After ending the 2022 season on a disappointing series of losses, Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin are looking to bounce back in the upcoming 2023 season. Ole Miss has been said to have one of the most difficult schedules in the country, so a climb back to the top will not come without some pushback.
The Rebels have brought in a mix of transfers and recruits to their roster this year, adding plenty of talent to the offensive and defensive side of the team.
Newly hired defensive coordinator Pete Golding joins the team, coming from Alabama with plenty of experience as well as excitement to join the Rebels this season. Along with the returning production, new faces to the defense include John Saunders, Zamari Walton, Jadon Canady and Justin Hodges.
Saunders is a three-star safety from Miami of Ohio looking to be a difference maker for the Rebels. Just last season, Saunders recorded 54 total tackles, 34 solo tackles, 18 assisted tackles and 10 defended passes.
It is safe to say that Saunders is a valuable addition to the Ole Miss team this season.
A four-star cornerback from Georgia Tech, Walton is another player that will add incredible talent to the defense. Last season for the Yellow Jackets, Walton recorded 36 total tackles, 24 solo tackles, 12 assisted tackles and six defended passes.
Walton is yet another key addition to the Rebels’ defense that every Ole Miss fan should be excited about.
Canady, a young and talented three-star cornerback from Tulane, is another player Rebel fans should be excited about. In Canady’s last two seasons, he recorded 75 total tackles, 58 solo tackles, 17 assisted tackles and six passes defended.
With plenty of experience at a young age, Canaday is ready to be a game changer for the Rebels.
Hodges, a six-foot-two-inch, 185-pound defensive back, comes to Ole Miss from UCF. During the Knights’ 2022 season, Hodges recorded 40 total tackles, 23 solo tackles, 17 assisted tackles, one sack and one interception.
With plenty of added skill to bolster the defense, Ole Miss and its offense are creating a strong and gifted group of athletes to keep up with the rest of the country.
One of the more notable things about this 2023 Ole Miss team is the talented and loaded quarterback room. With star transfers Walker Howard from LSU and Spencer Sanders from Oklahoma State fighting for a starting spot with Jaxson Dart, Kiffin has a big decision to make.
Among wide receivers, Zakhari Franklin stands above the rest. The six-foot-one-inch, 185-pound receiver from UTSA is going to be vital to the success of Ole Miss’ offense. In 2022 alone, Franklin garnered 93 receptions, averaging 12.2 yards per reception. He totaled 1,137 total yards and 15 touchdowns.
Completing the Rebel’s wide receiver dynamic duo, Kiffin brought in Tre Harris from Louisiana Tech. Harris is a six-foot-two-inch, 205-pound wide out who averaged 14.4 yards per reception, pulled in 65 receptions, totaled 935 yards and caught 10 touchdowns in 2022.
With both Harris and Franklin playing for the Rebels this year, the SEC has its newest receiver duo. The combination of the two has the potential to cause some serious damage on the field and in the conference standings.
