'Everything On Display' in Week 1 From Ole Miss LB Pooh Paul Jr.

Ole Miss LB Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr gave his takeaways from his first regular season game as a Rebel over the weekend.

Aug 31, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels linebacker Chris Paul Jr. (11) returns an interception during the second half against the Furman Paladins at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Linebacker Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr. made his Ole Miss debut in the second half of Saturday's dominating victory over Furman, and he made the most of his playing time.

Paul finished the game as the Rebels' leading tackler (8) alongside 2.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. After the game, Paul explained that even though he didn't get the start in Saturday's game, he was thrilled to finally be in front of the fans in Oxford. While he waited for his shot, his focus remained on his teammates on the field.

"Continue to bring the energy for those guys, man," Paul said. "There's no reason to sit back and pout about anything. It's a blessing to be here. It's a blessing to watch those guys work. Those guys have put in major work, and just trusting the coaches and things like that."

Paul is a part of the host of new transfers getting their first taste of action in The Sip. Accompanied by Walter Nolen (Texas A&M), Princley Umanmielen (Florida) and Trey Amos (Alabama), Paul was not the only new face under defensive coordinator Pete Golding.

Even though Saturday's game was against an FCS opponent, Paul and his defensive teammates focused on playing to the standard they have set for themselves, as well as matching the expectations of the coaches and fans.

"I think we take every game seriously," Paul said. "You've got to play every game as if it's your last because you never know when you'll get another opportunity. Just lock it in and play to the standard that we hold ourselves to. I feel like no matter what game it is, you take it as your last, and you go put everything on display."

While at Arkansas, Paul accumulated 137 tackles and six sacks, but he was enamored with how passionate the Ole Miss fan base was when his team visited Oxford in the past. That level of energy was something he has looked forward to since joining the Rebels this offseason.

"At my previous institute, I played Ole Miss before, and I could feel the energy from the fans," Paul said. "It was kind of startling at times because when you have such a good team who plays hard [and] has the crowd behind them throughout everything, it's kind of scary.

"Once I got here I kind of had a feel of what I was getting myself into. Actually playing here and feeling that atmosphere, it was electric. It was awesome, and I can't wait to get back out there next week."

Paul and the rest of the Rebels look to keep the momentum alive on Saturday as they take on Middle Tennessee at home at 3:15 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on SEC Network.