Restocked Ole Miss running back corps creating competition, depth

Ole Miss lost all of its production in the ground game from a season ago but thanks to success in the transfer portal and recruiting, the running back room has been restocked and re-loaded for 2022.

Gone is Jerrion Ealy, Snoop Conner and Henry Parrish, but Zach Evans, Ulysses Bentley IV and Kentrel Bullock are in with the task of making sure the Rebels do not miss a beat.

The Rebels landed Evans in December out of the portal after he chose to leave TCU and head for the SEC, ultimately picking them over Texas A&M. On the first day of spring practice last month it was announced that Bentley completed his transfer from SMU and enrolled.

Mid-year enrollee Quinshon Judkins from Pike Road, Ala. added another option. Judkins is impressing through the first couple weeks of spring, according to head coach Lane Kiffin.

“I think those guys have come in with a unique mindset,” Kiffin said of Judkins and other mid-year enrollee Davison Igbinosun. “Remember these guys are like high school seniors. They don’t seem that way. Whenever you recruit guys you see how they are as players but you’re not really sure how they’re going to be maturity-wise once they get here. So they’ve done a good job of learning things and are going in there and playing with the ones.”

Getting two experienced players in Evans and Bentley provides a massive boost in trying to replicate last year’s production, or at the very least keep from having any major drop off.

Along with the newcomers, returners Kentrel Bullock, Matt Jones and Bobo Miller are also in the mix and getting early looks this spring.

“The competition’s been unbelievable,” Evans said. “The competition we do just be in the drills, learning the plays. Doing extra after practice. Film session. All that.”

While the competition appears to be healthy, it may have been unexpected for someone like Bullock who at one point was the only returner remaining that had any game experience — albeit a very small sample size.

Still, Bullock saw Evans and Bentley arrive to Oxford. There could be the chance that another three-headed monster attack is in store for this fall, but on the off chance one back ends up eating the majority of the reps Bullock is prepared to compete for that spot.

“It’s real competitive. With all the new backs we have and the returning backs, everyone has a different skill set and we are all battling for playing time,” Bentley said. “I’m just putting in the work every day and whatever it brings, it brings.”

Not only are the new players trying to learn a new system daily so is their position coach. Marquel Blackwell is the Rebels new running backs coach and is fresh on the job this spring.

So far both coach and players are working hand-in-hand trying to learn each other’s styles and an new offensive playbook.

According to Evans, Blackwell is taking a very classroom-style approach in how he is implementing and installing the plays by delivering what is essentially homework the night before they are ask to perform it out on the practice field.

“On Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays we’ll come in and learn the plays that are being installed,” Evans said. “So as (Blackwell) gets them he’ll teach us or either text us. We’ll look in our iPads. The formations and stuff are in there. So most of it really be on you, if you’re going to put the work in. The time in.

“It’s a good relationship. It’s more of a trust thing. His biggest thing is, ‘If I can’t trust you I can’t play you.’ The next morning is going to be a rerun of what he sent out (the night before) on that tablet. So it’s up to you on if you’re going to look into it or not. Because he’s going to ask you questions. Just don’t go in there and lie.”