Ole Miss’ Kiffin on ESPN: ‘We Haven’t Been Challenged” in Non-conference

Running up big numbers in four non-conference games is better than any alternative for No. 6 Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin knows it changes at 11 a.m. against Kentucky at Vaught-Hemingway.

“It gave us a lot of confidence,” Kiffin said on ESPN’s GameDay on Saturday morning before the game. “Hopefully that prepared us a lot.”

Still, though, the Wildcats are going to bring a solid defensive front to challenge quarterback Jaxson Dart’s offense. They have been lighting up scoreboards, starting quickly and that’s what folks are expecting to continue.

“I like how competitive [his players] are,” Kiffin said. “We haven’t been challenged and I think that’s going to happen today.”

Penalties have been the main problem area for fans and media. Even Kiffin, too, has appeared frustrated at times by it.

Ole Miss Rebels defensive linemen JJ Pegues (38) gets by Georgia Southern Eagles offensive linemen Pichon Wimbley (74) as he rushes Georgia Southern Eagles quarterback JC French (12) during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

It’s not the average of just more than eight per game (33 total), it’s the 91 yards and the timing of the mistakes. One led to the only touchdown the Rebels have given up this year against Georgia Southern last week.

“Sometimes when you create a team that’s a really physical team that’s really going to try to play really physical at a high level snap to snap, it’s going to get violent,” Kiffin said this week. “You won’t be the least penalized team defensively. I understand what we’ve created. We just have to be smarter at it. We can’t have the penalties that we can avoid.”

It’s a message the team understands. The ones we’ve talked to in the limited number of press conference this week have all echoed that.

“Our motto is playing fast,” defensive back Trey Amos said this week. “Sometimes you’re going to get calls, but we want to make plays and to be in the right spot. I feel like we can lay low with the penalties and stuff like that, but that starts in practice. We’re definitely going to practice not holding and stuff like that.”

The guess is a big part of it has been the level of competition. Heavy favorites to win every game in a blowout is something coaches hate because they don’t really know what they’re going to have when an SEC game gets close.

Kentucky will be a better challenge. Ole Miss probably noted what South Carolina did to the Wildcats in Week 2, though, in a 31-6 blowout win.

And it could lead to a big day for Dart and the passing game. While Kentucky has a defensive front that makes running tough, the back end has shown to be vulnerable.

Fans could end up loving the offensive showcase in this one if that scenario holds true.