Ole Miss left tackle Diego Pounds ready to experience LSU rivalry
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss offensive tackle Diego Pounds stepped to the podium after practice Tuesday to discuss the offensive line play through recent weeks, relationships with his teammates and the upcoming matchup with LSU in Baton Rouge.
In the trenches
Coming into the 2024 college football season, the Ole Miss offensive line was perhaps the deepest room on the team with North Carolina transfer Diego Pounds highlighting another huge transfer portal class for Lane Kiffin.
Despite being one of the highest-graded pass protectors of the 2023 season, Pounds found himself in a rotational role behind Rebel veteran Jayden Williams. Unfortunately, Williams suffered an injury just a few weeks into the 2024 season, meaning Pounds would step into the starting left tackle role.
On Tuesday, Pounds commented on rotating at left tackle with Williams and added that the 2024 starter is a close friend of his.
“I think it’s good (rotating reps). It’s good for me; it’s good for him. I am actually sad he got hurt, me and Jayden are really close friends. He’s just there helping me out, helping me get better every day too. Whether it’s from the sideline or if it’s telling me what this player is doing on the field, he’s just helping me out.“
~ Diego Pounds on Jayden Williams
Pounds evaluated his play and the offensive line as a whole heading into week seven.
“I feel like last week against South Carolina we were very prepared upfront. I feel like South Carolina had a really good D-Line, a really good front seven…me and all the boys (offensive line) are just out there battling, doing the best we can.“
~ Pounds on the Ole Miss O-Line
The Rebels lost much of their depth at offensive line with Williams going down, along with Jeremy James, Gerquan Scott and Caleb Warren all suffering injuries and missing time as well. However, this past weekend Warren saw snaps at center late in the game and James was seen warming up in full uniform before the game, proving to be great signs for the unit’s depth going into the heart of the season.
Pounds commented on what it means to get the veterans James and Warren back and healthy.
“Getting the boys back is good for us because those are veteran guys. They see stuff I don’t see; they have been in this game before. I just take everything they tell me and just listen to it. I feel like we all do that, across the whole O-Line.“
~ Pounds on getting Warren and James back
The good news for the Rebels is a much-needed bye week is in store after the matchup in Death Valley this Saturday. Ole Miss has injuries that need to be nursed at many positions, not just the offensive line. Pounds claimed the bye week will be greatly appreciated, but the Rebel training staff does a good job of taking care of the team.
“I feel good. I feel like our coaches, like Coach Kiffin and our strength coaches, take really good care of our bodies. I actually feel pretty good, but the bye week next week is going to be good. It gives us a little break off because eight weeks straight is kind of hard coming right out of fall camp. I feel like our coaches just do a good job keeping our bodies fresh.“
~ Pounds on his health as of this week
The matchup in Baton Rouge
Coming off of two straight SEC matchups against Kentucky and South Carolina, the Rebels are battle-hardened going into Baton Rouge. Tuesday, Pounds talked about how each week has prepared the team for the next.
“I feel like in the SEC everyone is good, everybody can play. Playing against Kentucky got us ready for South Carolina. Playing South Carolina got us ready for LSU,” he explained.
Although the Tigers are more known for the offensive line in 2024, they are historically known for their great players on the defensive side of the ball. Pounds and the Ole Miss offensive line do not plan on taking the LSU defensive front lightly this coming weekend.
“I feel like they have a good defensive line, and they have good backers. I think their whole team is good. I am just giving them their respect. They are out there grinding every day like we are…I feel like it’s going to be another challenge, just like last week.“
~ Pounds on the LSU defensive line
Going into Baton Rouge, the question of how the opposing team will handle the environment will always be a factor. Although the Rebels are coming off of a road game in a rowdy Columbia, South Carolina environment, Pounds says the Ole Miss coaching staff is making sure the Rebels stay ready for the noise in Death Valley.
“We know that their stadium is loud. That is all I have been hearing about it, is that it’s loud. Our coaches out at practice try to mimic all the crowd noise, mimic all the sounds with huge speakers. Even out at practice it’s still loud, so, you really just have to key into the quarterback’s clap. If you can’t hear the clap, you just watch the ball, just have to make sure everybody is on the same page.“
~ Pounds on the LSU crowd noise
Ole Miss will be looking to knock off the Tigers in Baton Rouge for the first time since 2008, a game note that defensive end Jared Ivey claimed is just for the fans. Although Pounds is another Rebel transfer with no link to the Magnolia Bowl rivalry, the offensive tackle said that he will treat it like one if his ‘brothers’ say it is.
“Since I am new, I don’t really feel what they felt for it, but these are my brothers, and I trust everything they say. They don’t like LSU; It’s a rivalry, then I am going to treat it exactly like a rivalry. At the end of the day, it is football, but I just figured out that there is a whole Magnolia Bowl trophy. I am still new to it, I don’t really know the deep roots about it, but if it’s a rivalry, it’s a rivalry.“
~ Pounds on the Ole Miss-LSU rivalry
Up Next
The Rebels will continue their week of game preparation heading into Baton Rouge this weekend. On Saturday, Oct. 12, the No.9 Ole Miss Rebels will take on the No.13 LSU Tigers at 6:30 pm CT on the ABC network.
Kameron Wicker
Kam is an undergraduate at Ole Miss, currently pursuing a degree in Journalism. Even though he's from Delhi, Louisiana, that didn't stop Kam from growing up a diehard Ole Miss fan. He's a sports guru who watches and follows all sports at all times. He lettered four years in football and baseball in high school and is an avid Saints, Pelicans, and Astros fan. In his free time, you can find him watching sports or at the rec participating in them.
