Stepping out on faith, Bing-Dukes makes impact for Ole Miss defense
OXFORD – When Detric Bing-Dukes left Georgia in 2014, he did so with no assurances he’d ever get another chance at the Power-5 level.
The linebacker from Tucker, Ga., felt the linebacker room in Athens was too crowded. So he gambled on himself and transferred to Iowa Western Community College.
Last Saturday, that gamble paid off, ironically against Georgia. Bing-Dukes recorded eight tackles in Ole Miss’ 45-14 win over the Bulldogs, solidifying his newfound status as the Rebels’ starting middle linebacker.
“He came in the game and I was a little concerned especially with playing Georgia and he had been at Georgia before he transferred to the junior college,” Ole Miss defensive coordinator Dave Wommack said. “He made the first tackle of the game and then made eight or nine others. I thought he did a really nice job.”
“I was just preparing myself all through camp and I was just praying and waiting for my chance,” Bing-Dukes said. “I finally got it and I feel like I made the best of it.”
Bing-Dukes was told at the end of the Rebels’ frustrating 48-43 loss to No. 1 Alabama on Sept. 17 that he’d get his shot a week later.
“I had time to get my mind right,” Bing-Dukes said.
The presence of Georgia on the other sideline was obviously on his mind, but Bing-Dukes insisted he didn’t dwell on that.
“Obviously I thought about it,” Bing-Dukes said. “It gave me that extra oomph I needed when I step on that field. But that was about it. Other than that, I was focused on the game plan and focused on finishing.”
Bing-Dukes was one of two linebackers brought in over the summer to provide depth _ and impact, Ole Miss hoped _ to one of the thinnest position groups on the Rebels’ roster. Oregon State graduate transfer Rommel Mageo has recorded 15 tackles through his first four games. Bing-Dukes’ acclimation period took more time.
“I think anybody that’s new that really hasn’t been here for a while, it takes them a while because they have to call the defense, get the front aligned, get the secondary aligned, know their assignment and know their fit,” Wommack said. “There’s a lot to it and it just takes time but he’s really worked at it. He’s worked at the fundamentals of it. He’s worked at the knowledge of the game and he’s improved his skills.”
Bing-Dukes is expected to be in the starting lineup on Saturday night when the 16th-ranked Rebels (2-2) entertain unbeaten Memphis (3-0) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. He’ll do so with confidence. After all, it was self-belief that eventually led him to Oxford.
“I had to step out on faith,” Bing-Dukes said Tuesday night, reflecting on the journey that led him to Ole Miss. “That was the crazy thing. I didn’t know where I was going to end up. What I knew was I wanted to work hard and prove to myself that I could play the game at this level.”