'Sky's the Limit!' TE Caden Prieskorn Shows Confidence in Ole Miss' 2024 Campaign

Ole Miss Rebels tight end Caden Prieskorn thinks his team can do special things in 2024.

Dec 30, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels tight end Caden Prieskorn (86) runs for a touchdown after catching a pass against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Tight end Caden Prieskorn was not healthy for the early portions of the Ole Miss Rebels' 2023 season, but once he found his footing, he was a lights-out contributor in the offense.

Prieskorn's best game was the season's last in the Peach Bowl against Penn State where he hauled in 10 receptions for 136 yards and two scores, helping the Rebels come away with a 38-25 win and put a close on the team's first-ever 11-win season. What changed for him down the stretch?

The playmaker went into detail about the end of last season on Wednesday.

"I feel like a big part was being healthy towards the end of the season," Prieskorn said. "Just feeling comfortable in the offense, and I feel like the coaches were more comfortable with me to do more stuff. It's hard. You didn't know how much I was going to play in some of those games because you never know what could happen with the foot injury.

"Building that confidence with the coaches and Dart, I just had to perform. Now, I'm looking forward to this season."

The Peach Bowl itself could illustrate that Prieskorn is back to his normal self, but the past is the past. He is now focused on staying healthy in 2024 and helping Ole Miss push towards the College Football Playoff.

"It was definitely a big confidence booster, but it was last year though," Prieskorn said. "Coach Kiffin says it doesn't really matter what you did in years past. So I kind of stay humble and stay hungry and keep moving forward."

Prieskorn could have gone pro after last year. A former transfer from Memphis, he would have gone out on top in Rebel lore for being a part of the historic 2023 season, but he elected to come back for another season alongside so many other playmakers from last year.

Part of the decision came down to how much time he missed due to injury, but he also believes special things can be in store for his team this fall.

"Seeing the talent we had and even bringing these transfers in, [we] have more talent," Prieskorn said. "I knew with this team going forward, the sky's the limit. We've just got to take care of our business and go 1-0 each week."

The Rebels will have their first chance to go 1-0 later this month when they play host to the FCS Furman Paladins on Aug. 31. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on SEC Network+.