Lane Kiffin sheds light on multiple injuries at Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin is entering his sixth full season as the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. The offensive guru has led the Rebels to five straight winning seasons, but his critics believe he should have achieved more with the available resources.

Kiffin is currently guiding the team through spring practice as he fine-tunes the team for the upcoming season. However, multiple roster injuries have affected his preparation.

Kiffin addressed his squad's injury situation with the media after a Tuesday training session,

"There are some injuries there with some guys not practicing. So, that’s part of the concern, too. There’s just not a lot of numbers there, and certainly not enough experience playing," Kiffin said, per Athlon Sports.

Kiffin continued,

"It’s just something that we will have to work through and continue to push guys. Hopefully, when these guys, a couple of guys, come back from injuries, it will look better.”

Some notable players on the injury list are defensive backs Cedrick Beavers and Jaylon Braxton. Both players are expected to form the nucleus of their new-look secondary, and their injuries will elicit some concern among the Rebels' fan base.

If both players aren't progressing well enough in their recovery, then there's a possibility that Kiffin will enter the April transfer portal. The Rebels need a stellar defense, considering the strength of the SEC.

What are the expectations for Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss in 2025?

Lane Kiffin led the Ole Miss Rebels to a 10-3 record in the 2024 college football season. The Rebels ended the season with a Gator Bowl Game win over the Duke Blue Devils.

However, critics weren't impressed, considering the Rebels were tipped to qualify for the expanded College Football Playoff, given the strength of their roster. The Rebels had NFL-bound stars Jaxson Dart, Tre Harris, and Henry Parrish Jr. on offense, while Walter Nolen, Princely Umanmielen, and Trey Amos thrived on defense.

Hence, Lane Kiffin and the Rebels are expected to improve their performance in 2025 and make the college football playoffs. Anything less could raise further questions about Kiffin's suitability for the job. The program's margin for error is at an all-time low, and there will be a lot of eyes on their performances over the course of the season.