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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Like a Rock
10/23/2014 | Football
By Austin Miller, Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations
As the seconds ticked off in Ole Miss' thrilling 23-17 victory over No. 1 Alabama, it was a moment that won't soon be forgotten, especially for a senior like Cody Prewitt, who endured through a 2-10 season and a coaching change.
"It was something we had been waiting on," Prewitt said. "We have been listening to Coach Freeze, really buying-in, and he's been telling us we can be great. And we finally saw a little glimpse of that beating Alabama."
The Southeastern Conference's only returning first-team All-American, Prewitt has been a model of consistency for the Rebels, providing stability in the secondary and leadership in the locker room.
"He's been a rock for us to build around with the way he handles himself being a student-athlete first and then with his play on the field," head coach Hugh Freeze said. "His leadership in the locker room has been vital to us in building what we are today."
Coming out of Sylva Bay Academy, a small private school in Bay Springs, Mississippi, Prewitt was one of 10 players from the 2011 signing class who received high school All-America honors, but he arrived at Ole Miss without much fanfare.
There were bigger names in the signing class, but when given the opportunity, Prewitt took advantage, starting the last four games of the 2011 season, and he hasn't looked back.
The results on the field in 2011 were not what he had in mind, as the Rebels lost each of their last four games, but it showed him it was just a different level of football and gave him confidence going forward in his collegiate career.
"There was never a doubt in my mind," said Prewitt of playing in the SEC. "It was a matter of getting the opportunity to prove it. I consider myself really blessed to get that opportunity. I know there are not very many guys from small schools who get the opportunities I have gotten. It motivates me to take advantage of it."
The next season, Freeze's first at Ole Miss, Prewitt started every game and finished second on the team with 80 tackles. He helped lead Ole Miss to a 7-6 record and a bowl win over Pittsburgh, and then he took a big step forward in 2013.
Playing in every game with 11 starts, Prewitt led the SEC and tied for seventh nationally with six interceptions, and finished second on the team with 71 tackles. For his play, he became the 55th first team All-America selection in school history, and helped lead Ole Miss to an 8-5 record and a bowl win over Georgia Tech.
After the season, Prewitt mulled over whether to declare for the NFL Draft, but elected to return for his senior season.
"I thought about it a little bit," Prewitt said. "I had some people tell me here and there that I could have been a high draft pick, but I really have a passion for this university and I didn't feel like I was done here yet."
In doing so, Prewitt became the first player to return to Ole Miss as a first team All-American since Patrick Willis in 2006. He leads all active Rebels in career games (45) and starts (35), but his leadership goes beyond the numbers.
Buy-in to the program's core values, Freeze said, is the reason you can bring a team together and start winning, and Prewitt has played an integral role in that process.
"It's a blessing to have the respect of my teammates, and I don't take it lightly," Prewitt said. "I try to be a good example, on and off the field, and do whatever I can to further the development of some of the younger players. I look for ways to help be a leader and develop other leaders."
Big plays have continued to find Prewitt in his senior year, whether it's a big hit or an interception, anything he can do to shift momentum for his team.
"My teammates are doing their job and expecting me to do mine and wait for opportunities," Prewitt said. "The coaches lay it out for you that this is where you're supposed to be. Whether you're going to be there or not, it's up to you."
Looking at the defense as a whole, the effort and passion has always been there, Prewitt said, but they have really cut down on the mental mistakes from last year, and it has shown on the field with one of the nation's elite defenses.
"They play for each and care for each other," defensive coordinator Dave Wommack said. "They want to do good. They came from the bottom and are trying to head back to the top.
"We have some good leadership and we have a nice mixture of seniors who have been here in the past and juniors and sophomores who are really talented. The experience and maturity has helped them get to where they are now."
The win over No. 1 Alabama was historic and something that will be remembered for many, many years to come, but it's just one step forward in journey, as Prewitt and his senior teammates look toward bigger goals this season and beyond.
"We have to keep winning," Prewitt said. "We have to do our jobs. We have to execute the game plans our coaches have laid out for us. With execution is going to come success. And when you have success, that's when you start building the program into one of the more elite programs in the nation. That's our goal."
