Rebel Nation Magazine November/December 2016

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 3

REBEL WIDE RECEIVER

D.K. METCALF 14

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Freeze Frame Photo by Greg Pevey, Rebel Nation Magazine™

REBS OPEN AT HOME IN STYLE

LANDSHARK DEFENSE

NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY

A school-record crowd of 64,232 showed up for No. 18 Ole Miss’ home opener at newly renovated Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Septermber 10, and the Rebels certainly did not disappoint. Senior quarterback Chad Kelly passed for 219 yards and three touchdowns as the Rebels ran over Wofford 38-13 in front of the largest crowd (at the time) to see a college football game in the state of Mississippi.

“Glad to get a win in the home opener at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field,” Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze said. “It was good to get a win on a short week where preparation was difficult, especially against this offense.”

Not everything went off without a hitch as the game was delayed approximately 20-minutes during halftime due to severe weather in the Oxford area. - RN

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OFFENSIVE LINEMEN JUST

WANNA HAVE FUN 70 JORDAN SIMS & # 79 JAVON PATTERSON #

REBEL WIDE RECEIVER

MARKELL PACK 11

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PRE-GAME IN THE GROVE

OLE MISS OLE MISS CHEER

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 5

ALABAMA @ OLE MISS

GROVE LIFE 2016

ALABAMA @ OLE MISS

ALABAMA @ OLE MISS

FINSUP

NOW WHAT?

TONY CONNER

COACH FREEZE

JALEN HURTS, MEET

MARQUIS HAYNES

10

#

THE HIT

The Landshark defense got into the action here as defensive end Marquis Haynes came unblocked and leveled Bama QB Jalen Hurts to force a fumble.

John Youngblood (opposite page) picked up the loose ball and raced 44 yards for the touchdown to give Ole Miss a 24-3 lead with 2:47 to go in the half.

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new attendance record for the state of mississippi:

66,176

Freeze Frame Photo by Greg Pevey, Rebel Nation Magazine™

FILLED TO THE BRIM

A

ALABAMA @ OLE MISS

RECORD CROWD 2016

“...the first thing I thought of was my Father.”

JOHN YOUNGBLOOD

38

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THE SCORE

TTENDANCE AT VAUGHT-HEMINGWAY STADIUM (PICTURED ON THE LEFT) ON SEPTEMBER 10, FOR THE REBELS SHOWDOWN WITH CONSENSUS #1 RANKED ALABAMA was definitely a sight to behold.

The crowd of 66,176, broke the school record of 64,232, set the previous week vs. Wofford, in the newly expanded and renovated stadium. The 66,176 is the largest college football crowd in the history of the State of Mississippi.

The previous attendance record in Mississippi of 63,808 was set in 1984 in Jackson’s Veteran’s-Memorial Stadium for the famous match-up between Alcorn State and MS Valley St. that featured a showdown between Alcorn QB Fred McNair and MVSU’s Willie “Satellite” Toten and Jerry Rice.

All in all on the weekend, Ole Miss administration estimated a crowd of over 100,000-130,000 people were on campus and/or the City of Oxford, which was a economic boom to restaurants, businesses and hotels all across the Oxford area and across North Mississippi. “When you win, they will come.” - RN

John Youngblood on the fumble recovery…“I told somebody, I was running like the devil was chasing me. The first thing I though of when I grabbed that ball was my father. As soon as I ran off to the sidelines I pointed up to my family; my uncle and my aunt all the way from Raleigh, North Carolina, they came to see this game. I couldn’t wait to go visit with them after the game.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 7

REBEL WIDE RECEIVER

DaMARKUS LODGE 5

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SWAG FOR 6 10

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Freeze Frame Photo by Greg Pevey, Rebel Nation Magazine™

I CAN’T THINK OF A TIME IN MY LIFE WHERE A TEAM HAS DONE THAT TO GEORGIA.

WE PLAY FOR THE LOVE OF

ONE ANOTHER FINSUP

T

HE REBELS SCORED THE FIRST 45 POINTS OF THE GAME, as No. 21 Ole Miss dominated No. 11 Georgia 45-14 on September 24th in front of 65,843 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

LANDSHARK

DeMARQUIS GATES 3

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REBEL RUNNING BACK

EUGENE BRAZLEY 23

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Ole Miss (2-2, 1-1 SEC) posted 510 yards of total offense against Georgia (3-1, 1-1 SEC) and forced two Bulldogs turnovers, as the Rebels scored their most points ever against UGA. The 31-point win was also the largest margin of victory over a top-25 team since the Rebels defeated No. 3 Tennessee in 1969.

Senior quarterback Chad Kelly paced the Ole Miss offense with an efficient 18 of 24 passing for 282 yards and pair of touchdowns. He also added 53 yards and a touchdown on the ground and passed Rebel legend Archie Manning for sixth place in school history with 5,901 yards of total offense. Kelly hit eight different receivers including tight end Evan Engram, who posted six catches for 95 yards and a score.

REBEL RUNNING BACK

D’VAUGHN PENNAMON 21

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Ole Miss was also effective in the ground attack, rolling up 180 rushing on 31 attempts led by Kelly’s 53 yards. Four Rebels rushed for 30 yards or more, including Akeem Judd and D’Vaughn Pennamon, who combined for 13 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown. - RN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 9

Freeze Frame

LANDSHARK DEFENSE

ZEDRICK WOODS 36

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Photos by Greg Pevey, Rebel Nation Magazine™

PAYBACK...

T

HE REBELS (3-2, 1-1 SEC) JUMPED OUT TO A 27-7 LEAD and cruised a 48-28 victory over Memphis (3-1, 0-0 American) in front of 65,889 fans for homecoming at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the first night game in he newly renovated VHS on October 1.

Senior signal-caller Chad Kelly completed 30 of 44 passes for 361 yards and tailbacks Eugene Brazley and Akeem Judd each rushed for over 100 yards, as the Rebels posted 624 yards of total offense. That marked the first game since 2014 Ole Miss had two 100-yard rushers and was the most yards of total offense since the Rebels recorded 655 yards against New Mexico State last season.

Not to be outdone, the Landshark defense forced four Tiger turnovers and held the high-scoring Memphis offense more than 23 points below its season average. Defensive back Zedrick Woods led the way for the Ole Miss defense with eight total tackles, two interceptions and 1.5 TFLs. - RN

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PICK-SIX 36

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THERE’S NO STOPPING HIM

EUGENE BRAZLEY

CALL ME UP!

EUGENE BRAZLEY 23

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 11

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION...

LOCK THE VAUGHT

Freeze Frame

NEW ERA

Photos by Greg Pevey, Rebel Nation Magazine™

VAUGHTHEMINGWAY STADIUM “AFTER DARK”

BE EARLY, BE LOUD...

LOCK THE VAUGHT OLE MISS

IN THE TRENCHES

HOLD THAT LINE FINSUP 12 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

REBELNATION

REBEL RUNNING BACK

EUGENE BRAZLEY 23

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 13

rebelNATION

REBELETTE

OLIVIA MARIS SOPHOMORE, GAINESVILLE, FL

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VAUGHTHEMINGWAY GAME DAY

WE ARE OLE MISS FAMILY

THE OLE MISS BAND

THE PRIDE OF THE SOUTH OLE MISS

2016 HOMECOMING QUEEN

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 15

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REBELS

ACCOMPLISHMENTS, ACCOLADES, AND RECOGNITION

On Top of Their Game Former Rebel Eugenia Conner Elected to Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Conner was one of two four-time All-SEC first team selections in program history

TIME OUT The two-time SEC All-Tournament team selection, scored 1,993 career points and grabbed 1,177 career rebounds making her one of just three players to complete the 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound feat.

Photo courtesy Ole Miss Athletics

F

ormer Ole Miss women’s basketball great, Eugenia Conner, will be inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, posthumously, as a member of the 2017 Induction Class as was announced on September, 22.

Conner – the lone Ole Miss representative in the 2017 class – is one of six Mississippi greats who will be inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Other members of the 2017 Class are former Clarion-Ledger sports columnist Rick Cleveland; former Jackson State baseball coach/athletic director Bob Braddy; former Oklahoma and Southern Miss running back Marcus Dupree; Baltimore Ravens defensive backs coach Leslie Frazier, who played at Alcorn State; and former Mississippi State baseball player Jay Powell, who coaches at Jackson Academy.

Voting was done by a statewide selection committee representing all facets of Mississippi sports.

Eugenia Conner is one of the most decorated players to ever don an Ole Miss women’s basketball uniform. A Gulfport, Mississippi native, Conner became the first Ole Miss women’s basketball player to be named All-SEC first team all fours

years and is still one of just two Rebels to earn that distinction. Recruited to Ole Miss by the legendary, Peggie Gillom, she formed a formidable inside combination with the younger Gillom, Jennifer.

The two-time SEC All-Tournament team selection, scored 1,993 career points and grabbed 1,177 career rebounds making her one of just three players to complete the 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound feat.

A stalwart on the defensive end, Conner’s name is etched in the Ole Miss record books. She ranks third all-time with 1,177 career rebounds and is second all-time with 194 blocked shots. Conner still holds the single-game record for rebounds in a game with 24 rebounds against Western Kentucky during the 1982-83 season, while her six rejections against Mercer in 1983-84 ranks second on Ole Miss’ single-game list. While a force on the defensive end of the floor, Conner is No. 4 on Ole Miss’ all-time scoring list with 1,993 career points. With her 39 points against Cheyney State in 1983-84, she still ranks No. 3 on Ole Miss single-game scoring list.

The Rebels were a team to be reckoned with on the national stage during Conner’s career. Under the tutelage of the legendary Van Chancellor, Conner and the Rebels reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history in 1981-82 and returned each of her years at Ole Miss, advancing to the Elite Eight in the 1985 NCAA Tournament. Conner passed away in 1994 at the age of 30.

Conner becomes the 75th Ole Miss representative in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, dating back to the inaugural class of 1961. She is the third Ole Miss women’s basketball player in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. She joins Van Chancellor, Peggie Gillom-Granderson and Jennifer Gillom as Ole Miss women’s basketball representatives in the Hall of Fame. - RN

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 17

TIME OUT 2017 OLE MISS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE SEPT. 2.................................SOUTH ALABAMA SEPT. 9.............................................UT-MARTIN Sept. 16..............................................@California SEPT. 23........................................................OPEN Sept. 30.............................................. @Alabama Oct. 7......................................................@Auburn OCT. 14............................................ VANDERBILT OCT. 21..............................................................LSU OCT. 28..............................................ARKANSAS Nov. ....................................................@Kentucky NOV. 11...................................... LA-LAFAYETTE NOV. 18.............................................TEXAS A&M Nov. 23........................................... @Miss. State*

REBEL NATION MAGAZINE™ Volume 4, Issue 3 November/December 2016 Published by Pevey Publishing, LLC Publishers Greg Pevey, Publisher Mendy Pevey, Chief Financial Office Featured Columnists John Davis, Taylor Quick

Dec. 2....................................................SEC Championship Game * - Thanksgiving Night

2018 OLE MISS NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SEPT. 22...........................................LA-MONROE

Contributing Writers Parrish Alford, Collin Brister, John Davis, Jeff Roberson Layout & Design Greg Pevey - Pevey Publishing, LLC/ FinsUp™ Creative Services

2019 OLE MISS NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Contributing Photographers Angie Ledbetter, Josh McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics, Bobby, McDuffie, Greg Pevey, Petre Thomas

AUG. 31..............................................@ Memphis Sept. 14........................................ SE LOUISIANA Sept. 21............................................CALIFORNIA

Advertising Sales Greg Pevey, greg@rebelnationmagazine.com Jeff Roberson, jeff@rebelnationmagazine.com Cameron (Cam) Vaughn, cam@rebelnationmagazine.com

2020 OLE MISS NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SEPT. 9...............................................Baylor *

At Houston, TX

2021 OLE MISS NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SEPT. 18..................................................TULANE

2022 OLE MISS NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SEPT. 17......................................@ Georgia Tech

2023 OLE MISS NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SEPT. 9.................................................. @ Tulane Sept. 16........................................GEORGIA TECH

2024 OLE MISS NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Rebel Nation Magazine™ is published bi-monthly by Pevey Publishing, LLC to promote the athletic programs, fans and businesses affiliated with the University of Mississippi in an informative, positive, and entertaining manner. Contributions of articles and photos are welcome. All submissions are subject to editing and availability of space. Rebel Nation Magazine™ is not responsible for the return or loss of, or for any damage or any other injury to unsolicited manuscripts, unsolicited artwork or any other unsolicited materials. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited. Return envelope and postage must accompany all labeled materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Rebel Nation Magazine™ are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Pevey Publishing, LLC is not directly affiliated with any institution, college, university, or other academic or athletic organization. Subscriptions are $24 (1 year, 6 issues) or $40 (2 year, 12 issues). Make checks payable to Rebel Nation Magazine™, and mail to: P.O. Box 5842, Brandon, MS 39047 or subscribe on-line at www.rebelnationmagazine.com.

SEPT. 14...................................... @ Wake Forest

2025 OLE MISS NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SEPT. 13...................................... WAKE FOREST Sept. 20...................................................TULANE

18 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

PEVEY PUBLISHING, LLC Rebel Nation Magazine™

P.O. Box 5842 • Brandon, MS 39047 Phone: 601-503-7205 • Fax: 601-992-2885 email: greg@rebelnationmagazine.com www.rebelnationmagazine.com

The Roster

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3

FEATURES

EGG BOWL SPECIAL SECTION 28

It’s Not your Daddy’s Egg Bowl Anymore

COMMENTARY

BY COLLIN BRISTER

32

20 - Home Field Advantage

Ole Miss’ Top 5 Egg Bowl Wins Since 1990?

By Former Rebel Taylor Quick

BY COLLIN BRISTER

22 - A Busy November is Upon Us

34

By John Davis

The Legend of Steve “STINGRAY” Ray

EXTRAS

24 - Ole Miss Fall

17 - On Top of Their Game

Talented #1 Class will have Huge Impact

Eugenia Conner Elected to MS

BY JEFF ROBERSON

BY REBEL NATION STAFF

Baseball Report

Sports Hall of Fame

36 - Learning On

21 - Social Survey

The Job

25 Players have made their debut for the Rebels in 2016

We asked our social media followers some questions about Ole Miss, here is what some of them had to say.

BY PARRISH ALFORD

42-COVER STORY

23 - FinsUp™ Fan Pics

WISE DECISION Passing on the 2016 NFL Draft is paying huge Dividends for Evan Engram

26 - Pick-Six Q&A Q&A with Ron Ross, Board of Directors of the Ole Miss Quarterback Club

60 - 2016-17 SEC BASKETBALL SCHEDULES

OLE MISS CHEER

TORI MARTIN Meridian

TO CONTACT REBEL NATION MAGAZINE™ > ADVERTISING, LETTERS, STORY IDEAS AND PHOTO SUBMISSIONS: Email us at info@rebelnationmagazine.com or mail to Rebel Nation Magazine™, P.O. Box 5842, Brandon, Mississippi 39047. Letters should include writer’s full name, address and telephone number and may be edited for clarity and space.

BY PARRISH ALFORD

50-REBEL HOOPS 2016-17 Men’s & Women’s Basketball Previews

BY JOHN DAVIS

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 19

REBEL NATION

commentary Follow Taylor Quick on Twitter @_CoachQuick

Home Field Advantage: “Lock the Vaught” and throw away the Key TAY L O R Q U I C K

Guest Columnist and former Ole Miss Rebel

64,038.

Sixty-four thousand thirty-eight. The newly expanded Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on the beautiful Ole Miss campus has a stadium capacity of 64,038 screaming fans!

On September 17th, 2016, that capacity was stretched to the limit and then some.

The Crimson Tide of Alabama had come to Oxford along with 66,176 people intent on seeing a phenomenal clash of two of the SEC’s premier teams.

The largest crowd to ever watch a sporting event in the history of the great state of Mississippi did not disappoint. They came early and stayed late. They were loud and full of energy and expectation! From my seat among the player families over in Section B, the effectiveness of moving the student section to the North End Zone was on full display. The Million Dollar Band was drowned out frequently by the raucous students donning the Powder Blue!

As a former Ole Miss Football player and brother of a current Rebel Football player, I know first-hand the effect that the crowd can have on the game.

Home field advantage is a very real thing. Since Hugh Freeze arrived in Oxford, the Rebels are 24-7 inside the confines of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. That’s good for a .774 winning percentage. During the four years under Houston Nutt, the Rebs were 13-13 at home for a .500 winning percentage. However, that number is a bit deceiving. It’s better to look at the Nutt years as two different time frames.

2008 and 2009, the Cotton Bowl years, saw the Rebs post a .750 winning percentage in the Vaught as they went 9-3 overall.

However, in 2010 and 2011 the Rebels were a dismal 4-10 for a .286 winning percentage inside the friendly confines of the Vaught.

What I remember most during 2010 and 2011 is the mass exodus that occurred in the South End Zone following halftime.

My only season as a player was in 2009.

Some students would leave at half time or during the third quarter, but for the most part, everyone stayed until the end of the 20 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

game. In 2011, the student section would be nearly empty for almost the entire second half. It was as if the students had simply given up on football. That has an effect on players. The thoughts that go through your mind when the crowd leaves you are hard to overcome at times. Thoughts like, “They expect us to lose;” “They don’t even care;” “Why do they even bother coming at all?” all go through your head. It is a HUGE distraction to the task at hand. Even in 2012 with all the new excitement, I still remember seeing many empty seats in the student section in the second half. That changed at the 2012 Egg Bowl.

The students stayed the entire game and stormed the field following the Rebel win over the Bulldogs. I will never forget watching the students celebrating in ecstasy when the Rebels snapped that losing streak. That marked the start of the Vaught being one of the most difficult places for an opposing team to play.

Three of Freeze’s seven home losses occurred in 2012. Freeze has lost at home only four times since. The atmosphere in Vaught-Hemingway has gained a reputation for being electric from start to finish with one of the best student sections in the country!

Fast forward to October 1, 2016. The Rebels were ranked inside the top 15 and were coming off a stomping of traditional SEC East power, Georgia. The Memphis Tigers were coming to town and everyone surrounding the Rebel Program had this game circled for a little payback. After a great day in the Grove (we took our two-month-old son, Tripp, to his very first game to watch his Uncle play), we headed to the stadium and to our seats over in Section B. The Rebels were playing an evening game for the first time all year. It finally felt like football outside.

There was a bit of chill in the air. It was a PERFECT scene as the stadium began to fill up. Rebel Red was everywhere. There were a few Memphis fans in blue scattered here and there and one big section of blue-clad fans on the East sidelines. However, just the student section more than doubled the

Memphis fans. The Rebels built a 24-7 lead by the half and never were really in danger of losing the game. However, when the Rebs came out of the locker room at halftime, the students had not only trickled out of the stadium, they flat out disappeared.

There are 10,000 seats apportioned out for current Ole Miss Students. There are 5,000 seats apportioned out to visiting team fans. After halftime and especially in the fourth quarter, the Memphis fans outnumbered the Ole Miss students almost 2 to 1.

Disgraceful. Pitiful. Ungrateful. These are some of the words fit for print that were used to describe that student section. How quickly these same students forget that 2010-2011 was only a short five years ago.

Have we already begun to take for granted the team that fights so hard for the Home Crowd? Is getting to the party so important that they cannot spare an extra hour or so to see the game through and send the Rebs to the locker room at the end of the fourth quarter the same way we greet them after Locking the Vaught?

Maybe it’s time for Coach Freeze to pull a Saban and publicly call out the students for their apparent lack of passion and interest.

Maybe Ross Bjork ought to drastically reduce the number of allotted student tickets.

Hundreds of people were unable to buy season tickets this year due to how quickly the stadium sold out. The AP #15 Sugar Bowl Champion Rebels were playing a revenge game against Little Brother #2 in front of a virtually empty student section.

Sounds preposterous to you? I was there; it was horrendous.

My two-month-old sat through that entire game until after the players had begun leaving the field after shaking hands with the Tigers. Disgraceful. Pitiful. Ungrateful.

These words were and are extremely fitting.

It’s time for the students of the “Flagship University” of the State of Mississippi to act like it. Step up. Be early. Be loud. Stay late.

Do your part to contribute to a Rebel victory. The average student only gets 24 Rebel home games to attend. The Library is open every weekend. That’s a no-brainer to me!

Hotty Toddy and Go Rebs! - RN Taylor Quick is from Terry, MS and is a former member of the 2009 Rebel Football Team. He is also the brother of current Rebel Tight End, Ty Quick. Taylor is married to the former Casey Risher of Wesson, MS, who is a 2016 graduate of the University of Mississippi Pharmacy school.

Taylor and Casey welcomed their first child, Tripp into the Rebel Family on August 3rd. They currently reside in Brandon, MS where Taylor is an assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Mississippi College.

FA N S U R V E Y

REBEL NATION FANFARE

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@RebelNationMag asked: FANS, GIVE US YOUR OPINIONS ON WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR FANS TO SIT OR STAND DURING THE GAME. Karen Holden – @kmholden3 If something exciting is happening by all means stand.

Stand when we close the vault, score, def sacs, long pass is completed, def holds the line within 10. But please don’t stand the whole entire game.

Michael Martin – @mmartincpa Sitting is for commercial breaks and halftime.

If it’s an exciting game and you have a pulse how do you sit at all? I’ll allow it during timeouts.

Tommy Ince - @TommyInce1 Stand all game, except for timeouts (called and TV) and during halftime. Anything less, you MUST stand on defense.

Deplorable American – @65horn Stand thus the term....stands.

Richard – @VarsityRebel Stand to support D on 3rd downs. Stand when O is in red zone.

LaurenPatton – @tchrlp Stand up as much as possible!

Be loud and proud during the entire game.

Otis Craig - @NOPD1024 Stand! It’s a football game not tea time.

William Correro – @wcorrero Stand and SCREAM the whole time. Next.

Cheryl Hannon – @Rebel1848 Stand proud, yell proud and support the players and coaches!

B.C. – @houstonbrew28 Seriously? Stand the hell up!

Jobie 1 – @jobie601 Hmm, one should stand (if able) before, during and after every play. Sit b/w quarters and at the half.

Patrick Sneed – @PSneed0880 Stand and make noise on defense. Sit on offense, except for big plays and moments.

Rebels Rise Up @jenni_moyer

THEY SAID IT...

Brad – @gocat132 Stand up!

Yell! Make Some Noise! Get in the Stadium!

Francis Montgomery – @montysrebels You gotta be able to sit and stand during the game.

Bee – @3rebboys Stand.....

Eff Arky – @Page__Me Stand the entire time (u may need a few breaks) & scream your head off on 1st-4th down when defense is on field.

@RebelNationMag asked: FANS, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON STUDENTS/FANS LEAVING A GAME EARLY? RebsFinsUp – @RebsFinsUp If they do not want to stay for the game, they should donate their tickets to someone who does.

Land Shark Nation™ – @LandSharkNation They have the right but selfish to the players. #BeatARKANSAS – @navaro1982 I think you should only leave if you have to. You buy a ticket for 4 quarters not 2! The Grove can wait!

Cheryl Hannon – @Rebel1848 A dedicated fan stays until game is over regardless of the outcome!

Jobie 1 – @jobie601 We ask a lot of the players so stay to the end and support them. If not let a Rebel that will

have them.

Chatarri – @chatarri A team is all for one and one for all. Sit down and enjoy your surrounding. Rude to leave before game is over and besides there are those of us who would gladly take your place and sit until the last play.

B.C. – @houstonbrew28 I can understand if it’s a thousand degrees. But for the majority of games, get in VHS and stay loud!

Otis Craig – @NOPD1024 You stay the entire game.

Emergencies happen but other than that you stay.

Brad – @gocat132 When it’s 100 degrees I understand. Any other time stay and support the Rebels

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 21

REBEL NATION

overtime

A Busy November Is Upon Us J O H N D AV I S

Featured Columnist - The Oxford Citizen

N

ovember is always a busy time to be an Ole Miss Rebel fan. The final month of football season is always the most interesting, to me at least. The Egg Bowl will be the highlight, but don’t forget that this year’s game with Texas A&M could decide a lot. The Rebels have a great chance to solidify another solid bowl game this year, and the month of November can be “make or break” in that regard.

It’s a month that also signifies the start of basketball season for the Rebels. If you’re like me, I still call the women’s basketball team Lady Rebels, at least when I talk with people.

In stories, they are the Rebels because that’s what they prefer, but old habits die hard for many of us. Matt Insell’s team could be a good group. Last year was forgettable. It was his third season in Oxford, but Insell couldn’t turn the corner. Ole Miss lost 20 total games and didn’t win at all in February. Or early March. Many are hoping for an improved team. Insell has the talent, he feels, to be much better this season. There are a number of returning players, and some key transfers.

Everything revolves around how the team bonds. A trip to Costa Rica seems to have helped in that department. Last year’s team had very little leadership, and it was hard for Insell to be the head coach, and the leader, at the same time.

He needs seniors like Erika Sisk to lead the group this winter. The schedule is a tough one. Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Oregon are some of the early games. Then the rugged SEC gets rolling. And four of the first six league games are on the road. If the Rebels can weather that tough start, then the finish could be something to keep an eye on.

On the other side of the coin are the Ole Miss men. Andy Kennedy has a new-look team but yet one that seems familiar to us. Sebastian Saiz returns to lead the inside players, while Cullen Neal and DeAndre Burnett are being counted on to lead the backcourt. Neal played at New Mexico last season, and he can provide scoring from the point guard spot. Burnett is a similar type player to Mr. Excitement, Stefan Moody. Kennedy doesn’t want him to be Moody, but it’s good to know he can do all of the same types of things if needed.

It’s clear that Kennedy wants the Rebels to play more as a team. He has always found a way to win games with offense.

There is a fine line, however, between being exciting and a team that competes for a championship. The Rebels need to be just as good on defense if they are going to make it back to the postseason. Kennedy has praised their work effort, and we all know that defense is about effort and hustle as much as anything.

The Pavilion has turned out to be everything we thought it 22 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

Photo by Greg Pevey, Rebel Nation Magazine™

The Pavilion has turned out to be everything we thought it could be. It can get very loud inside the new arena, and that’s exactly what the Rebels will need in close games. Kennedy is now the longest tenured coach in the SEC for major revenue sports.

It’s impressive to know that he has accomplished so much and done more than a lot of programs in the SEC.

Follow John Davis on Twitter @OxfordCitizenJD

could be. Last season provided some memorable moments for the Ole Miss faithful. It can get very loud inside the new arena, and that’s exactly what the Rebels will need in close games.

Kennedy is now the longest tenured coach in the SEC for major revenue sports. He downplayed that fact at the start of the year. Still, it’s impressive to know that he has accomplished so much and done more than a lot of programs in the SEC. Kennedy is affable and sarcastic all at the same time. He’s a good basketball coach even if there are some that feel he should have another NCAA Tournament appearance, or two, under his belt. Maybe this is the year for that to happen again. The Rebels, like the women, need to gel together early and let the stars be stars.

Saiz needs to have the senior year of all senior years. And he can do it. He has all the talent to be an All-SEC performer.

November is also a month that wraps up volleyball. That program doesn’t get the ink of others, but Steven McRoberts has continued to make that program more relevant in the SEC. Men’s and women’s tennis are also competing in November as they get ready for the spring. It’s a busy, busy month for sports and each of them needs the support of the fans. Even if you can’t make a game, watch them on TV. Or keep up with them through the official Ole Miss sports site or Rebel Nation’s site. Athletics is on a new competitive level here at Ole Miss, and November is a great month to get involved. These sports can hook you. There are many athletes who love the school and do a great job of representing the university. That should make us all proud. - RN

REBEL FANS, THIS PAGE IS FOR YOU! SUBMIT YOUR FINSUP™ PHOTOS: If you would like to submit your photos of you and your friends and family throwing up the “Fin,” to be published in a future issue of Rebel Nation Magazine™; you can tweet them to us @RebelNationMag, post on the Rebel Nation Magazine™ Facebook page or email them to info@rebalnationmagazine.com. Please include names of each person in the photo, location the photo was taken, and hometown(s). - Photos submitted by fans and taken by Angie Ledbetter

Gina Harrell, Franklin, TN

(L to R) Van Jefferson, Gabe Angel, Ty Quick, Evan Engram, Sean Rawlings, and Hunter Thurley

Brent and Chuck Wicker, Benton, AR

Corbin & Jude White, Booneville, MS

Ava Catt, Hattiesburg, MS

Kate and Sophie Ruff, Olive Branch, MS

(L to R) Gene and Becky Wing, Jonesboro, AR, Martin and Angie Keil, Brandon, MS

(L to R) Tom Gurley, Charan Gurley, Batesville, MS and friends in Orlando.

2016 Homecoming Queen M.K. Phillips

Jane Foster and her friends at the Zebra Tent in the Grove.

The gang at Rebel Alley.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 23

rebelBASEBALL FALL SPORTS +

TALENTED NEW CLASS WILL HAVE HUGE IMPACT The goal to reach Omaha is the “NEW NORMAL” for Ole Miss Baseball

BY JEFF ROBERSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER PHOTOS BY GREG PEVEY, REBEL NATION MAGAZINE™

The Ole Miss baseball ship, cruising much of the 2016 season, ran aground in its own NCAA Regional back in June. It had been a stellar season up to that point for the Rebels.

Some players are gone from that squad, and other players return. And, as always, there is a new group of freshmen and newcomers to join the effort to take Ole Miss back to the College World Series in Omaha, where it last visited in 2014.

The Rebels have brought in 18 talented new players for the 2017 season. The group includes seven high-school All-Americans and one junior college All-American. Five of them were listed in Perfect Game’s Top 100 high school players.

The incoming class this fall was ranked as high, in some publications and polls, as No. 2 nationally. It is a stellar class.

But the players in this class believe they are better than even that.

“We’re the best class,” said one of the freshman, confidently, but joined immediately by a resounding “that’s right” in agreement from the others nearby.

Five of the new players were Top 150 draft-able players as projected earlier this year. That’s

*

24 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

the top 150 players no matter their level of classification – high school player, junior college player, or college player.

That’s an awfully impressive status for one group.

They arrived in late June for the second semester of summer classes and went right to work, “It was a fun summer,” said freshman Thomas Dillard, a catcher at Oxford High School last season and with 17 round-trippers the national high school home run king for 2016. “We’ve grown a lot. We’ve grown to know each other, and (the summer) tested our mental toughness. It was a great opportunity to come here in the summer to get some (class) hours and get acclimated into the workouts.”

Strength and conditioning coach Ben Fleming is now in his fourth year with the program.

His workouts are a topic of conversation for the new players each year. This summer and fall have been no exception.

“After that first week (of workouts), I wasn’t sure I would ever walk again,” said freshman infielder Grae Kessinger, grandson of former Rebel player and coach Don Kessinger and son of former Ole Miss player Kevin Kessinger. “As the summer went on, you get used to it. As

TATE

BLACKMAN 2nd BASE

I’ve told people, there is no preparing for it. I thought I worked hard in the weight room in high school. Once you get here, there’s no comparison. I actually gained ten pounds.”

Freshman Cooper Johnson, considered by some publications and scouts as the best defensive catcher in the country in high school last year, said coming to Oxford back in the summer and getting used to life here was important for him.

“Before I came here, I didn’t know many of the guys,” said Johnson, who is from just outside Chicago in Mundelein, Ill. “The biggest thing to me was to build those relationships with my teammates. We’ve really bonded. You build relationships with people and everybody is working together, then it creates group morale. The workouts are very difficult, but we got into a groove. Eventually, it became more of a routine.”

During the summer it was also very positive for the class to

find out all of them would be attending college and none would turn pro.

“Once we found out we would all be coming to campus, we got a lot tighter,” Johnson said of the group. “The whole draft process is pretty taxing and takes up a lot of time. You have to talk to so many different people. Once we got here, everyone forgot about who we were back home and started working more as a group (here) than individuals.”

Right-handed pitcher Will Ethridge, from Lilburn, Ga., just outside of Atlanta, said finally arriving at Ole Miss in the summer was at least a sense of finality, or maybe even a beginning.

“It was a little bit stressful for everyone,” Ethridge said. “But getting (the summer) out of the way and some classes under our belt helped us out a lot, getting us acclimated to college life and prepared in the weight room.

The summer was really helped us to get ready for the fall. We got to know some of the old-

OLE MISS BASEBALL • OLE MISS BASEBALL • OLE MISS BASEBALL • OLE MISS BASEBALL

DAVID

PARKINSON PITCHER

TIME OUT “Five of the new players were Top 150 draft-able players as projected earlier this year. That’s the top 150 players no matter their level of classification – high school player, junior college player, or college player.

That’s an awfully impressive status for one group.” - Mike Bianco er players who were here and learned a lot from them. We hung out with them a bunch.”

Kessinger, the most local of them all given his background, said even he has gone through some adjustments.

“There’s definitely some newness, like dorm life, and a lot of things I’m still getting used to,” he said. “The older guys welcomed us with open arms. They

were right there. To see how hard they are working, that motivated us, even more, to be the best that we can be.”

Johnson said fall ball was good for the team and they were able to accomplish much toward the 2017 season, which begins in mid-February with a home weekend series against East Carolina.

“The intra-squad games were

awesome. It allowed us to get on the field and play together as a team,” he said. “It’s crazy to see how much we’ve grown. (Over the fall) we looked like a college baseball team. We’ve got a long way to go still, but I’m excited about the progress we made.”

Ethridge said he feels good about his fall progress and also the team’s preparation for the season.

“We’re making progress,” he said of fall ball. “It’s a lot of fun playing together, and there’s good competition between each other on the team.”

Ethridge made it clear what his goals were for the fall heading toward 2017. “(In the fall) I was trying to earn a job for the spring,” he said. “I want to compete and do the best I can.”

Johnson is in a battle for the catcher position, which most of the time last season was held by Henri Lartigue, who four players are looking to replace. Those in the mix are the true freshmen - Johnson and Dillard - redshirt freshman Carson Klepzig and

sophomore Nick Fortes.

“Us four have gotten pretty close. We’re around each other so much, at practice, catching bullpens and all,” Johnson said.

“We all know there’s competition, but there’s no heat around us four. But it’s a challenge.

There are very good catchers all working for one spot. I’m just trying not to do too much, but just do what I do.”

Like other positions between now and February, there is much to be determined concerning the baseball Rebels of 2017. But fall baseball was again successful for the squad as they move toward the season. For the younger players, it was a time of newness and renewal.

“After the spring season (of high school baseball) ended, pretty much the whole summer I didn’t play baseball. And that’s the first time that’s happened since I was six or seven years old,” Johnson said. “Being back on the baseball field (this fall) reminded me how much I love the game and how much everyone else does.” - RN

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 25

rebelnation

6

PICK

FALL SPORTS +

SIX QUESTIONS WITH...

RON ROSS - BOARD OF

speakers and one of the Ole Miss coaches and a weekly scouting report is presented by Don Sheffield. The growth membership renewals have reached an all-time high also. The Annual Kickoff meeting is our largest event of the year, held in the Indoor Practice Facility on campus. Some of our past speakers included Tim Brando, Archie Manning, and Coach Freeze.

The evening includes a full buffet dinner with an auction table of Ole Miss items.

Last year we reached the highest amount we have collected at the auction.

purchasing new office furniture for the entire coaching staff. We also bought new furniture and large screen televisions for the players’ lounge and updated new monitors for Coach Freeze and the staff’s meeting room. This is just a few of the many items that we have been asked to supply.

RN: The Misson Statement of the Ole Miss Quarterback Club is a non-profit organization whose sole function is to provide critical missing resources

RR: The great thing about being a member of the Quarterback Club is that anyone can be a member. Membership also includes your spouse. We serve free pizza

RN: Is it expensive for anyone to become a member of the Club? What do members receive and what type of events do they get to attend?

4.

DIRECTORS OF the ole miss quarterback club

1.

RN: Ron, you are on the Board of Directors for the Quarterback Club, when did you decide to become a member of the Club? Did you start at different levels of administration within the club and move up to the position you’re in today to reach the Board of Directors?

RR: I became a member of the board in 2009 after moving to Oxford. Both of our children attended Ole Miss. I have always followed Ole Miss football as a child since my Dad always loved the Rebels. We have 15 members on the board, and we work very well together to make the right decision for the Ole Miss Football program.

Each member contributes in many ways.

I contribute in the meetings as a secretary to record all of our meetings and activities. I also helped, along with our president Lee Meek, to develop the new website. This was very challenging to make sure we put everything into the site that was needed and took us over six months working with a professional company to produce a new site from scratch.

I also help set up for the weekly membership meetings at the Library on the Square, and usually serve as photographer for the club.

2.

RN: Years ago when you joined the Club, how has the organization changed and improved up until it is today?

RR: The Club has changed in so many ways within the last few years. Membership has increased significantly reaching over 3,400 members. Our weekly membership meetings have reached in the hundreds now as we have had near 500 at some big game weekends. We now have door prizes at all meetings, along with 26 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

3.

as identified by the Football Program.

Many times, there are needs that arise within the Football Program which is simply not funded by the Ole Miss Athletic Department’s annual operating budget. Through various fund-raising efforts and donations/memberships from loyal Ole Miss fans, The Ole Miss Quarterback Club can assess and provide needed additional resources as specifically identified by the Ole Miss Coaching Staff.

Can you elaborate any on what types of things the clubs assists with for the coaches and football program?

RR: All of the funds raised by The Ole Miss Quarterback Club goes to enhance the football program to insure that we can compete at the highest level possible on the national level. We have purchased two golf carts to be used by the coaching staff, and last year we bought top of the line 6 passenger carts with mag wheels, all the bells, and whistles, with Hugh Freeze’s name, signed across the front.

This is used to chauffeur the prospected recruits and their families around the facilities. We have also contributed to

at all of the weekly meetings. Students join for only $15.00 and eat all the pizza they care to eat! “First Down Member” is $50.00, and “Senior” membership is only $30.00. There are other levels where you can join: “Safety Sponsor” is $100 and comes with a gift certificate to be redeemed at a local sports store. “Field Goal Sponsor” is $250, also comes with a certificate. The “Touchdown Sponsor” is $500 and comes with a certificate plus admission to Signing Day Party and The Kickoff Meeting. And our highest sponsor is the “Winners Circle” for $1000 comes with a certificate and admission to the Signing Day party, Kickoff meeting, and includes recognition on the Website. We presently have 32 Winners Circle members.

RN: One of your biggest days of the year is Signing Day. Tell us all about that.

5.

RR: Signing day is always our most anticipated event of the year at the Oxford Convention Center. The cost for the entire day is $30.00. We have reached a time where all members must sign up and pay in advance to secure a seat since we have

OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL

Thousands of excited Rebel fans attend the Annual Quarterback Club Signing Day Event celebrating the announcements of recruits who have signed a letter of intent with the Rebels each year. The event is held annually at the Oxford Convention Center. - Photo by Angie Ledbetter

sold out the last two years and we have had to turn some away. The day starts early with a full breakfast where people visit and watch the national signing day unfold on four huge 100-inch screens.

We also have a theater room set up with continuous national SEC coverage where members can sneak off and catch the coverage. As the day progresses and the Ole Miss recruits are signed, they

are put on the center stage screen. A full lunch is served at noon, followed in the afternoon by a room full of Rebel fans ecstatic as Coach Freeze comes to give a report of the day.

6.

RN: For the fans reading this that are not members of the QB Club, what would you like to say to them to help them decide to become one?

RR: We’d love for anyone who is interested to become a member. With your participation, you will have a direct impact on the future success of Ole Miss football.

The Clubs is also a great opportunity to meet new Rebel fans who love Ole Miss just as much as you do from all across Rebel Nation. “The QB Club stands with Coach Freeze all the way…Go Rebels!” RN

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 27

the EGG bowl

rebelFOOTBALL

TIME OUT Has social media changed the rivalry’s perception? Sure. It’s much easier to engage in an argument online, as you’re connected to people all over the world. It’s much easier to hurl insults when you’re not in person, too.

it’s not your daddy’s egg bowl anymore!

BY COLLIN BRISTER CONTRIBUTING WRITER PHOTOS BY ANGIE LEDBETTER, REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

28 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

H

OW IT’S CHANGED The reality is, the Egg Bowl isn’t the same, and it likely never will be the same. The rivalry between Ole Miss and Mississippi State and Ole Miss has taken a turn for the better, or for the worse, depending on how you look at it. It’s become an everyday thing.

One can’t simply login to twitter and not see some sort of Egg Bowl dialogue

taking place. Most of the time, that dialogue is aggressive with name-calling and personal insults. Most of the time, it involves an adult being extremely mad online about a game played by 18 to 22-year-olds.

The rivalry has always been intense, on game day. It hasn’t always taken on the 24/7/365 days per year at your throat mentality that’s ever present today. It’s both sides, as well.

Has social media changed the rivalry’s perception? Sure. It’s much easier to engage in an argument online, as

you’re connected to people all over the world. It’s much easier to hurl insults when you’re not in person, too.

Never the less, it’s changed. It’s different. The intensity is magnified now more than over. It’s likely not changing either, but what got it to this point?

WHERE IT STARTED It’s November 24, 2012. Ole Miss is 5-6 on the season, and Mississippi State is 8-3 after starting the year 7-0. The Bulldogs dropped three of four after their undefeated start with losses to Alabama, Texas A&M and LSU. Ole Miss is coming off a 2011 season where they went 2-10 and 0-8 in the conference. They’ve hired Hugh Freeze from Arkansas State after Freeze only had one year of division one coaching experience.

Ole Miss has lost three egg bowls in a row, and haven’t really been competitive against the Bulldogs since Dan Mullen took over the helm in Starkville.

eventually take a 14-7 lead on Ole Miss.

Ole Miss responded immediately. Ole Miss put up 10 straight points, including a 77-yard pass to Donte Moncrief.

Mississippi State would tack on a field goal to tie the game at 17 going into the locker room.

Ole Miss dominated the second half that night. The Rebels scored 24 straight points to go up on Mississippi State before the Bulldogs added a last second touchdown as Ole Miss won the Egg Bowl 41-24.

Mississippi State had zero answer for the sophomore wide receiver Moncrief as the Raleigh, Miss. Native torched the Bulldogs for seven receptions and 177 yards with three touchdowns.

Ole Miss played a student-made song “Feed Moncrief,” every time Moncrief scored, and on that night there was no shortage of the new song.

When the game was in hand, the Ole Miss marketing team made a decision.

The Rebels plastered Dan Mullen’s face

FEED MONCRIEF Ole Miss has exceeded expectations.

They weren’t supposed to win five games, much less six, much less seven. Mississippi State spent the larger portion of the season competing for the SEC West championship. Ole Miss spent the larger portion of the season in an uphill battle to get to the bowl in Birmingham.

Then it happened. Ole Miss took the ball down the field and immediately went up 7-0 after a touchdown pass to Jamal Mosley from Bo Wallace.

Mississippi State’s Jameon Lewis took the ensuing back to the house to tie the game at seven. Mississippi State would

on their jumbotron. Mullen was videoed telling his team after the 2010 Egg Bowl that “We’re never losing to that team again,” referring to Ole Miss.

He lost to Ole Miss that night, and Ole Miss made sure Mullen realized it.

2013 RECRUITING CLASS AND 2013 EGG BOWL Misery enjoys company is a solid way to describe the theme of the Egg Bowl in the first decade of the Egg Bowl.

Sometimes one team was solid. Sometimes both teams here inexplicably bad, but not once were both teams bowl eligible, or fighting for bowl eligibility

until that night in 2012.

Ole Miss went on to win their bowl game in Birmingham over Pittsburgh.

Mississippi State lost to Northwestern in Florida in the Gator Bowl.

Ole Miss, a month later, signed the best class in school history. They challenged the notion that you could do more than win six to seven games a year. They changed the belief that Ole Miss would never be more than a bottom feeder in the SEC West. On a February day, in 2013, Ole Miss changed its program. It changed the trajectory of the program. It changed its fans’ mindsets. It changed everything, maybe forever.

Ole Miss and Mississippi State both had mediocre years in 2013. The Rebels started off the year with a crazy win over Vanderbilt, but went to Starkville with a 7-4 record. Mississippi State entered the contest at 5-6 and starting a third string quarterback in Damian Williams after Tyler Russell and Dak Prescott had sustained injuries.

Ole Miss played awful that night. Bo Wallace threw three first half interceptions, and the game was tied at seven at halftime.

Ole Miss would add a field goal in the third quarter, and Ole Miss led 10-7 late in the fourth quarter.

Williams threw a late interception to Cody Prewitt, and it appeared that Ole Miss would win the football game at that point with Mississippi State relying on the third string quarterback to bring them back, except they didn’t.

As soon as Prewitt intercepted the ball, number 15 on Mississippi State’s sideline who had dressed out in an emergency began to loosen up. Dak Prescott was about to enter the contest, and it was about to get interesting.

Prescott tied the game up, and the game went to overtime. Everyone reading this knows what happened. Prescott scored. Wallace fumbled. Mississippi State won.

Nine months after Ole Miss had signed the best recruiting class in school history, they lost to Mississippi State who started a third string quarterback. Mississippi State spent that off-season making sure Ole Miss didn’t forget it. The legend of Dak Prescott was born.

2014 SEASON Ole Miss and State had hardly ever been relevant in the SEC, much less on a national landscape. Then 2014 happened.

Ole Miss and Mississippi State spent NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 29

much of the 2014 season ranked in the top five in the country. Mississippi State was a scoring machine behind the program’s best player Dak Prescott.

Ole Miss’ defense was statistically the best in the country.

The Bulldogs started the season 9-0 before losing in Tuscaloosa to Alabama.

The Rebels started 7-0 before falling 10-7 at LSU. Ole Miss would lose the next week to Auburn. They would then lose their next SEC game to Arkansas 30-0 in a game that Bo Wallace severely injured his ankle in. Mississippi State didn’t lose, except in Tuscaloosa.

Then they played. Wallace from Ole Miss was extremely immobile, and folk hero Dak Prescott was supposed to have the game of his life. He was supposed to get Mississippi State to 11-1 on the season, and beat Ole Miss in Oxford.

Ole Miss stopped Prescott that day.

The Louisiana native wasn’t able to get his offense going. The best player in Mississippi State history couldn’t get it done, and Ole Miss won that day with a hampered quarterback.

That didn’t sit well with some. Like the year before when Ole Miss fans expected to win in Starkville, Bulldog fans expected to win in Oxford that day. Ole Miss beat their best player in school history, and they didn’t let Mississippi State fans forget it.

2015 SEASON The 2015 season didn’t have the national relevance that 2014 did. Ole Miss won in Tuscaloosa, but they lost two weeks later in Gainesville and had a horrible loss to Memphis two weeks after the fall in Florida.

Mississippi State ho-hummed their way to eight wins in 2015, with the most respectable win coming the week before the egg bowl over Arkansas.

The home team dominates the Egg Bowl. Since 2001, the road team had only won the contest twice. The magnitude of this match-up made it so much more for both fan bases.

The reality of the game was that it was two 8-3 teams playing each other for better bowl position. The bowl position, however, was the Sugar Bowl.

Whoever won the 2015 Egg Bowl was going to play in their second consecutive Access Bowl. The winner was going to the Sugar Bowl.

It was senior night in Starkville. Mississippi State honored Dak Prescott as the quarterback that carried their program to national relevance would play his last game in Starkville that night 30 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

TIME OUT Ole Miss and Miss. State shared the cover of “Sports Illustrated” in October 2014. Needless to say, State fans were not happy to share the spotlight with the Rebels. Do they ever?

against his rival.

Prescott said that he came back to school after the 2014 season because he wanted to beat Ole Miss.

Ole Miss was playing their last regular season game with players from that heralded 2013 recruiting class such as Laquon Treadwell, Robert Nkemdiche and Laremy Tunsil. This game was their legacy. They were going to either put themselves in the Sugar Bowl in Davis Wade Stadium, or their reign at Ole Miss would be heavily scrutinized.

Ole Miss dominated Mississippi State that night. Prescott fumbled the ball on the opening possession. Demarquis Gates recovered. Ole Miss drove down and scored. Ole Miss stopped Mississippi State again. Ole Miss went and scored. Dak Prescott threw a pick six. Ole Miss made it 21-0. The game was over.

Sure, they played the second half, but Mississippi State wasn’t in the contest.

Ole Miss essentially clinched a spot in the Sugar Bowl that night in Starkville. Ole Miss was talented. Ole Miss was just better than Mississippi State that night. Ole Miss beat Dak Prescott, badly, in his last game at Davis Wade Stadium, and that was hard to swallow for some.

WHERE IT STANDS NOW It’s not going to get better. Both fan bases are at each other’s throats. One is able to determine if that’s good rivalry. They’re able to determine if that’s good for the state, but it’s not going anywhere.

Dan Mullen arrived in Starkville in 2009, and he stressed the significance of this rivalry. Initially, that paid off for the Pennsylvania native. Then Hugh Freeze showed up, and has made the same impact that Mullen made initially at Mississippi State, if not more.

That changed everything. - RN

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 31

rebelFOOTBALL

the EGG bowl

Ole Miss’ TOP 5 Egg Bowl Victories Since 1990

BY COLLIN BRISTER

2015

O

1

#

le Miss and Mississippi State played last year in the biggest Egg Bowl in modern history.

Everything was on the line in Starkville the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The winner, assuming Florida lost to Alabama in the SEC Championship game the next week, would head to New Orleans and play in the Sugar Bowl.

Ole Miss had not won in Starkville since 2003, and the Bulldogs would be celebrating Dak Prescott’s senior night before the game.

The odds, it seemed, were against the Rebels.

The game couldn’t have started off better for the Rebels. Sophomore linebacker Demarquis Gates recovered a Prescott fumble on the first drive of the game. Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly came out with the football and immediately marched it down the field to give the Rebels a 7-0 lead.

Ole Miss’ defensive line dominated the contest as they gave Prescott no time to throw. The Rebels forced two sacks on Prescott on the second series and got the ball back. Again, Kelly took the Rebels down the field, and Ole Miss jumped out to a 14-0 lead.

On the next series, Mississippi State faced a 2nd and ten at their own 40-yard-line.

Prescott was flushed from the pocket. As he released the pass, Gates popped Prescott causing the throw to miss its mark. Ole Miss cornerback Tony Bridges caught Prescott’s pass and returned it for a touchdown.

The Rebels would dominate the rest of the contest as they left Starkville with a 3827 victory. Ole Miss, for the second year in a row, was able to handle Prescott’s rushing ability as the Louisiana native only managed 63 yards on the ground on 21 carries.

The Rebels would parlay the Egg Bowl victory into a Sugar Bowl match-up with Oklahoma State. The Rebels knocked off the Cowboys 48-20.

2012

CONTRIBUTING WRITER PHOTOS COURTESY OLE MISS ATHLETICS

2

#

Ole Miss came into the 2012 contest needing a victory to extend its season. The Bulldogs needed the victory to get to nine wins, 32 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

The Stand 1992 The Stand: In a defensive struggle that saw a combined 12 turnovers between the two, a goal line stand of epic proportions by the “Red Death” defense ultimately gave Ole Miss the win. Mississippi State had 11 plays in 2 different possessions inside the Rebel 10 within the last 4 minutes of the contest but failed to score. The first possession ended on a third down pass that was intercepted in the end zone by Michael Lowery who would bring the ball out to the 2 yardline. A couple of plays later saw rebel running back Cory Philpot fumble the ball back to the Dogs making for the Rebels 7th turnover. On the ensuing possession, State had fourth and goal and the pass was incomplete. However, pass interference on Orlanda Truitt kept the drive alive, moving the ball to the 2. However, the next four plays resulted in negative yardage, with the final pass falling incomplete with only 20 seconds remaining. The Rebels won 17–10.

and likely a very nice bowl game.

The Rebels were coming off three straight egg bowl losses, where in large part they weren’t very competitive.

Ole Miss started out the game on fire as sophomore quarterback Bo Wallace led Ole Miss down the field to take a 7-0 lead. The game would eventually be tied as both teams headed to the locker room for halftime.

One time made halftime adjustments that night; the other team is Mississippi State. Ole Miss dominated the second half, as sophomore receiver Donte Moncrief torched the Bulldog secondary for two second-half touchdowns. The Rebels would also find Vince Sanders on a 16-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter that put the game away.

The Rebels needed that victory to get bowl eligible and achieve a winning record, but they needed it for more reasons than that.

That November Ole Miss was starting to launch the beginning of an unheralded recruiting class by Ole Miss standards, they needed it to help keep that class together.

Ole Miss went to Pittsburgh that January and dominated Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl, but that win was insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

The following month, Ole Miss would sign the number one player in the country in defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche. The Rebels would also ink five-stars Laremy Tunsil, Laquon Treadwell and Tony Conner to put the finishing touches on the class.

1992

3

#

Mississippi State was trailing 17-10 late in the contest but drove the ball down to the Ole Miss goal line with an opportunity to tie the game or win it. The Rebels needed to make a goal line stand to maintain the lead.

The Rebels’ Michael Lowery intercepted a Mississippi State pass on third down to give the Rebels possession. Ole Miss immediately fumbled the ball away, and the Bulldogs had another opportunity to tie or win the game.

Ole Miss stopped the Bulldogs again, as

rebelNEWS UM, Oxford Again Ranked Among Nation’s Best and Most Beautiful

Universityanditshometown pick up four new accolades

The Run Ole Miss running back Jaylen Walton bounced off Bulldog defenders and raced 91-yards for a touchdown to put Ole Miss up 24-10 in the third quarter of the 2014 Egg Bowl. Walton’s’ run was the Rebels’ longest play from scrimmage since John Avery’s 97-yard touchdown run against Arkansas in 1997. - Photo by the Tupelo Daily Journal

a Mississippi State pass fell incomplete on fourth and goal. The Rebels, however, were flagged for pass interference giving the Bulldogs yet again another opportunity to reach the end zone.

The Rebels stopped Mississippi State, again, as with 20 seconds left a Mississippi State pass fell to the ground on fourth and goal, and Ole Miss took possession of the football and eventually won the game 17-10.

Ole Miss finished the 1992 season with a 9-3 record after a 13-0 victory over the Air Force Falcons in the Liberty Bowl.

1997

4

#

Ole Miss and Mississippi State haven’t ever liked each other, and there was never more evident before the 1997 contest in Starkville when a brawl broke out before the game in Starkville.

As for the game, it was a defensive slugfest, and Ole Miss found themselves trailing 14-7 with a little more than two minutes left in the contest.

Ole Miss took possession of the football at their own 46-yard line, and quarterback Stewart Patridge marched the Rebels all the way to the Mississippi State ten-yard line. A play later Patridge would hit receiver Andre Rome for a ten-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left.

College football had adopted an overtime system in 1996, so the Rebels had the opportunity to kick the extra point and take the

game into overtime.

Tommy Tuberville didn’t have time for overtime. The third-year Ole Miss coach lined up to go for two and the win. Patridge found receiver Cory Peterson in the middle of the end-zone to convert the two-point conversion and give the Rebels a 15-14 lead.

The Rebels would intercept a Mississippi State pass with very little time left on the clock. The win sent Ole Miss to the Motor City Bowl where they knocked off Marshall 34-31.

2014

5

#

In a match-up of the two best teams that the schools had representing them in a long time, the game was a classic. Ole Miss’ quarterback Bo Wallace was hampered with an ankle injury, but the senior quarterback wouldn’t be denied in his last home game against the Bulldogs.

Wallace had a solid performance as he threw for 296 yards, setting up Ole Miss multiple times in the red zone with long pass plays to Evan Engram.

With Ole Miss clinging to a seven-point lead in the contest and with possession of the ball at their own 9-yard line junior running back Jaylen Walton took a pitch 91 yards to the house to give Ole Miss a 24-17 lead. Ole Miss would add a late touchdown to take a 31-17 lead on the Bulldogs. The win sent Ole Miss to the first access bowl in school history. - RN

OCTOBER 6, 2016 OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi and Oxford often rank at the top of annual lists of beautiful campuses and best college towns, and this fall has brought a new set of national accolades upon the area.

USA Today’s Reader’s Choice travel awards contest has named UM the nation’s most beautiful campus, while Thrillist named the university on its unranked list of the 20 most beautiful public college campuses. The NCAA recognized Ole Miss’ tailgating environment as the nation’s best. FanSided, which is run by Sports Illustrated and owned by Time Inc., named Oxford the second-best college town in the nation.

Source: www.OleMiss.edu NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 33

the EGG bowl

rebelFOOTBALL The LEGEND of

“STINGRAY”

OR...“WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO BRUTHA’ WHEN THE ‘STINGRAY’ RUNS WILD ON YOU?”

L

ove him or hate him, Steven “Stingray” Ray has definitely made his mark in the College Football World the past few seasons. With his wild and crazy YouTube video rants about MSU’s weekly football opponents (although he conveniently forgot to make a preview of last season’s Egg Bowl match-up with Ole Miss) he has caught the nation by storm and has even been a guest on set with Paul Finebaum at a recent pregame show on the campus of Miss. State. We caught up with the “bulliest” of Bulldogs to get his take on this year’s Bulldogs, the future of Dan Mullen, the current status of the Egg Bowl Rivalry, and his thoughts on our very own Head Football Coach Hugh Freeze.

REBEL NATION MAGAZINE: Where did you get the idea for the “Stingray” persona and come up with your idea to do game predictions on YouTube?

STINGRAY: Well my name is Steven Ray, so it’s just catchy plus my grandparents had a condo in Orange Beach and for years from the time I was four years old till I was 11, I spent the summers at the beach from May until August and my friends at the beach nicknamed me “Stingray.”

RN: Is it true you went to school at Alabama or was previously an Alabama fan?

STINGRAY: Yes, unfortunately, my entire family went to Alabama and have had “Tide Pride” tickets since 1985! I was forced to be an Alabama fan until I got tired of the arrogant fans and so I switched when I went on a tour of the Mississippi State campus.

RN: If so, what made you leave the Tide to become a fan of Miss. State?

STINGRAY: That’s a very long story, so I guess I will start from the beginning. My grandparents owned a meat processing plant in Tuscaloosa, and it opened in 1980, and one of our biggest customers was Dr. Reverend Croom, 34 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

Sylvester Croom’s father so my family has known the Croom’s since the 80’s, and my mother and my aunt went to high school with Sylvester and Kelvin Croom. Since my family knows the Croom’s so well, when Sylvester got the job I started pulling for Mississippi State on the side and then I really became a fan once I went over to MSU and toured the campus for Meteorology and fell in love with the southern hospitality and the uniqueness of the university.

RN: I read/heard that you have a degree in broadcasting? Do you hope that your YouTube videos may lead to something bigger in the future for you in the broadcasting field?

STINGRAY: Yes, I received a sports broadcasting degree from the University of Alabama in 2010, and my ultimate goal is to do something in sports.

RN: I’m sure a lot of rival fans think your videos are crazy. What do you have to say about the haters? I’m willing to bet that they secretly enjoy them, but just want to give you a hard time.

STINGRAY: Haters are going to hate! I have a lot of fun doing what I do. That’s all the really matters.

RN: We’ve all seen the double-ended cowbell on your videos. Where did you get that particular one and how many cowbells do you actually own?

STINGRAY: I got it from a Mississippi State gift shop in Starkville, and I have 15 cowbells all together.

RN: Is Dak Prescott your favorite MSU player of all time? And can Dan Mullen survive at MSU without him?

STINGRAY: He’s one of my favorite; my top 4 would be: 1. Dak 2. Anthony Dixon 3. Derek Pegues 4. Johnthan Banks As far as Coach Mullen is concerned, with the way we’ve started the season I just don’t know. It’s hard for me to judge if he’s given up on MSU and doesn’t want to be here anymore or if the team has quit on him. I’m interested to see how the season ends and if we don’t win but one more game how the offseason is going to play out. It’s definitely going to be interesting, but I think the bigger issue needs to be finding MSU a new AD first.

Stingray On his double-ended Cowbell: “I got it from a Mississippi State store in Starkville, and I have 15 cowbells all together.”

the season, so that’s going to add to it too.

RN: Do you think Mullen is on the hot seat? When you lose a player like Dak, it may take a season or two to “rebuild” the program around some new players.

STINGRAY: I think it’s really getting warm because you can’t lose to South Alabama and then get embarrassed at home vs. Auburn. The Auburn loss goes back to the issue of the team may have quit on him. I absolutely love Coach Mullen, and I have no ill will towards him because he got MSU to #1 for five straight weeks. If he leaves, then I wish him the best. That’s the same way I felt about Scott Stricklin.

RN: If he takes another loss in the Egg Bowl this year (which would make Mullen 1-4 vs. Freeze) would State fans want him fired or is he given another season?

STINGRAY: I’ll be honest with you; there were fans who wanted him gone after last years Egg Bowl loss at home, so if he loses again, I don’t know how some of his coaching staff survives.

RN: Just say this year’s MSU team ends the season with a losing record, you don’t think the MSU “powers that be” will give Mullen time to rebuild the program? It was just two seasons ago that MSU was ranked #1 in the country and it’s not easy to find another dynamic player like Dak Prescott to step right in and continue that success.

Photo courtesy John Davis / Oxford Citizen - Daily Journal

RN: What is your opinion of the Egg Bowl rivalry since the arrival of Dan Mullen and Hugh Freeze? Many people think it has become more bitter between the fans the past several years.

STINGRAY: Well yeah, I think so because when you have Coach Mullen get on the Jumbotron in 2009 and say we are never going to lose to that team again, and we are the team on the rise in this State, it’s going to make any rivalry heated. Plus a couple of years ago you had both teams in the Top 5 during

STINGRAY: Honestly, it depends on the new A.D. but I will say coach Mullen will be forced to make some changes somewhere. Maybe the offensive line coach or something because since we were #1 in 2014 in my opinion we’ve been going backwards at certain positions especially offensive line. It’s absolutely embarrassing to give up nine sacks to Alabama and then six to Ole Miss. Something has to change or we will have a new coach.

RN: In college football today, do you think coaches are not given enough time to “build” a program or to “rebuild” a program after losing so much talent?

STINGRAY: Well, Coach Mullen has been at MSU since 2009 and he’s been building the program, but even after a

player like Dak leaves you can’t lose to teams like South Alabama. The measuring stick in the SEC is Alabama and unfortunately Coach Mullen has only been competitive against Alabama twice. Once in 2013, but we didn’t have Dak because he was injured and we didn’t have Tyler Russell due to injury, so that really set us back and we lost at home 21-7. The second time was in 2014 when we got down 19 to nothing and battled back but came up 5 points short. That really hurts when you look at his record because I believe he’s 0-8 against Alabama and 1-7 against LSU. That will kill you if you are trying to save your job. Now keep in mind I love Coach Mullen but his record against good teams isn’t that good!!

RN: What is your opinion on Ole Miss football? Do you think they could become a contender for the SEC title in the years to come?

STINGRAY: I honestly think that ship has sailed. They had two of the best teams in your history in 2014 and 2015 and you guys beat Alabama and what did you do? You blew it against LSU and Arkansas in 2014 and vs. Florida, Memphis, and Arkansas in 2015. You guys should have taken advantage of beating Bama, but you didn’t. Just my honest opinion.

RN: What is your opinion on Hugh Freeze and what he has done at Ole Miss the past four-plus seasons?

STINGRAY: Well, he appears to be a great coach, but the allegations make you wonder how good he really is. I think what he did (allegedly) is hurting his legacy because now you question could Ole Miss have done what they did without paying players (there has been no allegations of “pay for play” at Ole Miss)? Honestly, I don’t think so.

RN: Do you really think Ole Miss is running a dirty program, or are you just basing that opinion on what you read and hear from MSU media?

Could it be that Freeze may actually be a good football coach?

STINGRAY: I’m just going on what Paul Finebaum and ESPN are saying about Ole Miss. I don’t believe anything I hear until I hear it on ESPN or a credible source. I think Freeze is an ok coach. It’s going to be interesting to see how he does after guys like Chad Kelly and Evan Engram are gone. - RN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 35

rebelFOOTBALL THE

TIME OUT TRUE FRESHMAN WR

A.J. BROWN 1

#

36 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

In all, 13 first-year players have played this season. Twelve redshirt freshmen, signees from the 2015 class, have played for the first time.

Nine different players have drawn their first career starts.

OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes my way...You must do the things that you think you cannot do.”

– Eleanor Roosevelt

learning

on the job

Whether by sheer need or just being flat-out talented, and in some instances both, 25 (Twenty-Five) players for the Rebels have made their debut this season on both sides of the ball.

BY PA R R I S H A L F O R D CONTRIBUTING WRITER - DAILY JOURNAL PHOTOS BY GREG PEVEY, REBEL NATION MAGAZINE™

T

he fade went to D.K. Metcalf in the left corner of what college football fans know as the Citrus Bowl.

Forget Camping World.

Hauling in a fade pass was nothing new for Metcalf, but months earlier it had been done on behalf of Oxford High School.

Here he was in an old downtown stadium, the site of many bowl games and other bigtime events, facing one of the top teams in the country.

Neither he nor Hugh Freeze cared that it was his first college game.

Freeze was pleased to target Metcalf right away, and Metcalf (6-4, 210) rewarded that

confidence with a touchdown.

Fellow freshman A.J. Brown was also targeted early in that game and responded with a 36-yard gain.

Thus, the die was cast.

Ole Miss freshmen, members of the No. 5-ranked class according to the 247Sports composite listings have played key roles in 2016.

Metcalf would suffer a broken foot in Week 2 but not before catching another fade pass for a touchdown against Wofford.

For all intents and purposes, it’s an injury that ended his season. The likelihood that Metcalf can regain the season with a medical redshirt will make Freeze reluctant to play him if he does heal with games remaining.

The signings of Metcalf and Brown were celebrated by Ole Miss fans with good reason.

As games slip off the schedule, they are far from the only young players tasked for big contributions on a team that began the season as part of the national conversation.

In all, 13 first-year players have played this season. Twelve redshirt freshmen, signees from the 2015 class, have played for the first time.

Nine different players have drawn their first career starts.

Five-star offensive tackle Greg Little has not been among those, though many speculated he would quickly replace first-round draft pick Laremy Tunsil on the left side.

That’s not a bad thing. Little continues to progress and play behind Rod Taylor at left tackle. That combination has helped the Rebels improve in the run game and protect Chad Kelly such that Ole Miss has fielded one of the nation’s most explosive offenses.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 37

THE TRUE FRESHMAN DB

MYLES HARTSFIELD 15

#

“There is no better than adversity.

Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.”

– Malcolm X Through five games the Rebels had posted more than 500 yards three times and were ranked No. 14 nationally in pass efficiency.

They scored 43 points against Alabama for a second-straight season.

Not all the stars in the 2016 signing class have gotten on the field.

Freeze was tight-lipped in the offseason about what his plan would be for Shea Patterson, the top-rated quarterback in 2016.

It became clear early in the season that Freeze is going for #38 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

the redshirt. Patterson prepares each week as though he will play, and an injury to Kelly could change things, but for now he’s not been in a game.

“Shea looks good,” offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dan Werner said. “We’ve talked, obviously, many times about what his role is and what he wants to do. Basically, it’s a conversation between me, coach Freeze and him, but the plan is going exactly as we hoped it would. In that regard, we’re happy with how it’s happened.”

Some young players have been called on quickly because of injuries. A torn ACL sustained by junior cornerback Kendarius Webster on opening night caused shuffling in the secondary. Now, redshirt freshman Jalen Julius is a starter, and true freshman Jaylon Jones is playing a key role.

“I’d like to see focus from them on every play. At times there’s a lack of focus,” defensive coordinator Dave Wommack said. “It’s just about being consistent. They just have to see it and experience it. Both of them I really like.”

Part of the inconsistency showed in the Rebels’ 48-28 win over Memphis when Julius was fooled by a double move.

Jones, a four-star signee from Allen, Texas, really “grew up” against Georgia, according to Freeze, when he had six tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass break-up.

He was less impressive against Memphis, sometimes getting

lost in coverage. He had one tackle and broke up a pass.

Senior Carlos Davis, a former walk-on, has held one starting spot at cornerback with Julius the other.

The Webster injury was such a significant blow not because of what Webster accomplished last year – the Rebels were next to last in the SEC in passing yards allowed – but because of what was expected of him this season.

Webster had committed himself to off-season conditioning, and it showed in his body makeup at the start of camp.

He also spent extra time in the film room to identify areas to improve his game.

He was poised for a big year.

It’s also been important for Julius and Jones to latch onto things because senior Tony Bridges has struggled.

The Rebels have six true freshmen on the two-deep depth chart with one of them, Myles Hartsfield, the starter at strong

TRUE FRESHMAN DB

JALEN JULIUS 7

#

SOPHOMORE DB

ZEDRICK WOODS 36

#

TRUE FRESHMAN RB

D’VAUGHN PENNAMON 28

#

TRUE FRESHMAN LT

GREG LITTLE 74

#

safety.

Hartsfield, an early enrollee, turned heads in the spring and never let go of the strong safety position.

True freshman Deontay Anderson, rated the No. 1 safety

by ESPN and the nation’s No. 41 overall in the ESPN300, has played right behind him.

Sophomore Zedrick Woods has caught on at free safety, the experience he gained as a true freshman helping him along the way.

Woods picked off two passes against Memphis, returning one for a score.

It’s been a big task for Hartsfield and Woods to replace guys like Mike Hilton and Trae Elston, and the safeties were a question mark going into camp.

“At times at safety we don’t fit things, don’t come up and hit things like we should,” defensive coordinator Dave Wommack said after the Memphis game.

“A quarter second hesitation can

make a big difference.”

Two other young players have found themselves in key roles on offense perhaps unexpectedly.

Four-star running back D’Vaughn Pennamon was likely headed for a redshirt year, but that changed when redshirt freshman Eric Swinney tore up his knee in the opener.

Big things were expected of Swinney, particularly after junior running back Jordan Wilkins was lost to an administrative error before the season started.

Pennamon was coming along nicely and about to be introduced to an expanded package when he was sidelined for the Memphis game after a hamstring pull in practice.

Pennamon showed his power against Georgia with a 1-yard touchdown run on a hand-off from Jason Pellerin.

A redshirt freshman, Pellerin has thrived in what is best described as the old Barry Brunetti role, the designated running NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 39

TIME OUT Freeze has indicated a need for Pellerin to improve as a passer. Soon it may not be a given to opposing defenses that Pellerin will take off with the shotgun snap. quarterback in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

Whether Pellerin would be the answer at quarterback in an emergency situation remains to be seen, but at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds he’s shown both the strength to run off tackle and the speed to get to the edge.

Freeze has indicated a need for Pellerin to improve as a passer. Soon it may not be a given to opposing defenses that Pellerin will take off with the shotgun snap.

“He’s actually thrown a couple of good passes too,” Werner said. “People see a guy like him come in and think we’re just going to run the ball. Now they see he can throw it too, so that opens up other options for us.” - RN

REDSHIRT FRESHMAN QB

JASON PELLERIN 7

#

TRUE FRESHMAN DL

BENITO JONES 95

#

40 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

TRUE FRESHMAN QB

SHAE PATTERSON 20

#

TRUE FRESHMAN WR

D.K. METCALF 14

#

THE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 41

rebelFOOTBALL

PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEEs

POST-SEASON AWARD NOMINATIONS 2016 Biletnikoff Award Watch List The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the outstanding receiver in college football.

2016 John Mackey Award Watch List

John Mackey Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end.

IT COULD NOT HAVE WORKED OUT ANY BETTER FOR EVAN PASSING ON THE 2016 NFL DRAFT IS PAYING HUGE DIVIDENDS FOR ENGRAM and the rebels

BY PA R R I S H A L F O R D CONTRIBUTING WRITER - DAILY JOURNAL PHOTOS BY GREG PEVEY, REBEL NATION MAGAZINE™

E

van Engram announced his presence when he twisted his upper body to make a catch over the middle at Vanderbilt three years ago.

There were many in the Ole Miss signing class of 2013 that didn’t need to announce their presence. Their reputations arrived ahead of them, guys like Robert Nkemdiche, Laquon Treadwell, and Laremy Tunsil.

Engram was a three-star signee from Powder Springs, Georgia, attracting attention from the service academics, the MAC and some FCS schools, but there was scant notice from SEC schools or other FBS programs.

He attracted much more attention in 42 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

camp at Ole Miss.

Engram played off the bench in that Vanderbilt game, but he played a lot finishing with five catches for 61 yards.

Ole Miss would eventually win that game on the strength of a lengthy late touchdown run by Jeff Scott.

Engram’s contributions in his college debut were significant, but the biggest thing he did was to begin building a relationship of trust with Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze.

The trust from Freeze continues, but the trust with quarterback Chad Kelly is stronger than ever, and that’s allowing Engram to finish his college career with a bang. He currently has more catches and receiving yards than any other tight end in the nation.

However, the trust with Kelly didn’t happen overnight.

Engram had a slow start to 2015 when

2016 Senior CLASS Award® Nominee

An NCAA Division I FBS senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.

2016 Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List

to honor NFL coach Vince Lombardi and to recognize outstanding college football lineman.

– EVAN ENGRAM being a leader for the team, leading by example.”

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the AFCA Good Works Team®, which was established in 1992 to recognize a select group of college football players who have made a commitment to service and enriching the lives of others.

CALLED TO MAKE A BIG PLAY, I TRY TO DO THAT. That’s a big part of

Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®

with Chad,” Engram said. “I JUST GO OUT THERE, AND IF MY NAME IS

the Wuerffel Trophy to the Football Bowl Subdivision football player who best exhibits exemplary community service.

“I definitely see more action downfield. The chemistry’s really good

2016 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

REBEL NATION MAGAZINE™

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 43

ENGRAM THROUGH THE first SIX GAMES:

OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL •

CATCHES

37

yards

590 td’s

5

long

63 career to date: REC. yds.

134 1984

tds. LONG 12 83

TIME OUT “We all know him (Evan), and we’ve seen him. It’s the play of those other guys. Damore’ea Stringfellow, Quincy Adeboyejo, DaMarkus Lodge. What are you going to do?

The only way you can bracket him is to put a backer and a safety inside out, but that means somebody is one-onone,” Freeze said.

44 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

both players were juniors. Treadwell was Kelly’s primary target, and Engram two catches over the first two games, just ten over the first five.

Kelly has spread the ball around to a number of players this season. If any of his targets has approached the Treadwell role, it’s been, Engram.

The comfort level between the two is a product of off-season work.

“Chad is a big confidence guy. He likes to believe in his guys. He wants to trust his re-

ceivers, and that’s what we worked on a lot as a corp as an offense this off-season. So I think it has really grown confidence-wise and just showing that we make big plays,” Engram said. “We’ll make a big play in practice, big plays in camp plays that we like for him to call and he feels comfortable putting the ball out there for us to go get it. That all comes with repetition, and that comes with confidence.”

Engram averaged 16 yards a catch and 95.8 yards a game through five games.

• OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL

TIME OUT

He’s been more than that tight end that drags across the field just beyond the line of scrimmage. He’s getting open down-field and making plays.

Though he had a slow start to his junior season, he finished with 38 catches, second on the team, for 464 yards and two scores.

This season has mirrored Engram’s sophomore campaign when Bo Wallace consistently found him with a match-up advantage on deep routes.

Engram had 38 catches then, but his 17.4 yards per catch led the nation’s tight ends.

Getting open to make big plays is a team effort.

“We all know him, and we’ve seen him.

It’s the play of those other guys. Damore’ea Stringfellow, Quincy Adeboyejo, DaMarkus Lodge. What are you going to do? The only way you can bracket him is to put a backer and a safety inside out, but that means somebody is one-on-one,” Freeze said.

Of course, the run game plays a part in helping free Engram too.

The once-deep running back position has been devastated with unexpected losses.

Redshirt freshman Eric Swinney, for whom big things were expected, was lost to a torn ACL in the season opener against Florida State.

Before that Jordan Wilkins, a junior who was running with strength and power at the end of 2015, was lost to an administrative error within his academics.

Akeem Judd and Eugene Brazley had shouldered most of the load, both rushing for more than 100 yards in the Rebels’ 48-28 win over Memphis.

Freshman D’Vaughn Pennamon has made strides as well, though Pennamon sat out that game with an injury.

Lots of players right now are playing a part in Engram’s opportunities.

“The run game helps, and of course give Evan credit, he’s really talented, but if you didn’t have other people ...” Freeze said. “If you have better people around you, on the other side of the field or inside, you’re going to get a lot more chances to get open.”

That’s what Freeze is selling in recruiting, for prospects to come and be a part of a big group.

The next stretch-the-field tight end may

*With 700 receiving yards this year, Engram has eclipsed his own single-season school record for yards by a tight end (662 set in 2014). With his first-quarter TD against Auburn, Engram took over sole possession of the school record for TD catches by a tight end with 13. Engram now has 2,094 career receiving yards, becoming the eighth player in school history to eclipse 2,000 ... His 2,094 total ranks him sixth among all players in school history, passing current Rebel assistant coach Grant Heard. - *Stats at press time October 30.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 45

OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL already be on the roster. Maybe it’s Octavious Cooley. Maybe it’s Jacob Mathis.

Cooley is the heavier of the two. Mathis, who is red-shirting this season, has a body type more similar to Engram’s.

At 6-foot-3, 235 Engram has added weight to his frame through the years. He’s worked to become a better blocker and takes pride in that part of his game. The fact is, Engram’s role in the offense is more pass-catcher than a blocker.

It’s the receiving skills that make Engram special; that gave him a choice to make at the end of last season.

He and Kelly both could have opted early for the NFL draft.

“Towards the end of last season, we had

our talks about what this year could be like and what could happen. It’s definitely what we see now,” Engram said. “It’s really been just work. After we decided we were coming back, it’s all been about work from then to the start of the season.”

Engram was encouraged to return to school by the NFL Advisory Committee,

ing smaller guys on the interior of the field.

Receiving is what he’s done most of his college career, and he’s done it better than any other Ole Miss tight end as Engram will approach 150 career catches and 2,000 yards if he remains healthy this season.

All from a guy who was overlooked by his home state school, Georgia, in the recruiting

and now scouts have told Freeze that Engram has definitely helped his potential draft stock by coming back. No doubt Kelly has too.

N F L D r a f t S c out . com currently ranks Engram the third-best of 105 available tight ends in the Class of 17.

CBSSports.com says Engram has “elite short-area quickness” and his quickness off the line of scrimmage and agile feet allow him to gain separation out of his breaks and make defenders miss.

Engram may not be a first-round guy like the Big 3 underclassman departures who joined him as Ole Miss freshmen in 2013, but he’s expected to be gone in the early rounds.

He may be a tight end in name, but many in the NFL project him as a big slot receiver. Engram, in that role, could easily create match-up issues for defenders used to cover-

process and needed big plays to announce his presence to Ole Miss fans.

This year a deeper bond with his quarterback and an increased role in the offense are helping him play some of the best football of his career.

“I definitely see more action down-field.

The chemistry’s really good with Chad,” Engram said. “I just go out there, and if my name is called to make a big play, I try to do that. That’s a big part of being a leader for the team, leading by example.” - RN

they said it...

“I really enjoy watching Evan play. I think he’s in the perfect style offense to show of his abilities. Tight-ends were not as athletic back in my day, the way they are now. I was mostly a blocker and used mostly to help bailout the QB when he was in trouble.

I think in the NFL he may be a little undersized to be a blocking tight-end, but he has the ability to play the outside as a hybrid-WR and he also has enough size to run those tough routes down the middle. He’ll really be able to stretch a NFL defense.

I’m very proud of him for staying his senior year, getting bigger and stronger, working on his overall game, and especially getting his degree. It’s very important to get that piece of paper. I’m not a big proponent of players leaving school early for the Draft.”

- Former Rebel All-American and NFL TE Wesley Walls 46 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL • OLE MISS FOOTBALL

A

M

arquis Haynes shook off t the top of every offensive catethe praise of his individual gory, Chad Kelly’s name can be season just for a minute to found. The Ole Miss signal caller focus on the task of getting may have been 3-3 as a starter the Ole Miss Rebels back on track, and in halfway through the season, but his importhe win column. The junior defensive end tance to the team was far from the middle of has been a force for the Rebels this season, the pack. Kelly led the SEC with 343.7 yards and many have taken notice. Through the first per game through the air after the first six six games of the year, the 6-foot-3, 222-pound games, good for 11th best in the nation.

Jacksonville, Florida native had four sacks, the QB - CHAD KELLY He was in the top three in passing effitop figure on the team, two forced fumbles and 26 ciency (152.4), and he was one of just overall tackles. He made five tackles, garnered a seven quarterbacks in the nation sack and made his first career interception against to rank in the top 20 nationally Arkansas. One of his two forced fumbles directly in yards, total offense, passing resulted in a touchdown for the Rebels against efficiency and touchdowns Alabama. thrown.

Haynes is already second in school hisKelly had thrown a touchdown pass tory with 21.5 career sacks, and his ability in 19 straight games headed to LSU, and his to make plays have earned him spots on three rushing touchdowns were tied for the team the Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award lead. The Rebels may not be playing for the SEC watch lists. The success that Haynes has Championship in Kelly’s final season, but he’s produced for the Rebels has earned him kept them in contests with his legs and arm, and the top ranking from a defensive standpoint, that should continue the final half of his final and the No. 2 spot on the Most Valuable Playyear in Oxford. Kelly is a natural competitor er watch list this season for Rebel Nation. and his drive to be the best has never been Haynes was looking forward to the second questioned. His reputation has improved half of the year, starting with LSU. He really since his arrival, and his ability has conwanted to match up against running back tinued to push the program forward. Kelly Leonard Fournette. Haynes likes to match will wrap up his career at home against up against the best players in the nation.

DE - MARQUIS HAYNES Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. By There is a chance Haynes leaves Oxford then, he should be in the top five of all major following the season to enter the NFL offensive categories. And that’s in just two years Draft. For his stock to remain high, he starting. His impact has been tremendous for the will need to continue to make plays as Rebels over his first 19 games, and that can’t be he has already this season, and that emphasized enough. - RN will be good news for Ole Miss. If the Rebels were going to finish the season strong, Haynes was going to be pivotal in the success. - RN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 - 47

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VAUGHT-HEMINGWAY STADIUM

THE PAVILION AT OLE MISS

SWAYZE FIELD AT OXFORD/UNIVERSITY STADIUM

Proud Supporters of

Ole Miss Athletics and all of Rebel

PHOTOS BY GREG PEVEY, REBEL NATION MAGAZINEâ„¢

Nation!

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 49

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OLE

OVERALL: 20-12 HOME: 12-2 AWAY: 7-7 NEUTRAL: 1-3 SEC: 10-8 HOME: 7-2 AWAY: 3-6 NEUTRAL: 0-0

SS MI

BASKE

T

‘16

SEBASTIAN

LL BA

2015-16 RECORD

‘17

SAIZ

FORWARD

PAVILION

Photo by Angie Ledbetter, Rebel Nation Magazine™

NON-CONFERENCE: OVERALL: 10-4 HOME: 5-2 AWAY: 4-1 NEUTRAL: 1-3

COACH: ANDY KENNEDY - 11th Season OVERALL: 212–125 (.629) SEC: 88–80 (.524)

ARENA: THE PAVILION AT OLE MISS CAPACITY: 9,500

50 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

B Y J O H N D AV I S

CONTRIBUTING WRITER - OXFORD CITIZEN PHOTOS BY ANGIE LEDBETTER AND JOSH MCCOY

A

ndy Kennedy has been at Ole Miss longer than any other basketball or football coach has been in the rest of the SEC. With Les Miles being out at LSU, Kennedy is the longest serving coach at a major revenue sport. It’s a stat that he was aware of but at the same time, respectful of.

“I actually don’t think about it honestly.

My wife asks me sometimes ‘When do you ever slow down? You’ve been here ten years, can we exhale yet?’” Kennedy said. “We still have boxes we haven’t unpacked, in my house, and she asks can we unpack these boxes. I still have boxes in my office I haven’t unpacked. I don’t have time for it. This is a pretty consuming job, and I just stay in the moment. I think

I’ve been through 33, 34 basketball coaches in the SEC. It shows you I’ve chosen a pretty vicious cycle to live in. At the same time, I’ve been fortunate and I’ve got good guys, and my whole focus is making sure that Sebastian Saiz and Rasheed Brooks leave here being successful. That’s really where my focus is. Those guys shift every year and it just so happens that I haven’t had to shift yet.”

Kennedy has re-invented himself a few times over during his tenure, allowing him to miss that shift in job titles. His roster used to be filled with standouts that signed with the program right out of high school. Now, he has four players from different countries and a host of transfers overall. Kennedy has won games a number of different ways during his tenure, taking the Rebels to two NCAA Tournaments and over a handful of appearances in the Men’s NIT. Each season has brought a new challenge, but some similarities. Ken-

ANDY

KENNEDY HEAD COACH

2016-17 schedule Date..................Opponent NOV. 5...........MOREHOUSE COLLEGE ...................... (Exhibition) NOV. 11..........UT-MARTIN NOV. 14.........UMASS NOV. 18.........ORAL ROBERTS* NOV. 19.........LOYOLA/SAINT ......................JOSEPH’S* NOV. 21.........PARADISE JAM* NOV. 24.........MONTANA NOV. 30.........MIDDLE TENNESSEE DEC. 3...........MEMPHIS Dec. 11...............at Virginia Tech Dec. 15..............Murray State DEC. 19..........BRADLEY DEC. 22.........SOUTH ALABAMA DEC. 29.........KENTUCKY Jan. 3................at Florida Jan. 7................at Auburn JAN. 11..........GEORGIA

Photo by Angie Ledbetter, Rebel Nation Magazine™

TIME OUT Andy Kennedy has been at Ole Miss longer than any other basketball or football coach has been in the rest of the SEC. With Les Miles being out at LSU, Kennedy is the longest serving coach at a major revenue sport.

It’s a stat that he was aware of but at the same time, respectful of.

ANDY KENNEDY 11th Season OVERALL: 212–125 (.629) SEC: 88–80 (.524)

Jan. 14...............at South Carolina nedy’s team always make things interesting.

They find a way to score points and they always seemingly find a way to win 20 or more games each winter.

For all his success, Kennedy isn’t as appreciated as he maybe should be. His consistency is overshadowed by the feeling he hasn’t done as much as other coaches. It’s not easy to always get into the NCAA Tournament and then it’s not easy to advance. A Sweet 16 appearance was in the grasp of Kennedy and the Rebels in 2013, but LaSalle’s Explorers took that away. Some fans feel like he should be in the Big Dance each season, and now that The Pavilion is here, the pressure has increased to win at a greater level.

It appears that The Pavilion is working just right. The Rebels are garnering some top basketball players. The commitment of Devontae Shuler, a four-star kid, from Oak Hill Academy gives the Rebels a combo guard who likes to defend. Kennedy loves players who can score, but he also loves players that can defend on the other side of the court. A successful 2016-2017 could also land more talent, beyond just what a new arena can do.

JAN. 17..........TENNESSEE Jan. 21...............at Missouri JAN. 25.........TEXAS A&M JAN. 28.........BAYLOR # JAN. 31..........MISSISSIPPI STATE Feb. 4................at Vanderbilt Feb. 8................at Tennessee FEB. 11...........AUBURN FEB. 14..........LSU Feb. 18...............at Arkansas Feb. 21...............at Mississippi State FEB. 25..........MISSOURI March 1...........at Alabama MARCH 4.....SOUTH CAROLINA March 8-12.....SEC Tournament ............................ (Nashville, TN) * - Paradise Jam, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands # - SEC/Big 12 Challenge Home Games in Bold/All Caps

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 51

2016-17 ROSTER 0 DONTE FITZPATRICK-DORSEY G... 6-4/183...SO-1L...West Memphis, TN (Southwind)

1 deandre burnett

G... 6-2/194...JR-TR...Miami Gardens, FL (Miami (FL))

2 cullen neal

G... 6-5/195...JR-TR...Albuquerque, NM (New Mexico)

3 terence davis

G... 6-4/201...SO-1L...Southaven, MS (Southaven)

4 breein tyree

G... 6-2/190...FR-HS...Somerset, NJ (St. Joseph)

5 MARCANVIS HYMON

F... 6-7/216...JR-2L...Memphis, TN (Whitehaven)

11 sebastian saiz

F... 6-9/240...SR-3L...Madrid, Spain (Sunrise Christian Academy)

12 Karlis SILINS

F... 6-10/225...FR-HS...Riga, Latvia (WEF Skola)

14 rasheed brooks

G... 6-5/201...SR-1L...Kalamazoo, MI (SW Tennessee College)

24 lane below

G... 6-1/190...JR-JC...Advance, MO (Three Rivers CC)

30 jake coddington

F... 6-6/212...SR-1L...Edwardsville, IL (Three Rivers CC)

32 nate Morris

F... 6-9/240...FR-HS...Lancaster, TX (Lancaster)

44 dominik olejniczak C... 7-0/249...FR-TR...Torun, Poland (Drake)

DONTE

FITZPATRICK-DORSEY GUARD

50 JUSTAS FURMANAVICIUS F... 6-6/200...JR-JC...Kaunas, Lithuania (Three Rivers CC)

52 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

Photo by Josh McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics

TERRENCE

DAVIS GUARD Photo by Angie Ledbetter, Rebel Nation Magazine™

RASHEED

BROOKS GUARD Photo by Angie Ledbetter, Rebel Nation Magazine™

“It has been a program changer. Not only for our guys on the current team but as it relates to recruiting, as it relates to fan experience as it relates to ‘Hey, maybe we can go watch a basketball game at Ole Miss,’” Kennedy said of the new area. “We sold out seven of the nine opportunities in there, which is the most in the history of the program. There has been a lot of great change. I think it was $96.4 million well invested.”

Kennedy has been upbeat about the Rebels and how they were coming together leading into the new season. He raved about how the team has worked, and the leadership of players like Saiz, the senior forward who is expected to hold things down in the front court.

Cullen Neal, one of the transfer players, is a top candidate to lead the Rebels in the backcourt.

“He got here in July, and he has been tremendous. Another very hard worker. I don’t pretend to think this is like anything he’s been involved in the past because he was in a different system and in a different system playing for his father,” Kennedy said of Neal, who comes to Oxford from New Mexico. “This is something completely new to him as well and with that is going to come a bit of a transition.

With Cullen, you’re talking about a 22-yearold guy. He is a college graduate, and he is very anxious to have the opportunity to show that he made the right decision and we’re anxious to put him in a position to show that as well.”

The right approach, followed by the right level of toughness, were the things Kennedy wanted to establish in training camp, before the exhibition game and all the other non-SEC games took place. Thanks to a rule change, Kennedy was able to have the team together, for two hours per week, right as school started.

“I really tried to do more team stuff to see what we’re working with. We have 12 scholarship players and only six have been in the program before, and only five have actually played in a game for Ole Miss,” Kennedy said. “Half of our roster is brand new. Some of them are high school kids, and some are post-graduate transfers. We also had a junior college transfer. We’ve got kids on our team that represent five different countries. We’ve got all things going on to try and find out who we are.”

Deandre Burnett is the transfer who is expected to be the one Kennedy can rely on to consistently score. He doesn’t want Burnett to be the volume scorer that Marshall Henderson or Stefan Moody both were, but it’s clear he wants Burnett to feel free to drive and shoot his way to some big numbers.

“He is a guy that is going to make 60, 70, 80 3s. He can score in the mid-range game, which I really think is his strength,” Kennedy said. “Then he is strong enough to get it to the basket and finish, which allows him to get to

the free-throw line.”

Before Saiz was sidelined with his eye injury, he was on the verge of consistent double-doubles, which is something Kennedy was looking for him to do. The senior from Spain is healthy, and Kennedy feels like he is ready to explode.

“He’s approaching this with the senior urgency that you typically see. He and Rasheed both realize that each day is one they can’t get back. Sebas is one of my favorite guys I’ve ever had here,” Kennedy said. “His energy is always right, and he is always positive. He’s going to put in his work, and he has really evolved offensively. He’s gotten stronger. He’s 6-foot-9, and the thing that makes him so in-

TIME OUT “He’s (Saiz) approaching this with the senior urgency that you typically see. He and Rasheed both realize that each day is one they can’t get back. Sebas is one of my favorite guys I’ve ever had here,” Kennedy said. “His energy is always right, and he is always positive. He’s going to put in his work, and he has really evolved offensively. He’s gotten stronger.

He’s 6-foot-9, and the thing that makes him so incredible is his wingspan...” credible is his wingspan. We test him with all of our guys, and he has not shrunk.

“He is still 7-6 tip to tip which is astronomically long. That makes up for his lack of explosive athleticism because of his length. I have challenged him to be a double-double guy for us this year, lead the SEC in rebounding, which I think will have great value for him and our team moving forward. I think it’s a challenge that he is up for,” Kennedy added. “And he is a guy that’s going to make a lot of 3s this year. That’s an area of his game that you haven’t seen, but he’s worked tirelessly in the offseason. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t make a lot of 3’s during the year. I don’t want him to fall in love with it because he is a guy that we are going to run the offense through in the block. Last year, when we needed a basket, we were going go through Stefan Moody.

We would run something for Marshall or get Murphy Holloway to his left hand or Dwayne Curtis in the block. This year, our first option is going to be Sebastian on the block. I think it’s a challenge he will be ready for.” - RN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 53

2015-16 RESULTS

2015-16 team statistics

DATE ............... OPPONENT ............................. SCORE 11/13/15........... NORTHWESTERN STATE... W 90-76 11/16/15........... GEORGIA SOUTHERN.......... W 82-72 11/19/15.............. vs George Mason......................L 62-68 11/20/15.......... vs Towson............................. W 76-60 11/22/15 ............ vs Seton Hall ............................ L 63-75 11/25/15 .......... GEORGIA STATE .................. W 68-59 11/28/15 ......... at Bradley ............................ W 67-54 12/05/15 ......... at Massachusetts ................ W 74-64 12/12/15 ......... at Southeast Missouri ........ W 75-64 12/15/15 ......... LOUISIANA TECH ...............W 99-80 12/18/15 ......... at Memphis .......................... W 85-79 12/22/15 ......... TROY ............................ W 83-80 (OT) 01/02/16 ........... at Kentucky ................................L 61-83 01/07/16 ......... ALABAMA ........................... W 74-66 01/09/16 ......... GEORGIA ................................ W 72-71 01/13/15 ............ at LSU ......................................... L 81-90 01/16/16 ............ FLORIDA .................................... L 71-80 01/19/16 ............ SOUTH CAROLINA ......... L 74-77 (OT) 01/23/16 ........... at Mississippi State ................ L 77-83 01/27/16 ......... AUBURN ...............................W 80-63 01/30/16 ........... at Kansas State ........................L 64-69 02/3/16 ........... at Mizzou ............................. W 76-73 02/6/16 ........... VANDERBILT ....................... W 85-78 02/9/16 ............. at Florida ................................... L 72-77 02/13/16 ......... ARKANSAS .......................... W 76-60 02/16/16 ........... at Texas A&M ............................L 56-71 02/20/16 ........ at Auburn ............................. W 69-59 02/23/16 ......... MISSOURI............................. W 85-76 02/27/16 ........... at Georgia ..................................L 66-80 03/2/16 ........... MISSISSIPPI STATE ........... W 86-78 03/05/16 ........ at Tennessee ........................W 83-60 03/10/16 ........... vs Alabama ................................L 73-81

TEAM STATISTICS .................... OM ................. OPP SCORING ....................................... 2405 .................2306 Points per game .......................... 75.2 ...................72.1 Scoring margin ............................+3.1 FIELD GOALS-ATT...................796-1915.......... 779-1819 Field goal pct................................ .416................... .428 3 POINT FG-ATT....................... 252-745............249-701 3-point FG pct............................... .338................. . 355 3-pt FG made per game ..............7.9 ..................... 7.8 FREE THROWS-ATT ................561-791 ...........499-740 Free throw pct............................ . 7 0 9................. 6 7 4 F-Throws made per game..........17.5....................15.6 REBOUNDS ....................................1230 ................. 1164 Rebounds per game ................... 38.4 ...................36.4 Rebounding margin ...................+2.1 ASSISTS ..........................................412 ................... 459 Assists per game ........................ 12.9 ...................14.3 TURNOVERS...................................386.................... 455 Turnovers per game....................12.1 ...................14.2 Turnover margin.....................................................+2.2 Assist/turnover ratio ...................1.1 ..................... 1.0 STEALS............................................242.....................211 Steals per game.............................7.6......................6.6 BLOCKS.............................................100.................... 137 Blocks per game............................3.1......................4.3 ATTENDANCE............................ 111,908............. 140,630 Home games-Avg/Game .......14-7993 ........... 14-9721 Neutral site-Avg/Game - ................................... 4-1133 Score by Periods ..........1st ....... 2nd ...... OT .....Totals Ole Miss ......................... 1156........1231........18........ 2405 Opponents.......................1114........1174........18........ 2306

OLE MISS MEN’S BASKETBALL RADIO AFFILIATES CITY..................... STATION... CHANNEL.....COUNTY

Memphis, TN*....WHBQ-AM..... 560 AM......... Shelby

Amory*................. WAFM-FM..... 95.3 FM.........Monroe

Memphis, TN*..... WPGF-LP...... 87.7 FM.......... Shelby

Brookhaven*....... WBKN-FM..... 92.1 FM..........Lincoln

Meridian*.............. WZKR-FM......103.3 FM......Lauderdale

Columbus*..........WJWF-AM.... 1400 AM....... Lowndes

Ocean Spring*.... WOSM-FM........ 103.1........... Jackson

Columbus*..........WNMQ-FM.... 103.1 FM....... Lowndes

Oxford*..................WQLJ-FM...... 93.7 FM........ Lafayette

Corinth*................ WXRZ-FM..... 94.3 FM..........Alcorn

Philadelphia*..... WHOC-AM.... 1490 AM........Neshoba

Greenwood*.........WYMX-FM..... 99.1 FM.......... Leflore

Starkville*............WSSO-FM..... 1230 AM...... Oktibbeha

Hattiesburg*...... WFMM-FM.... 97.3 FM...........Lamar

Prentiss*.............. WJDR-FM...... 98.3 FM...... Jeff Davis

Hazlehurst*......... WDXO-FM..... 92.9 FM......... Copiah

Tupelo*................ WWMR-FM... 106.7 FM.............Lee

Jackson*..............WFMN-FM..... 97.3 FM........... Hinds

Vicksburg*..........WVBG-AM.... 1490 AM.........Warren

Laurel*.................. WLAU-FM..... 99.3 FM.......... Jones

Water Valley*.....WTNM-FM.... 105.5 FM.....Yalobusha

Louisville............. WLSM-FM.....107.1 FM........Winston

*Airs RebTalk with Andy Kennedy at 7pm on Mondays

McComb*............. WAZA-FM.....107.7 FM............Pike 54 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 55

Sponsore d by

LADYREBELS

Flowood, MS

ERIKA

SS MI

BASKE

T

‘16

SISK

LL BA

OVERALL: 10-20 HOME: 8-9 AWAY: 2-10 NEUTRAL: 0-1 SEC: 2-14 HOME: 2-6 AWAY: 0-8 NEUTRAL: 0-1

OLE

2015-16 RECORD

‘17

GUARD

PAVILION

NON-CONFERENCE: OVERALL: 8-6 HOME: 6-3 AWAY: 2-2 NEUTRAL: 0-1

COACH: MATT INSELL - 3rd Season OVERALL: 29-34 SEC: 9-23

ARENA: THE PAVILION AT OLE MISS CAPACITY: 9,500

56 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

B Y J O H N D AV I S

CONTRIBUTING WRITER - OXFORD CITIZEN PHOTOS BY ANGIE LEDBETTER

M

att Insell and his Ole Miss women’s basketball team went to Costa Rica this summer to play basketball. Beyond the experience the team received on the court, the big thing Insell wanted them to gain was bonding. He booked the trip to bring the team together, and to get everyone on the same page.

“We return quite a few players, but some of our main players are still coming into the program concerning post players who needed some game experience and some experience being around our players,” Insell said.

“You take that opportunity because you can only go on a trip like that once every four years. We played three games, but the other seven days that you’re there, you do a lot of team stuff, building. A lot of us, myself included, are scared of heights. So we did a zip line, and you have to get out of yourself and do things that maybe you don’t want to do, but you do it for the betterment of the team.

It was something I needed to do, and it was good for us all. I saw a different basketball team from the one we went to Costa Rica to the one leaving Costa Rica. I saw more players interacting with each other. We’ve always had kids that are real close to each other but you saw different ones talking to different players, and that was something that was really good. You saw them come together more

as a group. That’s what I take the most out of that trip.”

Can we become one? That’s the question that Insell was hoping to get answered early on in the season. He feels like his Rebels are talented, but can they mesh together and really play as a team?

“It’s one of the most talented ones through 13 groups that’s been here in a long time.

What could hold us back? There are a couple of different things and one, in particular, is can we become one? Can we become a team instead of a bunch of individuals?” Insell said. “That was something that was missing big time. We didn’t have a lot of great lead-

TIME OUT

ership last year. Having 11 or 12 players that were in their second or first year in the program, there are times where you are having to put out fires more at times than you are trying to build them together. You have so many different personalities that you’re trying to gel together. Now, they’re more experienced, and they understand that.”

Ole Miss was 10-20 last season overall in Insell’s third leading the program. The Rebels lost their last 11 games of the year after beating Kentucky on Jan. 31. Once the losing started, it was hard for Insell to stop things going down the mountain.

“There are a lot of variables that go into how our season went. We were better than

“I saw a different basketball team from the one we went to Costa Rica to the one leaving Costa Rica. I saw more players interacting with each other. We’ve always had kids that are real close to each other but you saw different ones talking to different players, and that was something that was really good.”

2016-17 schedule Date..................Opponent NOV. 4...........MISS. COLLEGE NOV. 11..........SE LOUISIANA NOV. 13.........LIPSCOMB NOV. 17.........JACKSONVILLE ST. NOV. 20.........HIGH POINT NOV. 26.........WISCONSIN* NOV. 27.........UNLV/TENN. STATE* DEC. 1............JACKSON STATE Dec. 4................at West Virginia# DEC. 10..........LA-MONROE DEC. 14..........OREGON DEC. 17..........VCU DEC. 20.........AUSTIN PEAY

MADINAH

MUHAMMAD GUARD

DEC. 28.........MISS. VALLEY ST. JAN. 1............ARKANSAS Jan. 5................at Alabama Jan. 8................at Auburn JAN. 121........TENNESSEE Jan. 16...............at Miss. State Jan. 19...............@ South Carolina JAN. 22.........ALABAMA Jan. 26..............@ Kentucky JAN. 29.........GEORGIA Feb. 6................@ Florida FEB. 9............LSU FEB. 12..........MISS. STATE FEB. 16..........AUBURN Feb. 19...............@ Vanderbilt Feb. 23..............@ Missouri FEB. 26..........TEXAS A&M March 1-5........SEC Tournament ............................ (Greenville, SC) * - UNLV Thanksgiving Tournament - Las Vegas # - SEC/Big 12 Challenge Home Games in Bold/All Caps

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 57

2016-17 ROSTER 1 BREE glover G... 5-10...FR-HS...Glasgow, KY (Glasgow High School)

5 erika sisk G... 5-9...SR-2L...Oxford, MS (Murray State)

10 cecilia muhate F/C... 6-2...SO-1L...Madrid Spain (Arturo Soria)

11 Shequila joseph F... 6-3...SR-3L...London, England (Barking Abbey School)

20 madinah muhammad G... 5-8...SO-1L...Chicago, IL (Whitney Young H.S.)

21 chrishae rowe

SHANDRICKA

SESSOM GUARD

G...5-10...JR-TR...Riverside, CA (Kentucky)

23 shandricka sessom G... 5-10...JR-2L...Byhalia, MS Byhalia H.S.)

24 bretta hart F... 6-1...SR-3L...Poplarville, MS (Poplarville H.S.)

25 alissa alston G... 5-6...SO-1L...New Haven, CT (Upper Room Christian Academy)

32 kate rodgers F... 6-2...FR-HS...Birmingham, AL (Wenonah H.S.)

42 shelby gibson F/C... 6-6/212...FR-HS...Murfreesboro, TN (Oakland H.S.)

44 TORRIE LEWIS G...5-11...SO-1L...Olive Branch, MS (Homeschool)

50 taylor manuel F... 6-4...GS-TR...St. Louis, MO (Loyola Chicago) 58 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

the record, and it showed on particular nights,” Insell said. “You play a Kentucky team that went to the Sweet 16 and just dominate them. You go to South Carolina, a place where they beat teams by 30 and 40 points all year long, and we’re in a seven-point game with them with two minutes left.

“We had talent; it was just getting that group to come together. It’s hard when the head coach has to be the leader and the head coach. When there is no accountability held amongst them, then it becomes an issue. We’ve been able to eliminate some of that. We’ve gotten a lot of that out of the program. So now you have a group of girls that understand what it looks like. They want to win, and they want to do something on a very high level. They see the talent level that’s on the court, and they’re excited about that. You see a different atmosphere in this building.”

There are three seniors on this year’s team, with one of the being former Oxford High standout Erika Sisk, who Insell said has improved her shot over the summer. Insell has gone from begging players to get into the gym to players taking the initiative on their own.

“There is only so much we can do in a twohour setting. You have to take responsibility

and get into the gym on your own and this team; you don’t have that issue,” Insell said.

“You have a Shandricka Sessom that has made over 30,000 shots and a Torri Lewis that has made 30,000 shots and a Madinah Muhammad, players that are getting in the gym when I’m not here and the other coaches aren’t here and putting in work. It’s relieving because we have a shooting machine and it has a computer in it, and I can go out there and click on it. Each player has a code for the machine, and it’s relieving when you open up that code and see their percentages going up and what’s going on with them.”

Insell is big on numbers, and he pointed out that South Carolina, which won the SEC last season, shot 45 percent from the field and 33 percent from behind the 3-point arc. Kentucky shot 45 percent from the field and 35 percent from the 3-point arc. Ole Miss was 31 percent from the field and 25 percent from 3.

“We didn’t do enough work on the front end in terms of on our own and getting in the gym and working on our shots. Not that we’re bad shooters, we have great form and the ball spins right and the ball comes off our hand right, we just haven’t had enough repetition,” Insell said. “We feel like we’re just going to practice. If a golfer just goes out and plays

TIME OUT “I think we’re as good as anybody in our league with two really good point guards,” Insell said. “I feel good about where we’re at and about how our team can be.”

18 holes, they’re not going to be as good. In Costa Rica, from the field, we shot 60 percent as a team. From behind the 3-point arc, we shot 34 percent as a team. We’ve emphasized a lot about shooting this summer and our shooting percentages have gone up, and that comes with getting in the gym and it comes with some new players coming in that are better scorers. It comes with getting players in their rightful positions. I think people are

going to see a bigger difference in Erika Sisk because now she is in a point guard role. She can use her quickness and explosive ability even more.”

Alissa Alston, as a sophomore, has settled into her role at point guard, and with an improved Sisk, Insell felt good about that important position.

“I think we’re as good as anybody in our league with two really good point guards,”

Insell said. “I feel good about where we’re at and about how our team can be.”

The first four games of the season are at home for the Rebels, while road games with UNLV and Wisconsin and West Virginia have been added to spice up the pre-SEC slate. Oregon is arguably the top team coming to play in Oxford. Insell said one of the top three recruiting classes were signed by Oregon this past year. Four of the first SEC games are on the road, so it will be key for the Rebels to truly be together to weather the tough start.

“We had a standards meeting, and how they were going to hold each other accountable and how this team doesn’t make a NCAA Tournament run and the biggest thing is if we don’t come together as one,” Insell said. “We saw that team start together in Costa Rica. We saw them start to really make strides as a team and we’re looking to keep that going through the year.” - RN

2015-16 team statistics

MATT

INSELL LADY REBELS COACH

TEAM STATISTICS .................... OM ................. OPP SCORING......................................... 1941.................. 1938 Points per game........................... 64.7................... 64.6 Scoring margin........................... +0.1 FIELD GOALS-ATT.................. 713-2047.......... 685-1613 Field goal pct ............................... .348.................. .425 3 POINT FG-ATT....................... 193-693............ 106-371 3-point FG pct............................... .279.................. .286 3-pt FG made per game.............. 6.4......................3.5 FREE THROWS-ATT................ 322-527........... 462-686 Free throw pct.............................. .611................... .673 F-Throws made per game..........10.7....................15.4 REBOUNDS..................................... 1166................... 1281 Rebounds per game ................... 38.9....................42.7 Rebounding margin............................................. -3.8 ASSISTS...........................................364.................... 434 Assists per game..........................12.1....................14.5 TURNOVERS.................................. 460.................... 672 Turnovers per game................... 15.3....................22.4 Turnover margin........................ +7.1 Assist/turnover ratio .................. 0.8......................0.6 STEALS............................................326.................... 218 Steals per game........................... 10.9..................... 7.3 BLOCKS..............................................96 .................... 120 Blocks per game........................... 3.2......................4.0 ATTENDANCE............................. 29735................60532 Home games-Avg/Game........ 17-1749.............12-4804 Neutral site-Avg/Game....................................... 1-2889 Score by Periods ... 1st ... 2nd ...... 3rd..... 4th....Totals Ole Miss ....................516.....389........ 501..... 535...... 1941 Opponents................ 499....429........553..... 457......1938 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 59

2016-17 SEC TEAM SCHEDULES ALABAMA Nov. 3......... FAULKNER Nov. 11....... COASTAL CAROLINA Nov. 15....... DAYTON Nov. 18....... BALL STATE* Nov. 21....... Valparaiso* Nov. 23....... BYU/Saint Louis* Nov. 29....... CHARLESTON SO. Dec. 2........ at Texas Dec. 11...... at Oregon Dec. 15...... USC UPSTATE Dec. 18...... CLEMSON# Dec. 21...... ARKANSAS ST.% Dec. 29...... STETSON Jan. 3......... at Miss. State Jan. 7......... VANDERBILT Jan. 10....... FLORIDA Jan. 14....... at LSU Jan. 18....... MISSOURI Jan. 21....... at Auburn Jan. 25....... at Georgia Jan. 28....... MISS. STATE Feb. 1......... at Arkansas Feb. 4......... AUBURN Feb. 7......... at South Carolina Feb. 11....... KENTUCKY Feb. 15....... at Missouri Feb. 18....... LSU Feb. 23....... GEORGIA Feb. 25....... at Texas A&M Mar. 1........ OLE MISS Mar. 4........ at Tennessee * - Las Vegas Main Event / # - Birmingham / % - Huntsville ARKANSAS Oct. 28....... CNTRL. MISSOURI (Exh.) Nov. 4......... EMPORIA STATE (Exh.) Nov. 11....... FORT WAYNE (IPFW) Nov. 14....... SOUTHERN ILLINOIS Nov. 18....... UT-ARLINGTON Nov. 22....... at Minnesota Nov. 28....... MOUNT SAINT MARY’S Dec. 1........ STEPHEN F. AUSTIN Dec. 3........ AUSTIN PEAY Dec. 6........ HOUSTON Dec. 10...... NORTH FLORIDA Dec. 17...... Texas* Dec. 20...... NORTH DAKOTA ST. Dec. 29...... FLORIDA Jan. 3......... at Tennessee Jan. 7......... at Kentucky Jan. 10....... MISS. STATE Jan. 14....... MISSOURI Jan. 17....... at Texas A&M Jan. 21....... LSU Jan. 24....... at Vanderbilt Jan. 28....... at Oklahoma State Feb. 1......... ALABAMA Feb. 4......... at Missouri Feb. 7......... VANDERBILT Feb. 11....... at LSU Feb. 15....... at South Carolina Feb. 18....... OLE MISS Feb. 22....... TEXAS A&M Feb. 25....... at Auburn Mar. 1........ at Florida Mar. 4........ GEORGIA * - Houston, TX AUBURN Nov. 4......... MONTEVALLO Nov. 11....... NORTH FLORIDA Nov. 14....... GEORGIA STATE Nov. 17....... EASTERN KENTUCKY Nov. 22....... Texas Tech* Nov. 23....... Purdue/Utah State* Nov. 29....... USC UPSTATE Dec. 3........ at UAB Dec. 12...... COASTAL CAROLINA Dec. 18...... MERCER Dec. 21...... Oklahoma# Dec. 23...... at UCONN Dec. 29...... GEORGIA Jan. 4......... at Vanderbilt Jan. 7......... OLE MISS Jan. 10....... at Missouri Jan. 14....... at Kentucky Jan. 18....... LSU

Jan. 21....... ALABAMA Jan. 24....... at South Carolina Jan. 28....... at TCU Feb. 4......... TENNESSEE Feb. 7......... MISS. STATE Feb. 11....... at Ole Miss Feb. 14....... FLORIDA Feb. 18....... at Texas A&M Feb. 21....... at LSU Feb. 25....... ARKANSAS Mar. 1........ at Georgia Mar. 4........ MISSOURI * - Cancun, Mex. / # - Uncasville, CT, (Mohegan Sun Arena) FLORIDA Nov. 11....... FLORIDA GULF COAST Nov. 13....... MERCER Nov. 17....... ST. BONAVENTURE Nov. 21....... Belmont* Nov. 24....... Seton Hall* Nov. 25....... Gonzaga/Quinnipiac* Nov. 27....... TBA* Dec. 1........ NORTH FLORIDA Dec. 6........ Duke# Dec. 11...... at Florida State Dec. 17...... CHARLOTTE Dec. 21...... LITTLE ROCK Dec. 29...... at Arkansas Jan. 3......... OLE MISS Jan. 7......... TENNESSEE Jan. 10....... at Alabama Jan. 14....... GEORGIA Jan. 18....... at South Carolina Jan. 21....... VANDERBILT Jan. 25....... at LSU Jan. 28....... at Oklahoma Feb. 2......... MISSOURI Feb. 4......... KENTUCKY Feb. 7......... at Georgia Feb. 11....... TEXAS A&M Feb. 14....... at Auburn Feb. 18....... at Miss. State Feb. 21....... SOUTH CAROLINA Feb. 25....... at Kentucky Mar. 1........ ARKANSAS Mar. 4........ at Vanderbilt * - Advocare Invitational / # - Jimmy V Classic GEORGIA Nov. 14....... UNC ASHVILLE Nov. 17....... FURMAN Nov. 21....... @George Washington Nov. 25....... GARDNER-WEBB Nov. 30....... MOREHOUSE COLLEGE Dec. 4........ MARQUETTE Dec. 14...... LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE Dec. 17...... CHARLESTON SO. Dec. 20...... @Georgia Tech Dec. 23...... @Oakland Dec. 29...... @Auburn Jan. 4......... SOUTH CAROLINA Jan. 7......... MISSOURI Jan. 11....... @Ole Miss Jan. 14....... @Florida Jan. 17....... VANDERBILT Jan. 21....... @Texas A&M Jan. 25....... ALABAMA Jan. 28....... TEXAS* Jan. 31....... @Kentucky Feb. 4......... @South Carolina Feb. 7......... FLORIDA Feb. 11....... @Tennessee Feb. 14....... MISS. STATE Feb. 18....... KENTUCKY Feb. 23....... @Alabama Feb. 25....... LSU Mar. 1........ AUBURN Mar. 4........ @Arkansas * - SEC/BIG 12 Challenge KENTUCKY Nov. 11....... STEPHEN F. AUSTIN Nov. 13....... CANISIUS Nov. 15....... MICHIGAN STATE Nov. 20....... DUQUESNE Nov. 23....... CLEVELAND STATE Nov. 25....... TENNESSEE-MARTIN Nov. 28....... ARIZONA STATE Dec. 3........ UCLA Dec. 7........ VALPARAISO Dec. 11...... HOFSTRA Dec. 17...... NORTH CAROLINA

60 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE

Dec. 21...... @Louisville Dec. 29...... @Ole Miss Jan. 3......... TEXAS A&M Jan. 7......... ARKANSAS Jan. 10....... @Vanderbilt Jan. 14....... AUBURN Jan. 17....... @Miss. State Jan. 21....... SOUTH CAROLINA Jan. 24....... @Tennessee Jan. 28....... KANSAS Jan. 31....... GEORGIA Feb. 4......... @Florida Feb. 7......... LSU Feb. 11....... @Alabama Feb. 14....... TENNESSEE Feb. 18....... @Georgia Feb. 21....... @Missouri Feb. 25....... FLORIDA Feb. 28....... @Vanderbilt Mar. 4........ @Texas A&M LSU Nov. 12....... WOFFORD Nov. 15....... SOUTHERN MISS Nov. 18....... NORTH FLORIDA Nov. 23....... WICHITA STATE Nov. 29....... HOUSTON Dec. 13...... N. CAROLINA CENTRAL Dec. 17...... TEXAS SOUTHERN Dec. 19...... CHARLESTON Dec. 22...... @Wake Forest Dec. 29...... VANDERBILT Jan. 4......... @Missouri Jan. 7......... MISS. STATE Jan. 11....... @Texas A&M Jan. 14....... ALABAMA Jan. 18....... @Auburn Jan. 21....... @Arkansas Jan. 25....... FLORIDA Jan. 28....... @Texas Tech Feb. 1......... SOUTH CAROLINA Feb. 4......... TEXAS A&M Feb. 7......... @Kentucky Feb. 11....... ARKANSAS Feb. 14....... @Ole Miss Feb. 18....... @Alabama Feb. 21....... AUBURN Feb. 25....... @Georgia Mar. 1........ TENNESSEE Mar. 4........ @Miss. State OLE MISS Nov. 5......... MOREHOUSE COL. (EXH) Nov. 11....... UT-MARTIN Nov. 14....... UMASS Nov. 18....... ORAL ROBERTS* Nov. 19....... LOYOLA/SAINT JOSEPH’S* Nov. 21....... PARADISE JAM* Nov. 24....... MONTANA Nov. 30....... MIDDLE TENNESSEE Dec. 3........ MEMPHIS Dec. 11...... at Virginia Tech Dec. 15...... Murray State Dec. 19...... BRADLEY Dec. 22...... SOUTH ALABAMA Dec. 29...... KENTUCKY Jan. 3......... at Florida Jan. 7......... at Auburn Jan. 11....... GEORGIA Jan. 14....... at South Carolina Jan. 17....... TENNESSEE Jan. 21....... at Missouri Jan. 25....... TEXAS A&M Jan. 28....... BAYLOR # Jan. 31....... MISSISSIPPI STATE Feb. 4......... at Vanderbilt Feb. 8......... at Tennessee Feb. 11....... AUBURN Feb. 14....... LSU Feb. 18....... at Arkansas Feb. 21....... at Mississippi State Feb. 25....... MISSOURI Mar. 1........ at Alabama Mar. 4........ SOUTH CAROLINA Mar. 8-12... SEC Tournament (Nashville, TN) * - Paradise Jam, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands / # - SEC/Big 12 Challenge MISSISSIPPI STATE Nov. 11....... NORFOLK STATE Nov. 17....... CENTRAL FLORIDA

Nov. 25....... LEHIGH Nov. 28....... NORTHWESTERN ST. Dec. 1........ OREGON STATE Dec. 4........ GEORGIA STATE Dec. 14...... E. TENNESSEE ST. Dec. 19...... SOUTHERN MISS. Dec. 22...... MOREHEAD STATE Dec. 29...... UMKC Jan. 3......... ALABAMA Jan. 7......... @LSU Jan. 10....... @Arkansas Jan. 14....... TEXAS A&M Jan. 17....... KENTUCKY Jan. 21....... @Tennessee Jan. 25....... MISSOURI Jan. 28....... @Alabama Jan. 31....... @Ole Miss Feb. 4......... TENNESSEE Feb. 7......... @Auburn Feb. 11....... SOUTH CAROLINA Feb. 14....... @Georgia Feb. 18....... FLORIDA Feb. 21....... OLE MISS Feb 25........ @Vanderbilt Feb. 28....... @South Carolina Mar. 4........ LSU MISSOURI Nov. 13....... ALABAMA A&M Nov. 17....... XAVIER Nov. 26....... NORTHWESTERN ST. Nov. 28....... N. CAROLINA CNTRL. Dec. 3........ WESTERN KENTUCKY Dec. 6........ MIAMI (OH) Dec. 10...... ARIZONA Dec. 17...... EASTERN ILLINOIS Dec. 21...... ILLINOIS Dec. 29...... LIPSCOMB Jan. 4......... LSU Jan. 7......... @Georgia Jan. 10....... AUBURN Jan. 14....... @Arkansas Jan. 18....... @Alabama Jan. 21....... OLE MISS Jan. 25....... @Miss. State Jan. 28....... SOUTH CAROLINA Feb. 2......... @Florida Feb. 4......... ARKANSAS Feb. 8......... @Texas A&M Feb. 11....... VANDERBILT Feb. 15....... ALABAMA Feb. 18....... @Tennessee Feb. 21....... KENTUCKY Feb. 25....... @Ole Miss Feb. 28....... TEXAS A&M Mar. 4........ @Auburn SOUTH CAROLINA Nov. 11....... LOUISIANA TECH Nov. 13....... HOLY CROSS Nov. 15....... MONMOUTH Nov. 18....... SOUTH CAROLINA ST. Nov. 23....... MICHIGAN Nov. 26....... SYRACUSE Dec. 1........ VERMONT Dec. 4........ FLORIDA INT’L Dec. 12...... SETON HALL Dec. 17...... @South Florida Dec. 21...... CLEMSON Dec. 27...... LANDER Dec. 30...... @Memphis Jan. 4......... @Georgia Jan. 7......... TEXAS A&M Jan. 11....... @Tennessee Jan. 14....... OLE MISS Jan. 18....... FLORIDA Jan. 21....... @Kentucky Jan. 24....... AUBURN Jan. 28....... @Missouri Feb. 1......... @LSU Feb. 4......... GEORGIA Feb. 7......... ALABAMA Feb. 11....... @Miss. State Feb. 15....... ARKANSAS Feb. 18....... @Vanderbilt Feb. 21....... @Florida Feb. 25....... TENNESSEE Feb. 28....... MISS. STATE Mar. 4........ @Ole Miss TENNESSEE Nov. 11....... CHATTANOOGA Nov. 15....... APPALACHIAN ST. Nov. 21....... WISCONSIN

Dec. 3........ GEORGIA TECH Dec. 6........ PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE Dec. 11...... @North Carolina Dec. 13...... TENNESSEE TECH Dec. 15...... LIPSCOMB Dec. 18...... GONZAGA Dec. 22...... E. TENNESSEE STATE Dec. 29...... @Texas A&M Jan. 3......... ARKANSAS Jan. 7......... @Florida Jan. 11....... SOUTH CAROLINA Jan. 14....... @Vanderbilt Jan. 17....... @Ole Miss Jan. 21....... MISS. STATE Jan. 24....... KENTUCKY Jan. 28....... KANSAS STATE Jan. 31....... @Auburn Feb. 4......... @Miss. State Feb. 11....... GEORGIA Feb. 14....... @Kentucky Feb. 18....... MISSOURI Feb. 22....... VANDERBILT Feb. 25....... @South Carolina Mar. 1........ @LSU Mar. 4........ ALABAMA TEXAS A&M Nov. 11....... NORTHWESTERN ST. Nov. 14....... AMERICAN Nov. 18....... SOUTHERN CAL Nov. 24....... CAL-STATE NORTHRIDGE Dec. 5........ TEXAS A&M-CC Dec. 7........ DENVER Dec. 10...... S. CAROLINA STATE Dec. 17...... ARIZONA Dec. 21...... ST. FRANCIS Dec. 29...... TENNESSEE Jan. 3......... @Kentucky Jan. 7......... @South Carolina Jan. 11....... LSU Jan. 14....... @Miss. State Jan. 17....... ARKANSAS Jan. 21....... GEORGIA Jan. 25....... @Ole Miss Jan. 28....... @West Virginia Jan. 31....... VANDERBILT Feb. 3......... @LSU Feb. 8......... MISSOURI Feb. 11....... @Florida Feb. 16....... @Vanderbilt Feb. 18....... AUBURN Feb. 22....... @Arkansas Feb. 25....... ALABAMA Feb. 28....... @Missouri Mar. 4........ KENTUCKY VANDERBILT Nov. 11....... MARQUETTE Nov. 15....... BELMONT Nov. 18....... NORFOLK STATE Nov. 21....... BUCKNELL Nov. 24....... BUTLER Nov. 29....... TENNESSEE STATE Dec. 3........ MINNESOTA Dec. 6........ HIGH POINT Dec. 8........ @Middle Tennessee Dec. 17...... CHATTANOOGA Dec. 21...... @Dayton Dec. 29...... @LSU Jan. 4......... AUBURN Jan. 7......... @Alabama Jan. 10....... KENTUCKY Jan. 14....... TENNESSEE Jan. 17....... @Georgia Jan. 21....... @Florida Jan. 24....... ARKANSAS Jan. 28....... IOWA STATE Jan. 31....... @Texas A&M Feb 4.......... OLE MISS Feb. 7......... @Arkansas Feb. 11....... @Missouri Feb. 16....... TEXAS AA&M Feb. 18....... SOUTH CAROLINA Feb. 22....... @Tennessee Feb. 25....... MISS. STATE Feb. 28....... @Kentucky Mar. 4........ FLORIDA

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 - 61

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