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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Football Practice Report: New-Look Rebs Ready to Leave Legacy
3/19/2024 | Football
OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss football team met briefly two weeks ago to open spring practice before departing for spring break. After a week off, Lane Kiffin, Jaxson Dart and the Rebels returned to the practice field with high energy and enthusiasm as they begin their journey toward the 2024 college football season.
Afterward, Kiffin, Dart and Jared Ivey met with the media to look ahead at spring ball, the Grove Bowl and the road to the 2024 campaign. Scroll on to see how they're working to continue the winning culture inside the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center.
Don't forget to lock in your spot at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to watch the Rebels in 2024. New season tickets and renewals are open now at OleMissTix.com. Click here to learn more.
EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON
It was an unorthodox start to the spring as the Rebels opened practice for one week, only to split for spring break. However, it didn't affect the team's performance as the squad showed plenty of spring in their step coming out of break.
"Was really pleased with their energy and focus today, which isn't always the case after a layoff like that," Kiffin said. "Been playing a lot of different guys at a lot of different positions just to challenge guys. Just like our team is 0-0, they all have no stats. Finding the best players to win and the best positions for them to play."
Once again, Kiffin and his staff have set out to meld together a group of returners with a highly touted crop of newcomers from the transfer portal, junior college and high school. But as the plants sprout up fresh outside, the Rebels also start with a clean slate in the eyes of the coaches.
"I don't care who plays, where they're from, what year. We're going to play the best players," Kiffin said. "I feel really good when we win, I feel really bad when we lose. I'm never going to play someone because they were recruited here or this many years of experience or from whatever state. I say that with these guys because I think they know that, and I think that's part of why they come here."
The professional mindset has helped attract elite talent and elevate the Rebel program to new heights, including a program-record 11 wins last season. But amid a wildly successful season, Kiffin found motivation in one of the two low points: a 52-17 drubbing at the hands of then-No. 1 Georgia.
The loss in Athens was a wake-up call for Kiffin and his staff. Before the season, Kiffin proclaimed the 2023 roster his most talented since he arrived in Oxford. Then, on Nov. 11, he learned that it still wasn't good enough to beat the best of the best. But it also motivated him and his staff to add even more talent in the offseason.
"Reminding them how much I despise losing and that feeling of Georgia, trying to teach our players things happen for a reason. There's always good in the bad," Kiffin said. "And the good that came out of that game, you guys remember afterwards sitting there, that feeling like hey, we've got to recruit better. Because they didn't look like us in that game. Especially in the front seven on defense and our offensive line. When you go out there and look, you see a glaring difference in our offense line in the size and our front seven on defense. I contribute that to us recruiting really well in the portal and that feeling in that Georgia game."
LEAVING A LEGACY
Dart also liked the makeup of the team, as well as their energy, as they took the field after the layoff on Tuesday.
"Felt great to be back out there," Dart said. "There's a lot of energy out there today, which is super positive to see the guys come back with a lot of energy. I thought the way we executed was on a really high level considering the break we had. I'm really liking how this team is looking."
Heading into his final season in Oxford, Dart has taken on even more of a leadership role. That began during the season, when he led his teammates to the collective decision to return for 2024. It continued in the offseason when he helped to lure the nation's top transfer portal class. And now it has carried onto the practice field, where he looks to get the most out of each of his teammates as the prepare for the coming campaign.
"We saw the potential of what we could do and what the future looked like here. We just felt as a team, with how many returners we had back, that it was going to be the best option for us to leave a legacy here," Dart said. "We want to continue to make a legacy and do something people will always remember and something people can be really proud of."
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Afterward, Kiffin, Dart and Jared Ivey met with the media to look ahead at spring ball, the Grove Bowl and the road to the 2024 campaign. Scroll on to see how they're working to continue the winning culture inside the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center.
Don't forget to lock in your spot at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to watch the Rebels in 2024. New season tickets and renewals are open now at OleMissTix.com. Click here to learn more.
EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON
It was an unorthodox start to the spring as the Rebels opened practice for one week, only to split for spring break. However, it didn't affect the team's performance as the squad showed plenty of spring in their step coming out of break.
"Was really pleased with their energy and focus today, which isn't always the case after a layoff like that," Kiffin said. "Been playing a lot of different guys at a lot of different positions just to challenge guys. Just like our team is 0-0, they all have no stats. Finding the best players to win and the best positions for them to play."
Once again, Kiffin and his staff have set out to meld together a group of returners with a highly touted crop of newcomers from the transfer portal, junior college and high school. But as the plants sprout up fresh outside, the Rebels also start with a clean slate in the eyes of the coaches.
"I don't care who plays, where they're from, what year. We're going to play the best players," Kiffin said. "I feel really good when we win, I feel really bad when we lose. I'm never going to play someone because they were recruited here or this many years of experience or from whatever state. I say that with these guys because I think they know that, and I think that's part of why they come here."
The professional mindset has helped attract elite talent and elevate the Rebel program to new heights, including a program-record 11 wins last season. But amid a wildly successful season, Kiffin found motivation in one of the two low points: a 52-17 drubbing at the hands of then-No. 1 Georgia.
The loss in Athens was a wake-up call for Kiffin and his staff. Before the season, Kiffin proclaimed the 2023 roster his most talented since he arrived in Oxford. Then, on Nov. 11, he learned that it still wasn't good enough to beat the best of the best. But it also motivated him and his staff to add even more talent in the offseason.
"Reminding them how much I despise losing and that feeling of Georgia, trying to teach our players things happen for a reason. There's always good in the bad," Kiffin said. "And the good that came out of that game, you guys remember afterwards sitting there, that feeling like hey, we've got to recruit better. Because they didn't look like us in that game. Especially in the front seven on defense and our offensive line. When you go out there and look, you see a glaring difference in our offense line in the size and our front seven on defense. I contribute that to us recruiting really well in the portal and that feeling in that Georgia game."
LEAVING A LEGACY
Dart also liked the makeup of the team, as well as their energy, as they took the field after the layoff on Tuesday.
"Felt great to be back out there," Dart said. "There's a lot of energy out there today, which is super positive to see the guys come back with a lot of energy. I thought the way we executed was on a really high level considering the break we had. I'm really liking how this team is looking."
Heading into his final season in Oxford, Dart has taken on even more of a leadership role. That began during the season, when he led his teammates to the collective decision to return for 2024. It continued in the offseason when he helped to lure the nation's top transfer portal class. And now it has carried onto the practice field, where he looks to get the most out of each of his teammates as the prepare for the coming campaign.
"We saw the potential of what we could do and what the future looked like here. We just felt as a team, with how many returners we had back, that it was going to be the best option for us to leave a legacy here," Dart said. "We want to continue to make a legacy and do something people will always remember and something people can be really proud of."
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SIP
Want the latest Ole Miss football news, content and more delivered to your inbox? Subscribe to The Sip to receive exclusive offers and sips of content throughout spring practice.
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
DE
/ FootballPRESSER | Pete Golding (12-11-25)
Thursday, December 11
PRESSER | Trinidad Chambliss (12/11/25)
Thursday, December 11
PRESSER | Princewill Umanmielen (12/11/25)
Thursday, December 11
PRESSER | De'Zhaun Stribling (12/11/25)
Thursday, December 11