You all feel that? That isn’t just Mississippi humidity—something’s brewing down in Oxford, and it isn’t your grandma’s sweet tea. Lane Kiffin is out here pacing like a man who just lost his AirPods, and the vibe? Off. Like, really off. With Jaxson Dart off to the NFL, fans were expecting fireworks this spring, maybe a lil’ showtime from the new QB1, Austin Simmons. But instead? The Rebels’ camp feels more like a haunted house with injuries knocking and ghosts of last season’s missed playoff still lurking. And now? ESPN just dropped a verdict that’s got folks leaning in.

Let’s start with the heat. Austin Simmons. Lefty. Drippy. The 19-year-old phenom who should be worrying about prom but is instead cooking up bombs in the SEC. ESPN’s Pete Thamel pulled no punches on the April 11th ‘College GameDay Podcast,’ telling Rece Davis and Bill Conelly, “I am very interested in the Ole Miss Rebels. Ree, I am very interested in Austin Simmons, a lefty who is just dripping with talent. He’s the first in my memory. I’m sure somebody’s done it. Early, early enrollee, right? He went two classes early. And talented baseball player as well, though he’s given that up.” Not gonna lie, jumping two classes is crazy work. Pete Thamel doubles down while giving big flowers to Austin Simmons: “Every spring there’s a darling, a buzz guy, somebody that’s blown everybody away, and Austin Simmons, the Ole Miss quarterback who’s projected to start, is that guy.” And he might not be wrong.

Austin Simmons isn’t just a spring fairytale either. He had his warmup tour last fall, going 19-for-32, tossing two TDs, zero picks. And remember that Georgia game? Dawgs were barking early; Dart went down, and Simmons trotted in cool as a peppermint. He went 5-of-6, sparked a touchdown drive, and Ole Miss rolled Georgia 28-10. He sure had ice in his veins. And then, Gator Bowl? With the game on the line, Simmons dropped a 34-yard dime to Jordan Smart to seal it. Cold-blooded.

But even with this new QB spark, Ole Miss isn’t exactly skipping into 2025. Let’s be real—the Rebels are rolling into this season with only four returning starters. That’s not rebuilding; that’s hitting reset with a sledgehammer. 18 starters are gone. Gone. That’s not a roster flip; that’s a roster explosion. As Kiffin tries to fill those gaps, Simmons is expected to not just play quarterback—he’s got to be the heartbeat.

Pete Thamel summed it up best: “There is a fascinating tension of—they’ve been very good, but not good enough to make the playoff. Can he be the guy that pushes them through? I am compelled by Oxford.” That’s the million-dollar question. The pressure cooker is lit. And Simmons? He’s either going to sauté defenses or get steamrolled by the SEC grind. Nothing in between.

Ole Miss’ spring trouble

Here’s where it gets sticky. Lane Kiffin stepped up to the mic after spring practice on Tuesday, and let’s just say he didn’t sound like a man planning a party. “There’re some injuries there with some guys not practicing,” Kiffin admitted. “There’s just not a lot of numbers there, and certainly not much experience playing. It’s just something we’ll have to work through and continue to push guys. Hopefully, when these guys, a couple of guys, come back from injuries, it’ll look better.” Translation? The defense looking light, and the vibes are shaky.

The secondary, in particular, is limping into the spring like it just lost a bar fight. Jaylon Braxton and Cedrick Beavers are both banged up, and that’s brutal considering they’re supposed to replace a shutdown corner like Trey Amos. Kiffin’s probably eyeing that April transfer portal like crazy because if those DBs don’t shape up quick, Georgia and LSU are going to have a field day against them.

Front seven’s got some bite, sure. But the back end? Sus. Real sus. And in a pass-happy SEC, you can’t afford to be soft in the back. The margin for error is paper-thin, and every snap matters when you’re trying to keep playoff hopes alive. If this defense doesn’t tighten up, Simmons might have to drop 40 points a game just to keep the Rebels in the fight. And with that brutal September road trip to Kentucky? Whew. That isn’t any warm-up act.

Bottom line? This spring isn’t going how Kiffin drew it up. He’s got a QB the media is drooling over but a defense that looks like it’s held together with duct tape and vibes. That’s a dangerous combo. If Ole Miss wants to stop being “good, not great, just fun watch,” Austin Simmons better be HIM—and the defense better find a pulse. Until then, Oxford’s forecast? Cloudy with a chance of stress.