Ole Miss football: 3 newcomers who'll have the biggest impacts in 2023

Ole Miss football: 3 newcomers who’ll have the biggest impacts in 2023

Dec 2, 2022; San Antonio, Texas, USA; UTSA Roadrunners wide receiver Zakhari Franklin (4) fends off North Texas Mean Green defensive back Ridge Texada (26) on his way to a touchdown in the second half at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports /

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Red team linebacker Monty Montgomery (8) drops back in pass coverage during Ole Miss Grove Bowl at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, April 15, 2023.Ole Miss Grove Bowl /

Louisville linebacker transfer Monty Montgomery is projected to start at linebacker for the Rebels this fall. He comes over from Louisville after a strong three-plus-year career with the Cardinals. He played in at least 10 games in 2019, 2020, and 2022 but only saw action in three games in 2022 as his season was cut short.

Montgomery is a productive linebacker who figured to start in the middle of that defense and he finished his Louisville career with 160 total tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, seven forced fumbles, three interceptions, and four pass breakups.

It’s easy to see why he was such a coveted transfer in the portal because he can do a little of everything. If you want him to cover a tight end or a receiver over the middle, he can do that. If you need him to work sideline-to-sideline to make plays, he can do that. And if you need him to blitz, he can do that, too.

The Rebels are going to utilize him in a variety of different ways this season. He’ll be a turnover machine (hopefully) and he’s going to potentially push for 100 tackles.

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