Suntarine Perkins wins 2026 Chucky Mullins Courage Award
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Ole Miss football head coach Pete Golding awarded senior linebacker Suntarine Perkins the 2026 Chucky Mullins Courage Award on Saturday, making him the 36th recipient of the award.
The award is given annually to the Ole Miss defender who best embodies the courage of late Rebels DB Chucky Mullins, whose career was ended in 1989 after he was paralyzed making a tackle against Vanderbilt. Mullins completed his degree at Ole Miss and passed away on May 6, 1991.
The Chucky Mullins Courage Award is considered the highest honor an Ole Miss defender can receive. Here’s a look at Perkins accepting the honor on Saturday, via Ole Miss Football:
Perkins is definitely an appropriate recipient of this honor. The senior linebacker is set to be one of the most disruptive defenders in the SEC this season after posting 81 tackles, 5 pass deflections, 4.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 1 interception last season. The year prior, Perkins totaled 10.5 sacks and 60 tackles — for his career he can boast 179 tackles and 18.5 sacks.
Perkins will have a chance to start the 2026 season strong on September 6 as the Rebels face off against the Louisville Cardinals in Nashville.
Ethan Stone is a Saturday Down South News Editor and an advocate for the return of the Seattle Supersonics.
