Lane Kiffin’s connection to Ole Miss runs deep, not just as the head coach of the Rebels but also through his daughter, Landry. In 2022, when rumors swirled about Lane Kiffin potentially returning to Auburn, Landry convinced him to stay at Ole Miss. Since then, both father and daughter have flourished at the University of Mississippi. Lane has achieved a 23-13 record, solidifying his position as a top college coach, while Landry has embraced her sorority life at Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG).
Landry has shared many photos of her time with the sorority, including a heartwarming post last August celebrating Bid Day, when new members are welcomed. Thus, her journey at Ole Miss has been filled with brewing friendships and connections.
Recently, KKG launched a campaign with the hashtag “Blue Brought Me You” to highlight campus friendships. Landry made it to the hashtag by sharing touching words about her best friend, McKenzie Lola. She explained how they reconnected at Ole Miss after separation during high school. She described their “inseparable” bond: “Despite moving, different schools, new friends and places, we had a friendship we could always rely on no matter what.” She also concluded her thoughts with a heartfelt sentiment about their sisterhood through Kappa Kappa Gamma.
Landry’s emotional post resonated with many, including her father. Thus, Lane Kiffin reposted the message on his Instagram story, adding the caption, “Tears Flowing!!!” Despite his demanding schedule, Lane always finds time to connect with his daughters, who cherish such small moments. While his younger daughter, Presley, thrives on a volleyball scholarship at USC, Landry remains close to her father at Ole Miss, making some special moments alongside her growing college friendships.
Lane Kiffin may be viewed as a “quarterback whisperer,” but the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels has also assembled an elite group of wide receivers entering the 2024 season.
Ole Miss returns some strong production at wideout from its 11-2 season in 2023, but it also made moves in the transfer portal to help bolster the group this offseason. Pair that with some young talent waiting in the wings, and quarterback Jaxson Dart should have plenty of weapons at his disposal in the passing game this fall.
The hype is understandable, but what should you expect from this position group in 2024? Let’s dive in below.
Familiar Faces
Much is made of Ole Miss’ conquests in the transfer portal, and for good reason. But just as important for this team was roster retention from a year ago, and the Rebels managed to pull that off at wide receiver.
Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins have both been a part of Ole Miss history, but they elected to remain in Oxford for another season in hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff. Even after battling through injuries in 2023, these two still found themselves among the Rebels’ best receivers statistically.
Harris led Ole Miss in receiving yardage last season with 985, and Watkins came in at No. 3 with 741. They also combined for 11 scores, making this a lethal combination on the field when a big catch is needed in 2024. Harris holds the school record for most receiving scores in a game (4), and it came in his first action as a Rebel in Week 1 of last season against Mercer.
Adding new talent is great, but holding onto veteran leadership (and talented leadership, at that) is huge for this team.
New Faces
The biggest boost for Ole Miss at wide receiver this offseason obviously came from Antwane “Juice” Wells who joined the Rebels from the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Wells’ 2023 season was cut short due to injury, but in 2022, he hauled in 68 receptions for 928 yards and six scores for the Gamecocks. While with James Madison the season prior, he eclipsed 1,200 receiving yards and found the end zone 15 times.
The Rebels also added a sometimes-overlooked talent in Devin Price from Florida Atlantic, and Deion Smith signed with Ole Miss on Early Signing Day in December, coming to Oxford by way of LSU and Holmes (Miss.) Community College.
It’s never easy to adjust to a new location, but these receivers have the talent to make it work in Oxford, and with leadership from guys like Watkins and Harris, they should make an impact.
Young Faces
These “flashier” names will draw most of the attention for Ole Miss, but this group has some young talent that has turned heads since arriving in Oxford.
Ayden Williams and Cayden Lee are the ones who fit best into this category. Lee had a bit of a coming out party in the 2023 Peach Bowl, hauling in three receptions for 29 yards, and he will likely play a bigger role with the team this fall.
Williams also has plenty of talent at his disposal, and although he didn’t see a ton of action in 2023, that could change this fall, now that he has more experience under his belt. Playing time may not be as plentiful for this duo as some of the headlining names, but learning and growing in this environment is key.
Leave a Reply