Ole Miss football’s Caden Prieskorn and Victor Curne are eyeing a legacy win in the Peach Bowl

It’s well-documented and has been repeated several times when Ole Miss Coach Lane Kiffin was asked somewhere around the middle of the regular season why the Rebel run game had finally gained some steam and was a legitimate threat once again, his answer was brief and to the point.

“Caden’s back,” said Kiffin.

“Caden” is, of course, Rebel Tight End Caden Prieskorn, who missed some games due to a foot injury. In those missed contests, the Reb run game was somewhat stagnant, but with him in the lineup, Rebel fans got what they were used to the previous two seasons – a potent run game that had to be respected by the opposing defenses.

Sometimes, that didn’t necessarily translate into big rushing games. Defenses stacked the box, but it almost always opened up the passing game when that occurred.

“Right after the bye week heading into the Auburn week I got mostly healthy and I felt really comfortable in the offense,” said Prieskorn, a senior who recently announced he was going to come back to Ole Miss for his COVID season in 2024. “Dealing with that foot injury set me back a little bit.

“When I got through the bye week and got action against Auburn, that’s when I felt like myself again.”

Being himself, Prieskorn became an effective blocker that was a catalyst for springing Rebel runners.

He also became a receiving threat, catching 20 balls for 313 yards and 2 touchdowns. His 15.7 yards per catch was second on the team to WR Tre Harris. Prieskorn played in 9 games but was really full speed in 6 or 7.

Prieskorn wanted to see this year how he stacked up against the nation’s best playing in the SEC after excelling in a G5 program at Memphis.

“Playing in the SEC and now playing in the Peach Bowl against Penn State, those games are why I transferred,” he continued. “This New Year’s Six bowl is the biggest game of my life. Just to play in one of these games is surreal.”

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Prieskorn and OL Victor Curne know they’ll have their hands full with Penn State.

The Lions have the nation’s top-rated defense.

“Penn State is well-disciplined and they have sound, quality depth,” said Curne. Curne transferred to Ole Miss from Washington. He will probably move to right tackle for the Peach Bowl due to Micah Pettus being injured and out for the game. “It will be important for us to play with tempo and it will be important for us to get to our spots and execute our blocks.

“We take pride as a unit in putting our playmakers in the right spots and blocking for them to make plays and that will be our intention in the Peach Bowl Saturday.”

Caden complimented Penn State’s defense as well.

“I feel like they are always in the right spot at the right time,” Prieskorn stated. “So, we have to control what we can control and everyone do their jobs to give u the best chance to win.

“We know they have a got a good defense and good secondary, but we’ve got a good offense and very good receivers. They’ve got great players but so do we. It’s just going to be a battle for four quarters.”

How important is this game to the Rebels?

Curne, the 6-4 320-pounder who is taking his last bite of the collegiate apple against Penn State, said “very important.”

“We want to stamp our legacy with the 11th win, the first Ole Miss team to do that in a season,” Victor closed. “We’ve put in too much work to not see it through. An 11th win would be a great thing and something I would cherish forever.”

Prieskorn and Curne will get their opportunities to make their marks in the Peach Bowl Saturady at 11 a.m. central time.

They both have their eyes on the prize.