Category: Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss hires former Mississippi State head coach to analyst role

Former Mississippi State head coach set to join Ole Miss staff

According to reports, Ole Miss has made a notable addition to their coaching staff, as the Rebels and head coach Lane Kiffin have reportedly hired former Mississippi State head coach Zach Arnett to a defensive analyst role.

As mentioned previously, Arnett is the former head coach at in-state rival Mississippi State, where he was relieved of his role this past season in his first year at the helm of the Bulldogs program. Arnett’s combined record a year ago was 4-6 with the Bulldogs, with the now Ole Miss assistant also having led Mississippi State to a ReliaQuest Bowl victory at the end of the 2022 season.

Prior to being named the head coach at Mississippi State, Arnett was the defensive coordinator of the Bulldogs from 2020-22. Arnett’s defenses at Mississippi State ranked No. 58 nationally in 2020 at 28.1 PPG allowed, No. 62 in 2021 at 25.9 PPG, and No. 40 in 2022 at 23.1 PPG.

Arnett also coached both linebackers and safeties at Mississippi State as well.

Contact/Follow us at the College Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of College Sports news, notes, and opinions.

‘Their analytics offensively are really really good… so we’ll have our hands full’ Buzz Williams speaks ahead of Texas A&M vs. Missouri

Here’s what Texas A&M Head Coach Buzz Williams had to say ahead of the game against Ole Miss

Texas A&M (13-7, 3-3 SEC) will be back in Reed Arena to face the Ole Miss Rebels (16-3, 3-3 SEC) on Saturday at 7:30 PM CST.

The Aggies are still having some scoring issues but are making up for it by doing all the dirty work defensively to keep games close. Winning three of the last four SEC games, if this group can find consistency on offense outside of Wade Taylor IV, they’ll be right back in the thick of things. One thing that is evident is that this group responds well to head coach Buzz Williams, instilling trust in him to get them back on track.

While previewing the Ole Miss game Buzz started to get a little emotional when the question came up about the relationship he has with the guys on his team.

” I love them and I hope they make every basket and if they don’t I love them and I want them to do good cuz it’s important to them and I want to do good uh because it’s important to all of us”

” I want to have a real relationship with those in our group and uh someday we’re not going to be playing in coaching and I want them to know I always told them the truth and that I was always trying to help them improve their life and can we use ball to be a microcosm of life”

Below, you can watch the full presser Q&A with Coach Buzz Williams.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Post Game: Texas A&M protects home court with a 63-57 win over Missouri

An ugly win is still a win, as the Aggies captured their second straight home victory against the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday night.

Texas A&M (12-7, 3-3 SEC) wins second straight Reed Arena to keep the Missouri Tigers (8-11, 0-6 SEC) winless in SEC play.

Missouri came to play early, and the Aggies could only manage two points through the first five minutes. They were able to get open shots; however, they started the game just not able to hit said shots, as we’ve witnessed time and time again this season. Thanks to the free throw line, A&M was able to keep the game in reach while struggling from the field. Finally, the defense clamped down and went on an 8-0 to pull within one with a score of 13-12.

In an effort to attack the zone Missouri deployed, the Aggies started going inside to the paint, and it played off. They were able to draw multiple fouls and get an additional pass once the defense collapsed down. A large run put the Aggies up by ten with about two minutes left.

Noah Carter gave the Tigers some life late in the first half with back-to-back three-point plays to bring them within eight. Then, a three-pointer cut the A&M lead to five with 45 seconds left. After a low-scoring start to the game, the Aggies entered the locker room up 30-25, with Wade Taylor leading all scorers with 10.

A quick 6-2 run closed the deficit to 32-31 off two three-point plays by Missouri. A much quicker pace had both defenses on their toes as the teams exchanged buckets. After exchanging buckets, they took turns missing everything for a stretch, but that is to be expected with two of the lower-scoring teams in the SEC.

Tyrece Radford woke up in the second half, drawing several fouls and picking up buckets. Through the first 10 minutes, his nine points helped maintain a three-point advantage for a good part of the half. Turnovers were the Achilles heel for Missouri, blowing several chances to cut back into that five-point lead.

Texas A&M still struggled from the field (28.8% FG) but found a way to win through a team effort and getting to the charity stripe, making 27 free throws on the night. Taylor, Coleman, and Radford provided just enough offense, with the signature Buzz Williams defense doing the rest to move the Aggies to 3-3 in SEC play.

Below are the Aggies critical contributors from the game:

Wade Taylor IV:  19 points / 6 rebounds / 3 assists

Tyrece Radford:  11 points / 7 rebounds

Henry Coleman III:  10 points / 5 rebounds

Andersson Garcia:  11 points / 7 rebounds

Texas A&M will stay home to take on the Ole Miss Rebels on January 27 at 7:30 PM CST in Reed Arena.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Reacting to Yahoo Sports’ SEC football stadium rankings

Yahoo was very judicious with its choice of who to leave out. Two teams hail from the SEC East and two from the West.

Yahoo Sports recently ranked all the Southeastern Conference football stadiums from one to 10, excluding the bottom four.

The rankings were chosen based on the SEC as presently constructed, so apologies to fans of the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma, you all will have to wait until August to be included.

Yahoo was very judicious with its choice of who to leave out. Two teams hail from the SEC East and two from the West. Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt were left on the outside looking in.

Therefore, if you’re a fan of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Kroger Field, Davis Wade Stadium or FirstBank Stadium, you likely have an axe to grind with Yahoo Sports, not us. For what it’s worth though, they weren’t necessarily wrong.

In descending order, let’s find out where Texas A&M‘s Kyle Field in Aggieland ranks among the best conference in college football.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.

Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins to enter the transfer portal

This running back will have no shortage of suitors.

The transfer portal gained a surprise entrant on Thursday when Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins put his name in the hat.

Given the recent additions to the roster through the transfer portal, it might a bit of a shock that Lane Kiffin could potentially lose one of the best running backs in the country. Judkins got off to a slow start in 2023 but gained traction down the stretch.

Judkins amassed 3,006 yards from scrimmage in two seasons, including 2,725 rushing yards and 31 rushing touchdowns. Overall, he has scored 34 touchdowns for the Rebels over the last two seasons. He immediately becomes the most coveted running back in the transfer portal.

This will be quite the storyline to observe in the coming days and weeks. One should expect that just about every team will reach out to the Alabama product. Does he remain in the SEC or does Judkins look to join another Power Five conference for the 2024 season?

Contact/Follow us at the College Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of College Sports news, notes, and opinions.

Continue the conversation on social media with Patrick. (X and Threads)

USA TODAY Sports lists Tennessee, Ole Miss as bowl season winners

USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg named the Volunteers and the Rebels, as well as the playoff champs, as bowl season’s biggest champions.

With bowl season in the rearview mirror, USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg took to the internet to decide who the biggest champions were from the past two weeks in college football.

The list of course kicked off with the two playoff champions, Michigan and Washington. The Wolverines finally got over the hump for their first playoff victory after coming up empty the previous two years, and the Huskies rode a superstar performance from quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Outside of the final four, however, Myerberg pointed out a trio of SEC teams. Tennessee got glimpses of promising young quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who put up 178 yards of offense and scored four touchdowns against Iowa’s formidable defense, while Missouri’s win over Ohio State issued a statement about the Tigers’ place in the college football pantheon.

Ole Miss set itself up for some positive 2024 momentum as well by capping off the first 11-win season in program history. The Rebels will only get better as Myerberg pointed out quarterback Jaxson Dart’s 2024 return and the best incoming transfer portal class in the nation will set Lane Kiffin’s team up well for the 12-team playoff.

The USA TODAY Sports writer rounded out his column by tabbing Kansas, who beat UNLV in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, and Northwestern, who defeated Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl, as other big winners. His full insight, as well as his losers list, can be found here.

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart returning for 2024

One of the most productive quarterbacks in the SEC returns for a potential playoff run next season.

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart will return to Oxford for the 2024 season, he officially announced on social media on Monday.

“For the last few great ones out there,” the video’s caption read. “Come join us for one last dance.”

Dart was one of the SEC’s most productive quarterbacks in 2023, finishing third in the conference with 3,364 passing yards and tied for fourth with 23 passing touchdowns. He threw for three touchdowns in four separate games, including a 379-yard, three-touchdown performance against Penn State in the Peach Bowl on Saturday and a 389-yard, four-touchdown shootout win over LSU.

He finished the year averaging 9.4 yards per attempt, the eighth-best mark in the FBS.

Dart’s return is a massive boost for the Rebels’ College Football Playoff chances. He will be joined by the best transfer portal class next year, with big names like wide receiver Juice Wells and defensive linemen Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen suiting up for Lane Kiffin’s team in the first year of the 12-team playoff after Ole Miss’s first 11-win season in program history this year.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin agrees to extension

After Kiffin led Ole Miss to its first 10-win regular seasons in school history and seems poised to contend for a playoff spot in 2024.

Ole Miss announced on Tuesday that the school came to an agreement with head football coach Lane Kiffin on an undisclosed contract extension.

Kiffin has spent the past four seasons in charge of the Rebels football program, compiling a 33-15 record. He captained Ole Miss to its first-ever 10-win regular season in 202l and then did it again in 2023. The Rebels broke into the top ten of the College Football Rankings at some point during both seasons.

Kiffin’s 68.8% win percentage is the best in the program since Johnny Vaught stepped away in 1973, and his 28 wins over the past three seasons are the best three-season run at Ole Miss since 1960-62.

“Our football program is experiencing unprecedented success under Coach Kiffin, and we could not be more excited about what the future holds under his leadership,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter wrote in the university’s statement on the extension. “The Ole Miss family is committed to providing Coach Kiffin the resources needed to compete at an elite level.”

With the playoffs set to expand to 12 teams in 2024 and the Rebels currently owning the top spot in 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings, Kiffin seems poised to lead Ole Miss to its first College Football Playoff appearance in his first season on the new contract.

Former All-SEC wide receiver Juice Wells commits to Ole Miss

The former South Carolina Gamecock, a 2022 First-Team All-SEC wideout, has 2,818 career yards and 28 career touchdowns.

Former South Carolina wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells joined a stacked Ole Miss transfer portal class on Sunday.

Wells was limited with injuries in 2023, not playing a full game and not returning after he exited in the first half against Georgia in Week 3.

In Wells’ only full season with South Carolina, he had 68 receptions for 928 yards and six touchdowns in 2022 and he ended the season as a First-Team All-SEC wideout. He broke free for 189 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas in his first conference game, and he had 11 catches for 177 yards in a huge upset victory over Tennessee late in the year. He had four 100-yard games on the year.

The 6-foot-1 wideout began his collegiate career with James Madison. He had 33 receptions for 603 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman in 2020, but he truly exploded as a sophomore.

Wells hauled in 83 catches for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021. The Dukes were not an FBS team at the time, but only two FBS receivers reached all three of those numbers. After a slower start to the season, he had 597 yards and six touchdowns in his final six regular-season games.

Lane Kiffin’s Rebels now have the top 2024 transfer portal class, according to 247Sports. Wells joins former Florida edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, a 2023 Second-Team All-SEC team member, and former Tennessee edge Tyler Baron in the high-octane class.

Report: 2024 3-star QB prospect Anthony Maddox picks Ole Miss hours after decommitting from Texas A&M

According to Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports, the Hattiesburg, Miss. native has committed to play collegiate football for head coach Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss.

One day after decommitting from Texas A&M, 2024 3-star quarterback prospect Anthony Maddox has decided to stay home.

According to Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports, the Hattiesburg, Miss. native has committed to play collegiate football for head coach Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss.

“Man, Ole Miss is a great place,” Maddox told On3 Sports on Saturday. “Coach Lane Kiffin and coach (Charlie) Weis (Jr.) together as an offensive mind is crazy. Seeing the production that Jaxson Dart has put in over two years leads me to think I could do even more once I get there.

“I’m closest with coach Weis and (Pete) Golding. Coach Weis’ plan for me is to play early and contribute, to come out every single day and work my tail off.”

Maddox is 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds from Oak Grove High School. He had 20 total offers and visited the Rebels program last weekend. He originally committed to play at Kyle Field in February before decommitting on Friday.

Maddox told Chad Simmons of On3 Sports that the Aggies’ recent coaching change is what led to his decommitment.

“It was a tough decision. I had a great connection with coach Jimbo Fisher and coach Bobby Petrino, so when they left, it opened me up to other schools,” Maddox explained to On3 Sports on Friday. “I talked to different coaches, I took some visits and I decided to open back up. I saw a great opportunity at Texas A&M under the old staff, but I see better opportunities elsewhere now with the new staff there. The coaching change was a huge factor in my decision.”

Texas A&M is not scheduled to play Ole Miss next season so the Aggies will have to wait until at least 2025 to match up against Maddox and the Rebels.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko.