Even though the Ole Miss offense should be dynamic, there are keys to trigger the potency

There is little doubt the Ole Miss offense for the 2024 season should be formidable.

The talent level is very high, the experience factor is in favor of the Rebels and the offensive system of Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr is tried, true and productive.

But even at that, there will be “triggers” to the effectiveness of the offense.

Most of this is common knowledge, but needs to be put on record.

The main trigger revolves around the trigger man – quarterback Jaxson Dart. Kiffin said as much at SEC Media Days when he stated Dart has to play this season the way he did toward the end of the last season.

That means taking care of the ball, number one. That means good decision making, equally as important.

There is no reason to believe Dart will not do these things proficiently. After all, this will be his third year starting at Ole Miss and even though he is a young senior, he has been through the battles.

It would also behoove Dart to learn to take care of his body a little better and discard some of the linebacker mentality he reverts to when he encounters contact situations. A few more yards here and there are not as important as his health.

At times last season, he would come into the postgame interview room and you could see the wear and tear on his body. The healthier he is, the further this team can go.

Another trigger will be establishing a solid running game. Whether you are a Quinshon Judkins fan or nay, there can be no denying his impact on the Ole Miss offense the past two years when he racked up roughly 2,700 yards on the ground. A nice chunk of that was yards after contact as well.

It’s been asked several times since spring if running backs coach Kevin Smith is going to revert to the three-headed monster attack when he was here in the infancy of Kiffin’s program. He has that type of ammunition, we believe, in Ulyssess Bentley IV, Henry Parrish and Rashad Amos.

Kiffin and Weis don’t get the credit, we feel, for the balance in their offensive attack. The speed of it makes observers believe it is pass-heavy, but it has not been in the previous four seasons as the Rebel mentors. A good run game, they know, is essential in the SEC. One-dimensional offenses do not flourish in this league.

And speaking of tempo, our understanding is that Kiffin wants this offense to be the fastest he’s had yet. With the veteran pieces he will put on the field, that can be accomplished, but saying it and doing it are entirely different.

Having a fast tempo will certainly be one of the keys to having a successful offense.

We’ve discussed the offensive line so much it’s getting to the beating-the-dead-horse stages, but it’s going to be vital for the 2024 offensive line to be the best in the Kiffin Era if the lofty goals they have set are to be met.

OL coach John Garrison has the pieces he needs to accomplish that. He’s just got to find the right formula of personnel. He’s got at least six weeks to do that – four in August and the first couple of games – so they should be a well-oiled machine by crunch time of the schedule.

The wideouts and tight ends have normal fare for their triggers. Good timing with Dart, knowing coverages, running crisp routes and blocking like their hair is on fire in the run game. With the vets those positions have, that should not be too much to ask.

Yes, the Ole Miss offense should be special, but they have to pull all the triggers for it to reach that level.

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