Oxford, Miss — Ole Miss Rebels is 1-0 going into the season after going straight to the Trojans’ defense.
Running back transfer Zach Evans led the Rebels with 130 rushing yards on 20 carries. In the first half alone, he amassed 100 yards.
Jaxson Dart looks good in new thread. He appears to be quite satisfied with his new attack, but Ole Miss head coach Ryan Kiffin says there is still work to be done.
“I think he did a great job,” Kiffin said. “He knows what his problem is. He knows not to speed up and understand the timing of our passing game. In this upcoming meeting, it’s not going to work.”
More time in the system should help Dart settle down. He missed several open receivers and made an interception in the game.
“It’s kind of like a camp story,” Kiffin said. “The deep passing game just ended a bit. Not an explosive past day. 22 yards was the longest finish of the day.”
As for the running back’s room, Kiffin was happy with what he saw. It wasn’t just Evans that impressed him.
“[Quinshon] It seemed like he was angry with the whole state of Alabama,” Kiffin said. “He ran away angrily. He is a special freshman. “
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The Rebels took the win, and Kiffin was happy with his players on offense, but there was more to build.
“It’s nice to have the win in week one,” Kiffin said. “But we have to do better.”
Execution seems to be the theme of the game, and it’s not just the head coach who realizes it.
“We’ve shown sparks here and there, but we have to keep our feet on the ground,” Troy Brown said. “Sometimes we don’t execute.”
Despite being a transfer player, Brown led the defense.
“Everybody thinks the linebacker is a question mark,” Brown said. “We want to go out and play. I feel like we’re showing up for the first time.”
The Rebels are looking to build on that performance and be ready to execute more consistently next week in September. 10 Against the Central Arkansas Bears.
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