When you read or listen to someone talk about Ole Miss’ offense, you’ll hear two names before anything else: Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy.
It’s understandable. They’re the stars of last year’s playoff team. They’re the Heisman candidates. They’re the players who make every preseason list and headline.
But the receivers notice the silence around their room. They see the rankings. They see the hype going everywhere except their direction.
And they’re perfectly fine with it.
Johntay Cook, one of the most talented newcomers on the roster, doesn’t take it personally. He takes it as an opportunity.
“I think it motivates me,” Cook said. “But I also look at it from a football perspective. If teams come into the game worried about Trinidad and Kewan, there are going to be more people in the box. That means I have fewer people to worry about.”
That’s the math. If defenses tilt toward No. 6 and No. 5, someone is getting single coverage. Someone is getting space. Someone is getting a matchup they can win.
Cook hopes to be that someone.
He also understands why he isn’t getting the same attention yet.
“I just got here, so why would people know me?” he said. “I have to earn that recognition.”
Deuce Alexander feels the same way, but from a different angle. He’s been here. He’s made plays. He’s shown flashes. And he still sees his name missing from preseason lists.
“When we see lists without our names on them, it motivates us,” Alexander said.
He doesn’t get frustrated. He doesn’t get annoyed. He sees the advantage.
“When teams put together their game plans, they’re going to focus on stopping No. 6 and No. 5,” he said. “What does that mean? It means we’re going to get matchups on the outside.”
That’s the thesis of the entire receiver room. Let the stars draw the spotlight. Let the defense tilt. Let the attention go elsewhere.
Then win your matchup.
A room that’s growing, evolving and getting deeper
The overlooked label doesn’t bother them because they know what’s happening behind the scenes. Chambliss sees it every day. He’s spent the offseason working on timing, spacing and tempo to a group full of new faces, and he likes what he sees.
“I don’t feel like there’s much of a drop-off from last year’s group,” Chambliss said.
He singled out Alexander’s growth, too.
“Deuce is a great player, and he’s also a great person,” Chambliss said. “He’s eager to learn.”
Alexander isn’t just running hitches and go routes anymore. He’s asking questions about coverages, reads and timing. He’s working on becoming a complete receiver.
And he’s not the only one.
Alexander pointed to two names fans aren’t talking about enough: Horatio Fields and Samari Reed.
“Those two guys have definitely emerged into bigger roles,” he said. “They’ve taken an extra step by doing the right things on and off the field.”
That’s the part that gets lost when the conversation stays focused on Chambliss and Lacy. Ole Miss isn’t just deep at receiver. It’s versatile. It’s competitive. It’s motivated.
And it’s quietly building one of the most interesting position groups on the roster.
The only concern is health, and Golding isn’t worried
There is one thing to monitor: injuries.
Golding said the receivers are the position group dealing with the most minor issues right now.
“We do have a couple of guys banged up, whether it’s hamstrings or shoulders,” he said. “That’s primarily at the wide receiver position more than anything right now.”
But he didn’t sound alarmed.
“It’s nothing we’re concerned about,” Golding said. “We’re just making sure we manage it the right way moving forward.”
That’s the story. The receivers are overlooked. They know it. They like it. They’re motivated by it. And once they’re fully healthy, they’re ready to take advantage of every defense that forgets about them.
They don’t need the spotlight. They just need the ball.
