Rebel Recruit Reactions: “We Still Run The Sip” Edition
OXFORD, Miss. — It has been eight days, and some of us are still celebrating the Rebels’ 31-21 win over Mississippi State.
In fact, it was a Thanksgiving that will go down in history not just because Ole Miss still runs the ‘Sip, but rather for all the storylines written on that rainy night in Starkville.
Matt Corral and the Rebels celebrate the 31-21 win over State. (Photo: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss)
An Ole Miss program that found itself 5-5 after the 2020 regular season now finds itself, with head coach Lane Kiffin at the helm, making history and finishing the regular season 10-2 for the first time in program history.
The Rebels will soon learn on Selection Sunday just where they will be ringing in the New Year — and it will certainly be in one of the prestigious New Year’s Six Bowl games.
We certainly cannot forget one of the most vital parts of this year’s team — quarterback Matt Corral who certainly deserves to be considered for this year’s Heisman. If any kid has shown the Heart of Heisman, it is Matt.
Yes, that win over the Bulldogs on Thanksgiving night was nitty and gritty — just the way we like our Egg Bowl victories! In case you want to relive all the glory, take a look back at our RW Gamer.
As of now, Ole Miss coaches are on the road in hopes of making an extra ‘Merry Flipmas’ on the recruiting trail, and Rebel Nation is eagerly awaiting to see where we should be booking the Airbnb’s for New Year’s.
We at Rebel Walk had a chance to catch up with some of Ole Miss’ top recruits as well as some under-the-radar prospects to get their reactions from the historic night in the ‘Sip.
Class of 2022: 4-star MLB Stone Blanton
Madison-Ridgeland Academy, MS – 247Sports Composite No. 38 Linebacker, No.9 in MS
Follow @StoneBlanton7
Under Armour All American Game
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ @Stoneblanton7 will be playing in the @UANextFootball game on Jan. 2, 2022 from Orlando, FL 🎥 live coverage will be on @espn #HTHL pic.twitter.com/ejTbXo8cMK
— Football | MRA (@mrafootball) November 23, 2021
“It was a great game! Coach Durkin’s defense play really well and it was super exciting to watch.”
Stone Blanton on the Rebels’ Egg Bowl win
Class of 2022: 3-Star OT Preston Cushman
Calvary Christian, FL – 247Sports Composite No. 128 OT and No. 178 In FL
Follow: @Cush_51
Humbled to have @Lane_Kiffin and @CoachThornton61 at my home for their first visit of the Year! #hottytoddy @WarriorsFB_HC pic.twitter.com/9CNOH1odeI
— Preston Cushman (@Cush_51) November 28, 2021
“The egg bowl was a crazy game. For Ole Miss to go into the hostile environment and play like they did it is a great feeling to have. Also having a 10-win season for the first time in history is an amazing accomplishment and just shows how Coach Kiffin’ staff has come in and built this championship culture that will stay for years to come.“
Preston Cushman on the Egg Bowl win and Coach Kiffin
Class of 2023: 4-star safety Ryan Yaites
Guyer HS, TX – 247Sports Composite No. 8 S in nation and No. 23 overall player in Texas
Follow @ryan_yaites
Good morning @OleMissFB pic.twitter.com/1vc4GWcOMq
— Ryan Yaites (@ryan_yaites) November 6, 2021
“Ole Miss was dominant the entire game. The defense did a great job and that offense did their job. Being a rival game, you could tell the players were excited and ready. They were very well-coached. Williams had two big sacks and had a great year. Ole Miss running backs did a good job keeping the drives going. It was a great all around game.“
Safety Ryan Yaites on the Rebels’ win over State
Class of 2023: 4-star OT Olaus Alinen
The Loomis Chafee School, CT: 247Sports Composite No. 14 OT and No. 1 In CT
Follow @alinen_olaus
JUNIOR YEAR HIGHLIGHT TAPE‼️ Could not have asked for a better first season in the States, honored to have played with such an amazing group of guys! @CoachJeffMoore @LC_Football_ https://t.co/CTYpVxWGbd
— Olaus Alinen (@alinen_olaus) November 22, 2021
“It was a good game! The offense was impressive, yet again. They played physically and the defense got the job done as well.“
OT Olaus Alinen on the victory over State
Class of 2022: QB Demahri Wallace
Jackson Northside High Schoo, Jackson, TN
Follow: @DemahriW
Y’all still sleep ❓🤦🏽♂️- https://t.co/E7cQWdpm3U
— Demahri Wallace (@DemahriW) November 3, 2021
“That game was exciting to watch. There were a lot of big plays made on both sides of the ball. I liked how they dominated Mississippi State the whole game.“
QB Demahri Wallace on Rebels’ Egg Bowl win
Class of 2024: QB DJ Lagway
Willis High School, Willis, TX
Follow @DerekLagway
Sophomore szn highlights✅ @TheQBTech @SWiltfong247 @adamgorney @samspiegs @ChadSimmons_ @AWilliamsUSA @MissKYUS2011 @Zack_Poff_MP @Birm @R_Brauninger @Jason_Howell @MikeTSinger @JWhiteheadUSA @QBHitList @NickHarris247 @RivalsFriedman @Mansell247 @HamiltonESPN @ErikRichardsUSA pic.twitter.com/b743utDWMZ
— DJ Lagway 🏈🏀⚾️ 6’3 210lbs class of 2024 (@DerekLagway) November 22, 2021
“They played a hard-fought game on both sides of the ball and played like that through all 4 quarters.“
QB Derek Lagway on Ole Miss’ 31-21 win over State
Class of 2025: QB Antwann Hill Jr.
Houston County High School, Warner Robins, Georgia
Follow @antwann_jr
Freshman looking like a senior https://t.co/9vvtJYlTuU@antwann_jr
— QB Country Atlanta (@QBC_Atlanta) October 17, 2021
“The Rebels put quarterbacks in a great position to succeed in the run and pass game, but what stands out most to me is how it spreads offense, and Coach Kiffin puts Corral in a good position to make good decisions on the field.“
QB Antwann Hill,Jr. on the Egg Bowl game
Class of 2026: QB Julian “JuJu” Lewis
Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Georgia
Follow @JuJuLewis10
#AGTG Blessed to Receive an ⭕️ffer from The University of Mississippi #HottyToddy @OleMissFB @Lane_Kiffin @Coach_Leb@CoachCPartridge @CoachJoeyKing @BALLERSCHOICE1 @SWiltfong247 @adamgorney @JeremyO_Johnson @LemmingReport @samspiegs @ErikRichardsUSA @rvfc10@CoachMIL1 #COACHMIL pic.twitter.com/IJN48CsuLw
— Julian "Ju Ju" Lewis (@JuJuLewis10) November 18, 2021
“Awesome game. It was a total team effort. Can’t wait to get to campus to visit this summer.“
Julian “JuJu” Lewis on the Egg Bowl
Final thoughts
So tonight, Rebel faithful, just think of the places we have been this season — and, oh, the places we will go!
No matter which bowl game the Rebels are invited to, we will celebrate our team and its record-breaking 10-2 season and the fact that #WeRunTheSip!
Hotty Toddy!
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Herring-Olvedo sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.
