the Rebels’ starting right tackle.

“It’s still an open competition. I think Tommy has really, really flashed. I thought this second scrimmage he played really, really probably about 30-35 snaps,” Golding said Monday. “The tempo in which we play and the amount of snaps right now that position is going to have to play, I think we gotta continue to get him in shape…I would say, right now, definitely Tommy has probably flashed and been the most consistent up to this point.”

Depth is key

Sep 27, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; LSU Tigers offensive lineman Carius Curne (57) waits for the snap during the fourth quarter against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ole Miss signed four tackles through the transfer portal this offseason. On paper, the biggest portal grab the Rebels made at the position was acquiring LSU transfer Carius Curne. The athletic 6-foot-5, 335-pound sophomore started in 10 games for the Tigers in 2025 at both tackle spots.

However, a slow spring and a bit of a banged up summer have led to a slip. That said, Curne is expected to remain in the picture for Ole Miss’ offensive line this season and has generated positive buzz through scrimmages in the last few weeks.

Obviously getting Curne back for progressive weeks in a row has helped, has flashed and done some good things,” Golding explained. “Another guy that falls in that consistency category right now. You’re still looking —‘How can we rotate a couple guys for worst case scenarios?’. And then ‘what does one do better than the other?’ from a package standpoint. But we got this week to kind of decide that and then we kind of gotta make that decision next week.”

Though the Rebels’ shot-caller likes the overall of where his team currently stands in the health department, the offensive line has been among the units fighting the most pain throughout fall camp.

“I think obviously everybody after camp or this last week is kind of banged up within reason. There’s a difference between being hurt and injured. Camp is about building calluses and learning to fight through things and very rarely in this sport are you going to be 100 percent week in and week out in this league,” Golding added. “I would say during camp has probably been corner and o-line have been the two areas where you’re kind of plug and play, and doing some things to where if it was a game week, you would have moved some pieces. But they’re all healthy and back going into this week.”

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