Ole Miss to hire USC assistant Dane Stevens




The busy offseason continues for Ole Miss and head coach Lane Kiffin as they have added yet another staffer to their staff with the addition of USC offensive quality control analyst Dane Stevens.
“I’m excited to get back to SEC country,” Stevens told OMSpirit in an exclusive interview. “USC was great to me and I love Los Angeles but it will be nice to get back closer to home and to recruit big-time talent to Ole Miss.”
Stevens, who is originally from Kennesaw, Ga., will fill the quarterback analyst vacancy left by Matt Holecek who accepted the same role at Oklahoma.
Stevens spent the previous three seasons as a graduate assistant in Los Angeles. He worked with the quarterbacks in 2018 and 2019 after a season with the tight ends, alongside current Ole Miss tight ends coach John David Baker.
“I learned a lot from John David during my time at SC,” Stevens said. “Ole Miss is a blessing and an outstanding opportunity I couldn’t pass up. …I’m itching to get to work with him and the rest of the staff.”

 
Stevens was the main reason On3 consensus five-star Mykel Williams committed to USC before he ultimately decided to re-open his recruitment and sign with Georgia after USC fired Clay Helton. Williams, who is also Michael Trigg‘s younger brother, was committed to the Trojans for four months despite the dismissal of Helton.
Ole Miss’ newest addition to the staff was a key cog in Jaxson Dart‘s maturation as the starting quarterback for USC in 2021. Stevens was instrumental in his evolution from true freshman to the main guy under center, helping the former On3 consensus four-star throw for 1,353 and nine touchdowns in six games.
In 2020, the Trojans passing offense ranked 11th nationally (first in Pac-12) at 319.3. Quarterback Kedon Slovis was named All-Pac-12 first team while finishing in the Top-20 in completions (first at 29.5), passing yards (sixth at 320.2), total offense (13th at 310.7) and completion percentage (18th at .670).

The year before, Slovis was named a Freshman All-American and Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year while completing a school-record 71.9 percent of his passes for a freshman record 3,502 yards and 30 touchdowns.

 
JT Daniels also turned heads in 2018 as a true freshman, throwing for 2,672 yards for USC just a season after graduating high school a year early.
Stevens is also familiar with Ole Miss’ associate director of recruiting, Alex Collins. The two worked together briefly at USC while Stevens was a student assistant and Collins was on the recruiting staff.
“Alex is one of the best guys in the industry,” Stevens said. “He’s super talented and works his tail off. …I’m not surprised one bit to see where he is now after working with him at USC.”
The newest Rebel staffer is also familiar with Ole Miss’ new co-offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis, Jr. The two became fast friends and have kept in touch over the years.
“It’s super exciting to get to work with him at Ole Miss.”
The former high school offensive lineman at Mt. Paran Christian School (Ga.) was a walk-on at USC as a first-year freshman in 2013, but sat out the season with an ankle injury and eventually became a student assistant coach from the spring of 2014 through the fall of 2016.