Ole Miss receiver Juice Wells got his first chance to speak with the media after making a big first impression on the field Saturday.
His first public comments since coming to Oxford from South Carolina in the offseason should endear him to fans even more than his play on the field.
“I chose Ole Miss because I felt like Ole Miss was the best team in the SEC, honestly,” he said.
The Rebels went into the season with massive expectations; they secured their highest preseason rankings since 2009, and in the Week 2 coaches poll, they are at No. 5 after crushing Furman 76-0.
In his second snap, Wells snagged a perfectly placed deep ball from Jaxson Dart and scooted into the end zone for a 61-yard touchdown, the first of what Ole Miss hopes will be many.
“On that pass, it was an option route for me to sit down or keep going,” he said, recounting the play. “I think (the safety) bit on that route going underneath, so I just took it up top. Dart pitched a great ball and made it easy for me to score a touchdown.”
Wells discussed how the progress is going in developing a connection with Dart.
“Building a relationship with Dart has been amazing. I went out to Cali with him this summer to train with him a lot, and he’s just a great guy to be around,” Wells said. “He does a great job of bringing everybody together.”
Wells was asked about the backlash he received on social media after he decided to leave South Carolina, where he played sparingly in 2023 because of an injury, and comments he made on a “Locked On Ole Miss” podcast appearance — remarks that were perceived as digs at South Carolina and redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers.
“You know, everybody got their own opinion,” Wells said. “I feel like, that’s their thought, but it doesn’t bother me at all. I’m just here to play ball.”
The Rebels travel to Williams-Brice Stadium on Oct. 5 to face off against Sellers and the Gamecocks.
You can reach writer Josh Crawford via email @joshua.crawford@commercialappeal.com, or via X @JCrawford5656
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ole Miss football Juice Wells has sharp words to social media backlash
