OXFORD -- Ole Miss let its fans see KD Hill's side of the conversation when he called his mother to let her know he had earned the Chucky Mullins Courage Award.

Hill's voice cracked and then tears streamed down his face.

"I did it, Mom," Hill said. "I won the Chucky Mullins."

What fans didn't get to hear was Hill's mother, Arneta Williams, on the other end of the call.

"She was crying," Hill said Tuesday. "She was super excited. It's been a ride and I'm just so thankful."

Hill signed with Ole Miss in 2018 and played in two games before redshirting. A year later, Hill played in 11 games but didn't record any statistics. He said he never considered entering the transfer portal or giving up his dream. Instead, he just trusted the process.

"You have to trust it," Hill said. "It's not on your time. It's on God's time."

Hill broke into the starting lineup in 2020 and recorded nine tackles. The 6-foot-1, 310-pounder came into his own in 2021, recording 24 tackles for a 10-win team.

Going elsewhere for earlier playing, Hill said, is "not who I am. It's not what I stand for. It's not how I was raised."

All of that emotion bubbled to the surface when he heard his mom's voice that day.

"My journey has had ups and downs and I know the work I put in when no was watching," Hill said. "I know everything I've been through was for a reason and it was just very emotional because my mom was part of that process as well. She trusted in me when no one else did."

Hill, a senior from Eufala, Ala., made his 18th career start on Saturday. When he took the field against Troy, he was wearing No. 38 instead of his customary No. 55.

"It was truly a blessing to wear that number," Hill said. "It was an honor and privilege. It's something I've been working towards since I was a freshman here. When I first took my visit here, I learned about this number and always told myself I'd get it. That's just determination and perseverance because it hasn't been easy on my journey here. I thank God for everything He's thrown at me because it only made me stronger."

Ole Miss offensive guard Eli Acker said Tuesday it was obvious the Rebels' offensive front knew where to go and what to do Saturday in the win over Troy. Heading into Saturday's game against Central Arkansas (0-1), Acker said he knows where the focus needs to be.

"We just have to take care of technique," Acker said. "It's little things. We let too many guys free, myself included, on the first drive. The quarterback's gotta have time back there. I know I let a guy through and when we had a guy wide open running down the field, so everybody just has to clean it up."

Acker said the offensive line rotations and substitutions were "second nature."

"Last year, I think there were three teams out of college football that started 10 or more guys, and we were one of them, just because of injuries," Acker said. "In fall camp, we rotated guys and played guys in different spots. You never know when something happens but next man will be up and ready."

Acker said he was excited to see running backs Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins have big days.

"I expected that," Acker said. "Those guys are freaks and I can't wait to see what they do further on in the year."

Western Kentucky transfer wide receiver Dayton Wade caught three passes for 14 yards in his Ole Miss debut Saturday.

The longest pass play for the Rebels against Troy was 22 yards, and Wade said that's not the identity he and his teammates want as the season progresses.

"Score from far, make plays," Wade said when asked what the Rebels' wanted their offensive identity to be. "We make plays. Whenever the ball gets in our hands, we're trying to make plays."

Wade noted that he had not played in a game since early in the Hilltoppers' season last year.

"It felt so good," Wade said. "I left last year after the third game of the season, so I ain't played no real ball since then, so really my first play touching the ground, I was like, 'Ooh, I'm out here.' It felt real good. Then for me to get that first catch, it felt even better. It was very exciting for me."