Ole Miss Transfer Portal Class 'Just Gelled' with Veteran Rebel Football Players
The new-look Ole Miss Rebels open up spring football practice in less than a week and Lane Kiffin's staff will be working in a drove of new prospects ahead of the 2022 season.
The prep ranks provided several early-enrollees and the transfer group brought in brings even more fresh faces to campus with the potential to help out the team on an immediate basis. Many are on campus having participated in workouts, weight lifting and general living with the returning Rebel roster.
According to one key transfer, defensive end Jared Ivey, the transition has been relatively seamless from a football and personal perspective.
"I wouldn't even say I feel like a transfer anymore," Ivey told The Grove Report. "It was so quick and we were welcomed in so fast. Plus we went straight into the work. We've been grinding with everybody...everybody was on the same wavelength on why we came here.
"We came here to make this team better and we can help fill some gaps with experience. Everybody just gelled in the locker room. You couldn't tell a transfer from a fifth-year guy."
The culture fit of the transfers already on campus, including quarterback Jaxson Dart, running back Zach Evans, linebacker Troy Brown and scores of others -- has resonated with the overall Rebel roster.
It's safe to say the success of the 2021 team, which engineered the first 10-win regular season in program history, has led to similar expectations for 2022 despite considerable turnover at just about every position group on the team.
"Everybody's expectation, throughout the program, is to win the SEC championship," Ivey said. "They know what this team can be, we know what this team can be -- and that's a champion.
"That's what we're all focused on."
Ole Miss Transfer DE Jared Ivey
© Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
Ole Miss Transfer RB Zach Evans
Jerome Miron, USA Today
Ole Miss Transfer QB Jaxson Dart
@JaxsonDart
Between the end of the 2021 season and the start of spring practice, Ole Miss has brought in waves of new talent. In addition to a top 25 high school recruiting class, Kiffin's haul includes 14 transfer portal lands. Dart, Evans, Brown and Ivey are joined by tight end Michael Trigg (USC), wide receivers Malik Heath (Mississippi State) and Jordan Watkins (Louisville), offensive linemen Jordan Rhodes (South Carolina) and Mason Brooks (Western Kentucky), defensive end Khari Coleman (TCU), two-way player J.J. Pegues (Auburn) as well as defensive backs Isheem Young (Iowa State) and Ladarrius Tennison (Auburn).
The Rebels added another transfer on Wednesday evening in SMU running back Ulysses Bentley, similar to Ivey in picking the program after being in the portal for just a few days.
All 14 transfer players have immediate eligibility beginning with the 2022 football season.
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