NOTES: Jordan Watkins’ multi-dimensional value, Ole Miss’ two-kicker advantage + more

Jordan Watkins hasn’t even been at Ole Miss two full calendar years.

But to hear Lane Kiffin tell it, Watkins might as well be one of the Old Heads of the Rebel football locker room.

Watkins has a veteran’s resume, to be sure. Watkins, a junior, played in 22 games over two years at Louisville and totaled 586 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He took another step in his debut Rebel season.

Watkins, wearing myriad hats, played in all 13 games, including 10 starts over Ole Miss’ last 11. Strictly as a receiver, he was third on the team in both receptions (40) and receiving yards (449).

“It seems like he’s been here forever compared to the rest of our team,” now-fourth-year Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said Thursday during his weekly RebTalk stop. “I do kind of forget that; it’s been two years. He’s really done an amazing job.

“He can play all the spots and do different things. He’s lined up in the backfield and caught a pass for us before. He can kind of do everything.”

Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins (left) and wide receiver Jordan Watkins (right)

Nearly half (59 players, 46.1 percent) of Ole Miss’ roster this season is new.

Nearly a quarter of those players (31, 24.2 percent) are new transfers from the past spring and summer. Twenty-eight (21.9 percent) are freshmen.

Combined with previous seasons, 52 total current Rebels (40.6 percent) are transfers, among them Watkins, who tied fellow Ole Miss wide receiver and Louisiana Tech transfer Tre Harris for the team lead in receptions (6) against Mercer.

Harris had a school-record four touchdown catches and a team-leading 133 receiving yards. Watkins was second with 111 yards.

“Jordan has been awesome,” Kiffin said. “Had an amazing game on both offense and special teams (against Mercer). Really a great leader on our team, too.”

“I take pride in being the guy who helps everyone be where they’re supposed to be so the play can function properly,” Watkins said this week.

Watkins also returned Ole Miss’ first punt for a touchdown in 10 years.

Watkins is one of just three FBS players with a punt-return touchdown so far this season. He had 180 all-purpose yards and was named SEC Co-SEC Player of the Week on Monday.

“I think he’ll be one of the better receivers in the conference,” Kiffin said. “We just really enjoy when we have players like this (that) make other players around them better. That doesn’t happen, especially nowadays. Everything’s so individual-driven, selfish. Very few kids nowadays are really about the best interest of the team and the other players. He’s one of them. He’s awesome to have.”

Watkins and the Rebels (1-0) face off against Tulane (1-0) in New Orleans Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.

Here’s a little more of what Kiffin had to say on RebTalk.

On having two capable kickers in transfer Caden Davis and holdover Caden Costa: “It’s kind of like the quarterbacks. ‘Oh, you’ve got all these quarterbacks.’ Well, we’ve got two kickers. That’s pretty cool, too. That’s been a great competition. Great to have both those guys that are proven college kickers.”

On the first game for the new assistant coaches on his staff: “Just like the portal players, you’ve got portal coaches. No, new guys working together was really good. Now a road test, and a very challenging one with the Cotton Bowl champs (in Tulane) to beat USC and the Heisman Trophy winner (Caleb Williams).”

On Juice Kiffin (his dog) retrieving the in-game kickoff tee during the opener: “Nobody believes me; I had nothing to do with that. I did not know what was going on. It never even got ran by me. I happened to be the last one coming out at half, and then I saw it right there and he did it. Maybe Landry (Kiffin’s daughter) did the training. She hasn’t been training him. Sorority rush; there’s nothing else.”

On if he aids at all in defensive blitz calls: “I don’t call the blitzes; (Ole Miss defensive coordinator and linebackers) coach (Pete) Golding does. I just interject and call the ones that work sometimes. Those are my idea.”

On Rebel WRs coach Derrick Nix: “(Nix serving as Ole Miss Grove Bowl head coach) was really cool. Brought us closer together to get to do something like that, to see him in that light. He did an unbelievable job. Players love him. Great with relationships. He’s going to be a great head coach when somebody gives him a shot. He’s survived a lot of staff changes, him and Tom Luke. Shows how awesome those guys are.”

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