Typically, a program of Ole Miss’ stature would not attract much attention among its peers. The Rebels are often an afterthought when discussing the behemoths in the SEC. However, Lane Kiffin’s name resounds with anything but typical. His offensive enterprise, eccentric antics and knack for winning have meshed brilliantly to turn the fortunes of the program. In only his 2nd season in charge, Kiffin led the school to its best-ever regular season. He has not looked back since.

Just last year, Ole Miss won 11 games in a season for the very first time in their 129-year history. Now, the Rebels (8-2) are standing on the precipice of a CFP berth. As with most geniuses, the mastery comes with some quirks. Kiffin is no stranger to outlandish burst-outs on the sideline. Or even some good, old-fashioned trash-talking. His QB, Jaxson Dart, recalled one such instance.

In an interview on the PARTYCHAT Youtube channel, Dart shared a funny story about Kiffin. “Let’s just say LK is different. Like whether it’s him throwing up his hands for a touchdown before the ball is even snapped, [or] chucking the clipboard in the air when the ball is in the air. I remember against Alabama my first year [seeing him] on the sideline. I just completed a back shoulder throw to Malik Heath [and] he’s talking crap to the corner. Telling him that we’re gonna run the exact same play and we’re gonna run it at you again. And we did it the next play, and I threw it at him again”.

Kiffin was, of course, formerly on Nick Saban’s staff at Bama. Perhaps he found this to be an opportunity to inflict some light-hearted misery on one of his former school’s players. Kiffin won a national title as OC with the Crimson Tide in 2016. However, he left under unorthodox circumstances, befitting of his persona.

Alabama and Saban let Kiffin off his duties right before the CFP Final in 2017. Saban believed Kiffin to be distracted by his upcoming HC duties at Florida Atlantic. Worried that he wasn’t getting a fully locked-in OC, he replaced Kiffin before he could leave on his own terms. It seems like Kiffin was not over this, as evidenced by his purposeful playcalling in that instance Dart shared.

Jaxson Dart is having himself quite the season

Jaxson Dart has been a revelation and even found himself on the periphery of the Heisman discussion. Playing under an offensive mind like Kiffin has elevated Dart’s game and inadvertently raised his stock for a potential NFL recruitment. Dart has 25 total TDs and a mere 4 INTs on the season.

He broke the program record for passing yards and TDs in a game just 2 weeks ago. This involved a gaudy of 515 yards and 6 touchdowns en route to a 63-31 mauling of Arkansas. The Rebels followed that up with one of their biggest wins ever. They trounced Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs at home, 28-10.

The program is now in a position to make the playoffs. With the chaos in the SEC, Ole Miss will likely need to win out. They face the reinvigorated Florida Gators next. As always, expect fireworks when Lane Kiffin is involved.