Fall camp has given a few Ole Miss offensive players a chance to make real gains, and three names stand out: Makhi Frazier, Terez Davis and Caleb Odom.
For Frazier, the adjustment has been about settling into a new offense and carving out a clear role behind Kewan Lacy. Since arriving from Michigan State, he has climbed into the backup spot at running back and spent the summer learning what life looks like in the SEC.
He said the pace has been a big part of the transition.
“I have gotten used to the tempo offense and being able to play fast,” He later added. “This is a great offense for me to be able to show my abilities.”
Frazier also pointed to the daily competition with Lacy as part of what has helped him settle in.
“I have been able to compete with him every day and see how we can help each other get better. We take pride in what we do every day to get ready for the games.”
He may not be the starter, but Ole Miss will still need him. In a program chasing championships, that kind of depth matters.
Davis is in a different spot, but the storyline is just as important. He came to Oxford last summer from Maryland, saw only limited action a year ago, and now is set to open the season as the Rebels’ starting left tackle. That means he’ll be protecting Trinidad Chambliss’ blind side.
After spending last season watching the offense from the sideline, Davis said he has grown more comfortable with the way Ole Miss wants to play.
“It’s very important to know where to go to play fast in this offense, which is the main goal”
The Rebels believe Davis can be a major piece up front, and fall camp has given him the chance to prove it.
Odom is also pushing into a bigger role. He didn’t get much run last season, but Ole Miss plans to use him more at tight end this year. Last season, he was used as a hybrid piece, lining up at tight end at times and out wide at others.
That transition has come with a steep learning curve. John David Baker said the tight end spot, outside of quarterback, is the most demanding position in his offense, and Odom has felt that challenge firsthand.
“There are certain things that us tight ends have to know that might not be mentioned in play calls. It has definitely been a challenge, but there is nothing we aren’t understanding or aren’t built for.”
At 6’5 and 240 pounds, Odom has the size to be a factor. Fall camp has been about matching that physical profile with the mental side of the job.
With one of the toughest schedules on the board, Ole Miss is leaning on camp to get these players and the rest of the roster ready for the grind ahead.
In Other News...
Trinidad Chambliss Just Gave Ole Miss A Massive Preseason Boost
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit has already put a national spotlight on Trinidad Chambliss, and that is no small thing for a quarterback coming off a major leap from Division II Ferris State to Ole Miss. Chambliss arrived with a rsum that immediately turned heads, then backed it up by helping lead the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals and earning SEC Newcomer of the Year honors.
Now the expectations around him are only growing as Pete Golding begins his first season as head coach. Ole Miss opens with a neutral-site matchup against Louisville on September 6, and if Chambliss carries anything close to the buzz he has generated in the preseason, the Rebels could enter the fall with one of the most intriguing storylines in the country. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Is Counting On Johntay Cook To Prove He Can Be Trusted
Ole Miss spent the offseason reshaping its receiver room, bringing in five new wideouts from the transfer portal after key departures thinned the group. Among the most intriguing additions is Johntay Cook II, a former five-star prospect whose path has already taken him from Texas to Washington and then to Syracuse, where he put up 45 catches for 549 yards and two touchdowns last season.
The talent has never been the question with Cook, and that is why his fit in Oxford is worth watching. Ole Miss is expecting him to help on offense this fall, but the Rebels are also betting that his past off-field baggage stays in the background long enough for his production to matter. In a room with fresh faces and new roles, the real challenge is not just finding targets for him, but counting on him when the games start to tighten up. [Read more 🡒]