Hotty Toddy! The 2022 Ole Miss Rebels football season is around the corner with holes to fill on the offensive side of the ball. The 2021-22 campaign ended with an unsatisfying 21-7 loss to Baylor in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. After a 5-5 COVID season, to maneuver the Ole Miss ship to 10 victories is remarkable. That feat should not be ridiculed either, as it was the first time Ole Miss has won at least 10 games (before bowl game) in a single season in school history.
Kiffin has converted the Rebels into an offensive machine during his tenure. The Rebels have scored 27 or more points in 18 of the 21 regular season games in two seasons. In addition, the defense improved as this season went along. Lane himself has been proven as an offensive genius and looks to spark the SEC.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby jumped ship for Oklahoma, and co-defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin left for SEC West rival Texas A&M. Charles Weis Jr. re-joins Kiffin in Oxford as co-OC, pairing with passing game coordinator John David Baker. Meanwhile, Maurice Crum will partner with Chris Partridge as the co-defensive coordinators.
Who Will Play QB For The Rebels?
Corral is now gone, but highly recruited ,QB Jaxson Dart, who transferred from USC is expected to take the reins in Oxford. There are high aspirations that the Rebels will not skip a beat heading into 2022-23.
Dart does not essentially have the starting job sealed in the bag. He has to beat out Luke Altmyer, but given Dart’s experience, he is expected to be under center. Altmyer saw action in five games as a backup last season. Whomever wins the starting job will be throwing to a new receiving core. Jonathan Mingo will pair with incoming transfers Jaylon Robinson and Jordan Watkins to optimistically keep the machine rolling.
The RB position should give Dart or Altmyer some assistance with TCU transfer Zach Evans. Once a highly touted HS prospect at North Shore in the Houston area, Evans have proven to be explosive. Evans will display the RB potential that might have not been at TCU.
The defense was outdone by Corral and the offense, but Ole Miss was solid at times. The Rebels used the transfer portal to have major success, particularly at linebacker. They will hope lightning strikes twice, bringing in LB Troy Brown, DE Jared Ivey and DT JJ Pegues, the latter being a former Auburn recruit. Returning 68% of production on the defensive side of the ball will be a boost with the transfers.
2022 OLE MISS REBELS SCHEDULE
- Sat., Sept. 3 – vs. Troy
- Sat., Sept. 10 – vs. Central Arkansas
- Sat., Sept. 17 – at Georgia Tech
- Sat., Sept. 24 – vs. Tulsa
- Sat., Oct. 1 – vs. Kentucky
- Sat., Oct. 8 – at Vanderbilt
- Sat., Oct. 15 – vs. Auburn
- Sat., Oct. 22 – at LSU
- Sat., Oct. 29 – at Texas A&M
- Sat., Nov. 12 – vs. Alabama
- Sat., Nov. 19 – at Arkansas
- Thu., Nov. 24 – vs. Mississippi State
As far as prognosis, the non-conference schedule should be a breeze before October. Expect a 4-0 start, with few speed bumps, as seemingly Dart settles in on offense.
Opening conference play against Kentucky will be a test for Dart, but it is at home. A winnable road game against a poor Vandy should start the season either 5-1 or 6-0. The back end of the schedule is a nightmare; however, it is plausible the Rebels could go winless from Oct. 22 until the Egg Bowl. Still, this team should be able to cobble together at least eight victories in the regular season, but it is not a guarantee, so go lightly.
