Notes: Kiffin feeling inspirational as Rebels enter final week of camp

OXFORD -- Maybe it was the fact that Lane Kiffin spent his Sunday night sitting on a couch with his daughter, Landry, and several of her friends, watching a Nicholas Sparks movie.

Maybe it was the fact that he was up bright and early for 6 a.m. hot yoga Monday before putting his team through another preseason camp practice on a brutally hot day in north Mississippi.

Maybe it was because Kiffin got more questions about his dog's Twitter and Instagram accounts than he did the Rebels' quarterback race on Monday.

Whatever, the third-year Ole Miss coach was feeling gratitude and hoping to pass along some inspiration as he worked to prepare his team for the 2022 season, one that begins on Sept. 3 versus Troy at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Kiffin often tweets inspirational messages in the mornings to his 559,300-plus followers. On Monday, Kiffin said he was inspired by California-based essayist Brianna West, author of 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think, The Mountain Is You and more.

Kiffin was asked about those tweets, and while he acknowledged the question was "very personal," he elaborated on why he shared West's tweets.

"I just saw that this morning and thought it was really cool," Kiffin said. "I do those things early in the morning sometimes just in case someone is out there needing some motivation, going through some stuff. The ability to use the platforms as a head coach on Twitter to that many people is valuable. I decided that was really cool what she said.

"I think we all go through things. I've been through a lot, and it's well-documented -- a divorce and firings, and now being here and my daughter moving here. You kind of get out of that world and you get back into it and some things change."

Kiffin said he didn't use to be a morning person. That changed two years ago, he said, when he changed some habits. He said he always told himself he wasn't going to be the guy who posted motivational messages.

"I kind of flipped that," Kiffin said. "It started with working out in the morning."

Kiffin said Saturday's scrimmage, as expected, included some good things and some bad things.

"We were kind of excited about some things and still nervous about others," Kiffin said. "We tackled the entire time, which is kind of unusual for us. We've talked about the question marks with all the new players, especially defensively, and we were able to see them in live situations. A lot of guys got to play because there were a number of injuries, so that part is good, but I can't really tell you what they are right now."

Kiffin reiterated what he said Saturday, saying that Kinkead Dent "played the best of the three," referring to the quarterback battle between Jaxson Dart and Luke Altmyer.

"We still have a good solid week here where we're still in training camp mode," Kiffin said. "We'll have another scrimmage before we get out of that and go into season mode."

That scrimmage, which will be held Saturday, will be closed to the public (and presumably, the media).

Kiffin said he was pleased with the depth in the defensive line. He said several of the new offensive pieces "have come together well so far." Kiffin said he's pleased with some of the young guys "playing really well" on the offensive line, adding that the Rebels are "deeper than we've been on the offensive line the last three years."

Kiffin said none of the Rebels' injuries are long-term issues, adding that all of the team's injuries occurred prior to Saturday's scrimmage.

On Saturday, Kiffin's dog, Juice, got walked a few times by players not participating in the scrimmage. That wasn't a punishment, Kiffin said, though he said that "would be a good idea."

"If you jump offsides, you have to take Juice for a walk after practice," Kiffin said, smiling. "And clean up after him. That'd be a good idea."

Kiffin was also asked about the Labrador retriever's new Instagram account. The line of questioning about the puppy has gotten borderline obsessive, but Kiffin played along Monday. He reiterated that he doesn't operate the dog's Twitter account, "nor does Juice," he said.

The dog, Kiffin said, goes to "training camp" every day from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

"We ship him off," Kiffin said.

The Associated Press preseason top 25 was released on Monday, and Ole Miss will begin the season ranked No. 21.

Alabama opens as the top-ranked team, followed by Ohio State, defending champion Georgia, Clemson and Notre Dame. Texas A&M, which will entertain Ole Miss on Oct. 29 in College Station, is ranked No. 6.

Other Southeastern Conference teams in the poll are Arkansas and Kentucky. The Razorbacks and Wildcats are ranked Nos. 19 and 20, respectively. Ole Miss plays host to Kentucky on Oct. 1 and travels to Fayetteville on Nov. 19.