OXFORD, Miss. – Alongside wide receiver Traylon Ray and offensive lineman Delano Townsend, linebacker Tahj Chambers was available to the media following the conclusion of the Rebels’ first week of fall camp. This is what he said about his fellow teammates, the staff, and playing in the SEC.

Working with starting LB TJ Dottery

“Having a guy on the team that’s a leader for the team in general, and in our position group, helps a lot,” Chambers said. “He knows the playbook, he’s been in the group for a long time, he’s just been helping out whenever he can.”

Having someone on the team who, like Chambers mentioned, is a leader for the whole team and not just one position group is something extremely valuable to have.

With someone like Dottery being on the defense with the experience and knowledge that he has, he’s able to provide Chambers and all the other transfers and new faces on the defense with information and tips to help the entire team be successful.

If Ole Miss can continue this chain of leadership and guidance, passing knowledge and information from one player to the next, the Rebels will be able to build such a skilled defense with chemistry that will last for many seasons to come.

Improvements since arriving in Oxford

“Since being here, I’ve been gaining weight like crazy; they feed us a lot here,” Chambers said. “I’ve been gaining a lot of muscle, getting stronger, faster, the program in general is built to elevate players.”

This is something important that can be attributed to the coaching staff as a whole, maybe more specifically the nutrition staff, but something that shows just how dedicated the players and staff are. It may be something that goes unnoticed and underappreciated.

“They feed us a lot, man,” Chambers said. “Every chance they get, they’re putting something in front of us to eat. I came in at 215, right now I’m at 235.”

It’s more than just staying in shape, it’s about being in the best position weight weight-wise, to perform effectively. Putting on the weight, getting stronger and faster, are things that will help Chambers perform his best, better than he performed at Missouri State, his previous school before transferring to Ole Miss.

It all comes down to the little things that go unnoticed, the things that go on behind the scenes, even deeper than the practice before the games. The time and dedication put into the diet and the weight room are what go unnoticed, but also what sets players apart.

If Chambers can continue to elevate himself, and others too, then there’s no telling what state the defense is going to be by the end of fall camp, performance-wise and physically.

Why play in the SEC?

“The [NFL] is definitely a goal for me, I feel like every football player who comes to college has those dreams of going to the next level,” Chambers said. “I feel like playing at Missouri State, I didn’t get the recognition I wanted to, so I decided after I graduated to come to a bigger program to showcase my talent on a bigger stage.”

If Chambers wants a bigger stage and recognition, then that’s what he’ll get at Ole Miss. If he can stand out while playing against teams like Georgia, Florida, LSU, and so on, then so long as he performs, he’ll get the recognition he’s searching for.

If he can continue to perform through camp, improve himself physically, and work hard, then he’ll earn a spot on the big stage.

At a school like Ole Miss, where there’s been a history of talent, and one coming off a season in which it had eight draft picks, he picked the right place to go. If Chambers can see the vision and the opportunity in Oxford, then everyone can, and it won’t be long till the Rebels are hoisting the national championship trophy.

His physicality fits

“I’m a very physical linebacker, so here at Ole Miss it plays in very well,” Chambers said. “We like to bring a lot of pressure, and that’s my type of style. I love to blitz.”

This is a true fit for Ole Miss, and one that the Rebels need more of. This is an instance of the school and the player being the perfect fit for each other.

For Ole Miss to have found someone who “loves to get in the action,” they found an important piece for the defense. So long as they utilize him correctly, he could be a force for the Ole Miss defense in his last year of college ball.

Chambers is the epitome of a player who loves the game of football, someone who stays in the weight room, trusts the plan and the program, and continuously grows as a person and a player.

Head coach Lane Kiffin and defensive coordinator Pete Golding need to ensure they continue to find players like Chambers, and if they can, then Ole Miss can create a national standard.