Rommel Mageo speaks at Monday’s presser. He’ll suit up for his first SEC game as the Rebels take on Alabama. (Photo by Ariel Cobbert)
Rommel Mageo is 2,350 miles from where he played football last season. The 6-foot-2-inch, 233 pound linebacker loves competition, and he was willing to travel across the country to chase it at the highest level – in the SEC.
He spent his first four years at Oregon State, redshirting his freshman season. He compiled 157 career tackles, including 87 last year, but with one year of eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer, Mageo wanted to venture elsewhere.
Ole Miss was thin at linebacker and desperately needed that void filled.
“They kind of came out of nowhere,” Mageo said of Ole Miss. “I looked at the schedule and said I’ve got to go there based on the toughness of the schedule.”
When he glanced at Ole Miss’ 2016 slate, he saw names like Florida State, Alabama, LSU and Auburn. Competition is what he was looking for and exactly what he saw.
Coming from the Pacific Northwest to the Deep South is like a whole new world. One of the biggest factors? Climate, and, particularly, the humidity. Mageo was first exposed to it during fall camp, which he said slowed him a little initially.
“It did in fall camp at first,” Mageo said. “But I think I’m used to it now.”
The next wrinkle was learning a completely new system under Defensive Coordinator Dave Wommack.
“I would say it is a very big difference from the defense we played last year. We played a 3-4 system so it was more wait, wait, attack,” Mageo said.
He’s adjusting, though. He had three tackles in his first three plays against Florida State and has 11 on the year. His head coach took notice but wants a bigger sample size.
“It’s still too early to tell. I keep saying that, but last week is not a good judge of how he’s going to fit the zone and the power, because we didn’t see it,” Hugh Freeze said. “I love the kid and I like the way he prepares, but it’s just too early to tell.”
This Saturday he’ll suit up for his first SEC game as the Rebels attempt to beat Alabama.
“I’m just excited,” Mageo said. “I’m going to prepare just as if it were any other game knowing that they’re the No. 1 team in the country and I’ve got to bring my A-one game with it. That’s how I’m taking it.”
He’s no stranger to competition, though. He played three years in the PAC 12 and sees some similarities in the opponents he faced in that conference to the one he will on Saturday.
“From a physical standpoint, probably Stanford with their offensive line being physical and disciplined,” Mageo said.
What he has benefitted from is the luxury of a better supporting cast, particularly in front of him.
“It’s amazing,” Mageo said. “Not to bash those guys at Oregon State, but this defensive line is amazing. If you play behind these guys and take all the plays, you’re guaranteed 100-plus tackles in the season.”
Mageo, the defensive line and the rest of the Ole Miss defense will be facing another freshman quarterback this weekend in Jalen Hurts, who appears to have given Alabama a stronger vertical passing game than the Tide have boasted in years past.
The Rebels frustrated Florida State’s Deondre Francois for a half, but he then settled into a rhythm, leading to the Seminoles’ come from behind win. Mageo said that they should have kept the gas peddle down and stayed aggressive with Francois and will aim to do that this week against Hurts and Alabama.
“You’ve just got to take the confidence away,” Mageo said. “If you take the confidence away and scare them a little bit and hit them, you’ll get to them.”
