Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels have done a fantastic job adding talent recently. The team has brought in multiple difference-makers via the transfer portal and has done great at keeping in-state talent.

On Wednesday, Kiffin was asked why the Rebels have been able to out-recruit the Bulldogs of late for the best players in the state of Mississippi. The coach had a simple explanation.

“The different direction of the two programs in-state,” Kiffin explained. “You know, that always helps, when one program’s going one way and the other one’s going the other.”

Per 247Sports, the Rebels currently have the No. 21 2024 recruiting class, compared to the Bulldogs’ No. 35 class. The Rebels currently have 5 of the top 10 players in the state signed on, while the Bulldogs haven’t officially signed any of the top 10.

Additionally, the Rebels have the No. 2 transfer class thus far, while the Bulldogs have the No. 11 class.

In a state like Mississippi that produces a ton of high school talent, making inroads with those players is crucial. Kiffin has been able to do that masterfully during his time in Oxford.