Oxford-Tupelo Round 2 will look very different from first matchup

Tupelo and Oxford have already met each other this year, but the rematch for the Class 7A North half title will look a lot different.

The Golden Wave and the Chargers will square off tonight in Tupelo, and both teams will have a different starting quarterback from the one that played in the first matchup. Tupelo defeated Oxford 20-13 in Oxford on Sept. 19. Knox Kiffin, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin’s son, has since taken over at quarterback for Oxford, and Braylen Williams has done the same at Tupelo.

“I think it’s really about what they do and what we do,” Tupelo head coach Ty Hardin said. “I do think their quarterback is different from their previous quarterback and how they run their offense. And obviously, same with us. We were down a few players the first time we played them and didn’t feel like we played our best then, and they might think the same thing.”

Tupelo running back J.J. Hill, the two-time Class 7A Mr. Football, was playing quarterback for Tupelo when the two teams met in September. Williams has since returned from suspension, and the Golden Wave have formed a three-headed monster in the backfield of Hill, Williams and running back Kylan Bobo.

Tupelo ran for 332 yards as a team in the first matchup, with Bobo going off for 217 yards and three touchdowns. The Golden Wave now spread out touches between the three ball carriers and are coming off a win over Germantown where all three eclipsed the 100-yard mark.

“All three guys feel really good right now, feel really healthy and a clear mind,” Hardin said. “That’s big in the playoffs because this is where you start taking some beatings and your health really matters. I think that’s the biggest thing. You’ve got three backs back there and they’re really fresh and they can all complement each other. It’s a good recipe to have.”

Meanwhile, in Oxford, Kiffin has taken over the reins for the Chargers. In a 37-27 win over Horn Lake last week, he completed 12 of 20 passes for 202 yards, a touchdown and no picks. Kiffin also had 76 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

“He presents some different things,” Hardin said. “He’s really good in the pocket, he has really good pocket awareness. They kind of keep letting him do his thing back there. He does a good job of extending plays, he does a good job stepping up in the pocket. You can tell his dad is a quarterback coach, he’s been coached up kind of his whole life. He gets the position.”