What makes Lane Kiffin so confident Ole Miss is 'just getting started' despite Jaxson Dart, other departures

What makes Lane Kiffin so confident Ole Miss is ‘just getting started’ despite Jaxson Dart, other departures

Posted by author January 3, 2025 Football

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When Lane Kiffin addressed the future on Thursday night, it wasn’t a big applause line or a hopeful wish. He spoke matter-of-factly.

“We’re just getting started,” Kiffin said.

Amid Ole Miss’ on-field celebration after a 52-20 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl win against Duke (9-4), the Rebels football coach said it as if he could see the future.

Kiffin’s statement may come to fruition. It may not. Either way, he has established a strong starting point.

With the win, Ole Miss finished 10-3. It is the second-consecutive 10-win season for the Rebels, which was last accomplished in 1959-60. Ole Miss has won 39 games across Kiffin’s four non-COVID seasons. In the four years before Kiffin, the Rebels won 20 games.

Talent will leave Ole Miss’ roster in bulk. Quarterback Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss’ all-time passing leader, is out of eligibility. Defensive linemen Walter Nolen, Princely Umanmielen and defensive back Trey Amos are all tabbed as early-round selections in the NFL Draft. There are others, too.

As far as the future is concerned, that doesn’t bother Kiffin. He’s been though cycles where critical players depart.

“I probably wouldn’t have been so confident (saying Ole Miss is just getting started) if we hadn’t done some of this before,” Kiffin said. “I feel like when (quarterback) Matt Corral left, I feel like a lot of people thought we’re going to have this downswing and that was just kind of a Matt Corral thing.”

Corral left Ole Miss after 2021. In 2022, Kiffin brought in Dart.

Ole Miss football has the No. 3 transfer portal class, according to 247Sports. Redshirt freshman quarterback Austin Simmons looks poised to keep Ole Miss’ offense humming in 2025. Kiffin seemed optimistic about retaining defensive coordinator Pete Golding and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.

“My point is we can keep getting better just continuing to add players and add pieces and keeping our staff together, too, which has been very critical,” Kiffin said.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_