SEC Now crew meets Quarterback Matt Corral, who tells SEC Now that he hopes to be even more successful in his second season with Rebels coach Lane Kiffin. (2:49).Lane Kiffin had to confess to his team on Saturday night, just before Ole Miss' preseason opener on Sunday.Kiffin is now over 30 pounds lighter than last season and feels it hypocritical to expect his players to take better care of their bodies, when he himself is overweight.Kiffin said that he saw a photo of himself at the bowl game last season and thought it was funny.Kiffin stated that the players laughed at his analogy but that he wanted them all to understand that he was serious about the discipline it would take for the Rebels this season to move on from going 5-5 last year in Kiffin’s first season in Oxford.Kiffin stated, "That applies to all of us, beginning with me." "Here I was in January, telling my offensive linemen that they had to lose weight and eat better. I looked like a whale."Matt Corral, Ole Miss quarterback, passed for 3,337 yards last season and scored 29 touchdowns. He said that the whole team was inspired by Kiffin’s weight loss.Corral stated that he saw his weight drop. He has lost a lot of weight since January. This is something that we as players can see and it helps us to be more disciplined. It also helps us believe in the values and principles within the organization.Kiffin recalls seeing a photo of John Rhys Plumlee, the quarterback, and Kiffin's father Monte Kiffin from the Outback Bowl last year in Tampa.Kiffin jokingly said, "My dad is 81 and still looks great.Kiffin, 46 years old, started running again after following a strict diet. The 6-foot-3 Kiffin claimed that he once weighed in at 245 pounds. But now he is closer to 210.He said that the players laughed at him saying he looked almost ripped during Saturday's team meeting.Kiffin was not going to let his assistant coaches get away with it either. According to Kiffin, he brought several of his assistant coaches to a medical facility for their BMI (body mass index) measurements. The doctor told offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Jeff Lebby that he needed to lose 88 pounds to get down to an ideal BMI.Kiffin replied, "Come on, give me something realistic," which Lebby deadpanned. "Eighty-eight dollars?" It's a 12-year old."Kiffin said that all staff members are participating in a weight-loss competition. Each coach will contribute $200 to a pool. The winner gets all.One of the images of Kiffin, the heavier version, has been removed from the walls at the Ole Miss football stadium.Kiffin said, "Gotta keep up, because it was disgusting when I look back at myself from last year," adding that he was a runner when he was hired as a college head coach at Tennessee in 2009.Kiffin stated that accountability is the main theme for Ole Miss' 2021 season. He stated earlier in the day that Ole Miss has a 100% COVID-19 vaccination rate among its current players, coaches, and staff.
