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Joel Klatt Backs Lane Kiffin Despite Major Talent Loss at Ole Miss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Lane Kiffin has completely transformed the Ole Miss Rebels since he became head coach.

Before his arrival, the Rebels had not won more than six games in the four seasons leading up to his tenure. In his five seasons as head coach, Kiffin led Ole Miss to three seasons with ten or more wins, including a 10-3 record last year.

However, despite his successful run, the Rebels have yet to qualify for the College Football Playoff. This upcoming season, they will aim to achieve that goal, even though they have lost a significant amount of talent from last year's team. Nonetheless, Fox Sports' Joel Klatt expressed on his show, "The Joel Klatt Show," that he believes in their chances, thanks to Kiffin's leadership.

"They've got to replace a ton of talent," Klatt said. "But I trust Lane Kiffin. He's not only great at tweeting. He whines a lot about the playoff, which we know. But the guy can coach. Lane's an excellent coach. He's one of the best coaches in America. I think that people love to hate on Lane. But everywhere he's been, he's done an excellent job."

The most notable departure from the Ole Miss football team is quarterback Jaxson Dart. He had an impressive season, completing 69.3% of his passes for a total of 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns while only recording six interceptions. His outstanding performance earned him a place in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, where he was selected by the New York Giants.

The defense also faced significant losses, returning only 45% of its production, which ranks 104th in the nation. This marks a stark contrast to the previous season when the defense was ranked No. 14 overall, No. 2 in rush defense, and No. 2 in scoring defense.

A key player on that defense was defensive tackle Walter Nolen, who finished the season with 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks before being drafted in the first round by the Arizona Cardinals. Additionally, Ole Miss will be missing five of its top six sack leaders from last season.

Dart’s replacement will be sophomore Austin Simmons, who threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns while completing 59.4% of his passes in nine games last season.

ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) has a relatively positive outlook for the Rebels. The FPI ranks Ole Miss as the No. 13 team in the country and the No. 7 team in the SEC. The forecast predicts an 8-4 record for the season, giving the Rebels a 30.7% chance of making the playoffs, which ranks as the sixth-best odds in the conference.

Ole Miss will kick off its season against Georgia State on Aug. 30 at 7:45 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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