Ole Miss football DL commit Jeffery Rush is also Pascagoula's 250-pound running back nightmare

Mississippi Clarion-Ledger
St. Martin experienced Ole Miss commitment Jeffery Rush's athleticism firsthand last season. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Rush barreled for a 40-yard run on fourth-and-2 from the 50 to move Pascagoula football into the red zone against the Yellow Jackets.
The four-star defensive lineman had eight carries for 85 yards and two touchdowns last season for the Panthers. Rush is reminiscent of William "Refrigerator" Perry with the ball in his hands, according to Pascagoula coach Lewis Sims. Defenses in MHSAA Class 6A should prepare for one of the biggest running backs in the state when facing the Panthers.
“He’s a running back but he’s playing defensively,” Sims said. “If he played running back he would probably be our best running back. He’s Christian Okoye out there. He’s that good. (Rush) is just tremendously athletic, great work ethic, great attitude, and a team-first kind of guy.”
Rush is No. 10 in the Clarion Ledger 2023 Dandy Dozen. The Pascagoula standout is the No. 5 recruit in Mississippi and the No. 23 defensive lineman in the Class of 2024. He is the No. 173 overall recruit in the nation and finished with 20 tackles, 11 for loss, and eight sacks in eight games as a junior last season.
The senior will also be a problem for defenses across the state.
"Coach puts me in a couple of times here and there and it's fun," Rush said. "I'm able to run the ball get back to my roots. It's really easy. All I have to do is get past the first defensive lineman and I'm basically gone. It takes much more than one person to tackle me.'
Rush's first love was basketball and his first position in football was as a center. However, former Mississippi State standout Dwayne Curry noticed Rush's potential as a freshman. Sims had a conversation with Curry — a member of the 2023 Pascagoula Athletic Hall of Fame — before Curry left to become the defensive line coach at Robert Morris.
Curry stressed that Rush could be special and had all the tools. The former Jackson State defensive line coach was correct.
“He recognized as a 14- and 15-year-old how special Jeffery could be,” Sims said. “Jeffery has bought into it. We still let him run the ball. We have some packages where he still runs the football."
Rush is another top defensive in-state recruit for Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. He joins Bay Springs defensive lineman Kamron Beavers, cornerback Patrick Broomfield, and safety Shamaar Darden. Kiffin landed Suntarine Perkins, the No. 14 recruit in the nation, in the Class of 2023.
Kiffin, along with defensive coordinator Pete Golding, helped create a sense of home for Rush. Also, Oxford wasn't too far away from friends and family.
“(Ole Miss) is home,” Rush said. “When I go there I feel comfortable. I feel like I’m in Pascagoula where I’m from. I know some folk up there so when I’m in (Oxford) I’ll be loved, because I’m a little anti-social. When I’m up there I’m not going to be shy.
“Family means a lot because when nobody else is there for you they’re there for you. You always have to keep them around and make sure they’re straight."
Rush's ability to read offensive linemen and hand placement have helped him turn into a formidable pass rusher, according to Sims.
"(It's about) Recognizing the tackle,” Rush said. “What is he doing, what I should do in that moment.”
His humility has continued to help Rush grow despite the hype. Rush also received offers from Miami, Mississippi State, Florida State and Auburn among others. However, fans wouldn't even know that from his demeanor off the field.
“You would never know he’s a four-star recruit from the way he interacts with his teammates and the way he leads,” Sims said. “His humility is what makes him so special. Others just gravitate to him. He’s one of those people that people gravitate to.”