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Lane Kiffin is feeling the heat after Ole Miss’ heartbreaking 29-26 overtime loss to LSU in Week 7. This leaves the Rebels with a 5-2 record and many unanswered questions.
The Rebels head into their open week, facing intense pressure to turn things around. In that regard, Kiffin seems to have made a head start.
“You never like to lose going into one (bye week)," Kiffin said. "Obviously it would've been a great feeling closing out that game with a great win at LSU going into a bye and get going knowing that we beat them not at full strength.
“We'll look at all areas and even depth charts. That's what we do in bye weeks, see if there's other people at other spots that we can be playing to help us improve.”
One major point of fan frustration has been the limited use of senior running back Ulysses Bentley IV. With redshirt sophomore Matt Jones ruled out, Bentley finally got his opportunity, rushing for 107 yards on just 11 carries.
Heading into the open week, the Rebels have little room for error as they prepare for tough matchups against Arkansas and Georgia. Will Kiffin’s adjustments pay off, or will Ole Miss' season continue to spiral downward? Time will tell.
Also read: "We should have finished it": Lane Kiffin displeased at Rebels' inability to secure win against LSU
Lane Kiffin's analysis of LSU loss
The LSU loss has really stung the Ole Miss coach, especially because the Rebels should have walked away victorious.
"We commanded the game, the majority of the game," Kiffin told reporters.
His team led in total yards per play and third-down efficiency but let it all slip away in the final moments. The costly mistakes piled up. A missed field goal, a failed fourth-down conversion, and a crucial fumble all gave LSU the upper hand.
To make matters worse, Jaxson Dart was sacked six times, bringing his SEC total to 11 this season.
"They don't block. They don't tackle. They don't drop the ball. We should have won that game," Kiffin said.
Pass protection continues to be a major issue for the Rebels, and if they can’t address it, Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss will face an uphill battle in the SEC.
Also read: 3 reasons why Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels lost to LSU Tigers in Week 7
