REBEL INSIDER: Ole Miss’ keys to dynamic offensive play in 2023

Ole Miss’ offensive coaches, led by Lane Kiffin and Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis, have long known what their fall camp objectives are.

But here’s an educated guess and what a hack who went to nearly every spring training practice believes.

Most of this is already known and elementary, but great teams do the fundamental things properly.

It all starts up front for the Rebels, as it does for every Power 5 team.

Ole Miss is blessed to have four starters back from last season. Leading the way is Center Caleb Warren, followed by Right Guard Jeremy James, Left Tackle Jayden Williams and Right Tackle Micah Pettus. Left Guard Nick Broeker is the only departure.

There’s a lot of good in having that type of experience back, for sure. This crew did one heckuva job in run blocking, springing Rebel ballcarriers for 3,336 yards gained or 256.6 yards a game on the ground. Impressive.

They also only gave up 16 sacks on the year, which tied with Georgia (if our research in correct) for least in the conference. But there was one area that definitely needs improvement – pass protection from a QB pressure/hurry standpoint.

Granted, that doesn’t all fall on the OL. Sometimes a tight end or a back misses a block on a pass rusher. Sometimes the coverage is so good the QB has nowhere to throw the ball and ends up eating it. And sometimes the quarterback holds on to the ball too long or moves the wrong way in the pocket.

Ole Miss offensive lineman Jeremy James

There are many, many variables that determine proper pass protection.

But it has to start up front with the bulls.

They will be the first to say they need improvement in protecting the quarterback from a QB pressure and hurry standpoint, but it must also be said that protecting the QB is incumbent on all 11 players doing their jobs, which includes the quarterback, who has to have an internal clock ticking while he looks over the field.

To point the finger exclusively at the offensive line is short-sighted. Yes, they have to improve and if experience is a major factor in that needed improvement, they will.

The other aspect up front is who will take Broeker’s place? Veterans Eli Acker and Victor Curne, the transfer from Washington, seem to be the top candidates, and either would be fine, but the end result will be settled completely in August.

The Rebels have to get more out of tight end.

We have ballyhooed Michael Trigg’s talent since he has been at Ole Miss two springs ago. Injury derailed him for a while last season, but even when he was healthy he did not produce at the level we predicted or his talent dictates.

There’s no question about Trigg’s receiving prowess, but his blocking has to come around for him to be a complete TE.

Transfer Caden Preiskorn, a stereotypical hand-in-the-dirt tight end, was brought in to be the physical, in-your-face tight end and he also has good pass-catching skills to boot.

Will Hudson Wolfe, who has been injured since he has been here but did some non-contact work in spring, be able to fully participate in the rugged game of football? If so, he’s a big target who also has solid receiving skills and is big enough to block edge rushers and linebackers if called on.

The bottom line is that Trigg has to be the spring training Trigg in fall, Prieskorn has to continue being as good as he was at Memphis plus a little more, and Wolfe needs to be medically cleared to play.

Ole Miss wide receiver Jordan Watkins

How does the wide receiver room replace 111 catches?

Malik Heath and Jonathan Mingo combined for 111 catches last season. That leaves a gaping hole in the receptions statistic.

Who will step up in that room?

We know Jordan Watkins and Dayton Wade are proven commodities, but are they number one options? Tre Harris comes to Ole Miss with big time credentials and a load of confidence, but how will he fare in the SEC? Could he be a number one?

Transfer Zakhari Franklin was one of the top wideouts in the poral, but once he got to campus just last week he had to have minor surgery and is likely to miss a lot of camp. How quickly can he learn when he returns healthy?

True frosh Ayden Williams is just that – a true freshman. Reports from camp indicate he may be the most talented and physically gifted wideout on campus. However, there will certainly be a learning curve with his development.

Jalen Knox is finally healthy after nearly two years of being hobbled. He had a good spring and should factor in heavily.

And what of Bralon Brown? It should be time for him to surface. Also, we have heard rumblings that redshirt frosh Jeremiah Dillon is starting to “get it.”

For the wideouts to be all they can be, a couple of these talented players have to emerge as the number one and two options like Heath and Mingo were.

The running back room is better than most.

Having Quinshon Judkins come back for his sophomore season after gaining 1,567 yards last year in leading the SEC is a feather in the cap of any offense. Arguably he is the best RB in the country. But former Reb Deuce McAllister raised an interesting point about him this summer.

How will Judkins adjust his game to compensate for defenses now having 13 games of tape on him? Defenses are certain to key on him this season – wouldn’t you if you were drawing up sets to defend him? Him adjusting on the fly will be crucial to him following up his great inaugural season.

Ulysses Bentley IV should be a solid number two guy. Hopefully true frosh Kedrick Reescano can have an impact on that room in a hurry.

The key here is health. Hopefully Judkins will not have to carry the ball as many times as last year for the run game to be as effective. Hopefully, Bentley and Reescano are as good as we think they are.

Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart

Quarterback – Dart, Sanders, Howard? Probably Dart, at least to start the season.

During Jaxson Dart’s first spring drills, there were days when he would have three or four turnovers trying to make something happen while he was learning a complex offense.

Unfairly, Jaxson got an early reputation as a turnover machine. Heck, we even fostered that idea in our spring practice reports.

Well, don’t look now, but Dart only threw 11 interceptions in 13 games last season. Three of those were in the bowl game against Texas Tech. So, in the regular season, Dart wasn’t as careless with the ball as many believe. The bowl game obviously left a bad impression. But Dart was more efficient in protecting the ball than the average QB during the regular campaign.

Even with that, Jaxson has worked hard in making the right decisions. Dart in spring only threw one pick in 15 practices, we were told.

Spencer Sanders can certainly lead the team to victory. The transfer from Oklahoma State started four years for the Cowboys and knows the score of big-time football. There will be no teeth gnashing if he is the top QB for the Rebels.

And Walker Howard was probably the most efficient in the Grove Bowl. Kid’s got a future for sure.

The task in August?

Take care of the ball, make quicker reads, get rid of the ball in a timely fashion and take what the defense gives you. Dart needs to keep traveling on the path he was on in spring. Spencer needs to stay healthy after dealing with shoulder issues last spring. Walker needs to keep learning and growing.

In all, there are tangible goals for August on the offensive side of the ball. But none of them seem unattainable.

In fact, look for most all objectives to be met and the offense be a well-oiled machine early in the season.

A move here, a click there, an improvement over yonder, and this could be an offense that will take your breath away.

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