60 | 2023 SOUTHERN FOOTBALL GUIDE
OLE MISS
HEAD COACH: Lane Kiffin OC: Charlie Weis Jr. & John David Baker DC: Pete Golding
Oxford, MS
2022 RECORD: 8-5 (4-4) FOUNDED: 1848 STADIUM: Vaught-Hemingway (64,038)
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
Lane Kiffin can coach offense, and he also knows how to use the transfer portal. The Ole Miss offense generated close to 500 yards a game last season and returns intact except the receiving corps, which Kiffin simply restocked with experienced playmakers. Jaxson Dart returns at quarterback after throwing for 2,974 yards and running for 614. Former All-Big 12 QB Spencer Sanders is also in the quarterback room. The Rebels have the best running back in the SEC in Quinshon Judkins. The offensive line returns as well, so there is cohesion in the trenches. After losing two big-time receivers to the NFL, Kiffin found a couple of gems. One is Zakhari Franklin from UTSA who had 175 catches for 2,163 yards over the past two seasons. He should blossom in Kiffin’s system. The other stud is Tre Harris from Louisiana Tech who caught 65 passes for 935 yards and 10 TDs.
The Ole Miss defense wasn’t horrible. The Rebels gave up 25.5 points a game, 5.3 yards per play, opponents converted just 38.8 percent on third down and they sacked the quarterback 35 times and recovered 12 fumbles. Not bad, but in order to compete for SEC titles, the defense must be better. The pressure should be good this season, coming from a variety of places, but most notably Cedric Johnson on the end and from the linebackers. Tackle Joshua Harris from NC State is a big addition in the middle. Monty Montgomery joins the squad from Louisville, which upgrades the linebacker position. The portal helped rebuild the secondary that produced just two picks over the second half of the season. Zamari Walton (Georgia Tech) will start at one corner, and John Saunders Jr. (Miami, O.) will play safety alongside Isheem Young, who can really play.
DEPTH CHART
DEPTH CHART
NO 2 4 9 5 11 86 71 78 54 73 57
PLAYER Jaxson Dart Quinshon Judkins Tre Harris Zakhari Franklin Jordan Watkins Caden Prieskorn Jayden Williams Jeremy James Caleb Warren Eli Acker Micah Pettus
POS QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
HT 6-2 5-11 6-2 6-1 5-11 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-7
WT 220 215 205 185 195 255 300 305 310 290 360
CLASS JR SO SR SR SR SR SO SR SR JR SO
NO 2 0 89 15 8 23 7 6 5 13 1
PLAYER POS Cedric Johnson DE Joshua Harris NT JJ Pegues DT Jared Ivey LB Monty Montgomery LB Khari Coleman LB Deantre Prince CB Zamari Walton CB John Saunders Jr. S Ladarius Tennison S Isheem Young S
HT 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-5 5-11 6-2 6-0 6-3 6-2 5-9 5-10
WT 265 325 315 265 220 220 185 185 200 200 215
CLASS SR SR SR SR SR SR SR SR SR JR SR
3 24 19 88 15 0 77 67 56 55 66
Spencer Sanders Ulysses Bentley IV Dayton Wade Bralon Brown JJ Henry Michael Trigg Victor Curne Quincy McGee Reece McIntyre Preston Cushman Cedrick Nicely
QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
6-1 5-11 5-9 6-2 5-9 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-5 6-5
210 200 175 195 170 240 320 320 305 280 310
SR SR SR SO SO JR SR SR SR FR SO
12 90 97 14 36 11 24 9 16 3 28
Jakivuan Brown DE Stephon Wynn Jr. NT Jamond Gordon DT Isaac Ukwu LB Ashanti Cistrunk LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste LB Richard O’Bryant CB DeShawn Gaddie Jr. CB Teja Young S Daijahn Anthony S Jadon Canady S
6-3 6-3 6-2 6-3 6-1 6-2 5-9 6-1 5-11 6-0 5-11
245 305 290 265 230 230 180 195 195 200 182
SO SR SR SR SR SR SO SR SR SR JR
43 12
Caden Costa Fraser Masin
200 235
SO SR
19 11
Dayton Wade Jordan Watkins
175 195
SR SR
SPECIAL TEAMS K P
6-0 6-5
2023 SCHEDULE S.2 ................................ Mercer
O.21 ...................... at Auburn
S.9 ............................ at Tulane
O.28 ..................... Vanderbilt
S.16 ................. Georgia Tech
N.4 ........................Texas A&M
S.23 .....................at Alabama
N.11 ......................at Georgia
S.30 ....................................LSU
N.18 .................................ULM
O.7 ........................... Arkansas
N.23 .....at Mississippi State
SPECIAL TEAMS KR PR
5-9 5-11
NEWCOMERS Suntarine Perkins, LB — Ranked No. 3 at linebacker and No. 23 overall in this recruiting cycle, Perkins is ready to play in the SEC. With new depth at linebacker through the portal, the true freshman may be eased into action more slowly than he would like. Monty Montgomery, LB— The veteran Linebacker from Louisville made 11 tackles for loss, two picks and forced four fumbles for the Cardinals last season. Zamari Walton, CB — Walton has 42 games of experience at Georgia Tech and three picks in his career.
