Ole Miss still hasn’t named a starting right tackle, and Pete Golding made it clear Monday that the competition isn’t finished. But with 12 days left before the Rebels face Louisville, the picture is starting to come into focus.
Tommy Kinsler continues to hold the edge, and unless something changes this week, he’s the most likely player to run out with the first team in the Music City Kickoff against Louisville.
Golding didn’t dance around it.
“It’s still an open competition,” he said during Monday’s press conference.
Kinsler opened camp with the first team and hasn’t given that spot back. He played well in the second scrimmage and has been the most consistent option at a position where consistency matters more than anything else.
“Tommy has really flashed,” Golding said. “I thought in the second scrimmage he played really well for probably 30 to 35 snaps.”
The challenge with Kinsler isn’t talent. It’s conditioning. Ole Miss plays fast, and right tackle is a position that can stack snaps in a hurry. Golding said that’s still part of the evaluation.
“With the tempo we play at and the number of snaps that position is going to have to play, we have to continue getting him in shape.”
Carius Curne is still in the mix. He’s had more consecutive practice time than he’s had since arriving, and that’s helped him show more of what Ole Miss thought it was getting. But the same issue keeps coming up.
“Getting Curne back for multiple weeks in a row has helped,” Golding said. “He has flashed and done some good things, but he’s another guy who falls into that consistency category right now.”
That’s the theme. Kinsler has been steadier. Curne has been available more often. Neither has fully locked down the job. That’s why Golding and offensive line coach John Garrison are still working through rotations, emergency combinations and package-specific roles.
“We’re still looking at how we can rotate a couple of guys for worst-case scenarios and what one guy might do better than another from a package standpoint.”
The timeline is straightforward. Ole Miss will use this week to sort out the details. Next week, the staff will make a final call.
“We have this week to decide that, and then we’ll probably make that decision next week.”
Right now, Kinsler is ahead.
“Right now, Tommy has probably flashed the most consistently up to this point.”
The complicating factor is injuries. Golding didn’t hide from that. The offensive line has been banged up for most of camp, and that has limited how much the staff can evaluate certain combinations. Patrick Kutas has been limited at right guard. Troy Everett, Enoch Wangoy and John Wayne Oliver have all missed time. That’s a lot of moving pieces for a position group that needs stability and clarity.
Golding said offensive line and cornerback have been the two most depleted groups over the last 10 days. Players are starting to return, but the lack of continuity has slowed the process.
This week should give Ole Miss its clearest look yet at what the right side of the line will be. Kinsler is trending toward the job. Curne is still fighting for it. The staff is still sorting through the details.
The competition isn’t over. But the gap is there, and Kinsler is the one creating it.
