Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin joined the weekly SEC Teleconference on Wednesday and discussed a number of topics ahead of Saturday’s matchup in Fayetteville, including an offering of praise to Arkansas for retaining Sam Pittman.
Here’s everything Kiffin had to say during the call:
RELATED: Latest from Sam Pittman on injuries, youngsters & Ole Miss
Retaining Pittman Paying Off For Hogs
From afar, it has been noticeable that Lane Kiffin and Sam Pittman seem to be fond of one another. Of course, Pittman entered the season on the hottest of seats after a tough 4-8 campaign, but Kiffin was quick to note how staying with the fifth-year coach has paid off in 2024.
“We’re excited about this matchup and going down there. I think this is a really well-coached team. Great coach that had adversity last year and hot seat and all that. They stayed with him and now it’s paying off.
“They’re explosive on offense, playing great defense, and I think outside of one game could be undefeated this year.”
Kiffin Recalls Hudson Clark’s Hat Trick
The legend of Hudson Clark was born against Ole Miss in 2020 when he picked off Matt Corral three times in what was a memorable victory for the Razorbacks, and that night is not lost on Lane Kiffin, who gave him a shout out on social media after earning a scholarship for his efforts.
“I would’ve thought by now he was done, but he’s still around. I think he’s a really unique player that can play so many spots. He tackles so well, covers really well. He’s the whole package. It seems like the way that he plays and how tough that he plays, he’s one of their great culture, leader guys also.
“As much as I didn’t like being on the other side of it, it was a great story of a kid making huge plays in a game, and if I remember right, I think it had been their first conference win in years or something. Just thought it was a really cool story, and a guy earning a scholarship is really neat even when you’re on the bad side of it”
On Christopher “Pooh” Paul Facing Former Team
Paul was a starting linebacker for the Razorbacks last season, but he has now switched out the jersey for some Ole Miss gear and is having a terrific season for the Rebels.
Kiffin had nothing but kind words to say about one of his defensive leaders and downplayed the added motivation that comes with facing his former team this weekend.
“He’s awesome. He’s such a cool kid. Old-school player. I just love how he practices and how much he cares. I remember we had a short field at LSU and held them to a field goal. He came out yelling ‘That’s not enough. They shouldn’t have scored at all.’
“Unfortunately, that’s kind of rare nowadays. I really do think that players have changed due to a number of factors, including money and how much they actually love the game. So, it’s really cool if you find one.
“That has to be handled right. That doesn’t always work. So, he could get too overhyped. The approach for him is to continue to prepare and play the same way he has been.”
Travis Williams Getting Most From Defense
The last two weeks have been setbacks, but Travis Williams has mostly worked wonders with Arkansas’ defense this season.
According to Kiffin, the secret to success for the Razorbacks has been perfecting what they do without overdoing it.
“They do a really good job of doing what they do. They don’t do a million things, but they do them really well. I think they’re coached really well. Their coordinator and staff have done a great job.”
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