Lane Kiffin reportedly adding familiar face who helped recruit Quinshon Judkins to Ole Miss coaching staff

Lane Kiffin has seen plenty of staff turnover the past couple of years at Ole Miss. That’s what happens when you build a successful program — assistants are hired away for promotions at other schools.

But it seems Kiffin will be reunited with an assistant coach he clearly enjoys working with ahead of the 2023 season.

Per ESPN’s Chris Low, the Rebels are finalizing a deal to have RB coach Kevin Smith return to Oxford:

Kevin Smith is finalizing a deal to reunite with @Lane_Kiffin at @OleMissFB as RB coach, sources tell ESPN. It’s been an exodus from the @CanesFootball staff this offseason. Smith was with Kiffin at FAU and then went with him to Ole Miss and helped recruit Quinshon Judkins.

— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) February 14, 2023

That’s notable not only because Smith has already worked with Kiffin at Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss, but also because he helped recruit superstar RB Quinshon Judkins, who tore up the SEC as a true freshman in 2022.

Smith was hired away by Mario Cristobal at Miami ahead of the 2022 season, but now he’s reportedly returning to Oxford for a reunion with Kiffin and the Rebels.

Now we’ll see if Judkins can put up even better numbers this coming fall.