During his season away from the playing field, thanks to a mistake in his academic transcript, Ole Miss senior running back Jordan Wilkins gained some perspective. Understandably, the school’s self-imposed one-year bowl ban may seem depressing to many of the Rebel players, but to Wilkins, it’s just another bump in the road.

Wilkins spoke to the media Friday for the first time since he was ruled ineligible just before the season began last August. According to the senior, his unfortunate incident helped give him extra motivation headed into his final season in Oxford.

“It definitely does,” Wilkins admitted. “Opened my eyes up a lot. I took everything for granted before that happened, and when that happened, it opened my eyes to how much I really love this game and how much it means to me. I’m just ready to be back.”

The Rebels certainly missed Wilkins last season, as the offense struggled to produce on the ground without him. Before being ruled ineligible, Wilkins was projected to start for Ole Miss after racking up 740 yards and five touchdowns on the ground his first two seasons on the field in Oxford. Now with a more experienced offensive line returning and an offensive coordinator putting an emphasis on the ground game, Wilkins should factor heavily into the gameplan in 2017.

One aspect missing from head coach Hugh Freeze’s highly successful offenses in Oxford has been a big-time, physical running back. After essentially resting his body from taking an SEC pounding for a year, Wilkins returns to the field looking capable of delivering that quality to the Rebel offense.

“When you sit out a whole year, you kinda miss the contact,” Wilkins admitted. “That probably sparked a little bit in me… I have the frame to do it, so why not.”

Wilkins was also asked to share how the players took the initial news of the team’s bowl ban.

“It was tough,” Wilkins said. “Everybody has the vision of going to a national championship, SEC championship, but like I said, it doesn’t take anything away from how hard we are going to work, where we are going to push to. I think everybody’s focus is just, wipe the table and that will take care of everything.”

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