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Friday, September 16, 2016
‘Bama will clear things up for Rebels
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very football team needs a measuring stick. This early in the season, nearly every team thinks they know what direction they’re headed rather than actually being on the path, and Ole Miss is no different. What we know is the Rebels have a quarterback and a bunch of options for Chad Kelly to throw to while the defense is leaning on the strength of another deep and talented front, but Ole Miss has questions that still have to be answered before it can start piecing together its true identity. Those answers will start to come this weekend against topranked Alabama, the best measuring stick there is in college football. Nick Saban’s revolving
door of five-star recruits has created a monster of a defense that may be bigger and faster than any he’s had DAVIS POTTER at Alabama and more bulk on the offensive line and in the backfield complemented by plenty of speed on the outside. And if that weren’t enough, the Tide’s offense has gotten a boost from Jalen Hurts, who just happens to be talented enough to be the first true freshman in 32 years to start at quarterback for Alabama. It all adds up to make Alabama the favorite once again to capture what would be its fifth national title in eight years. Ole Miss has been one of the
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few teams that’s been able to solve the Crimson Tide riddle, handing Alabama its only regular-season losses the last two seasons. But the Rebels will have to be better in a couple of areas in order to make it three in a row. The first question is whether Ole Miss can hold up against Alabama’s ferocious front seven for four quarters. Yeah, offenses strive for balance to keep defenses guessing, but if you’ve paid any attention since Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa a decade ago, you know Alabama is an annual immovable object when it comes to getting any semblance of a running game going.
ALABAMA AT OLE MISS Rank: 1 coaches, 1 AP Rank: 17 coaches, 19 AP Record: 2-0 (0-0 SEC) Record: 2-0 (0-0 SEC) All-time series: Alabama leads 47-11-2. Ole Miss has won the last two meetings. Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium When: Saturday, 2:30 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network (105.1 FM)
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 3 — Ole Miss gets another shot against Alabama Page 4 — Know Your Opponent: Alabama Page 5 — Rosters Page 6 — Lookback: Ole Miss vs. Alabama, 2003 Page 7 — Adeboyejo serving dual roles in final season Page 8 — Offensive line striving to ‘improve every snap’ Page 9 — Gross relishing final, healthy season
SEE POTTER, 12
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
Friday, September 16 , 2016
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Ole Miss gets another opportunity against Alabama BY DAVIS POTTER davis.potter@oxfordeagle.com
Ole Miss is one of the few teams that’s had success against Alabama recently, and head coach Hugh Freeze thinks there are a couple of reasons for the Rebels being on the brink of history in the series. “I think it is a combination of the confidence that has been set through playing them the four years we have been here, and playing them early is advantageous,” the Rebels’ fifth-year coach said. Ole Miss (1-1) will get Alabama (2-0) again before September ends — this Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (2:30 p.m., CBS) — as the 19th-ranked Rebels look for their third straight win over the top-ranked Crimson Tide. Alabama has never lost to the same opponent three straight years during Nick Saban’s 10-year tenure, which includes four national titles. “I think the last two years, our preparation going into big games has been huge,” Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram said. “How locked in we are, how confident we feel, and we have a lot of fun with big games like this. We know the opportunity we have.” Ole Miss has seen competition similar to what it’ll face Saturday after falling to No. 2 Florida State in the teams’ season opener, though the Rebels got a chance to regroup in their first win last week against FCS foe Wofford. But Freeze said Alabama’s consistently stout defensive front seven may be faster than any Saban’s had, which will challenge an Ole Miss offense that scuffled in the second half against Florida State and aver-
aged fewer than 3 yards a carry against the Seminoles. The Crimson Tide’s defense has also scored more touchdowns (2) than it’s allowed (1). “I think we have to find a way to get some dirty yards, and I think we can,” Freeze said. “I believe in our guys that we can. But if you think we’re going to line up and rush for 300 yards against this team, that doesn’t happen.” Ole Miss’ defense will see an offense that still leans on a running game averaging 183 rushing yards per game, though the emergence of true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has given teams more to worry about with his legs and a strong arm to stretch defenses. It’s a chance for Ole Miss to start over after surrendering a 22-point lead in the loss to Florida State. The Rebels still have aspirations for a Southeastern Conference title and a playoff berth, but there isn’t much more room for error as they begin to navigate the most important games on their schedule. “It was a non-conference game against a really good Florida State team, so it didn’t determine anything for us,” Engram said. “We knew that we had opportunities ahead of us like this week and the weeks so on to bounce back. We’re really looking forward to this opportunity. We have our confidence, but it would be huge for us to get this win.” Ole Miss knows perhaps more than anybody how to do it. “You have to believe that you can, and our kids do,” Freeze said. “We believe that we can play with anyone in the country. ... It is still a tall task, but it is one I think our kids will look forward to.”
ALABAMA ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY
Jalen Hurts is the first true freshman quarterback to start at Alabama since 1984.
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Friday, September 16, 2016
Head coach: Nick Saban (10th season at Alabama, 102-18; 193-60-1 overall) Results: beat Southern Cal 52-6, beat Western Kentucky 38-10 Last meeting: Ole Miss won its second straight game in the series with its first victory in Tuscaloosa sine 1988 last September. The Rebels forced five turnovers to set the offense up with some short fields, built a 20-point lead late in the third quarter and held off a furious rally by the Crimson Tide for a 43-37 win. Chad Kelly threw for 341 yards and three TDs, including that prayer of a tipped pass that deflected into the waiting arms of Quincy Adeboyejo to get the scoring started in the second half. Fresh faces: The losses of Jake Coker and Derrick Henry on offense don’t exactly mean Alabama is struggling. Former five-star signees Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris have stepped in for Henry to keep the Crimson Tide’s ground game strong even if it hasn’t been as dominant as usual. Harris has been the more explosive of the two, averaging 9.1 yards on his 20 carries for a run game that’s averaging 183 yards per game. At quarterback is youngster Jalen Hurts, the first true freshman to start for Alabama in 32 years. The dual-threat signal caller will test every level of Ole Miss’ defense having already thrown for 405 yards and four scores against just one pick while matching Harris for the most carries on the team with two rushing touchdowns. Same but different: Alabama’s defense
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has shown to be its usual dominant self up front. With a secondary that looks like it’s caught up, it’s been downright suffocating. The defensive backfield has been an area for offenses like Ole Miss’ to exploit in recent years, a strange thing to say considering how hands-on Saban is in coaching the secondary, but a veteran group on the back end of the Tide’s defense has tightened things up. All-American safety Eddie Jackson and corners Minkah Fitzpatrick and Marlon Humphrey are all back as starters, and the group already has two interceptions returned for scores while helping the Tide hold opponents to less than 175 yards a game through the air. With a front seven that’s still loaded with talent like ends Tim Williams and Jonathan Allen (team-high three sacks) and middle linebacker Reuben Foster (10 tackles), the group may be the best defense Saban’s had during his time in Tuscaloosa. That’s saying something. Worth noting: Ole Miss is going for what would be an impressive piece of history. How rare are regular-season losses for Alabama under Saban? Ole Miss is the only team to hand them to the Tide since Auburn needed the Kick Six to do it in the 2013 Iron Bowl. If you’re counting, that’s more than 1,000 days since someone other than the Rebels has knocked off Alabama in a game that wasn’t a bowl. But no Saban team has ever lost to the same opponent three straight years, something the Rebels could change should they pull off the upset of the defending national champions Saturday afternoon in front of their home crowd.
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ALABAMA ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY
Alabama has never lost to the same opponent three straight seasons under Nick Saban, something Ole Miss will try to change Saturday.
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OLE MISS REBELS No. 1 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 19 20 20 21 21 22 22 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 28 28 29 30 32 33 33 34 35 36 37 38 41 42 43 43 44 45 48 50 52 52 53 54 54 55 57 58 61 62 63 67 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 83 84 85 85 86 87 88 89 89 90 90 91 92 92 93 93 94 94 95 95 96 96 97 97 98 98 99 99
Name Tony Bridges A.J. Brown Deontay Anderson DeMarquis Gates Damore’ea Stringfellow C.J. Hampton Tre Nixon DaMarkus Lodge Ken Webster Fadol Brown Jalen Julius Jason Pellerin Quincy Adeboyejo Rommel Mageo Breeland Speaks Marquis Haynes Chad Kelly Greg Eisworth Markell Pack Tony Conner Van Jefferson Kailo Moore Grant Restmeyer Victor Evans D.K. Metcalf Octavious Cooley Myles Hartsfield Drew Davis Jalen Julius Evan Engram Willie Hibbler Derrick Jones Shea Patterson Jarrion Street Terry Caldwell Akeem Judd Ray Ray Smith Jordan Wilkins Eugene Brazley Carlos Davis Tayler Polk Eric Swinney D.K. Buford Montrell Custis Martin Johnson C.J. Moore Cale Luke Cameron Ordway D’Vaughn Pennamon Armani Linton A.J. Moore Temario Strong John-Patrick Sherling Nathan Vanderburg Shawn Curtis Donta Evans Zedrick Woods Luke Davis John Youngblood Antwain Smith Garrald McDowell Detric Bing-Dukes Ty Quick Alex Ashlock Tyler Pittman Jack Raborn Sean Rawlings Michael Howard Austrian Robinson Will Few Jack DeFoor Sam Johnson Tyler Putnam Chadwick Lamar Michael Taylor Eli Johnson Kamden Darney Jacob Freely Alex Givens Chandler Tuitt Jordan Sims Bryce Mathews Royce Newman Rod Taylor Greg Little Robert Conyers Daronte Bouldin Talbot Buys Jeremy Liggins Javon Patterson Elliot Markuson Trey Bledsoe Gabe Angel Hunter Thurley Dawson Knox Alex Weber Walker Rynd D.J. Forte Ty Reyes Korbin Harmon Taz Zettergren Ross Donelly Jack Propst Nathan Noble Josiah Coatney Luke Logan Tyler Jackson D.J. Jones Will Gleeson Issac Gross Benito Jones Isaac Way Mac Brown Jordan Herbert Qaadir Sheppard Gary Wunderlich Grant Warren Charles Wiley Justin Charette Herbert Moore
Pos. Height/Weight DB 6-0/185 WR 6-1/225 DB 6-1/217 LB 6-2/211 WR 6-2/211 DB 6-0/186 WR 6-1/170 WR 6-2/190 DB 5-11/189 DE 6-4/273 DB 5-10/172 QB 6-4/230 WR 6-3/195 LB 6-2/233 DT 6-3/310 DE 6-3/222 QB 6-2/224 DB 5-11/184 WR 6-2/184 DB 6-0/225 WR 6-2/187 DB 5-10/188 QB 6-4/210 DE 6-3/240 WR 6-4/217 TE 6-3/246 DB 5-11/199 QB 6-1/208 DB 5-10/172 TE 6-3/227 LB 6-3/231 WR 6-2/188 QB 6-1/193 DB 6-2/207 LB 6-1/216 RB 5-11/228 LB 6-2/216 RB 6-1/215 RB 5-9/192 DB 5-8/170 LB 5-11/212 RB 5-9/210 RB 5-11/227 DB 6-0/186 RB 6-0/194 DB 5-11/193 WR 6-1/193 DB 5-11/184 RB 5-11/218 DB 6-2/215 DB 5-11/199 LB 6-0/229 LB 5-11/221 RB 5-7/184 LB 6-2/250 LB 6-1/233 DB 5-11/197 LB 6-2/215 DE 6-3/255 DB 5-7/187 DE 6-2/261 LB 6-1/247 TE 6-3/264 LB 6-1/225 DL 5-11/230 LB 6-1/226 OL 6-5/282 OL 6-5/250 DL 6-4/288 LS 6-3/242 OL 6-5/275 OL 6-1/268 OL 6-4/308 LS 6-1/206 LS 6-1/181 C 6-1/289 LS 6-1/227 C 6-2/282 OL 6-6/297 OL 6-4/315 OL 6-4/334 OL 6-6/275 OL 6-5/273 OL 6-3/329 OL 6-6/332 OL 6-5/298 OL 6-5/324 OL 6-8/320 OL 6-3/310 OL 6-3/307 LB 6-0/222 WR 6-1/205 TE 6-3/238 DE 6-4/241 TE 6-4/239 WR 6-1/180 WR 6-3/175 DL 6-3/255 DE 6-2/245 DE 6-4/235 TE 6-3/218 DT 6-1/306 LS 5-11/200 K 6-3/229 DL 6-4/293 K 5-11/195 K 5-11/191 DT 6-0/321 P 6-3/189 DT 6-1/263 DT 6-2/308 K 5-9/170 P 6-4/197 DT 5-11/291 DE 6-3/247 K/P 6-0/193 P 6-1/208 DE 6-2/253 K 5-10/195 DT 6-1/326
Yr. SR FR FR JR JR JR FR SO JR SR FR RS-FR SR GR-TR SO JR SR FR JR SR RS-FR SR FR SO FR FR FR SR RS-FR SR RS-FR SR FR FR SR SR JR JR JR SR JR SO SO RS-FR SR JR JR SO FR SO JR SR JR JR RS-FR FR SO JR SR JR SO SO-JC JR JR JR SO SO RS-FR RS-FR SR FR RS-FR SO SO RS-FR FR RS-FR SR RS-FR FR SO FR FR JR FR SR JR SR SR SO JR JR FR SR RS-FR SO FR FR FR FR SR SO FR SR SO-JC FR SR SR JR SR FR FR FR SO SO-TR JR JR FR FR JR
The Oxford Eagle - Game Day Hometown (Last School) Hattiesburg (Miss. Gulf Coast CC) Starkville Houston Meridian Perris, Calif. (Washington) Meridian Viera, Fla. Cedar Hill, Texas Decatur, Ga. Charleston, S.C. (FIU) Winter Garden, Fla. New Iberia, La. Cedar Hill, Texas Pago Pago, American Samoa (Oregon St.) Jackson Jacksonville, Fla. Buffalo, N.Y. (East Mississippi CC) Grand Prarie, Texas Purvis Batesville Brentwood, Tenn. Rosedale McKinney, Texas Dallas Oxford Laurel Sayreville, N.J. Bonita Springs, Fla. (Coffeeville CC) Winter Garden, Fla. Powder Springs, Ga. Sardis Eupora Shreveport, La. (IMG Academy) Trussville, Ala. Wilmington, N.C. (Northwest Miss. CC) Durham, N.C. (Georgia Military) Florence, Ala. Cordova, Tenn. New Olreans, La. Birmingham, Ala. Magee (Brandon HS) Riverdale, Ga. Oxford Jonesboro, Ga. Preston (East Central CC) Bassfield Clinton Pulaski, Tenn. Houston Walnut Bassfield Batesville Fairhope, Ala. Olive Branch Doral, Fla. Lawrenceville, Ga. Lake City, Fla. Trussville, Ala. Trussville, Ala. Southaven Covington, La. Tucker, Ga. (Iowa Western CC) Terry Cordova, Tenn. (Chattanooga) Kossuth (Bethel University) Advance, NC Madison Green Cove Springs, Fla. New York Augusta, Ga. Calhoun, Ga. Nashville Olive Branch Oxford Jackson, Tenn. Taylor (Lafayette HS) Upland, Calif. Picayune (East Miss. CC) Nashville Fayetteville, Ga. Homewood, Ala. Brentwood, Tenn. Nashville, Ill. Jackson Allen, Texas Miami, Fla. Canton Vicksburg (Holmes CC) Oxford (NEMCC) Petal Oxford Grenada Lebanon, Tenn. Nashville (Wofford) Nashville Lake City, Fla. Forth Worth, Texas Atlanta Marietta, Ga. Oxford Senatobia Houston, Texas Brentwood, Tenn. Greenville Douglasville, Ga. (Holmes CC) Hattiesburg Oxford (Itawamba CC) Greenville, SC (East Miss. CC) Melbourne, Aus. Batesville Waynesboro Franklin, Tenn. Eden Prarie, Minn. Klein, Texas Bronx, N.Y. (Syracuse) Memphis Pascagoula Stockbridge, Ga. Little Rock, Ar. Memphis
No. 1 1 2 2 3 4 5 5 6 7 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 13 13 14 15 15 16 16 17 18 19 19 19 20 21 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 34 35 35 36 37 37 38 39 40 41 41 42 43 44 44 45 45 46 47 47 48 50 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 56 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 69 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 89 90 91 92 92 93 94 98 99 99
Friday, September 16 , 2016
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Name Ben Davis Robert Foster Jalen Hurts Jared Mayden Calvin Ridley Eddie Jackson Shyheim Carter Ronnie Clark Hootie Jones Tony Brown Trevon Diggs Blake Barnett Da’Shawn Hand Bo Scarbrough Rueben Foster Gehrig Dieter David Cornwell Nigel Knot ArDarius Stewart Deionte Thompson Ronnie Harrison JK Scott Jamey Mosley T.J. Simmons Cam Sims Cooper Bateman Shawn Jennings Xavier Marks Montana Murphy Shaun Dion Hamilton B.J. Emmons Rogria Lewis Ryan Anderson Aaron Robinson Terrell Hall Joshua Jacobs Marion Humphrey Derrick Gore Anthony Averett Minkah Fitzpatrick Mack Wilson Keaton Anderson Rashaan Evans Anfernee Jennings Damien Harris Nate Staskelunas Torin Marks Thomas Woods Johnny Dwight Donavan Mosley Jonathan Rice Austin Johnson Levi Wallace Joshua McMillon Blaine Anderson Parker Bearden Keith Holcombe Lawrence Erekosima Dakota Ball Avery Reid Hunter Bryant Bo Grant Derrick Garnett Christian Miller Josh Pugh Mekhi Brown Vohn Keith Alphonse Taylor Jake Long Scott Meyer Ryan Parris Dalvin Tomlinson Cole Mazza Brandon Kennedy Tim Williams Daniel Powell Dallas Warmack Malik Martin Jacob Probasco Will Davis J.C. Hassenauer Brandon Moore Deonte Brown Lester Cotton Josh Casher Joshua Frazier Ross Pierschbacher Richie Petitbon Jonah Williams Cam Robinson Bradley Bozeman Scott Lashley Matt Womack Korren Kirven Chris Owens Raheem Falkins Derek Kief Iry Smith, Jr. Cam Stewart Hale Hentges Donnie Lee, Jr. Truett Harris Miller Forristall O.J. Howard Brandon Greene Armani Purifoye Jamar King O.J. Smith Andy Papanastos Quinnen Williams Jonathan Allen Da’Ron Payne Brannon Satterfield Raekwon Davis Adam Griffith
Pos. Height/Weight LB 6-4/234 WR 6-2/191 QB 6-2/209 DB 6-0/200 WR 6-1/188 DB 6-0/194 DB 6-0/190 RB 6-2/215 DB 6-2/215 DB 6-0/198 WR 6-2/195 QB 6-5/211 DL 6-4/280 RB 6-2/228 LB 6-1/236 WR 6-3/207 QB 6-5/228 DB 5-11/175 WR 6-1/204 DB 6-2/190 DB 6-3/216 P 6-6/202 LB 6-5/228 WR 6-2/201 WR 6-5/203 QB 6-3/220 LB 6-1/220 WR 5-8/166 QB 6-3/201 LB 6-0/232 RB 6-0/206 DB 5-11/196 LB 6-2/253 DB 6-1/181 LB 6-5/247 RB 5-10/204 DB 6-1/196 RB 5-11/210 DB 6-0/183 DB 6-1/203 LB 6-2/244 LB 6-1/215 LB 6-3/231 LB 6-3/264 RB 5-11/214 DB 6-3/207 DB 5-11/175 WR 5-6/165 DL 6-3/306 DB 5-10/180 WR 6-4/207 WR 6-2/200 DB 6-0/170 LB 6-3/170 DB 5-10/187 WR 6-1/201 LB 6-4/227 RB 5-7/180 DL 6-3/268 RB 6-0/192 TE 6-5/226 DB 6-2/195 LB 6-1/240 LB 6-4/230 WR 6-1/208 LB 6-5/246 DL 6-2/221 OL 6-5/345 DL 5-9/228 SN 6-2/222 SN 6-0/209 DL 6-3/305 SN 6-2/235 OL 6-3/301 LB 6-4/252 DL 5-11/238 OL 6-2/299 OL 6-3/370 OL 6-3/317 OL 6-5/315 OL 6-2/299 OL 6-0/248 OL 6-4/350 OL 6-4/319 OL 6-1/287 DL 6-4/315 OL 6-4/304 OL 6-4/302 OL 6-5/296 OL 6-6/310 OL 6-5/319 OL 6-7/313 OL 6-7/316 OL 6-4/311 OL 6-3/307 WR 6-4/200 WR 6-4/200 TE 6-4/235 TE 6-8/254 TE 6-5/256 WR 6-0/180 TE 6-3/235 TE 6-5/225 TE 6-6/251 TE 6-5/295 WR 6-0/193 DL 6-4/290 DL 6-2/309 PK 5-11/198 DL 6-4/284 DL 6-3/291 DL 6-2/319 P 6-2/210 DL 6-7/315 PK 5-10/191
Yr. FR RS-JR FR FR SO SR FR RS-SO JR JR FR RS-FR JR SO SR SR RS-SO FR RS-JR FR SO JR SO FR JR RS-JR FR SO FR JR FR JR RS-SR FR FR FR RS-SO JR RS-JR SO FR RS-FR JR RS-FR SO SR RS-FR JR RS-SO SO SO SO JR RS-FR SR SO RS-SO JR RS-SR SO JR SR SR RS-SO SO RS-FR JR RS-SR SR FR SO RS-SR SR RS-FR SR FR SO SO FR SR JR SR FR SO RS-SO JR RS-SO RS-FR FR JR RS-JR FR RS-FR RS-SR FR RS-JR RS-SO FR FR SO JR SR FR SR RS-SR JR JR RS-SO RS-JR FR SR SO SO FR RS-SR
Hometown (Last School) Gordo, Ala. Monaca, Pa. Channelview, Texas Sachse, Texas Coconut Creek, Fla. Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. Kentwood, La. Calera, Ala. Monroe, La. Beaumont, Texas Gaithersburg, Md. Corona, Calif. Woodbridge, Va. Tuscaloosa, Ala. Auburn, Ala. South Bend, Ind. Norman, Okla. Madison Fultondale, Ala. Orange, Texas Tallahassee, Fla. Denver Mobile, Ala. Pinson, Ala. Monroe, La. Murray, Utah Dadeville, Ala. Rosenberg, Texas Southlake, Texas Montgomery, Ala. Morganton, N.C. Birmingham, Ala. Daphne, Ala. Deerfield Beach, Fla. Washington, D.C. Tulsa, Okla. Hoover, Ala. Syracuse, N.Y. Woodbury, N.J. Old Bridge, N.J. Montgomery, Ala. Florence, Ala. Auburn, Ala. Dadeville, Ala. Richmond, Ky. Greenville, N.C. Rosenberg, Texas Birmingham, Ala. Rochelle, Ga. San Antonio Madison, Ala. Elba, Ala. Tucson, Ariz. Memphis Charlotte Bessemer, Ala. Tuscaloosa, Ala. Simpsonville, S.C. Lindale, Ga. Oneonta, Ala. Roswell, Ga. Valley, Ala. Tuscaloosa, Ala. Columbia, S.C. Chelsea, Ala. Columbus, Ga. Mobile, Ala. Mobile, Ala. Vestavia Hills, Ala. Alpharetta, Ga. Madison, Ala. McDonaugh, Ga. Bakersfield, Calif. Wetumpka, Ala. Baton Rouge, La. Aliceville, Ala. Atlanta Tuscaloosa, Ala. Plainsboro, N.J. Letohatchee, Ala. Woodbury, Minn. Cincinnati Decatur, Ala. Tuscaloosa, Ala. Mobile, Ala. Springdale, Ark. Cedar Falls, Iowa Annapolis, Md. Folsom, Calif. Monroe, La. Roanoke, Ala. West Point Hernando Lynchburg, Va. Arlington, Texas New Orleans Cincinnati New Orleans San Jose, Calif. Jefferson, City, Mo. Northport, Ala. Brentwood, Tenn. Cartersville, Ga. Prattville, Ala. Ellenwood, Ga. Kingsland, Ga. Detroit Bossier City, La. Montgomery, Ala. Birmingham, Ala. Leesburg, Va. Birmingham, Ala. Austin, Texas Meridian Calhoun, Ga.
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
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Ole Miss’ quick start turns back Tide in rout BY JAKE THOMPSON jake.thompson@oxfordeagle.com
On Saturday, Ole Miss will be looking for its third straight win over Alabama. Before their upset victory over the Tide in 2014, the Rebels were riding a 10-year losing streak dating back to 2004. On Oct. 18, 2003, the Rebels defeated Alabama 43-28 in Oxford. It was a role-reversal of sorts over 13 years ago as the win had Ole Miss 5-2 overall and gave the Rebels their first 3-0 start in the Southeastern Conference since 1970. For the Crimson Tide, the loss sent them to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in the SEC. The Rebels’ rout did not take long to form as Ole Miss jumped out to a 24-0 lead after the first 15 minutes. Head coach David Cutcliffe called the first-quarter performance “as good as I’ve ever seen.” The scoring got started for Ole Miss with a 51-yard field goal by Jonathan Nichols. Then after an interception two plays into Alabama’s next drive, Rebel quarterback Eli Manning hit Taye Biddle for a 23-yard touchdown pass. The Rebel defense forced an Alabama punt then Manning took the offense down the field 80 yards, capping it with another touchdown to Biddle, this time a 55-yard pass for the 17-0 lead. Fullback Brandon Jacobs found the end zone from 10 yards out later in the quarter. “I just kind of stood there in amaze-
ment during much of that (first quarter),” Cutcliffe said. “The hits, the plays, the passes, the runs. It was all working. I was really proud of every phase because it’s so important to start well.” Alabama found its offense in the second quarter, scoring a touchdown and a field goal while Ole Miss added another touchdown for a 31-10 lead at halftime. There were not as many fireworks in the second half with the Rebels only scoring 12 more points the final 30 minutes with a touchdown in the third quarter and a field goal and safety in the fourth. Alabama added 18 points of its own. Manning finished the day 14 of 22 for 230 yards and three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. The ground game was just as dominant, running for 216 yards on 29 carries between Tremaine Turner and Ronald McClendon.
LOOKBACK: 2003 ALABAMA
Circle game The showdown with the Tide had been on the minds of Ole Miss players for over a year after suffering a one-sided 42-7 loss to Alabama in Tuscaloosa the season prior. Turner and the Rebels only had 4 rushing yards against Alabama in defeat. “We didn’t play well in that game. We played scared and peed down our leg,” Turner said of the 2002 game. “We wanted to give a little of what we got last year today. We gave them a little whooping.”
“You don’t have to be something that you’re not this time. Let’s just go out there and handle the emotions and play.” - Hugh Freeze
2 Years, 2 Wins
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BRUCE NEWMAN
Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, left, scores on a 3-yard run against Alabama and is congratulated by guard Doug Buckles at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Oct. 18, 2003. Ole Miss won 43-28.
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
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Adeboyejo serving as playmaker, mentor in final season BY JAKE THOMPSON jake.thompson@oxfordeagle.com
The moment Laquon Treadwell declared for the NFL shortly after Ole Miss’ Sugar Bowl victory last January, Quincy Adeboyejo became the Rebels’ most experienced receiver. The Cedar Hill, Texas native is quarterback Chad Kelly’s most experienced target along with tight end Evan Engram, having played in every game his first three seasons. With Treadwell and other star receivers having been on Adeboyejo’s previous teams, the spotlight was never really on him. This season it is much different as he is expected to be the leader of the receiving corps, placing a brand new responsibility on his shoulders.
BRUCE NEWMAN
“Being the oldest guy in the room, it’s just something that you have to take upon yourself,” Adeboyejo said. “I’ve been here so long that I’ve learned so many things. My thing was to teach those freshman and get them going early.” The freshmen Adeboyejo is referring to are the trio of wide outs that highlighted the Rebels’ 2016 signing class, Oxford’s DK Metcalf, Starkville’s A.J. Brown and Trè Nixon out of Veira, Florida. The impact of the young players has already been felt with Metcalf and Brown already playing in the first two games of the year and recording touchdown passes. Metcalf has two and Brown one while Nixon has not seen playing time yet.
Ole Miss senior Quincy Adeboyejo has become the veteran of the receiving corps, showing the Rebels’ young wideouts the ropes while being one of Chad Kelly’s top targets in the passing game.
SEE ADEBOYEJO, 14
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Friday, September 16, 2016
The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
Offensive line striving to ‘improve every snap’ BY JAKE THOMPSON jake.thompson@oxfordeagle.com
If there has been one constant during the Hugh Freeze era at Ole Miss, it has been the focus of the offensive line. For good or for bad, the offensive front always seems to be a topic of discussion heading into each new season. This year, it is a key area for multiple reasons. Five-star recruits joining the ranks, only a handful of returning starters and the annual issue of depth along the front five. Through two games into the 2016 campaign, it appears the offensive line may be improving daily, though the true test comes Saturday when No. 1 Alabama arrives
at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, providing what Freeze has acknowledged as maybe one of the fastest defenses the Crimson Tide has ever had. Leading up to this weekend has been a game against a top-5 opponent and a slightly lesser opponent in Football Championship Subdivision team Wofford. “It’s been good. We’ve got a great bond,” sophomore left guard Javon Patterson said of the offensive unit. “I feel it’s going to take us a long way, get us to the next step.” Against Florida State in the season opener, the offensive line looked as though they may have improved greatly from last year. SEE LINE, 10
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Gross relishing final, healthy season on defensive front BY DAVIS POTTER davis.potter@oxfordeagle.com
BRUCE NEWMAN
Nose tackle Issac Gross (94) is back for one more season after a neck injury last fall.
Issac Gross is enamoring. For the past four years, the Rebels’ smallyet-sudden defensive tackle has wowed coaches and teammates with his unique ability to slither past much bigger linemen and disrupt things before they get started in opposing backfields despite his 6-foot-1, 260-pound frame. For teammates who practice and play beside him, it can be hard to look away. “I love watching him,” fellow tackle D.J. Jones said. “I’d rather be on the sideline watching that. He’s exciting. I think he’s got the best get-off in college football.” Gross is just glad he’s able to use it again. Constantly knocking heads with players who significantly outweigh him in the rugged Southeastern Conference finally took its toll last season when Gross suffered an early neck injury that required surgery and
forced him to miss the rest of the season. “I’ve been playing football since forever, but 9 years old is when I first started playing contact football and I haven’t sat out a year yet,” Gross said. “I came to Ole Miss as a true freshman and played and wasn’t badly injured, and I finally had an injury
that sat me all the way down.” Gross redshirted and is back for his fifth and final season with the Rebels as one of the few players still on the roster from the 2012 signing class. SEE GROSS, 13
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
LINE: Little, Givens breaking into rotation early up front FROM PAGE 8 Then the second half started. Quarterback Chad Kelly was hurried two times and sacked five times by the Seminole defense. One of the hurries caused Kelly to fumble early in the second half. Last week against Wofford, Kelly had all the time in the world in the pocket as the Terriers were unable to penetrate the Ole Miss backfield. “That’s the thing about these opportunities. We get week-to-week,” Patterson said. “We get a chance to go improve every week. That’s our goal, to improve every snap, every quarter. I feel like those things have gotten better.” Through the first two games, the starting five has looked the same with Rod Taylor at left tackle, Patterson at left guard, Robert Conyers at center, Jordan Sims at right guard and Sean Rawlings at right tackle. It has not stopped offensive line coach Matt Luke from doing mass substitutions,
rotating the lines frequently to give groups a rest. True freshman Greg Little has seen a lot of action at left tackle, spelling Taylor for much of the second half of Florida State and Wofford. Redshirt freshman Alex Givens has also seen increased time on the field, debuting against Florida State at right tackle. “I think we’ve got a unique group,” Luke said. “I think we’ve got some really good kids in there. Really good leaders. We talk about not being maybe better individually, but better collectively as a unit. That’s our goal.” One player who has not made the impact Luke and others expected to has been former Lafayette standout Jeremy Liggins. Liggins was listed as the No. 1 left tackle at the start of fall camp, filling the hole left by Leremy Tunsil. The Oxford native never took one rep in camp as he was held out due to violation of team standards. Liggins has yet to take the field this season.
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
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PHOTOS BY BRUCE NEWMAN
Ole Miss’ offensive line has four players back who started at least four games last season, including tackle Sean Rawlings (50) and guards Jordan Sims (70) and Javon Patterson (79).
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
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POTTER: Rebels’ offensive line, green backs, secondary remain question marks FROM PAGE 2 The Rebels will need to pick and choose their times to run the ball, but if Ole Miss finds itself close heading into the fourth quarter, they’ll need Kelly and his receivers to go win it. Florida State finished with five sacks on Labor Day night as the Rebels’ offensive line struggled to keep the Seminoles’ pass rushers out of the backfield in the second half, and if Ole Miss thought FSU was fast up front, well, Alabama is FSU on steroids. Ole Miss is also breaking in inexperienced backs behind Akeem Judd who have yet to go up against this kind of strength and speed. You’re naïve if you don’t think Alabama has been briefed on the Rebels’ backfield depletion with Jordan Wilkins and Eric Swinney done for the year, and helping protect Kelly may be their most critical contribution
against an Alabama defense that’s going to try to get after Kelly with all kinds of pressure. Speaking of inexperience, how much progress has Ole Miss’ new-look secondary made if any since getting carved up by Florida State’s Deondre Francois for 419 yards? Last week’s game against Wofford didn’t gauge that at all with the Terriers’ option offense putting the ball in the air just nine times, but Alabama has threats like speedsters ArDarius Stewart and Calvin Ridley along with big-bodied tight end O.J. Howard who will test young safeties Zedrick Woods and Myles Hartsfield over the middle and new starter Carlos Davis on the outside. Davis, who was primarily a return specialist before Ken Webster was lost for the season, will be one of just two starters on the back end Saturday that’s not a freshman or sophomore should Jalen
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Julius get the nod over Tony Bridges at the other corner spot like he did last week. Blown assignments and breakdowns in communication aided Florida State’s aerial attack and there will likely be more as the group goes through the growing pains that come with that inexperience, but the miscues will have to be kept to a minimum Saturday if Ole Miss wants to hang around. Once it’s over, Ole Miss will either be in the driver’s seat in the SEC’s Western Division race with nine games to go or fighting an uphill battle the rest of the way considering Alabama’s recent regular-season success. Either way, the Rebels will have a much clearer picture of exactly who they are. DAVIS POTTER is sports editor of the Oxford EAGLE. Contact him at davis.potter@oxfordeagle.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DPotterOE.
ALABAMA ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY
Calvin Ridley (3) and the rest of Alabama’s receiving corps will present another challenge for Ole Miss’ young secondary.
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GROSS: Senior pursuing future, putting injury in past FROM PAGE 9 A former South Panola standout, Gross has been a consistent piece to the rotation along the defensive front when healthy, racking up 114 tackles and 27.5 tackles for loss before being sidelined one game into last season. He was determined to get back to his old self. “I was just like, ‘Man, I’ve got a lot of fight in me. I’ve got a lot of fire in me, and it’s not ready to go out yet,’” Gross said. “I just was patiently waiting and being focused every day coming in making sure I get my body right and making sure I get my steps right when I’m getting off the ball or running or whatever. It was just a whole process.” Gross said he felt completely healthy in the spring. He was cleared to practice then, but head coach Hugh Freeze decided to err on the side of caution and keep Gross away from full contact until fall camp. It’s one Gross is thankful for looking back. “Coach Freeze said, ‘No, we’re going to
sit you down and let you keep working out. You lead these guys, and when it’s your time to come back in fall camp, we’ll go from there,’” Gross recalled. “I just want to thank coach Freeze for that. It just shows the coaches really care and they love you here. It was just a process.” Now that the process is over, Gross said the injury isn’t a mental hurdle. His play suggests the same. He’s recorded six tackles with his 1.5 tackles for loss being tied for second-most on the team. With aspirations of taking his game to the next level, Gross said it can’t be. “I want to be great,” Gross said. “I don’t have the ideal size of the defensive linemen. I’ve got dreams of playing pro, too. I’ve got to show every down that I can play whether it’s running to the ball or whatever. I’m a ball player. “I just go out there and show every down that first it’s for my teammates and this university. The second thing is I’m a competitor. No matter what position I play, I compete at the highest level. It wasn’t no problem bouncing back.”
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ADEBOYEJO: Production has increased each season FROM PAGE 7 Having played as a true freshman himself, Adeboyejo knows how that first year can go and is passing on wisdom he received not from someone else but by playing against some of the nation’s best competition. “I knew what it took to play as a freshman,” Adeboyejo said. “I didn’t play much, but I knew the things that I could’ve done better to play. So I try to instill those things into those young guys so that they could have a chance to play a lot this year.” Adeboyejo saw action in all 13 games his freshman year, but only caught seven passes for 81 yards and one touchdown. The two years that followed saw him increase his role and productivity. During his sophomore year, Adebojeyo had 26 receptions for 313 yards and two touchdowns. Last year, the yards nearly doubled, recording 604 on 38 catches and increasing the touchdowns caught by five from a year prior. The biggest play from his 2015 season would undoubt-
“I’m just ready to go out there and do whatever I can to help this team win.” Quincy Adeboyejo
Ole Miss WR on senior season
edly be the Tip Six against Alabama. Kelly threw a pass across the field to Treadwell only to have it deflected into the air and into the awaiting arms of Adeboyejo, who took it 66 yards for a touchdown in the Rebels’ 43-37 victory in Tuscaloosa. The chart would predict the steady rise to continue this season, and Adebojeyo already has three catches for 46 yards and one touchdown against Florida State and Wofford. “I feel great,” Adeboyejo said heading into this season. “I worked so hard this summer, and I’m just ready to go out there and do whatever I can to help this team win.”
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
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ALABAMA ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY
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