Ulysses Bentley's surprise spring arrival provides boost to Ole Miss running game
Hours before Ole Miss football took the field for their first practice of the spring there was surprising news in the form of Ulysses Bentley IV.
The former running back at SMU was deeming academically eligible for the spring semester and could take the field immediately with the Rebels.
Given it was late March and two months into the semester, it was shocking but the Rebels were happy to add another running back to a group that was in need of rebuilding its depth.
Barely two days after entering the transfer portal, Bentley was in Oxford and suited up for practice.
“I was pretty surprised,” Bentley said. “I thought I was going to come here in the summer, but they got me here early.
“I found out I had three years of eligibility left so I kind of just pressed myself that I wanted to play at big stages and come to SEC, help Ole Miss get to the championship”
The Rebels became a prime destination this winter and spring when it came to the portal.
Seeing all of the other names that were choosing Oxford as their new college home, Bentley wanted to come as well.
A boost in personnel on the offensive side of the ball was a major appeal.
“I just seen all the transfers here. Guys like Mason (Brooks), Zach (Evans), all the receivers and stuff like that coming in,” Bentley said. “Then two quarterbacks. Man, I had to get here.”
The addition of Bentley to the running backs room adds numbers but it also creates what Bentley describes as “top notch” competition.
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Evans arrived a couple months before Bentley, but the two newcomers along with Kentrel Bullock and early enrollee Quinshon Judkins have all created noise for themselves and gotten plenty of reps in the first three open scrimmages of spring.
Having Evans already on the roster would make some players reconsider wanting to come to the same school with playing time being up for grabs.
Bentley did not view it that way when making his decision to become teammates with Evans.
He also sees their slight contrast in playing styles as a positive in what they both can do to opposing defenses this fall.
“It was just something positive. I don’t really look at it like that,” Bentley said. “We’re all going to get our opportunity to play and help a team get a championship. So, that’s what I’m here for.
“Zach pretty much got that power style and I’m really just elusive. Just a finesse back that can just get through the hole and run pretty fast.”
New Rebels running back coach Marquel Blackwell was another factor in Bentley’s decision to come to Ole Miss. Both were familiar with each othere when Blackwell was coaching at Houston.
