College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Ole Miss Rebels season with what you need to know.
CFN in 60 Podcast: 2020 Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss preview in 60 seconds
[protected-iframe id=”d04783ac500e1de804411c8e07e10b3f-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://omny.fm/shows/college-football-news/cfn-in-60-ole-miss-2020-preview/embed” width=”100%” height=”180″ frameborder=”0″]
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Ole Miss Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 4-8 overall, 2-6 in SEC
Head Coach: Lane Kiffin, 1st year, 61-34 overall
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 74
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 99
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 63
NOTE: Obviously, no one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Ole Miss Rebels Offense 3 Things To Know
– The offense under new head coach Lane Kiffin and new offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby – who comes in from running the UCF offense last year – will be a whole lot different. There will still be a running element from the quarterbacks, but the Rich Rodriguez style of spread attack will be quickly tweaked.
It worked last year, though, finishing second in the SEC and ninth in the nation in rushing. The passing game doesn’t have to just be more productive, but more efficient, too.
Matt Corrall is back after throwing for a team-high 1,363 yards and six touchdowns, John Rhys Plumlee is back after running for a team-high 1,023 yards and 12 touchdowns – and throwing for 910 yards and four scores – and Grant Tisdale is still around after wanting to transfer and then deciding to stick around.
Just wait, though. There’s never been a quarterback transfer that Kiffin didn’t want to sign. A good, productive quarterback will emerge, and …
CFN in 60 Video: Ole Miss Rebels Preview
[jwplayer 23o4qB7t]
– The receivers are there waiting to do a whole lot more. Elijah Moore caught a team-high 67 passes, but the No. 2 wide receiver caught just 13 passes. The passing game will spread the ball around more with a whole slew of tight end options – including Temple transfer Kenny Yeboah – and a bunch of talented wideouts waiting to break out.
There were a few transfers, but Braylon Sanders, Dontario Drummond, and Jonathan Mingo should help turn the Rebel receiving corps into something terrific.
"I look forward to producing many exciting memories to add to Ole Miss' storied football legacy."
— @Lane_Kiffin pic.twitter.com/70O4FsRX2n— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) December 8, 2019
– Scottie Phillips is done, and John Rhys Plumlee might not run quite as much, but the running game will still be effective. Jerrion Ealy is a quick back who averaged close to seven yards per crack, and Snoop Conner can bring a little bit of thump. Kiffin isn’t afraid to overuse his backs – he’ll find a hot hand and stick with it.
The line was effective overall, but the stats are a bit misleading. The pass protection seems a bit better than it was thanks to the offensive style, and the reverse is true for giving up an SEC high in tackles for loss. Even so, the interior of the line should be intact with the battles going on among several really big, really young options at tackle.