Ole Miss readies to shock the world with an eight-deep (at least) offensive line
Ole Miss football kicks off the 2024-25 season in a week against Furman.
The Rebels roll into the year with heightened expectations after bringing back the core of last season’s record-setting, 11-win team. Ole Miss also signed another Top 3 transfer class in the off-season.
The Rebels don’t have a lot of questions as they wrap up the fourth full week of preseason practices. But Zach Berry, the Ole Miss Spirit’s recruiting expert, wants to see the offensive line in action.
Ole Miss rosters near-double-digit next-level linemen with a combined 222 career starts. But the Rebels has mixed and matched all month in search of the best starting five.
“The only question I truly have about Ole Miss is the offensive line, and not because I don’t think the group is capable,” Berry said. “I just think finding the right five is crucial. Because I do think there is a path to all five — and I’m not saying all go to the NFL — but all five could be really damn good.”
Berry and the rest of his ‘Hit That Line’ crew reconvened on Thursday for another episode of the Ole Miss Spirit’s ‘Flagship’ podcast, powered by Homefield Apparel.
“Yeah, but has (Ole Miss) ever had eight guys that could play on the line?,” co-host Nick Carr said.
Carr has a point.
North Carolina transfer Diego Pounds and veteran starter Jayden Williams are battling it out at left tackle. Nate Kalepo and Julius Buelow have been in and out at left and right guard, respectively. They were both multi-game starters at Washington, one of college football’s four playoff teams last season.
Gerquan Scott, a transfer from Southern Miss, has seemingly supplanted three-year starting center Caleb Warren. Warren’s transitioned to guard and running with the twos.
Micah Pettus put off the NFL to return at right tackle. Reece McIntyre is a fifth-year senior. He started two games last season and played a total of 444 snaps, including special teams. Preston Cushman has impressed throughout camp.
“Is Gerquan Scott the guy for center instead of Caleb Warren?” Berry said. “Is Diego Pounds the left tackle, or should he slide inside and you play Jayden Williams? Where do the two Washington guys fit in? I think both of them are NFL-caliber dudes, but where do they fit in this group?
“(Ole Miss offensive line coach John) Garrison has a tough task of finding the right grouping.”
