Daijahn Anthony wanted to play on a ‘bigger stage.’ Pete Golding and Ole Miss provided it

This time last year Daijahn Anthony was opening up fall camp at Liberty but after the 2022 season he opted to enter the transfer portal and see if there were bigger opportunities out there. Ole Miss and Pete Golding was that opportunity.

Anthony committed to Ole Miss in early May and has become another key piece out of the transfer portal to bolster the secondary. When it came to what made the Rebels the perfect landing spot for the senior safety the chance to play in the Southeastern Conference was the main selling point.

“I really just wanted bigger opportunities, play at a bigger state,” Anthony said following Saturday’s practice. “I like Pete Golding a lot. …(He) had a big impact on my decision.”

Golding is a common thread throughout a lot of the new players on the Ole Miss defense this fall. Bringing in a new scheme is one thing but it is the pedigree Golding is bringing with him after five season at Alabama that is catching the players’ eye.

“I think wit coach Golding, his background speaks for itself,” Anthony said. “You just look at his background and players that he coached before. As a (defensive back), like, some of the DBs that he’s coached is some of the DBs that we’ve been watching since was young. So it’s just like, why would you not want to get coached by one of the best defensive coordinators in the nation?”

Anthony is one of a handful of transfer safeties this season, joining John Saunders, Jr., Teja Young, Jadon Canady and Antoine Johnson.

Veteran safety Deantre Prince is the leader in the Ole Miss defensive backs room and helping the new faces mesh.

The Rebels secondary is the one level of the defense that has the most question marks entering the season with the bulk of the roster turnover and losing veterans AJ Finley and Otis Reese.

Prince himself has had his own journey of growth and maturity during his career at Ole Miss which has been well documented. Now Prince is taking on his new role and showing off that maturity on and off the field.

“Prince has been a real brother to us,” Anthony said. “Like, a real brother that’s really locked in. I’m going to be up top and I like when he’s going to be down playing man (coverage). I like him a lot. We got a good relationship and he’s got a good relationship with everybody. When people came in he took them in. It’s like all one family.”

While Anthony is settling in nicely with his new Ole Miss family he will get the chance in October to face some of his former Liberty family.

On October 21 Ole Miss travels to Auburn for the first meeting with former Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze. Freeze is in his first season as the Tigers head coach after coaching at Liberty for four seasons.

“It ain’t going to be weird,” Anthony said. “My whole staff from my last two years is over there. It’s going to be fun. Very exciting. Can’t wait to beat them. Can’t wait to take a picture with my guy after the game.”

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