Dorsey poised for breakout season

Wayne Dorsey’s first season in an Ole Miss uniform didn’t go the way he planned.

Ole Miss sputtered to a 4-8 record while Dorsey struggled to make the transition from junior college football to the Southeastern Conference.

With the bad memories of the 2010 season behind him, Dorsey has improved by leaps and bounds in the offseason and is poised for a breakout this season.

“I guess I know what to expect this time around,” Dorsey said. “In the offseason, I spent a lot of time in the weight room doing a lot of little things to help myself get ready.”

Dorsey’s improvement from year one in the program to year two has been noticeable to coaches and players alike.

Senior offensive tackle Bradley Sowell, who goes up against Dorsey every day in practice, can tell a clear difference.

“I think Dorsey has come miles,” Sowell said. “He’s gotten a lot quicker. They say he’s gained weight, but I think he’s so much faster this year. He’s tough to block. I think he’s going to have a breakout year — he’s my guy to have a breakout year.”

In addition to working on adding weight and increasing his speed, Dorsey and the rest of the seniors have taken on a leadership role within this year’s young team.

“All of the seniors are really pulling everyone along,” Dorsey said.

Dorsey said he was glad to have guys such as Damien Jackson, Kentrell Lockett, Joel Kight and Jason Jones around.

“We all feel like we’re brothers, and nobody is going to leave their brother behind,” Dorsey said. “That has been a difference between this year and last year.”

Dorsey’s leadership was rewarded this week when he was voted one of Ole Miss’ six team captains for the 2011 season.
With Dorsey much improved from a year ago and fellow senior defensive end Kentrell Lockett back from a torn ACL, the defensive line has the potential to be better than it was a year ago.

“Kentrell has a natural leadership about him,” Dorsey said. “It means a lot to everybody, the whole defense and the team, to have him back.”

Dorsey said Lockett has been through the fire.

“This is his sixth year — he was here before Coach Nutt was here,” Dorsey said. “He’s seen more SEC ball than anybody else here.

“When you have someone like that on your defense, you follow him. It’s definitely a blessing to have him back.”

As the season opener against BYU sits just days away, Dorsey said he is “more prepared” and is “excited for the opportunity” to get back on the field with what he feels like is a more focused team.

“I see that everyone is on the same page,” he said. “Just more togetherness and more focus as far as us being a unit and coming together as one.”