JJ Pegues is bullish on both lines of scrimmage for Ole Miss heading into 2024

If optimism about Ole Miss’ 2024 offensive and defensive lines is not your thing, you probably shouldn’t listen to senior defensive tackle JJ Pegues.

Why? Because JJ is bullish on both after having gone through a spring with the defensive line and against the offensive line.

With the returning players and influx of new players. Pegues finds himself in new territory and his goals in the offseason reflect that.

“I feel with the guys we have on the defensive line this year that it’s a pick your poison situation for opposing offenses,” Pegues began. “They can’t double team everybody and that’s going to leave a couple of guys free to make plays. We are going to help free up the linebackers, but we are also expecting to make plays as well.

“So, my goal this offseason is to work on my lateral movement and work on penetration moves and being able to go sideline to sideline. If they choose to double Walt (DT Walter Nolen), then I need to be in shape to go make plays and vice-versa.”

Pegues said he is completely healthy. He has no residual issues health-wise left over from the 2023 season or spring ball. Consequently, his focus will be on getting better versus some having to spend valuable time on getting healthy.

“I’m blessed,” Pegues noted. “I have no health or injury issues. I’m full steam and can’t wait to get started with the offseason and fall camp.”

Back to the DL – spring was a time to get to know each other and become a cohesive unit. Mission accomplished.

“We did well meshing together. We fed off each other very well,” he continued. “We all bring something to the table. It’s great having a coach like coach (Randall) Joyner. He makes us better every day.

“I’m happy about the depth we have too. Zay (Harris) and Akelo (Stone), for instance, are veterans who have complete games. They can muscle you one play and swim move on the next. Akelo is very good also slithering through any cracks in the OL. We’ve got some younger guys too that are going to be good players sooner rather than later.”

Pegues is also very high on the offensive line the DL had to face every day in spring training.

“The two guys from Washington came here from being on the number one offensive line in the country and you could tell the energy boost they gave that room,” Pegues ended. “The O-Line’s energy and talent pushed the D-Line to do better things in spring and I think we pushed them to raise their games as well.

“I think by the time we go through fall camp there will be very few teams who can match our energy on both lines. We’ve got talent, we’ve got experience and we’ve got depth. We just have to apply all those ingredients as cohesive units and it will be hard to stop us.”

JJ Pegues has one more bite at the collegiate apple and he intends for it to leave a mark.

Now, he has the help he needs to turn loose and show his playmaking side more often.

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