After a season of questions regarding his playing time, Ulysses Bentley IV notches career-best performance in Egg Bowl
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss running back Ulysses “Doo” Bentley IV showed in Saturday’s Egg Bowl precisely why so many fans have been frustrated with his lack of playing time this season, as he rushed for a career-high in the Rebels’ 26-14 win over Mississippi State.
With his team trailing 14-10 with 8:40 to go in the second quarter, Bentley found a hole in traffic, juked a linebacker and was untouched the rest of the way, outrunning several State defensive backs en route to an 89-yard go-ahead touchdown run.
Nothin’ runs like a Bentley 🚗@BentleyDoo | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/mArbrlyJ1O
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 29, 2024
That was the fourth-longest rush in school history. It was also the longest run in the entire SEC this season.
Ulysses Bentley with the longest rushing TD in the entire SEC @BentleyDoo | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/TUZw07j8MD
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 29, 2024
“Once I seen that hole…I knew how fast I am. So ain’t nobody catching me. So once I hit it, I just knew I was going at that moment.”
Ulysses Bentley on his 89-yard TD run
While last Saturday against Florida Bentley did not carry the ball a single time, one week later he recorded 136 total rushing yards on 20 carries in the Egg Bowl. He also notched one reception for seven yards.
Ole Miss fans have been growing increasingly frustrated over the limited use of Bentley this season, voicing their displeasure all over social media, but the running back, himself, has remained above the fray, not causing any disruption for the team.
“You know, I wasn’t really frustrated. I definitely was frustrated that we lost, you know, and I didn’t get to impact my team the way I would. But I definitely put my head down and worked hard this week and came out here and did what I did.”
Ulysses Bentley
Bentley has, however, noticed all the support from fans. When he made his way out to his family on the field during the Senior Day celebrations Saturday, he did so to thunderous applause and chants of “Dooooo.
After the game he commented on taking off his helmet after his touchdown score, a gesture of appreciation, he explained.
“Oxford has so much love and support, I just felt the need to talk to the crowd a bit and show the love.”
Ulysses Bentley
Throughout the season — and culminating with last Saturday’s game against Florida where the Rebels started wide receiver Micah Davis at running back ahead of Bentley — Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has answered questions about his team’s usage of its running backs.
Last Sunday, Kiffin confirmed there was nothing Bentley had done off the field that was resulting in a lack of playing time on it.
“…It’s nothing off the field at all. He’s a wonderful kid who does everything we ask of him. We just haven’t been real consistent and productive at that spot this year and tried something else yesterday (against Florida). So, it is what it is. I’ve got a lot of respect for him. Really appreciate how he’s handled the situation, but this is what happens in coaching. Everybody doesn’t play and you’ve got to make hard decisions.”
Lane Kiffin
Monday, Coach Kiffin spoke further about it.
“It’s just that you gotta make hard decisions when you’re head coach. You can’t please everybody, so it is what it is. If you want to get into stats and percentages, look at the average per carry this year of all running backs.”
Lane Kiffin
Before today’s win, Bentley led the team with a 4.4 yard per carry average in SEC play. Now, after the Egg Bowl victory, his SEC yard-per-carry average is up to 5.3, tops on the team for running backs.
After the win over State, Kiffin expressed his thoughts on seeing Bentley do so well in the game.
Lane Kiffin on Ulysses Bentley IV and his 89-yard TD run: “That was awesome…I am so happy for him…like I said during the week, the guy has been awesome and a complete team guy.”
(Video: @KarisChambliss, RebelWalk) pic.twitter.com/ysBpl8GKBg
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) November 30, 2024
Coach Kiffin offered additional insight into the decision-making process this season.
“You play different people by styles and also the defense that you play and how you kind of think things are going to, you know, evolve. And your matchups up front and does it create space versus penetration? And so sometimes you go with different players. It’s kind of like in basketball when people play different rotations and stuff.”
Lane Kiffin
One constant in this up-and-down season is that Bentley has never complained during his dearth of carries. How did he manage that?
“Just keeping a positive attitude, and then we preach about it all the time. Just when your name is called, just be ready to go. And, you know, at any point in the time my name is called, I’m ready to go any time.”
Ulysses Bentley
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
