Ole Miss transfer DL Stephon Wynn, Jr. finds the ‘perfect opportunity’ reuniting with Pete Golding in Oxford
OXFORD, Miss. — Stephon Wynn, Jr.’s path through his football career has not been quite the way he had it mapped out to be, but the transfer defensive lineman has learned a lot about the map. His journey began in his native South Carolina, then it took him to Florida, Alabama, Nebraska and finally Mississippi.
”I definitely call it a journey,” Wynn said after practice Thursday.
“Not how I planned it to go, but God has a different plan for everybody. I don’t have regrets; it’s been good, it’s been a blessing. I’ve met a lot of new people. I’ve been at several different places, played a lot of ball in different places, and I’ve enjoyed the ride.”
Ole Miss DT Stephon Wynn, Jr.
The Anderson, S.C., native began his high school career at T.L. Hanna — best known as the school in the movie “Radio” — but he moved on to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., to finish out his prep days. From there Wynn signed with Alabama and stayed there four years before heading to Nebraska for a season, and now he is at Ole Miss as a graduate transfer.
“I mean everybody (said) coming out of high school (that) I’m going to Alabama and be three and done and go to the league,” Wynn said. “That is your dream plan but in reality, you can’t control some of the factors that go into it,” he continued.
“So one of the main things for me was growing and learning that I only can control what I can control and not get down on myself because I’m in college for my sixth year.”
Stephon Wynn, Jr. on the route he’s taken
As a member of the Class of 2018, Wynn was a four-star recruit who was ranked as the No. 3 weak-side defensive end in the country and the No. 16 player in South Carolina.
Wynn’s college career has been productive. In his time at Alabama, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive lineman tallied 16 tackles in 21 games — and he picked up a national championship ring in 2020.
At Nebraska, Wynn recorded 22 tackles after seeing action in all 12 games for the Cornhuskers.
Although the scenery has changed from Lincoln to north Mississippi, there is a familiar sight for Wynn at Ole Miss. He had the experience of playing for Rebels’ defensive coordinator Pete Golding when both were in Tuscaloosa.
“My freshman year, Coach Golding was just the linebackers’ coach,” Wynn said.
“We have a relationship going way back and I was just a kid, and it’s just grown over the years. When I left ‘Bama, it was nothing with him or anything like that, just my own personal reasons. And then when I ended up leaving Nebraska, he reached out to me and presented the opportunity and I took advantage of it because him being the (defensive coordinator), me being a D-lineman we did have a relationship when I was at Alabama so now it just seemed like the perfect opportunity.”
Wynn, Jr. on Ole Miss DC Pete Golding
Wynn has seen a lot of changes during his time in college and not just in his physical location. There have been advances in sports medicine, technology and equipment.
“There’s a lot of new stuff here I haven’t seen before,” Wynn said. “So it’s a blessing to see how, well, like coming to Alabama in 2018 (to now), how a lot of things as far as college football have changed.”
Wynn gets to take the field for the Rebels for the first time Sept. 2 against Mercer in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Steve Barnes
Steve Barnes joins The Rebel Walk staff as a senior writer and brings a trifecta of journalistic experience. As a writer, he has covered college sports for Rivals.com, Football.com and SaturdayDownSouth.com as well as served as a beat writer for various traditional newspapers.
He has been a broadcaster for arena football and several national tournament events for the National Junior College Athletic Association as well as hosting various shows on radio.
A former sports information director at Albany (Ga.) State University and an assistant at Troy and West Florida, he has helped host many NCAA conference, regional and national events, including serving five years on the media committee of the NCAA Division II World Series.
Barnes, a native of Pensacola, Fla., attended Ole Miss in 1983-84, where his first journalism teacher was David Kellum. The duo has come a long way since that time.
He will bring a proven journalistic track record, along with a knack for finding the out-of-the-ordinary story angles to The Rebel Walk.
Barnes continues to reside in Pensacola a mere ten minutes from the beach because he does have taste and a brain.
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