OXFORD — There are, at the very least, four people and/or dogs in the Manning Center who all go by “Juice.” But for Ole Miss senior wide receiver Antwane Wells Jr., it hasn’t been too difficult to distinguish who is being addressed at a given moment. There are usually context clues.
There is, of course, the star South Carolina transfer receiver who shined in his much-anticipated Rebels debut last weekend, catching two passes for 70 yards and a touchdown. Senior offensive lineman Julius Buelow, a Washington transfer, and senior wide receiver Josh Aka both go by “Juice” as well. And then there’s head coach Lane Kiffin’s dog, who is known to stroll the football facilities and practice fields.
Wells’ said his version of the nickname comes from when he was a youngster playing football, when he used to “run the ball a lot and juke people.”
“We kind of have our own little labels, like … we call (Buelow) ‘Big Juice,’” Wells said with a laugh “Sometimes if it’s me and him walking down the hall and somebody yells ‘Juice’ or something, we both will get to looking like, ‘Who are they talking to?’ … But it’s cool to have all these Juices around here, I guess.”
For as much recognition as the Rebels’ transfer portal haul on defense received, Wells’ addition was significant in its own right. Wells, who began his career at James Madison and spent the last two seasons at South Carolina, was the No. 26 overall player available in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports, and was Ole Miss’ most touted offensive addition. Wells was a first-team All-SEC pick in 2022 with the Gamecocks, as the Virginia native caught 68 passes for 928 yards and six touchdowns. He played in just three games with South Carolina last season as he dealt with a foot injury.
Wells entered the transfer portal in early December and committed to Ole Miss about two weeks later. Ole Miss already had an embarrassment of riches as pass catchers, returning star seniors Tre Harris, Jordan Watkins and Caden Prieskorn, among others. When it came down to why he chose to play in Oxford, Wells said the decision was pretty straight-forward.
“I chose Ole Miss because I felt like Ole Miss was the team in the SEC, honestly,” Wells said. “They have a great chip on their shoulder, they’re coming off a great season, they do a great job winning. I just wanted to be a part of this amazing culture Coach Kiffin and the team is building around here.”
Wells’ scoring reception against Furman was a 61-yard strike from senior quarterback Jaxson Dart that couldn’t have been placed into the wideout’s hands any more cleanly. Wells was targeted three times against Furman, according to Pro Football Focus. Dart was PFF’s overall highest-rated quarterback in Week 1, carrying a 93.1 grade. He completed 22 of 27 passes for 418 yards and five touchdowns and added a touchdown on the ground.
“Building that relationship with Dart was amazing, honestly. I went out to Cali with him this summer to train with him a lot. … He’s just a great guy,” Wells said. “ … On that pass, I think (the defender) bit on the route going underneath the safety … I just took it up top and Dart placed a great ball. He made it easy for me to score the touchdown.”
Of note to fans this offseason has been Ole Miss’ Week 6 opponent, when the Rebels make the trip to Columbia, South Carolina, on Oct. 5 to face Wells’ old team. Wells was asked what his mindset was going into that game and what he expected reception-wise. He said he hasn’t given it much thought.
“I’m just treating it like any other game. Right now, I’m focused on Middle Tennessee,” Wells said. “But it’s just going to be another game for me.”
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