By Ole Miss Athletics

Ole Miss senior defensive tackle JJ Pegues has been named the winner of the 2024 Chucky Mullins Courage Award, as announced by head coach Lane Kiffin on Thursday.

The Oxford native becomes the 34th recipient in the 35-year history of the award. For the 2024 season, Pegues plans to wear Mullins’ No. 38 jersey for home games while donning his original No. 89 jersey with a 38 patch on the road.

The award, sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, honors the late Chucky Mullins, who had his Ole Miss career come to an end during the 1989 Homecoming game against Vanderbilt when he was paralyzed after making a tackle. After returning to his studies at Ole Miss, Mullins passed away May 6, 1991.

Pegues has become a mainstay of the Ole Miss defense, playing in all 13 games for the Rebels in 2023 while starting 12. He ended the 2023 campaign with career highs in tackles (42), tackles for loss (8.0), sacks (3.5) and pass breakups (4) while also adding two QB hurries.

A former tight end, Pegues also further cemented his role as one of the nation’s more versatile linemen, rushing for a crucial first down in Ole Miss’ Peach Bowl victory over Penn State. In 2022, he hauled in a one-yard touchdown reception in the Egg Bowl.

Pegues is heavily active within the Lafayette-Oxford-University community, partaking in numerous community service events during his time at Ole Miss. Pegues – a member of the SEC Leadership Council, the SEC Community Service Team and the Ole Miss Student-Athlete Advisory Committee – held his own community-wide school supply giveaway last fall, which helped distribute school supplies for elementary students.

This preseason he was named to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list, which is presented annually to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field.

Pegues was selected from among several veteran defensive players by Kiffin and the Rebel coaching staff. The award is presented annually to an Ole Miss upperclassman defensive player who embodies the spirit of Mullins – courage, leadership, perseverance and determination.

Former Chucky Mullins Courage Award recipients are Chris Mitchell, Jeff Carter, Trea Southerland, Johnny Dixon, Alundis Brice, Michael Lowery, Derek Jones, Nate Wayne, Gary Thigpen, Heard, Anthony Magee, Kevin Thomas, Lanier Goethie, Jamil Northcutt, Eric Oliver, Kelvin Robinson, Patrick Willis, Jeremy Garrett, Jamarca Sanford, Marcus Tillman, Kentrell Lockett, Deterrian Shackelford (twice), Jason Jones, Mike Marry, Mike Hilton, John Youngblood, Marquis Haynes, C.J. Moore, Austrian Robinson, Jaylon Jones, Keidron Smith, KD Hill and Cedric Johnson.