By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
With the season opener against Florida right around the corner, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is attempting to get his team back to full health.
Kiffin stated in a press conference Monday that no players tested positive for COVID-19 in the latest round of tests conducted on the football team.
“For the first time we had zero positives,” Kiffin said. “Give a lot of credit to the kids for that in a time in which a lot of kids are getting it. Our (players) need to continue to do a good job with that.”
“We only have a couple in quarantine left,” he said. “I think we’re almost all the way back.”
Having players in quarantine has been a major challenge to Kiffin and his staff as they have attempted to get the team ready for the upcoming season in the midst of a pandemic.
“I think they’ve worked really hard, and I still feel like we’re a long ways away from playing,” Kiffin said. “I think that’s probably because we are new and didn’t have spring.”
Both the defense and the offense managed to shine over the weekend at Saturday’s scrimmage game.
“Guys played about 50 snaps each,” Kiffin said. “The defense had four turnovers on the day, and a big day on both sides, and a lot of explosive plays on offense. The quarterbacks had turned the ball over.”
Ole Miss is waiting to hear if junior defensive back Otis Reese and senior defensive back Deane Leonard will be eligible to be a part of the Landshark defense for the season after transferring into the program.
“Otis, we have not heard anything on still,” Kiffin said. “Deane, the NCAA said yes, so now it is up to the SEC. So we’re waiting on that.”
The team will continue to prepare for the first game of the season with a “mock game” this Saturday.
