Lane Kiffin on the SEC Teleconference: Georgia Southern ‘a big challenge’ for Ole Miss

Ole Miss fifth-year head football coach Lane Kiffin joined the SEC Teleconference call on Wednesday, as he does every week.

However, he was focused on Georgia Southern this time around. His No. 5-ranked Rebels (3-0) host the Eagles (2-1) in Oxford on Saturday at 6:45 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

“This is a big challenge for us,” Kiffin said. “These guys play really tough, physical. They went into Nebraska and won and have an historic program. Notable upsets over the years. I think in the Swamp, too.

“So, we’ve got to continue to have a good week of practice, stay focused and come home for another big challenge.”

Ole Miss and Georgia Southern have played just one another time in history — a 37-27 Rebel win back in 2016. Ole Miss is 49-7-2 all-time against Sun Belt Conference teams. Georgia Southern is 1-14 in history against the SEC. The Eagles won at Florida in 2013.

“I thought we were really good outside of the penalties,” Kiffin said of the Rebels’ 40-6 win over Wake Forest last week. “We really shut down the run. Obviously played good in the red zone; didn’t score any touchdowns.

“I thought our defensive performance was better than our offensive performance.”

Georgia Southern head coach Clay Helton was hired by Kiffin in 2010 as USC quarterbacks coach.

Kiffin promoted Helton to offensive coordinator three years later. Helton went on to serve as interim USC head coach before assuming the permanent position in late-2015.

“His is one of the hundreds of stories of my dad (the late, legendary coach, Monte Kiffin) finding a great person and coaches in the NFL,” Kiffin said. “He found a number of coaches out of college and didn’t just hire big names because you were supposed to. He studied Clay — having played him at Tennessee and how well he did. I interviewed him at USC, otherwise I wouldn’t have known who he was.

“He’s just an unbelievable person. After the USC firing, I talked to him. He said, ‘Oh, coach, I’m just so blessed to have coached at USC and coach all those games and kids.’ This was fresh off being fired. That’s just Clay — always positive, always appreciative and lives life the right way.”

Here’s a little more of what Kiffin said on the teleconference call.

On the Ole Miss offense on third down: “We’ve done a good job. The opponents are about to get a lot tougher. Nobody, for the most part, really plays us in man so far. We’re going to have a lot bigger challenges coming up.”

More on the Rebels heading into Georgia Southern: “I take one week at a time. I’ve been pleased with our effort, especially for games some people would consider not big games. They’ve come out and really answered the call right away. First quarter’s like 62-3 or something like that. That, to me, shows a lot about preparation and focus to come out like that three games in a row.”

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