Okay, our last Ole Miss Rebel of the day
we have is Jonathan Mingo, Wide Receiver.
We'll go straight to questions.
I'll ask the first to respond out there.
You had a little bit of an injury situation last year.
For the first time in your career,
you went through something.
How are you now, and how frustrating was it last year?
I'm good, and I'm blessed to be back on the field.
What was the second question again?
Was it frustrating --
the first time you had to go through an injury?
You know it's always frustrating being injured
because you work so hard all season.
So it was kind of hard being out.
It was right before the Alabama game,
so that's a game you look forward to all season.
So I just had to put my head down and just pray about it.
And I know God's going to put me on the right path
so I can get back healthy. Okay, any questions here?
Okay, how about the front row here?
A.P. Steadham, WHEP, Foley, Alabama.
Jonathan, what is it like to be a receiver
in a Lane Kiffin offense?
And what's been the most challenging thing
for you being a receiver in the SEC?
It's a blessing to be a receiver for Coach Kiffin
because, you know, receivers, we're his babies.
So he puts us in the right position so we can get open,
and he loves giving receivers the ball.
So in his offense, you've just got to play fast
and just be ready for a new change every other drive
because he's always cooking something up.
So you've just got to be ready as a receiver.
(inaudible question)
You've just got to be detailed
because everybody has talent in the SEC.
It's the hardest conference in the country.
So you've just got to make sure your techniques is right,
be able to read the codes,
and make sure you're in the right position at the right time
because nothing comes easy in the SEC.
Okay, to your left in the second row.
Jonathan, Joe Cook, WAPT in Jackson.
For you coming into the season, coming off that injury,
one of the top returning receivers,
I guess, how motivated are you
to really lead this receiving group
with all the departures that you guys had at that position?
Oh, it's definitely something I'm ready to fulfill.
I've been behind a lot of great receivers
in the years before and the years in the past.
So I'm ready to take over that leadership
in the receiving room and be the right example
and show the younger guys how it's supposed to be done.
If you're a defensive coach
planning to play against the Kiffin offense,
what do you think is the hardest thing to prepare for?
Probably being in shape because we play fast.
We play fast. We try to get them tired,
so you've got to be in shape for this.
It's kind of hard to outsmart Kiffin,
so you've just got to be ready for any tricks
he's going to throw up his sleeve.
Okay. Jonathan, what's it like just being a kid
from Brandon High School
and going to the SEC and playing for Ole Miss
but also being here at SEC Media Days
your first time here? It's a blessing to be here.
It's something I always dreamed of as a kid,
especially being from Brandon.
Because the state of Mississippi,
we're a (inaudible) state.
So it's always a blessing to be in the role.
I'm just trying to be an inspiration to the kids.
This year, we're trying to be the best team we can possibly.
So it's just a blessing to be here.
Okay, in the front row. Hey, Jonathan,
can you give a self-scouting report on your abilities?
And what can you say about the quarterback dynamic
and the competition that's being held at Ole Miss right now?
My abilities and my game,
I feel like I can contribute in a lot of ways.
I don't feel I'm just like a deep (inaudible)
I feel I can get open to any type of route.
I can run the whole route tree.
And I feel like I'm 5-2 receiver.
I've got all the tools I can to be the best receiver I can be.
What was the second question again?
It's a good battle.
You know, you've got Jaxson and Luke,
both of them young quarterbacks.
Both of them have been working pretty hard the whole offseason.
It's always a blessing to have two quarterbacks instead of one.
You've got two people you can depend on.
So I've been getting my chemistry
down with them this offseason,
and we're able to (inaudible).
I'll be behind them.
But you know for me, my job doesn't change.
My job is get open and catch the ball.
So it doesn't matter who's throwing the ball.
The goal remains the same.
What challenges of an up-tempo offense
is it for you as a receiver?
What are the biggest challenges? Can you say that again?
The biggest challenges of having an up-tempo offense
for a receiver like you -- mental, physical?
It's just you've got to think fast.
You can't be celebrating that good play
because we try to go as fast as possible.
So we try and assume players (inaudible).
We try and get the ball to the rough and get the nearest play.
So you've got to be in shape for this offense.
You've got to be physically ready for it,
mentally ready for it.
Because you've got to read coverages on the fly.
It's something you train for in the offseason.
But we're prepared for us. So when the game comes,
it'll be easy for us and the other team not ready for it.
We have a question in the back row.
Dan Peck, ESPN 106.7 in Auburn. It seems like Ole Miss has added
a lot of veteran players in the transfer portal
who are competing to be on different spots on offense.
What's it like integrating veteran players
from other systems
and working with them and sort of helping bring along guys
that maybe have played as much college football
as you? It's fine.
You know, the transfer portal has brought in other receivers.
It's good to have the experience.
You know, we lost a lot of people last year.
We're losing Braylon and Dummond,
so we've got a lot of young guys.
So it's good that we have other receivers
that came here from different schools
that have playing experience,
so there won't be so much pressure on the younger guys.
So bringing in -- the transfer portal is good and bad.
It's not really bad, but it's good to have people around.
But at the end of the day, the goal is the same.
So you can't really look at it as another guy coming in.
You've just got to look at it as we're trying to win,
so make sure everybody's on the same page.
Okay, back in the second row. Jim Cook, WAPT, again.
You mentioned the quarterback battle.
What are the differences you've seen between Jaxson and Luke
- not from a negative standpoint,
but just the differences in ability
or just things that you're seeing
during this quarterback competition?
They're pretty much similar.
Their games are alike. They can both mobile.
They're both accurate throwing arm,
got a good feel for the defense.
It's really kind of hard to pick them apart.
It's probably something you've just got to pick apart
during the course of the final count.
You have good size for a receiver.
Is there anybody in the pros
or anybody specifically you model your game after or study?
Oh, I like to watch all Ole Miss receivers --
so O.J., DK, Elijah, anybody that played at Ole Miss.
I grew up an A.J. Green fan. But I like to model my games
after all the Ole Miss receivers,
just try to take little things from their game
that can help mine.
Okay, again in the back row. Some of us remember A.J.
Green here, so it makes us feel old
when you say you grew up as a fan of him.
But do you keep in contact with some of the Ole
Miss receivers that have moved on -- like to the NFL?
Do you ever talk with any of those guys?
Yeah, I talk to them whenever I get a chance.
You know, it's a little busier schedule
once you get to the NFL. But whenever they had timeout,
I'd just try to ask them for little tips
that could help my game.
Can you tell us one of the best tips?
There's a lot -- just get open, really.
And just you've got to be
a receiver to understand the signs.
So you've just got to read people --
just reading the DB, reading their tendencies,
reading their feet, reading their hooks,
just taking little things from everything
you see in the game, reading the defense.
Do we have any other questions? He came a long way.
That's all we're going to have? We've got another one back here.
One of the more memorable games of the season last year
was your trip to Knoxville. Any memories you guys have --
any memories you have of the game at
Tennessee last year?
That was an exciting game. It was a crazy atmosphere,
but it was definitely one for the books.
Okay, Jonathan, thank you very much.
All right, appreciate you all.