Micah Pettus: Ole Miss offensive line has the look 2024 Lane Kiffin was lamenting last year

When Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin lamented after the Alabama and Georgia losses last year that the Rebels had to get more length and girth to be able to match those powerhouses, he obviously was not talking about his right tackle, Micah Pettus .

You see, Pettus takes a back seat to very few players in America when it comes to size being that he is 6-foot-7 and 350 pounds.

But even Goliaths succumb to injury and that happened to the junior from Madison, Alabama, last season in the loss to the Georgia Bulldogs.

“I injured my foot and it required offseason surgery,” Pettus said, an imposing figure even when sitting down. “It kept me out of spring training because the coaches and trainers wanted to make sure I was 100% healthy before I came back.

“Now, I’m back.”

But Micah now finds himself looking, basically, eye-to-eye with quite a few of the offensive linemen, new and old.

Kiffin was not joking when he said “longer and bigger” as his staff located and signed 6-6 340 Diego Pounds , 6-8 320 Julius Buelow , 6-6 335 Nate Kalepo , and 6-3 320 Gerquan Scott to go along with Pettus, 6-6 335 Jeremy James , 6-5 305 Caleb Warren , 6-4 315 Jayden Williams , 6-7 320 Cam East , 6-5 320 Reece McIntyre , 6-5 300 Eli Acker , 6-6 310 Brycen Sanders and 6-5 305 Preston Cushman .

Big boys. Young men who look like what Ole Miss has been facing against some other schools, but how does all this get sorted out by OL coach John Garrison?

Pettus explained.

“We had a meeting the other day and here’s how it’s going to go down,” he said. “There’s no starting lineup. We are going to go out there every day and push each other in practice. Then, coach Garrison is going to put the best five out there to start.

“But that doesn’t mean the next five aren’t going to play much. They may be just as good as the first five and if they are, they will play a lot too. Iron sharpens iron, man.”

Pettus said he is supportive of every one of his offensive line teammates.

“We have no animosity in that OL room. Whoever is getting the job done will get to play. It’s as simple as it gets,” Pettus added. “Best man wins and whoever that is, I’m backing them 100%.”

Pettus made sure not to stick his neck out too far concerning the personnel decisions Garrison might make are concerned, but he said he can see a scenario where more than five play a lot and there is more rotation than in his previous years.

“I’m not a coach and I don’t know what coach Garrison might do, but he has mentioned more rotation on the offensive line,” Pettus conceded. “It all depends, I believe, on if everyone is on the same level. If they are, I think they will play.

“I’m a competitor and I want to play every play. I want to be on the field, but if coach thinks I need a rest and someone is playing well at the same position, I’m fine with subbing. Whatever is best for the team is what I am for.”

Micah gives an unintentional brash reason for giving his vote for liberal substitutions.

“If we do what I think we are capable of doing, we’re looking at four or five more games than a regular season as we advance in the college football playoffs,” said Pettus. “Subbing early in the year might be the ticket to keep everyone fresh for the extra games we can play.”

When Ole Miss lines up on offense this fall, they will have the look Kiffin was lamenting last season.

And Micah Pettus will be in the middle of the scrum.

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