Ole habits die hard. The Ole Miss Rebels’ cyclic traversal each season since Lane Kiffin took charge has become a bit of a modern tradition in the negative sense. Every year, they’ll blow out relatively weak-ish programs at the outset. Go on a run of wins, gaining fervor and contender status. But then stutter against a good team. They’ll pick it up again and perhaps even upset a blueblood. All this before falling short towards the end in an anticlimactic fashion. Kiffin is making moves to ensure this up-and-down roller elevator is replaced by an upwards-only escalator.

Lane Kiffin has conjured the 2nd best portal class in the country for 2025. The health of his roster is as good as ever despite losing longtime QB1 Jaxson Dart. Ole Miss has a storied lineage with quarterbacks. The great Archie Manning once donned the iconic red and blue stripe. Later, the honor passed on to his youngest son. Eli Manning’s tenure with the Rebels was a resounding success, too, before going no. 1 overall in 2004. Over 2 decades later, Dart became, statistically, the most successful quarterback in program history. With the 2025 class trending well, Kiffin is eyeing a QB to continue this lineage from the class of ‘26.

Jackson High’s Landon Duckworth has been on the priority list for a hot minute. Lane Kiffin hit the road and gave the 4-star signal caller a visit earlier this week. Duckworth posted a picture of the two posed up on his socials. He’s coming off a junior season where he won his school the Alabama 4A state title, their first since 2011. His performance in the final game itself was a microcosm of his season, throwing for 325 yards and 5 TDs. That only gives a gist of Landon Duckworth’s arsenal, though.

Duckworth is ranked the no.11 QB in his class according to On3’s composite industry ranking. However, ESPN has him down as the no.1 dual-threat QB. He had 3,109 passing yards and 34 TDs through the air this season. This went with over 600 yards on the ground and 12 rushing TDs. Goes to show how Duckworth can bring an excellent dynamic and flavor to Lane Kiffin’s system. Kiffin is a bonafide offensive whiz, and his RPO-heavy scheming could see Duckworth do well. There’s one more reason why Duckworth is potentially the ideal prospect for the Rebels. Duckworth was previously committed to fellow SEC adversaries South Carolina.

The nexus between a quarterback and his running back partner is at the crux of every great offense. How well the two can complement each other. The 2-man punch can make or great a team without sounding too hyperbolic. So when this relationship is as important to build and develop, why not just uproot an existing one in Jackson and put it in Oxford, Mississippi? Especially when they’re both elite prospects individually, anyway. That’s perhaps what Lane Kiffin is thinking.

2 birds with 1 stone is what Lane Kiffin was thinking for his visit to Jackson, AL

Alongside QB Landon Duckworth, Kiffin also visited RB Ezavier Crowell. Another 4-star, Crowell too has been making waves. He posted just shy of 2000 yards to go with 31 touchdowns this season. He, too, has got a little duality about him, with 258 receiving yards and a couple touchdowns. The On3 industry ranking has him down as the 16th-best running back for 2026.

Lane Kiffin’s path to both players is far from linear. A plethora of programs have made offers and/or visits, including in-state Auburn, which is also seeking the 2-for-1. This recruitment is in no way a foregone conclusion. However, Kiffin’s visit does tip the scales in his favor. If there’s one thing Lane Kiffin is great at, it’s selling himself and his team. He does it on X all the time!

Typically, the Ole Miss Rebels have retired to being mere bridesmaids in the grand scheme of CFB. The program doesn’t have much historical precedent in comparison to its SEC comrades. An afterthought for the most part. However, Lane Kiffin resounds with anything but typical. He’ll look to continue the irrefutably positive stint he’s had down in Oxford, albeit undercut by some shortcomings. Ole Miss continues to flirt with the playoffs, and that will seemingly at least be their floor while Kiffin is at the helm. Landing players of Duckworth and Crowell’s ilk will facilitate that.