Getty Image
Lane Kiffin landed his biggest recruit of the 2021 class on National Signing Day and wasn’t able to watch. The 45-year-old head coach of Ole Miss football missed the because went to a yoga class and didn’t get his computer working in time.
#OleMiss coach Lane Kiffin was doing yoga and couldn't find the Tywone Malone announcement on his computer in time so he missed it.
Signing Day!
— Nick Suss (@nicksuss) February 3, 2021
College football’s Early Signing Day has taken a lot of the thrill out of National Signing Day, but the Rebels landed a BIG commitment from four-star recruit Tywone Malone on Wednesday. He is the sixth-rated defensive tackle in the nation, the No. 62 overall recruit and will be Ole Miss’ third two-sport athlete— as he will also hit dingers at first base for the top-10 baseball team in the spring.
Batter Up.@TywoneMalone x @Lane_Kiffin pic.twitter.com/wgQ8S7o3oo
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) February 3, 2021
The 6-foot-4, 305-pound New Jersey-native was the last commit of Ole Miss’ No. 18-ranked class and had originally scheduled to make his announcement at 10 a.m. CT. Hypothetically, that would have allotted Kiffin all afternoon to hold a press conference, get some lunch and workout at around 2:00 p.m. CT.
However, Malone pushed his commitment back to 3:00 p.m. CT, which makes a 2pm workout a tight squeeze, but still doable. The crystal ball said that Malone was slated to play ball in Oxford, and the coaching staff likely knew of his intentions, so Kiffin could keep the class as scheduled. Cancelling costs money and openings are harder to come by when the students in town. Plus, his signee’s decision was to be broadcast on ESPN2 and made it easy to pull up the stream after his workout. Can you blame him?
It all lined up to make it happen but the execution failed in the end. My best guess is that he either couldn’t get the ESPN app to work, or that he missed the live ceremony because his class ran long and he couldn’t get back home or to his office in time.
125 degrees!!! Getting ready for 🏈 in the south at HOTWORX oxford @OleMissFB pic.twitter.com/jDYyElymlA
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) August 6, 2020
Malone is a huge get at a position that has been a need at Ole Miss for years. Look at the big fella as a sophomore.
This is @TywoneMalone spring/summer training of his Sophomore year, when you weren’t looking 👀! Understand what your seeing here…true sophomore 6’4 300 No reclass. @OleMissFB @TheRebelWalk @CoachCPartridge @CoachMWatson @Lane_Kiffin pic.twitter.com/tXOydepeWS
— Coach L.T. (@CoachLT33) February 4, 2021
To say he is a freak would be an understatement. Take this ridiculous catch, for example.
New Ole Miss signee Tywone Malone is coming to Oxford to play DT, but he can also do stuff like this @Zach_Berry breaks down why he thinks Malone can make a Day 1 impact with the Rebels: https://t.co/hChOppAiIYhttps://t.co/hChOppAiIY pic.twitter.com/xIpXwfUX8N
— Rivals (@Rivals) February 3, 2021
Kiffin had a great second year on the recruiting trail and it culminated with Malone. NO. 1, YOU JUST GOT MOSSED BY A DEFENSIVE TACKLE!!!!!!!!!
Watch him hit an absolute tater, as a treat.
Today Ole Miss signed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6’4” 300lb DT Tywone Malone (awesome name) to play football AND baseball for the Rebels.
Here is a video of him sending a baseball to Saturn 🪐 pic.twitter.com/x3Bc02nIT1
— Jack Gentry (@jackagentry) February 3, 2021
I’m not sure what would be worse: lining up across from him at the line of scrimmage or accidentally leaving him a fastball over the plate.