Rebels LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste ‘Adjusting Well’ to New Defensive System
OXFORD, Miss. — Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste is one of a host of defensive transfers who made their way to the ranks of the Ole Miss Rebels this offseason. With spring and now three practices under his belt in fall camp, he feels that he is ready to hit the ground running this season.
Jean-Baptiste was made available to the media following practice on Saturday, and he fielded a variety of questions on the current status of the defense, especially focusing on how the team is gelling with a large amount of transfers on the roster.
“Throughout three practices, I feel like I’m adjusting pretty well,” Jean-Baptiste said. “Being able to play fast and communicate with the other guys on defense.
“I feel like the transition from spring to fall hasn’t been really hard. We’re pretty much ahead of the game.”
Jean-Baptiste is a veteran in the game of college football, so he knows talent when he sees it. When asked about Ole Miss freshman linebacker Suntarine Perkins, his praise was high for what he has seen during practice.
“Kid’s gonna be a baller man,” Jean-Baptiste said. “I love his high energy and motor. He’s going to be a great baller for this defense, for sure.”
Everyone on the Ole Miss defense is still in somewhat of an adjustment period, even the players who were on the roster a year ago. New defensive coordinator Pete Golding has brought his system to Oxford, so there has been a learning curve for the players on that side of the ball.
Even though transfers like Jean-Baptiste are new to Ole Miss, he feels that their veteran experience has helped made this adjustment easier for them than some younger players on the field.
“The transfers, we’re all a bunch of veteran guys,” Jean-Baptiste said. “I wouldn’t say it’s very challenging. Being able to communicate on the defensive side of the ball makes things a lot smoother. Us being veterans, I feel like it’s not as challenging as the incoming guys.”
Ole Miss will continue its run in fall camp throughout the month of August before opening its season at home against the Mercer Bears on Sept. 2.
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