.png&width=48&height=48&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Lane Kiffin Signing Day Press Conference
12/15/2021 | Football
Opening statement...
"Kind of unusual, like we discussed yesterday. Signing day isn't as huge as it used to be. Now, for a couple years you had multiple signing days. And with so many transfers going on. We're excited about our high school players that we got. Signed two older kids, one punter, a junior college linebacker that we think's really good. But, for the most part this was all high school. Knowing that the other aspect of all this is older guys, with transfers and portal guys, so that will be ongoing for a while all the way through when we start school in January because they don't sign NILs again. So, I would anticipate a lot of movement and signings there, which is why by design this is a small class comparable to the amount of scholarships we have available. We were very picky. I think we had high standards. Didn't reach, and I'm excited about the guys that came."
On if more players will sign through Friday...
"I wouldn't say a couple but there could be. There could be one in the next couple of hours, so it's just a constant battle it seems like. It seems unusual because usually everything used to be done today when there was one signing day. You've got a whole another one coming up and really one that goes all the way until when we play as we saw last year with portal guys. So, this is just really different than it used to be."
On signing class size potential...
"I do (know the number), it's much higher than that obviously. And also, we'll have guys leave like everybody does. Regardless of how your program is, I think we don't have many guys that play very much come and want to leave. I think they're happy here, they like the atmosphere, how we do it verse other programs where you see high profile players leaving because they don't like it. Ours are more so guys that just aren't playing enough, which we understand. So, we help them and wish them the best. I think we'll see more of that so there will be space."
On Jaron Willis...
"Not sure exactly what he'll play, but very big athlete that really is what they're supposed to look like. Sometimes we take smaller guys and try to make them into players, someone that already looks when he walks in like somebody that looks like he's ready to play in the SEC. Really good get there."
On areas to address in the transfer portal...
"I don't look at it as much like that as we used to, because more than ever look at the best players and just getting our 85 to be the best that we can and build on that. From when we got here, and even this year even though we had a really good team, I wish we were deeper and we wouldn't have to play players on both sides of the ball as much as we do. So that's an ongoing process of trying to find the best players. If I have this many at this position, but then you don't feel good about these guys playing because they are not good enough, we'd much rather have the best players so we'll continue to do that instead of exact numbers.
On ability add uncommitted prospects on signing day…
"It's better when it works that way because you're not the target the whole time. When they're committed to you, that's what everybody shoots at and aims against. A lot of negative recruiting, so it's easier when it goes that way at the end. I think part of that is when we're a little bit slow when it comes to commits from not over offering and being picky. And, I think that in general you'll see we'll get more guys towards the end, especially when you have a good season. When you win, better players come, so that's part of that too."
On operating recruiting during NIL…
"I said it yesterday, we're in free agency. That there are no contracts. I really hope for these kids that they get all the money that they're being promised at all these schools when they get there because there's a lot of money being promised. I hope for them that they get it, because it is unique. If these guys get promised all this money to come places, but they don't have a contract, which in free agency in the NFL you would know that you're guaranteed to get paid what you're being told what you'll get paid."
On approaching quarterbacks in the transfer portal…
"The portal allows you even more to do what we do, which is not reach and not have to just add numbers to add numbers. And, because not only are there guys available, there's going to be more guys available right after bowl games. Then there's going to be more guys available after spring ball because they're not going to like how it went then, just like we saw a year ago. It used to be you just had grad transfers with one year left, now there's guys in there with four years of eligibility. To me, you can replace these even if it's not even in the first year, in a year from now you get someone with three years of eligibility and it would have been the same as this class."
"Kind of unusual, like we discussed yesterday. Signing day isn't as huge as it used to be. Now, for a couple years you had multiple signing days. And with so many transfers going on. We're excited about our high school players that we got. Signed two older kids, one punter, a junior college linebacker that we think's really good. But, for the most part this was all high school. Knowing that the other aspect of all this is older guys, with transfers and portal guys, so that will be ongoing for a while all the way through when we start school in January because they don't sign NILs again. So, I would anticipate a lot of movement and signings there, which is why by design this is a small class comparable to the amount of scholarships we have available. We were very picky. I think we had high standards. Didn't reach, and I'm excited about the guys that came."
On if more players will sign through Friday...
"I wouldn't say a couple but there could be. There could be one in the next couple of hours, so it's just a constant battle it seems like. It seems unusual because usually everything used to be done today when there was one signing day. You've got a whole another one coming up and really one that goes all the way until when we play as we saw last year with portal guys. So, this is just really different than it used to be."
On signing class size potential...
"I do (know the number), it's much higher than that obviously. And also, we'll have guys leave like everybody does. Regardless of how your program is, I think we don't have many guys that play very much come and want to leave. I think they're happy here, they like the atmosphere, how we do it verse other programs where you see high profile players leaving because they don't like it. Ours are more so guys that just aren't playing enough, which we understand. So, we help them and wish them the best. I think we'll see more of that so there will be space."
On Jaron Willis...
"Not sure exactly what he'll play, but very big athlete that really is what they're supposed to look like. Sometimes we take smaller guys and try to make them into players, someone that already looks when he walks in like somebody that looks like he's ready to play in the SEC. Really good get there."
On areas to address in the transfer portal...
"I don't look at it as much like that as we used to, because more than ever look at the best players and just getting our 85 to be the best that we can and build on that. From when we got here, and even this year even though we had a really good team, I wish we were deeper and we wouldn't have to play players on both sides of the ball as much as we do. So that's an ongoing process of trying to find the best players. If I have this many at this position, but then you don't feel good about these guys playing because they are not good enough, we'd much rather have the best players so we'll continue to do that instead of exact numbers.
On ability add uncommitted prospects on signing day…
"It's better when it works that way because you're not the target the whole time. When they're committed to you, that's what everybody shoots at and aims against. A lot of negative recruiting, so it's easier when it goes that way at the end. I think part of that is when we're a little bit slow when it comes to commits from not over offering and being picky. And, I think that in general you'll see we'll get more guys towards the end, especially when you have a good season. When you win, better players come, so that's part of that too."
On operating recruiting during NIL…
"I said it yesterday, we're in free agency. That there are no contracts. I really hope for these kids that they get all the money that they're being promised at all these schools when they get there because there's a lot of money being promised. I hope for them that they get it, because it is unique. If these guys get promised all this money to come places, but they don't have a contract, which in free agency in the NFL you would know that you're guaranteed to get paid what you're being told what you'll get paid."
On approaching quarterbacks in the transfer portal…
"The portal allows you even more to do what we do, which is not reach and not have to just add numbers to add numbers. And, because not only are there guys available, there's going to be more guys available right after bowl games. Then there's going to be more guys available after spring ball because they're not going to like how it went then, just like we saw a year ago. It used to be you just had grad transfers with one year left, now there's guys in there with four years of eligibility. To me, you can replace these even if it's not even in the first year, in a year from now you get someone with three years of eligibility and it would have been the same as this class."
Players Mentioned
ATH
/ FootballThe Season: Ole Miss Football S3E11: South Carolina
Wednesday, November 05
PRESSER | Wydett Williams Jr. - The Citadel Preview (11-04-25)
Tuesday, November 04
PRESSER | Andrew Jones - The Citadel Preview (11-04-25)
Tuesday, November 04
PRESSER | Dae'Quan Wright - The Citadel Preview (11-04-25)
Tuesday, November 04