Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss have made quite a leap this season to an 8-2 record as the Rebels get set to play Vanderbilt this week.

They are playing for a possible 10-win season, and all that comes with that, including a possible New Year’s 6 bowl game. But that’s not what Kiffin has focused on, he said Wednesday on the SEC coaches media teleconference.

“We just talk about each week, going 1-0 that week, not about anything we can’t control,” Kiffin said.

He has spent some time considering the growth of the program, from a 5-5 record in 2020, to this season.

“I’ve thought about that a few times, especially last year, being a COVID, strange season. … I have high expectations and I’m not sure I could have guaranteed you that,” he said.

Part of that can be credited to the improved defense.

“I think everything’s different,” he said. “There are different ways to win. There’s not one way to win. We’ve seen defensive teams win, slower teams, faster teams, spread teams. There’s not one blueprint. Then you have to fit your blueprint to your personnel.”