Ole Miss cornerback Deantre Prince: “We’ve got to bring a national championship to Oxford.”

Ole Miss cornerback Deantre Prince is in a much different place as he enters his senior season.

He appeared in 12 games, with three starts, as a true freshman in 2019. Somewhat surprisingly, he dropped down a level to play in junior college as a sophomore before returning a year later as a non-scholarship transfer in time for spring practices. 

The Rebels were 10-3 last season, including their 10th all-time appearance in the Sugar Bowl. Prince started every game and finished with 46 total tackles, three pass breakups and two interceptions.

He feels vindicated, in a way, as he progresses through what could be his final offseason at Ole Miss. Many questioned his decision to get himself right away from the hustle and bustle of the SEC. He said some of his family members even tried to talk him out of it. 

But he believes he’s a better version of himself on and off the field now, and he’s determined to help the Rebels go even further in 2022.

“We’ve got to bring a national championship to Oxford,” Prince, an exclusive NIL partner of the Ole Miss Spirit, said. “Got to. We’re going to work towards it. Go day by day, work as hard as we can, build our brothers up and get this ball rolling in the fall.”

Ole Miss lost a lot, especially on the offensive side, following what was a record-setting second season under head coach Lane Kiffin. 

Never before had Ole Miss won 10 regular season games. Ole Miss fell just short of its first-ever 11-win season with its loss to Baylor in New Orleans.

Kiffin also had significant coaching staff turnover, including the loss of co-defensive coordinator DJ Durkin to Texas A&M. Chris Partridge, who shared the duties with Durkin each of the last two seasons, has assumed more responsibility, and Mo Crum was hired away from Western Kentucky earlier this week.

Crum replaces Chris Kiffin. Kiffin returned to the Cleveland Browns after only a month in Oxford (his second stint as an Ole Miss assistant) as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

“Coach Partridge is one of my favorite coaches, and he’s always given us that knowledge,” Prince said. “Even last year, when coach Durkin was here, he was teaching the corners and safeties a little bit. He wasn’t teaching us everything, but he was helping me (and) critiquing my game and my knowledge. He was telling me what I need to do to make me a first-round (NFL) draft pick.”

Prince said there was little doubt he was going to return to Ole Miss, but a couple of schools tried to persuade him.

He went to Northwest Mississippi Community College. Afterwards, he had around 10 offers. LSU, which was always a dream school for Prince, definitely tempted him. But he’s been proven right in charting and following his own course. Ole Miss is and always was home.

In the end, he was never going to turn his back.

“Me wanting me to come back (was) for the fans and for the coaches and academic-wise,” he said. “I just wanted to show that, yeah, I can be that reliable and responsible and mature person that I knew I could be.

“I felt it was a great decision, but even my family members tried to talk me out of doing it. But now that they see what I’ve become and how much I’ve grown and matured, they’re like, ‘You made the best decision for yourself.’”

Another change has been the hiring of Sam Carter, formerly of Arkansas, as cornerbacks coach.

He takes over for Terrell Buckley. Ole Miss and Buckley mutually agreed to part ways last month.

“He’s a great coach,” Prince said. “Love him already. Treats us like we’re his kids and brothers at the same time. He’s a really great coach. He’s already teaching us a couple of things (and) helping critique our game just a little bit more. He’s talking to us about our film from last year and what we can do differently. He’s getting me to the next level, most definitely.”

*** Ole Miss cornerback Deantre Prince is sponsored by Greer Law Firm in Tupelo, Miss. They can be reached at 662-842-5345. ***