Practice Report: Ole Miss football shines on Saturday morning

OXFORD, Miss.- It was a beautiful Saturday morning for Ole Miss football as the team took the field for another spring practice. Energy was high, recruits were in town for visits, and the Rebs looked fantastic.

Media was allowed to watch several periods today, so let’s dive into what we saw on the field.

Quarterbacks

All quarterbacks were participating today, throwing slants, go-routes, and everything in between. Freshman AJ Maddox continues to impress with the quickness of his feet paired with the strength of his arm. 

Despite playing also baseball for the Rebels, Austin Simmons looks just as dominant as he has all spring, showing no sign of fatigue. Dart and Howard also threw some incredible balls, proving their elite accuracy. 

Offensive Line 

Ole Miss has one of the deepest offensive line rooms in the country, with the ability to rotate any player at any given time. For example, Washington transfer Julius Buelow, who usually plays guard, was playing tackle today with Jayden Williams. 

Reese McIntyre took some snaps at center, while Jeremy James was also playing some guard after playing tackle earlier in the week. Nate Kalepo continued to stay at guard, just as he played for Washington this past season. The versatility across the line is what makes this group so special and talented for offensive line coach John Garrison. 

One-on-one

We saw an incredible one-on-one matchup today between sophomore wide receiver Cayden Lee and sophomore cornerback AJ Brown. The duo lined up face-to-face at the 10-yard line with Jaxson Dart at quarterback. In their first matchup, Lee was unable to get open, putting Brown ahead 1-0. On the next play, Lee cut across the middle for an open slant catch, forcing a third-round tiebreaker.

In round three, Lee ran a fade route and made an incredible catch, with credit to Dart’s throw. Brown knocked the ball loose seconds later, but the play was already ruled a touchdown, giving Lee the win. The energy, pressure, and experience in this drill are exactly what Ole Miss fans should love to hear about, especially with two rising stars!

Defensive Line 

It seems as if we say the same thing every day, but Walter Nolen and Josh Harris looked dominant on the interior line today. They do a fantastic job at closing the gaps on run plays while causing serious disruption up the middle on passing plays. 

Similar to last season, Suntarine Perkins was also featured in the edge spot opposite Jared Ivey. This will be one of the most dynamic defensive lines in the country, with an abundance of options to play for defensive line coach Randall Joyner. 

For more practice updates and all Ole Miss recruiting coverage, stay tuned with The Rebel Walk. Hotty Toddy!

Zach Moreth

Zach is a freshman at Ole Miss and is studying Sports Administration. Outside of watching and playing sports, he enjoys spending time with his loved ones and being active. I’m excited to help cover our amazing Ole Miss sports teams!