Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin lays out challenges of battling Kentucky QB Will Levis
OXFORD − Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin and his defensive assistants have spent this week doing what hopeful NFL fanbases have been doing since the spring: watching Kentucky quarterback Will Levis.
The No. 11 Rebels (4-0) host the No. 8 Wildcats (4-0) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday (11 a.m., ESPN). One of the marquee matchups will be how Ole Miss' defense fares against Levis. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Levis as the fourth-best prospect regardless of position in the Class of 2023, two spots ahead of Alabama quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young.
Ole Miss' secondary has been productive this year; the Rebels rank No. 3 in the SEC in yards allowed per pass attempt and No. 4 in passer efficiency rating allowed. Among SEC teams, only No. 1 Georgia has intercepted more passes than Ole Miss.
But Levis is a unique challenge because of his mastery of all aspects of playing quarterback.
KEEP GROWING:With No. 8 Kentucky looming, Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin is still focused on incremental growth
QUESTIONS ANSWERED?Has Ole Miss football answered its offseason questions?
"I think he's very accurate," Kiffin said on the SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday. "I think that he knows what he's doing really well. He doesn't make mistakes. He moves around to get himself out of trouble. He looks like a really composed, veteran quarterback."
Levis won't be the only challenge the Rebels have to face when Kentucky has the ball. Saturday will be the first time Kentucky's preseason All-SEC running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. suits up this season. Kiffin said Wednesday that Rodriguez is arguably the Wildcats' best player. Adding his talents to the offense can help bolster a unit that has been one-dimensional. Kentucky averages the second-fewest rushing yards per game of any SEC team and ranks last in the conference in yards per carry and rushing touchdowns.
Even if Rodriguez doesn't fix those issues, the Rebels still have to deal with Levis. That alone is no simple task.
Contact Nick Suss at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin on challenges of facing Will Levis
