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'Why Not Now?': Ole Miss linebacker Austin Keys is back on the field and set to make an impact

11by:Jake Thompson•08/08/22•

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Ole Miss linebacker Austin Keys

When Austin Keys was on the shelf during Ole Miss football’s spring practices there was one question he constantly asked himself.

“Why not now?”

Keys was on the road to recovery from a knee injury he sustained last season that sidelined him after six games. Not being able to participate in spring drills allowed Keys to do a lot of soul searching and take stock of things.

Entering his third season Keys felt this was the time for him to make the impact expected of him since coming to Ole Miss out of Seminary High School.

“My approach to the spring, It’s going on my third year so why not now?” Keys said. “I feel like I’m looked at as a leader now. I’m pretty much a vet, so I got to come in stronger and harder and work every day.”

Last season Keys was finding some momentum before the injury derailed it.

Prior to being out for the rest of the season Keys recorded 12 tackles and recovered a fumble.

Keys earned his first career start when Ole Miss played at Alabama. With such positive momentum taking shape it was a tough thing to swallow when an injury stalled everything.

“I practiced hard and I finally got my first start at ‘Bama. I played good and I just kept on that same track,” Keys said. “I really didn’t want to break course of that.

“Coming back from an injury, I feel like I came back stronger and more mentally tough. Really just understanding the scheme and all the jobs that I got to go through.”

Related: Chuck’s Closer Look: Synopsis of the first week of Ole Miss football camp

Ole Miss opened up fall camp last week and Keys was on the field the first day giving a much-needed boost to the linebackers group.

During the spring the linebackers were viewed as the weakest position of the defense. That viewpoint started at the top with head coach Lane Kiffin, though it was one skewed due to circumstance.

Keys was out with injury but so was Troy Brown at times during spring drills. The linebackers were never at full strength, making a true evaluation of the position tough to do in March and April.

Now, both Brown and Keys are healthy and ready to prove their group is not going to deter the Ole Miss defense from a successful 2022 campaign.

“Who wouldn’t want a chip on their shoulder (with people) saying, ‘There’s no good person at linebacker,’ or whatever it is,” Keys said. “The defense plays together as one. We come together and get the job done.”

Related: Fall Camp Insider: Ole Miss football ‘difference-makers’ of another variety

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