Ole Miss LB Suntarine Perkins Gives Insight Into Crucial South Carolina Prep

Ole Miss linebacker Suntarine Perkins gives insight into the Rebels' locker room in the midst of an important week of practice.

Sep 28, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels linebacker Suntarine Perkins (4) sacks Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Brock Vandagriff (12) during the second half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ole Miss linebacker Suntarine Perkins is only in his second year of college football. Despite that, he has quickly established himself as a leader on and off the field.

Despite the Rebels' heartbreaking 20-17 loss against Kentucky last Saturday, the team remains committed to improving on its mistakes.

"Just staying focused," Perkins said on Monday. "It was one of those games you have to win, a big game like that. Staying focused, coming in this week focusing on our main thing, getting ready for Saturday to go against South Carolina."

While the loss certainly does sting, it's important to improve off the mistakes that were made, especially with an away game on the horizon in one of the more hostile environments in the SEC.

But this setback carries an important lesson for Ole Miss: learning how to lose and how to bounce back.

"Everybody was sick. It was a hard time," Perkins said. "We came back in, getting ready for weights, and here we are today, just staying focused. We keep going. That's it."

The SEC has earned a reputation as an unforgiving conference, and for good reason. Dwelling on past mistakes isn't going to improve morale in the locker room or help the team on the field. The fact that Perkins as only a sophomore is able to recognize that speaks volumes about the culture coach Lane Kiffin has developed in Oxford.

The offense will certainly need a big day, but the defense needs to be able to carry it's momentum from a big performance on Saturday into Columbia this week,

The Rebels and Gamecocks are slated for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff in Columbia. The game will be televised on ESPN.