Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels will hold their spring game, otherwise known as the Grove Bowl, this coming Saturday. It’ll be a great opportunity to get a look at the Rebels’ 2021 roster.
Spring games aren’t too different from normal scrimmages. Most teams don’t live tackle. And the scrimmage itself is usually pretty generic. But there is one big reason for having them: the fans.
Kiffin believes the primary reason for having a spring game is to have fans attend. Having fans in attendance heightens the nerves a bit. By doing so, Kiffin is able to evaluate players better when they’re under a bit of pressure.
The Ole Miss head coach wants to see which of his players excel under pressure this coming weekend.
“I think the only difference is just to see if kids get nervous,” Kiffin said on Tuesday, via Saturday Down South. “It’s a little more like a game, obviously, with some crowd and more build-up to it, anxiety. So, I think that sometimes you can see that with guys you haven’t played before to see how (they perform). Some guys just play better in an atmosphere like that and some guys struggle. I think that’s the difference.”
How players perform under pressure is an often overlooked aspect of football. A player could excel in practice but flounder under the bright lights.
Lane Kiffin clearly wants to see which of his players excel with fans in the stands this coming weekend.
Ole Miss will hold its annual spring game this Saturday, Apr. 24 at 4 p.m. ET.
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