OXFORD — As an honorary mayor of Oxford, Ole Miss senior defensive tackle JJ Pegues can open the Oxford High School gymnasium at his leisure. Before he became a college football star, Pegues dominated both the gridiron and the basketball court at Oxford High.
Fellow defensive lineman Jared Ivey was a star basketball player during his high school days as well — he held Division I offers and was first-team all-state in Georgia’s highest high school classification in both football and basketball — and has been known to play games with Pegues at Oxford High.
Back in August, Ivey was asked who his five-man starting basketball lineup would be. His answer, without much hesitation: himself, Pegues, sophomore linebacker Suntarine Perkins, sophomore linebacker TJ Dottery and junior defensive tackle Zxavian Harris. Ivey also noted each person’s designated position and strengths.
“I think I’d like to have TJ at the one, primary ball handler,” Ivey said. “I’ll throw (Perkins) at the two, really a Swiss Army Knife, can do it all. JJ at the three, he was a primary ball handler in high school, 1,000-point scorer. And then … me at the four and (Harris) at the five, I think we really get the job done.”
Basketball-like activities have been going around Ole Miss football fairly regularly these days. Whether it’s games during preseason meetings with rewards for the winners, dunks on the sideline this fall after big plays during games or the slam dunk contest during the Grove Bowl Games, the No. 6 Rebels (4-0).
“I just try to come up with ideas that make it fun and make us entertaining to watch,” Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said of the sideline dunking. “ … I think (players) like it. We actually show them in the Monday morning meeting the dunks and they kind of grade themselves and judge themselves. Just always trying to think of things to make us entertaining for fans, for our current players and our future, potential players.”
A video of a spirited matchup in the team meeting room went viral via the “Pat McAfee Show” in the preseason. Senior wide receiver Tre Harris — who senior running back Henry Parrish Jr. is the best dunker on the team, along with senior wide receiver Jordan Watkins — can’t help but smile when thinking about the matchup that involved longtime equipment manager Ken Crain. Crain won his 1-on-1 matchup in front of a roaring crowd of players and coaches.
“That was definitely interesting. It was an interesting matchup. That’s the only word I can say for it ,” Harris said with a wry smile in August. “ … (Ken Crain won), and we ended up getting let out a little early. So, shoutout Ken Crain.”
Harris was asked about those preseason basketball matchups in the team meeting room this summer. His answer was much like Kiffin’s response when asked about why there was a basket set up on the sideline during games — it’s about keeping things interesting.
“Basketball games, things like that. Constantly find ways to be innovative … finds ways to keep everybody light on their feet,” Harris said at the time. “Find ways to just keep the building happy, keep the energy up. And things like basketball, things like ‘Competition of the Day,’ things like a talent show or things like that. … There’s not a lot pf places that do things like they do here at Ole Miss.”