Nick Broeker, Jonathan Mingo and Cedric Johnson Ready for the Rebels to Take the Next Step
OXFORD, Miss. — As the 2022 college football season edges closer, Ole Miss football players Nick Broeker, Jonathan Mingo, and Cedric Johnson took the podium during Ole Miss’ time at SEC Media Days and shared a common message; the Rebels have their sights on much more than just another ten-win year.
Coming off the program’s first ten-win regular season in school history, Ole Miss has many challenges it will face in 2022, including replacing the team’s starting quarterback and team leader in Matt Corral, as well as adjusting to the many new faces in the locker room.
Despite these challenges, the Rebels are hungry for more success and believe they can achieve it.
“We’re trying to go all the way,” said returning defensive end Cedric Johnson, adding that is what he and his teammates talk about.
“We got the blueprint, we won ten games. We’re trying to go further. We’re going to take that blueprint and tweak what we need to to make it better and go from there.”
Cedric Johnson on goals for this season
Senior offensive lineman Nick Broeker says the team still has a sour taste in its mouth from the loss to Baylor in the Sugar Bowl, in spite of the outstanding regular season they had. “I think we are expecting a lot more this year,” he explained.
“We’re just motivated to get back out there and execute and try to win the whole thing this year.”
Jonathan Mingo
The players seem to have found a happy medium when it comes to remembering the 2021 season and looking ahead to the future.
They now enter 2022 with proof they can win at a high level, which brings a new level of confidence to the program, but they still feel like there is more to achieve.
“The few years before (last) we were always trying to get over a hump, trying to finish games that we knew we should have won, so it’s good that we got that season so everybody can see that this is the standard at Ole Miss and that this program is only going up.“
Jonathan Mingo
A common topic the players discussed at Media Days is using last year’s season — the highs and the lows — as a way to better themselves and build upon their recent success.
Broeker says the team will focus on going 1-0 each week as well as understanding how just a few plays can change the outcome of a game — or season.
“I think we’re using last year’s experience as guidance for this year. We won a lot of close games and even in the three games we lost, we were right there. A couple plays really changed the game.“
Nick Broeker on the approach to 2022
With the transfer portal bringing in a number of experienced guys, the players believe their newly-acquired depth at a multitude of positions will help take the team to new heights.
“We got so many guys now that can do what the starting guy is doing,” Johnson said.
“I feel like if I get tired I’ve got another guy behind me that’s doing the same thing or I’ve got Tavius (Robinson) right next to me, who can eat just like I can. The next man’s making me better and I’m making him better.”
Cedric Johnson on the Rebels’ depth
Mingo also talked about the impact of transfers. “We definitely want guys that have game experience,” he commented. “It makes it easier on the freshmen and younger receivers, so when they get their opportunity it won’t be as much of a load on them,” he added.
With fall camp quickly approaching, the Rebels feel like they have the pieces to overcome the challenges that lie ahead and build upon their historic 2021 season.
The 2022 season begins vs. Troy on September 3rd at 3:00 p.m. (CT) in Oxford.
(Feature image credit: Ole Miss Football)
Dillon Cader
Dillon is from Yazoo City, Ms. He is a senior journalism major pursuing a career in sportswriting. He grew up an Ole Miss fan and has always followed Ole Miss sports as well as the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Braves. He played football and basketball in high school and enjoys spending time with friends and family.
