How Can Ole Miss' Offensive Line Become Great? By Focusing On 'Details,' Says Julius Buelow

The Ole Miss Rebels offensive line has some new talent that hopes to take the unit to a championship level this season.

Ole Miss Rebels offensive lineman Julius Buelow during 2024 fall camp. / Ole Miss Athletics

Offensive linemen Julius Buelow and Nate Kalepo have been on the national championship stage before. Now, they are seeking to return with the Ole Miss Rebels in 2024.

Buelow and Kalepo were part of the Joe Moore Award winning unit last season with the Washington Huskies, an honor given to the top offensive line in the country each season. That helped take the Huskies to the national championship game, a matchup they would go on to lose to the Michigan Wolverines.

Still, these two have seen what it takes to be a championship-level offensive line, and Buelow stated on Thursday that there are some similarities between last year's Huskies and this year's Rebels front.

"We've definitely got the size," Buelow said of the Rebels. "I think this is the first time I've played next to somebody, Micah [Pettus], being the same size as me, which is kind of weird.

"We're definitely still in the beginning stages of building that chemistry, building that camaraderie. We've got a lot of guys from different schools trying to get on the same page, getting the right calls in and having that chemistry, but I think talent-wide, definitely on par with where we were last year."

Ole Miss Rebels offensive lineman Julius Buelow during 2024 fall camp. / Ole Miss Athletics

Ole Miss doesn't appear to have settled on a permanent starting offensive line in fall camp, but the important thing is that there seems to be depth on the roster in those positions. Transfers like the two former Huskies, Diego Pounds from North Carolina and Gerquan Scott from Southern Miss gave this unit a boost during the offseason, one they hope rides throughout the season.

But what sets apart "good" offensive lines and "great" ones? From Buelow's perspective, it's not big steps, but small ones.

"It's definitely the details, the little things," Buelow said. "How you do one thing is how you do everything. My mom always told me don't half-step anything you do in life, and that definitely translates to football.

"How you wash the dishes is how you're going to block wide zone. If you do everything right and try to better yourself every day, you're definitely going to get there."

The offensive line's level of play will be of the utmost importance for Ole Miss this season. Not only do they have a nationally-acclaimed quarterback to protect in Jaxson Dart, but they have to open rushing lanes for a new-look running back room, one spearheaded by Ulysses Bentley IV and transfers Henry Parrish Jr. and Rashad Amos.

The Rebels will open their season at home against the FCS Furman Paladins on Aug. 31. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on SEC Network+.