Five Questions: Ole Miss

To help you get ready for Kentucky’s SEC opener against Ole Miss there will be plenty of content on the Rebels this week.

Jake Thompson covers Ole Miss here on the On3 network and he provided answers to five questions Cats Illustrated sent his way.

Cats Illustrated: What did you learn about Ole Miss in Week 1 that maybe you weren’t sure about going into the season?

Thompson: One thing I wanted to see was if the run game was truly back for Ole Miss after a season with it essentially being a non-factor in 2024. Might not have gotten a complete answer but Kewan Lacy’s effort at least showed the ground attack is progressing in a positive direction. The Missouri transfer finished with 108 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries, which is something the Rebels did not have consistently last year. This was the biggest thing I was hoping to learn about in Week 1.

Cats Illustrated: Who are the main players to watch for on the offensive side of the ball this year?

Thompson: It all starts with Austin Simmons. The Ole Miss offense will go as far as the first-year starting quarterback will take them. From there it is the new receivers in Harrison Wallace III, DeZhaun Stribling and Deuce Alexander that now joins returning junior Cayden Lee. Tight ends Dae’Quan Wright and Caleb Odom are also two to keep an eye on as the former led the Rebels in the passing game against Georgia State. Lacy leads the running backs but Troy transfer Damien Taylor also made a nice first impression last weekend.

Cats Illustrated: Who are the Rebels’ top defensive players?

Thompson: Linebacker/Defensive End hybrid Suntarine Perkins is a good place to start followed by linebacker T.J. Dottery. Those are the only two returning starters from one of the nation’s top defenses in 2024. Others to watch for are defensive linemen Zxavian Harris, Will Echoles, Kam Franklin, Da’Shawn Womack and Princewill Umanmielen. In the secondary Ricky Fletcher, Antonio Kite, Wydett Williams, Jr., Sage Ryan and Kapena Gushiken are key players.

Cats Illustrated: It seems like the offensive line was a big talking point during camp. How did they play in Week 1 and what’s the feeling on the unit overall now?

Thompson: The line of scrimmage on offense continues to be a talking point after the first game. Arkansas transfer Patrick Kutas showed the effect of not being involved much in camp and still recovering from an injury suffered during his playing days in Fayetteville. Austin Simmons’ first interception can be attributed to Kutas not blocking his man and the quarterback getting hit as he tried to throw a deep ball down the far sideline that fluttered into a Georgia State defender’s arms. How this group performs against Kentucky’s defensive front will give a good baseline of what this season might be.

Cats Illustrated: What are the biggest question marks this Ole Miss team will ultimately have to answer?

Thompson: Did the run game improve with the pieces brought in? Did the offensive line figure itself out with a handful of new starters? Will the secondary show improvement from last year once it is tested against better competition such as a SEC offense? These are the biggest questions along with more minor ones that a successful season is dependent on how each one is answered. Ole Miss was not truly tested in Week 1 but that changes the rest of this month with Kentucky, Arkansas, Tulane and LSU waiting in the wings. Come October the Rebels will either still be in the hunt for championships or already ready to turn the page to 2026.