With a bright smile on his face, Jeremiah Masoli walked confidently into the Ole Miss football press room for the first time at Rebel Media Day just days before fall camp with one question: “How is everybody?”
One would never have believed Masoli was someone that had been dismissed from another FBS football program after two run-ins with police in a span of six months earlier this year.
The former Oregon quarterback, who transferred to Ole Miss early this month, expressed his satisfaction at his new opportunity in Oxford. He will attempt to change people’s perceptions of him by proving his maturation.
“Whatever the team needs me to do, I am going to do,” Masoli said. “That’s my personal expectations, as well as team goals. Whatever they need me to do to help them win here is what I am going to do.”
As a dual-threat quarterback, Masoli never would have envisioned himself being a part of an SEC program eight months ago.
“I am really thankful to Ole Miss, (athletics director Pete Boone) and (chancellor Dan Jones) for giving me my last chance,” Masoli said. “I understand that, and I am determined to do everything with it.”
Masoli had a brief, yet outstanding, two-year stint at Oregon. Last season, he helped the Ducks capture the Pac-10 championship, achieve a 10-3 record and earn a trip to the Rose Bowl.
On Halloween last year, he also guided Oregon to a 47-20 trouncing upset win over then No. 4 Southern California – USC’s worst loss in the Pete Carrol era – by passing for 222 yards and a score and running for 164 yards and a touchdown.
“(Masoli has) led an offense at Oregon,” linebacker Jonathan Cornell said. “The Pac-10 is a big-time conference. It’s not as big as the SEC, but still he has some experience and knows how to be a leader of men. (The SEC) is a different arena, it is a different atmosphere, but I think he’ll be fine.”
The 5-foot-11 California native stated that all of his new Rebel teammates have been nothing but supportive and welcoming of his recent arrival.
“He changes our expectations,” running back Brandon Bolden said. “It’s another weapon in our offense. It’s a great thing. It’s kind of cool to know that you’ve seen this guy play on television. You’ve seen him play in the Rose Bowl and to know now that he’s standing right in front of you and sometimes handing the ball off to you, it’s real cool.”
Masoli said he will be paying close attention to his surroundings this season as well as who he associates himself with in order to make sure another mistake doesn’t occur.
“Everyone makes mistakes but just realize, don’t make the same mistake again,” defensive end Kentrell Lockett said. “That was all in the past. It happened. It’s over with now and now its time to play football. We’ve got a Heisman-caliber quarterback that’s been in a big-time game on our side.”