The fears and worries about a large exodus of players following Lane Kiffin to LSU never materialized.
All-American running back Kewan Lacy remains a Rebel. So will quarterback Trinidad Chambliss if he’s granted a preliminary injunction to play next season, wide receivers Deuce Alexander and Caleb Cunningham, the interior starting offensive line and several key defenders.
It should be considered a win for Ole Miss considering Kiffin was reportedly using the threat of “stealing” players as a way to stay the coach for the College Football Playoff.
However, Kiffin was able to bring four Ole Miss players to Baton Rouge with the two biggest additions being pass rusher Princewill Umanmielen and linebacker TJ Dottery.
Both are particularly hard losses to take for the Rebels and coach Pete Golding has made moves to replace their production (see the whole Luke Ferrelli saga).
Dottery is the one Rebel who was a key contributor that hadn’t been announced as returning to Ole Miss next season when almost 20 such announcements were made.
On Wednesday, Kiffin was asked about Dottery specifically and why it was important to bring him to LSU.
“I think TJ (Dottery) was really critical to me because when you come in, you want to bring coaches. You want to bring your strength coach. Nick Savage came with us. He does an amazing job with our kids,” Kiffin said. “But in your locker room, too, if you can bring a player that understands your culture and is an alpha and a leader, that was really important. To not just get somebody that’s been such a good player that I have been with for three years but have gone through things with.
“Just kind of growing together and then you’re able to bring them here. It was really great. I just love his story. When things happen to them, especially in his and all the guy does is just continue to work, continue to develop as a player. He has a personal situation that’s been brought up, especially in him transferring, he gets re-brought up in something that he was a victim of.
“Something that people don’t talk about this part that the person that did this to him is now in jail and is unable to do that to other people after doing it to a number of people. I love that part of his story that he just persevered through that.”
Dottery’s story as well as everyone else’s that are part of Ole Miss and LSU’s programs are far from over, though. The next chapter will take place September 19 when the Tigers come to Oxford for both team’s SEC opening games.
