Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins Thankful to be Nominated for CSpire Conerly Trophy, Looking Ahead to ULM
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss (8-2, 5-2 SEC) sophomore running back Quinshon Judkins met with the media on Tuesday after practice as the team prepares to take on the ULM Warhawks on Saturday.
Judkins was announced on Tuesday morning as a finalist for the CSpire Conerly Trophy. He won the award last season as a freshman.
“Definitely an honor to be nominated to be the best player in Mississippi,” Judkins said.
“That is what I came to Ole Miss for is to be the best player that I can be in the country. Just to be nominated for that, I am grateful for God and everyone around me to help me get to this point.“
Quinshon Judkins on being nominated for CSpire Conerly Trophy
This season, Judkins has carried the ball 191 times in 10 games for a total of 868 net yards and 14 touchdowns which leads the stable of running backs. He also has caught 17 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.
Against the talented Bulldogs’ defense, Judkins carried 22 times for 75 yards (3.4 yards per carry) and recorded two touchdowns.
Quinshon Judkins. That is all.@qaj4_ | ESPN pic.twitter.com/mcze8OtNSO
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 12, 2023
“I think as a whole we have come a very long way as a team (this season),” Judkins said. “Starting slow early on in the season, not playing as far as we wanted to overall, but I think as we’ve progressively went throughout the season we have all gotten better as far as players, coaches…we still have more to go,” the running back added.
Ole Miss is down to its final two games remaining in the regular season as they play two games in the next 10 days ULM on Saturday and Mississippi State on Thanksgiving.
“Honestly, you don’t have that much time to prepare, everything is kind of rushed,” Judkins said. “From the last game up until the next. You kind of have a short-term memory. In terms of what you have done this week.”
Judkins added that in preparation a team may be different in scheme from the team you are about to face. “You have to go in and prepare a lot faster,” he explained.
Coming off the loss to Georgia on Saturday, which is the Rebels’ second SEC loss, there is still a great deal on the table for the team to make history. Ole Miss’ star back is not worried about the team having a dropoff as they did last year after losing to the Crimson Tide.
“I feel like it’s a different team than last year. At one point, when we lost to Alabama (last year), everyone was kind of more so down and out. I think what Coach (Lane) Kiffin has explained to the team is definitely a big point as far as how we can make history and do something that has never been done before here. Definitely a big turnaround for us.”
Quinshon Judkins
If Ole Miss wins out against ULM and Mississippi State, and wins the bowl game, the Rebels could finish 11-2. No Ole Miss football team has ever reached that 11-win mark.
Quinshon made it clear the team has put the loss to the Bulldogs behind them and has turned the page to ULM.
“As far as how the (Georgia) game went Saturday, I think everyone has let it go and has tried to better themselves coming into this week and is definitely working on getting better as far as this upcoming game.”
Quinshon Judkins
Offensive line injuries
The Rebels’ offensive line lost two players from the rotation the week of Georgia in Micah Pettus and Jayden Williams early in the game.
“I think losing those two tackles definitely affected the game on Saturday. I would say just with the younger guys and the guys that have to step up into those roles that they were forced into, I think with the older guys on the line that have been playing, they’ve influenced the other guys in the room. I think Coach Harrison will put whoever deserves to be at that position, he’ll play them. I know those guys do the best at what they do and I believe in them.”
Quinshon Judkins
Jaxson Dart
Junior quarterback Jaxson Dart took a hit in the third quarter against Georgia that kept him out for the remainder of the game as Spencer Sanders came in to close it out.
“I remember seeing him (Dart) down on the ground and he just looked out of it,” Judkins said. “I think at that point, I wasn’t around when they put Spencer in but I think Spencer just stepped in and did the best that he could. Came into that role and just executed. I don’t really know what happened on that last drive when they took Jaxson out, but I know Spencer was ready.”
Judkins added that Dart has been out on the practice field the past couple of days.
“He has been moving good at practice,” Judkins said. “It is good to see.”
Next Up
Judkins and the Rebels take on ULM on Saturday on Senior Day to close out the 2023 home slate of the schedule. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. and can be seen on the SEC Network.
Adam Brown
Adam Brown joins The Rebel Walk as the Managing Editor after being on the Ole Miss beat as a Sports Editor for over 11 years. He is a lifelong Oxford resident. Brown graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Prior to The Rebel Walk, Brown was the sports editor of HottyToddy.com covering every Ole Miss sport and local high school sports in the community.
