OXFORD -- Jordan Wilkins got quite a scare earlier this month when he planted his foot wrong on a cut and tweaked his knee.
Wilkins, who sat out all of 2016 due to an academic snafu, worried for just a minute that he had just seen another season got up in smoke.
"I was thinking, 'Please, don't let it be bad,'" Wilkins said Friday following Ole Miss' practice. "I've come a long way, trained my tail off and I was just hoping it wasn't anything serious."
It wasn't. Wilkins said he suffered a little bruising around the knee but he said he's 90-95 percent healthy now, and with 15 days until Ole Miss' Sept. 2 opener against South Alabama at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, he should be ready to go.
Wilkins said he and the rest of Ole Miss' running back corps are working to be more physical this season. That's something that comes naturally for Wilkins, but in the past, he's had help in the backfield, whether it be Jaylon Walton or Akeem Judd. Ole Miss has some talented backs behind Wilkins, but he's the one true proven Southeastern Conference performer.
"It's something we've always preached but it's become more of a mindset," Ole Miss running backs coach Derrick Nix said. "It comes with time and more maturity and watching film and I think it's sprinkling down to our whole offense right now, not just our running backs."
Wilkins said he's ready to carry the majority of the load if need be.
"I'm definitely ready," Wilkins said. "It's kind of what I've been trying to train my mind for and train my body for the past year and a half now. I'm ready to take whatever role they give me and just run with it."
Nix said Wilkins is prepared to do whatever the Rebels need week to week.
"It's not about X number of handoffs or X number of passes," Nix said. "We're going to really take advantage of what the defense gives us and if it's called upon for him to get 25 carries or more, he can do it. If it's 15 touches or whatever it may be, I think he's trained and got himself in position to go do that now."
Nix pleased with depth: Nix said he's comfortable with at least four running backs at this point. Nix said Wilkins, D'Vaughn Pennamon, D.K. Buford and Eugene Brazley. Nix said the No. 2 running back would "depend on what we need at that time."
Injury update: Ole Miss interim head coach Matt Luke wasn't available to update Ole Miss' injury list, but several players were dressed but held out of drills Friday. That list included offensive guards Jordan Sims and Chandler Tuitt, defensive tackles Benito Jones and Herbert Moore, defensive end Qaadir Sheppard and safety Ty Rocconi. Tight end Dawson Knox was not spotted on the practice field Friday. His status isn't known. Running back Eric Swinney was held out Friday with concussion symptoms.
Cooley returns: Sophomore tight end Octavious Cooley, who did not report with his teammates earlier this month, was at practice Friday. Former quarterback Jason Pellerin and redshirt freshman Gabe Angel appeared to be taking most of the snaps at tight end Friday.
Here are some scenes from Friday's practice:
