Ole Miss mined Washington again (with a Vic Curne assist) for a pair of starting OL
Victor Curne keeps protecting Ole Miss’ blindside. Or at least having its back on the recruiting trail.
Curne couldn’t have been more solid in his one and only season as an Ole Miss Rebel. He was a transfer from Washington and started every game, mostly at left tackle. The Rebels finished with 11 overall wins for the first time ever. They appeared in two New Year’s Six bowl games in the previous three years.
Yet their roster for 2024-25 is better top-to-bottom because of another wildly successful off-season cleaning up in the NCAA Transfer Portal. Ole Miss pulled in the nation’s No. 3 class.
Walter Nolen (Texas A&M defensive tackle) was a headline-grabber, as was Princely Umanmielen (EDGE, Florida). They were ranked as a pair of Top 10 transfers. Juice Wells (South Carolina) was the portal’s No. 3 wide receiver. Chris ‘Pooh’ Paul (Arkansas) was among the top linebackers.
Julius Buelow and Nate Kalepo came late — as a double-dip of potential starting offensive lineman from Washington.
Ole Miss has Curne, in part, to thank.
“I came (to Ole Miss) with the mindset of helping anywhere I could, be it guard, tackle or center,” Curne said, in a previous interview with the Spirit. “Honestly, I was just trying to play anywhere on the line my last year as a college player.
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“(Former Rebel defensive back) Miles (Battle) told me he loved it here and loved the coaches here. I trusted him, and I’m glad I did. Ole Miss has been great for me.”
RELATED: Julius Buelow knows what it takes for the Rebels to make a national title run
Kalepo started all 15 games at guard for Washington.
The Huskies were college football’s national runner-up to Michigan this season. A number of Huskies transferred out after Kalen DeBoer left to replace Nick Saban as Alabama head coach.
Buelow started nine games. He made 28 total appearances over four seasons.
“I’ve got to give a shout-out to Vic Curne,” Buelow said after practice this week about his decision to transfer to Ole Miss. “He was my teammate at (Washington) and he kind of just got me in contact with (Rebel OC and QBs) coach (Charlie) Weis and (offensive line) coach (John) Garrison. Kind of peaked mine and Nate’s interests to come here.”
Both are mixing in with the first team as Ole Miss grinds its way through preseason camp.
The Rebels open in 15 days against Furman. The starting offensive line earlier this week was, from left to right, Jayden Williams/Diego Pounds, Kalepo, Gerquan Scott (Southern Miss transfer), Buelow/Caleb Warren and Micah Pettus.
The included practice photos were provided by Ole Miss Athletics.
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart
RB Ulysses Bentley, IV
WR Cayden Lee
Nolen picked up his fifth preseason honor this week
Virginia Tech transfer TE Dae’Quon Wright
Ole Miss DT JJ Pegues
Miami (Fla.) transfer RB Henry Parrish, Jr.
Ole Miss LB Suntarine Perkins
