This challenge stands between Ole Miss football and Egg Bowl vengeance vs Mississippi State

OXFORD — A year ago, when coach Lane Kiffin's perfect start in the Egg Bowl rivalry received its first unsightly blemish, Ole Miss football's hopes crumbled at the point of attack.

Averaging a season-low 2.0 yards per rush, the Rebels failed to open gaps for star running back Quinshon Judkins. In the passing game, the Bulldogs pressured quarterback Jaxson Dart 12 times − the fourth-highest total the Rebels allowed last season.

"He's just running blitz zero in the middle of the field to start series and stuff," Kiffin said at the time about Mississippi State defensive coordinator Zach Arnett. "Nobody ever does that and he did, which is a great game plan and we didn't adjust because we didn't make them pay. As you could see, we didn't pick up the pressure. And, obviously, you can't run into that (defense)."

Arnett, fired last week after being promoted to head coach, won't be around to craft the game plan.

Still, as the Rebels (9-2, 5-2 SEC) prepare to take on the Bulldogs (5-6, 1-6) in Starkville on Thursday (6:30 p.m., ESPN), Ole Miss' proficiency at the point of attack on offense is a focus.

On paper, the Rebels overmatch the Bulldogs. The bookmakers had Ole Miss favored by as many as 14 points. The Rebels have not been such heavy favorites away from home since they closed as 17-point favorites at Vanderbilt last season. Kiffin is 27-5 as a favorite at Ole Miss, and has never lost when favored by double digits.

If there is a path to a surprising Ole Miss defeat on Thursday, it likely starts up front on offense, where injuries have afflicted a unit that has produced mixed results this season.

Starting right tackle Micah Pettus has missed each of the last two games due to injury. Jayden Williams, his backup, went out early against Georgia and did not dress in last week's win over Louisiana-Monroe.

Against the Warhawks, who have not won a Sun Belt Conference game this year, the Rebels allowed three sacks – above their average for the season. They also failed to generate push on the ground consistently. ULM held Ole Miss to 3.4 yards per carry – its third-lowest mark of the campaign.

"Without watching this film, I can't really give you a perfect assessment," Kiffin said when asked for his thoughts on his offensive line's performance over the last two games. "Holding penalties, and it kind of felt big-little in the (ULM) game. So, through two games I'd say it's been OK."

LOOKING FORWARD: Why being perfect at home will mean more next year for Ole Miss, College Football Playoff

Frustrated by those holding penalties, Kiffin fielded an offensive line that accounted for four penalties worth 35 total yards against ULM. No doubt impacted by crowd noise, the Rebels' took another four penalties in the trenches against Georgia, costing them 25 yards.

Ole Miss reworked the right side of its line to replace Pettus, with Williams unavailable as a like-for-like swap. Center Caleb Warren moved to right guard, with guard Jeremy James stepping out to tackle. Reece McIntyre has taken charge of the center duties.

Kiffin believes the Rebels could get Williams back in time to play Thursday. A starter last season as a redshirt freshman, Williams' return to the tackle role could simplify things for Ole Miss.

If the Rebels are forced to shuffle again, Dart expressed confidence in their ability to handle it.

"I feel like guys fit in their roles really well," Dart said. "During the offseason, we played around with a lot of different guys at a lot of different positions. Each one of those guys has had a lot of experience at those different spots. So, it's not like be-all-end-all if we have to move anybody around. I got a lot of trust in those guys."

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Why Ole Miss football offensive line is a concern heading into Egg Bowl