Rebel Walk Recruiting Game of the Week: A Visit with 2026 QB/RB Cardae Mack
HUMBLE, Texas — The Rebel Walk returns to Houston tonight for a matchup where streaks will be definitely broken, as No.8 nationally-ranked North Shore (7–0) hits the road to take on No. 16 Atascocita (7-0). There will be no shortage of talent as each team looks to continue its undefeated streak and inch one game closer to a spot in the Texas state championship.
Heading into this evening’s contest, North Shore, on paper, checks off all the boxes since the start of the rivalry in 2016. The Mustangs hold the edge in the series at 9-2. However, Atascocita has found life in a potent offense anchored by running back-turned-quarterback Cardae Mack, an Ole Miss recruit.
Mack and top running back Tory Blaylock headline an extremely versatile attack that will be a huge storyline against a potent North Shore defense. As a running back last season, Mack amassed 1,370 rushing yards on 148 carries. But what makes Mack, a 3-star junior, such a phenom is that this season he has flipped the script and is showcasing his impressive arm as the Eagles’ offensive anchor.
QB Cardae Mack,Atascocita C/O ‘26 hits RB Tory Blaylock C/O ‘25 in stride
Tory takes it in for a 70-yard TD reception
With Mack being such a dual-threat, Kingwood’s defense had to plan for him potentially running. He is good w/ play action
Atascocita 33
Kingwood 28
4th Quarter pic.twitter.com/Jx0JYoO5Ax— Mark Russell (@MarkRussellQB) October 20, 2024
With that sort of talent, it is obvious why Ole Miss remains steadfast in the hunt to bring Mack to the ‘Sip. His athleticism is quite rare; his physicality and his background at running back are a duality that makes it difficult for opposing defenses to stop.
Quick scouting look at Cardae Mack
- Very gifted athlete
- Speedy with the ability to stop-and-go at will
- Great instincts; always seems to find a path
- Big-play ability on every play — with his legs or arm
- Can be an every-down back at the next level
- Low center of gravity makes him hard to tackle
A visit with Cardae Mack
We had a chance to catch up with Cardae recently and he shared a bit on his recruitment by the Rebs.
RW: Collegiately, you are being recruited as a running back; however, your skills and what you’ve done at quarterback are obvious. How has being a RB helped you excel at the QB position?
Cardae: Being a RB has helped me excel as a QB by being able to escape the pocket when it is about to collapse.
RW: Plenty of programs have their eyes on you, including Ole Miss. What stands out and means the most about the way the Rebs are building a recruiting relationship with you?
Cardae: Coach Kiffin for sure. When the head coach gets involved in the recruiting part, showing his interest, it means a lot.
RW: Naturally with your talent, plenty of the home-state teams are wanting you to stay in Texas. But what would it mean to play in the SEC and a place like Ole Miss?
Cardae: It would be a blessing. Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of playing in front of hundreds of thousands of people, and Ole Miss is a great opportunity.
RW: What do you believe is often your most-overlooked skill?
Cardae: My ability to throw the ball, for sure.
Game info
Kickoff from Turner Stadium in Humble, Texas is set for 7:00 p.m. CT tonight.
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Lee Ann serves as the Director of Recruiting for The Rebel Walk. She sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.
