Jeremy James Raves on 'Extremely Physical,' Revamped Ole Miss Offensive Line

Senior Jeremy James believes that the pieces are in place for the Ole Miss Rebels to make noise in national championship picture.

Oct 28, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels offensive linemen Jeremy James (78) / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive lineman Jeremy James has seen it all during his time at Ole Miss, from a coaching change to a New Year's Six bowl win. Now in his fifth season at Ole Miss, James has a chance to do something special: help lead this team to Atlanta and the SEC Championship Game.

James relishes that he competes in practice with the new additions to the revamped front seven, part of an overhauled effort on defense brought in via the transfer portal.

"It's a lot of fun," James said. "They're really, really talented. It's making us go to work every day, and it's really fun. They're really good players."

In the new era of college sports defined by the transfer portal and NIL, it is almost unheard of for a player to be a fifth-year senior and stay at the same school for all five years. That is Jeremy James though, and he is a competitor who understands the opportunity in front of the team this year.

But he also understands that the Rebels had to get better up front to bring home a championship. Ole Miss added two members of Washington's Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line in Nate Kalepo and Julius Buelow this offseason from the portal with hopes of reaching that point along the line.

"We have a lot of new faces, but a lot of old faces," James said. "We're just trying to gel together, go to work and get better. ... [Kalepo and Buelow] are really talented. They're physical, really smart players, and I think they're going to be really, really good for us."

James believes that this offensive line unit can be "dominant" within the SEC this season, but he also understands that he has to be better for his team to be better, and he works closely with offensive line coach John Garrison.

"Working on the little technique things, mastering the playbook, trying to connect with the teammates," James said. "Try to get us going to get to the ultimate goal and win it all.

"Last year, [Garrison] was trying to learn who we were as players. This year, he has a pretty good understanding, so he's able to help us a lot more with technique and how to coach each player. It's been good."

Ole Miss will continue spring drills until their conclusion with the Grove Bowl on April 13. Kickoff of the regular season is scheduled for Aug. 31 in Oxford against the Furman Paladins.