It looked like Lane Kiffin was about to take a straight L this weekend. The vibes were off, the quarterback room took a gut punch, and Rebel fans were sweating bullets. But in classic Kiffin fashion, the man pulled one outta nowhere, right when the headlines were getting ugly. A defensive flip outta Big Ten country just dropped in Oxford’s lap—and it might be bigger than it looks.
Here’s what really went down.
Wisconsin thought they had a gem locked up. A three-star EDGE from Illinois, who had already committed back in April, was supposed to be back in Madison for his next official. But instead of doubling down on that loyalty, the young pass rusher hit Oxford for an official visit—and everything changed. “I loved it a lot,” the kid said. And that’s an understatement.
His name? Carmelow Reed. A long, twitchy 6-foot-7 disruptor from Rich Township, Illinois. He had been in the Badgers’ bag since April 7, but now? He’s Lane Kiffin’s problem—in the best way possible. Reed flipped to Ole Miss after that visit, canceling all future Wisconsin plans. The Rebels’ staff, especially defensive line coach Randall Joyner, went full pressure mode, and it worked. Kiffin’s crew pulled him out of Big Ten hands and straight into SEC territory.
The move might seem like just another three-star flip to the casuals, but it’s a bigger W than people realize. Reed is the No. 51 EDGE in the 2026 class, No. 14 in Illinois, and No. 492 overall. But he’s got something rankings don’t always capture: freaky length, elite instincts, and a motor that screams future SEC chaos. The kid had 33 tackles and 5 sacks as a junior, and with his size and agility, Ole Miss might’ve just added a future anchor for that front seven.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a Lane Kiffin win without a little pettiness baked in. Flipping a Big Ten commit the same weekend your quarterback room takes a hit? That’s poetic. That’s Kiffin. Carmelow Reed let his feelings out: “The people around the city absolutely love the school and the players playing for the school so that was good,” Reed told On3 Sports. “The staff was great, too. Like everybody was just awesome. I’m so excited about this.”
The 3-star EDGE doubled down and gave props to Joynet (D-line coach):“He breaks down the game of football to where if you’re a bystander you’ll understand it and he’s really energetic,” The addition pushes Ole Miss to eight commitments for the 2026 cycle, with their class now sitting at No. 16 in the On3 Industry Team Rankings. Reed might just be the tone-setter in that crew—especially with his ability to play both standing up and with his hand in the dirt.
Lane Kiffin loses his big QB commit
But let’s not act like it was all sunshine and flips down in Oxford. Right as the Rebels were celebrating Reed’s flip, Lane Kiffin got hit with a gut check at the QB spot. Zion Legree, their only quarterback commit in the 2026 class, just dipped.
Legree had been committed since November 2024, but now he’s wide open again. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Florida native reopened his recruitment over the weekend and according to 247Sports, he’s likely leaning toward—you guessed it—Wisconsin. Yeah, it’s a full-circle situation, and the irony is thicker than molasses.
With Jaxson Dart off to the NFL, the Rebels were already trying to keep the QB room steady. Sophomore Austin Simmons is the projected starter, and there’s some depth behind him, but Legree was the future. The Rebels did add some QB insurance this offseason. Behind Simmons, you’ve got AJ Maddox, a redshirt with solid upside, and a pack of transfers: Maealiuaki Smith (Oklahoma State), Trinidad Chambliss (Ferris State), and a QB from Rice.
Now, the kid with 22 offers—including Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and Notre Dame—is back on the market. And Ole Miss might not even be in the top group anymore. So while Lane was out there snatching pass rushers, he might’ve fumbled the QB bag. Not ideal. But if there’s one thing we know about Kiffin, it’s that he always keeps another card up his sleeve. Whether it’s the portal, another flip, or some wild late-cycle magic, don’t count him out just yet.
Still, this weekend showed us one thing loud and clear: recruiting in the SEC is like a poker game on steroids. And Lane Kiffin? He’s bluffing, flipping, folding, and raising—sometimes all in the same weekend.
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