Ole Miss football announces 2023 Chucky Mullins Award winner

OXFORD, Miss. (WLBT) - Ole Miss football has announced who will receive the 2023 Chucky Mullins Courage Award ahead of the upcoming season.

The award is presented annually to an Ole Miss upperclassman defensive player that embodies the spirit of Mullins – courage, leadership, perseverance, and determination. It is given annually to honor the life of Mullins, a former Rebel, that lost his life in 1991 after making a career-ending tackle in 1989 against Vanderbilt.

The honor to grace Mullins’ No. 38 was awarded to senior defensive end Cedric Johnson, a Mobile, Alabama native, by head coach Lane Kiffin on Thursday.

He is the 33rd recipient in the 34-year history of the award.

“It means a lot to me, to say the least. I honestly can’t even explain how I’m feeling right now,” Johnson said in a release. “It’s an honor to be chosen by the coaches and the players.”

“[Chucky] means a lot to everyone here,” Johnson continued. “Just the spirit he carried throughout the whole building, the spirit that he spread onto everyone, just the positive energy that he put on everyone. I feel like I can do that myself, and just bring the positive energy and good spirit to everyone that I touch.”

Johnson enters the 2023 season as the Rebels’ active career leader in sacks with 13.5. Last season, Johnson played in 11 games and finished the season with 32 total tackles, four sacks, and 4.5 tackles for loss.

Unlike in years past, Johnson will only wear a patch of the No. 38 on his jersey while keeping his roster number, No. 2, according to Ole Miss. Defensive lineman KD Hill wore the number last season.

The Rebels will kick off its 2023 season at home against Mercer on Saturday, September 2 at 1 p.m.

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