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Friday, October 28, 2016
The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
Rebs better be ready for more of same
A
uburn is the nation’s third-best team at running the football. Ole Miss is the 113th-worst team at stopping teams from running the football. Considering Auburn is the next team on the Rebels’ schedule, that’s not good. Ole Miss’ season-long woes of trying to stop anything that moves on the ground seemingly bottomed out against LSU. Sure, Leonard Fournette is an athlete from another planet, but you and I could’ve picked up some pretty good yardage running through some of those holes in the Rebels’ defense. By now, you know Fournette’s final line: a school-record 284 yards and three touchdowns on
just 16 carries. LSU finished with 311 rushing yards as a team, the second time this season Ole Miss has yieldDAVIS POTTER ed at least 300 rushing yards. I used the word seemingly earlier because if Ole Miss doesn’t come up with some kind, any kind, of fix to its problems, it could be worse Saturday night. LSU actually gave Ole Miss a break by running Fournette just seven times in the first half and not running him at all until its second possession. I doubt Auburn waits that long. Running the ball is what Auburn does under Gus Malzahn, and after playing some
kind of weird musical chairs at quarterback the first couple of weeks, the Tigers have gotten back to their identity. They’re running for more than 300 yards a game and can do it in different ways. Kamyrn Pettway (697 yards) used to play fullback. He’s now a 240-pound load of a running back who’s pounding on defenses at nearly 6 yards a pop. Kerryon Johnson (538 yards) is the electric changeup at 6-foot and 210 pounds while speedsters Stanton Truitt and Kam Martin are the home-run hitters. Auburn, which has won four straight, put together the single-best rushing performance in SEE POTTER, 11
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AUBURN AT OLE MISS Rank: No. 15 AP, No. 17 coaches Rank: Not ranked Record: 5-2 (3-1 SEC) Record: 3-4 (1-3 SEC) All-time series: Auburn leads 29-11 and is 10-3 in games played in Oxford. Ole Miss won 27-19 last year in Auburn. Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium When: Saturday, 6:15 p.m. TV: SEC Network Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network (105.1 FM)
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 3 — Complete test from Auburn awaits Rebels Page 4 — Know Your Opponent: Auburn Page 5 — Rosters Page 6 — Lookback: Auburn 2012 Page 7 — Auburn has bevy of running options Page 8 — Brazley embracing newfound role Page 9 — Little ‘getting better and better’ on line Page 10 — Patterson a young vet on offensive line Page 14 — SEC Notebook
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
Friday, October 28, 2016
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Complete test from Auburn awaits struggling Rebels BY DAVIS POTTER davis.potter@oxfordeagle.com
Ole Miss has had to rely on its offense to outscore teams to win games or even stay close. That’s going to be hard to do this week against Auburn. Gus Malzahn has been synonymous with offense, but Auburn’s coach finally has the defense to go with it. The 15th-ranked Tigers are at their usual place at or near the top of the Southeastern Conference in scoring (35.7 points per game) and rushing (SEC-best 302.9 yards per game), and Auburn has proven to be just as good defensively with the league’s second-best scoring defense
(14 points allowed per game) and a top-5 unit in rush defense, pass defense and total defense. Auburn will bring all of it to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday for a 6:15 p.m. kickoff. The game will be aired on the SEC Network. “Maybe the best defense as far as points per game that we’ve seen,” Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. “Only giving up 14 points a game is unheard of almost these days. You watch them on tape and you see why, and now their rushing game is back to what they’ve been known for, so they are an outstanding football team that will provide us another great challenge.”
Auburn’s defensive surge is led by a deep and talented defensive front that’s benefitting from a healthy Carl Lawson, who’s been a terror off the edge with 6.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. Senior tackle Montravius Adams has three sacks and six tackles for loss. The Tigers (5-2, 3-1 SEC) have been disruptive across the board with 18 sacks and 46 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, a challenging unit for Ole Miss (3-4, 1-3) to go up against as the Rebels try to solve their sudden issues moving the ball after halftime. The SEC’s second-ranked scoring offense SEE COMPLETE, 11
AUBURN ATHLETICS
Auburn quarterback Sean White (13) leads the SEC in passing efficiency.
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Friday, October 28, 2016
Head coach: Gus Malzahn (fourth season at Auburn, 32-15; 41-18 overall)
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
Results: lost to Clemson 19-13, beat Arkansas State 51-14, lost to Texas A&M 29-16, beat LSU 18-13, beat Louisiana-Monroe 58-7, beat Mississippi State 38-14, beat Arkansas 56-3 Last meeting: Auburn was the last team to hold Ole Miss to less than 30 points before LSU bogged the Rebels down last week, but the Rebels rebounded from an early bust in coverage that led to Auburn’s only touchdown to hold the Tigers to four field goals the rest of the way. Chad Kelly’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Jones late in the third quarter put Ole Miss ahead for good, and a 21-yard scoring toss to Laquon Treadwell with 10:13 left iced a 27-19 road victory last Halloween. More of the same: Stopping Auburn since Gus Malzahn took over has started with stopping the run, a task that’s always easier said than done for opponents. Auburn leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing at more than 302 yards a game and has varying styles to do it. At 6-foot, 240 pounds, Kamryn Pettway provides the thunder as the Tigers’ leading rusher (697 yards) while Kerryon Johnson (538) supplies the lightning with speed
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
AUBURN BRUCE NEWMAN
Gus Malzahn has a stout defense to go with his offense.
and shiftiness. Both are averaging more than 5 yards a carry. It’s yet another test for an Ole Miss defense that hasn’t stopped much of anything on the ground, ranking 113th nationally in run defense. It’s a broken record at this point, but that will have to change for the Rebels to have a chance. New and improved: Auburn’s calling card under
Malzahn is usually the offense, but that hasn’t necessarily been the case this season. Auburn ranks in the top 5 in the SEC in scoring defense, total defense, pass defense and rush defense, and it starts with a deep and talented front. Junior Carl Lawson is healthy and a terror off the edge (6.5 sacks, 18 QB hurries) while 310-pound tackle Montravius Adams (six tackles for loss, 10 hurries) is freakishly athletic on the interior. The secondary is allowing less than 200 yards a game through the air. Sophomore Carlton Davis is the one to watch back there with a team-high eight pass breakups while Johnathan Ford is a physical presence at safety, second on the team with 42 tackles. The good news for Ole Miss is the Rebels match up well against any set of defensive backs it goes against.
Worth noting: As good as Auburn’s been defensively, the Tigers haven’t taken the ball away much. Auburn’s 10 forced turnovers are tied for the second-fewest in the league while the Tigers are eighth in the SEC in turnover margin. Ole Miss has won the turnover battle in all three of its wins and has won it just once in its four losses. Hang on to the ball, keep Chad Kelly clean in the pocket and hit its usual big plays, and Ole Miss could find itself in position to pull one out at home.
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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 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 Gary Wunderlich Grant Warren Charles Wiley Justin Charette Herbert Moore
Friday, October 28, 2016
The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
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 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 JR JR FR FR JR
AUBURN TIGERS 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 Memphis Pascagoula Stockbridge, Ga. Little Rock, Ar. Memphis
No. 1 1 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 15 15 16 17 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 31 31 32 33 35 36 36 37 38 39 39 40 41 42 43 43 44 45 45 46 46 47 47 48 48 49 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 89 90 91 91 93 94 95 96 97 99
Name Montravius Adams Woody Barrett Nate Craig-Meyers Marlon Davidson Jeff Holland Jason Smith Derrick Brown John Franklin III Carlton Davis Marlon Character, Jr. Tony Stevens Byron Cowart Kam Martin Paul James III Stanton Truitt Markell Boston Kyle Davis Jamel Dean Eli Stove T.J. Davis Sean White Stephen Roberts Joshua Holsey Tyler Queen Devin Adams Marquis McClain T.J. Neal Jayvaughn Myers Nick Ruffin Jeremiah Dinson Kerryon Johnson John Broussard, Jr. Johnathan Ford Daniel Thomas Stephen Davis, Jr. Austin Dupper Marshall Taylor Chandler Cox Tray Matthews Tyler Stovall Damian Lewis Tre’ Williams Javaris Davis Sage Ledbetter Malik Miller Will Hastings James Owens Moss Kamryn Pettway Michael Sherwood Logan Rice Daniel Carlson Robert Muschamp Conner Sibley Eugene Govan Greg Hall, Jr. Keenan Sweeney Cedric Chambers Ian Shannon Raymond Lester Jaylen McGriff Jacob Rogers Caleb King Devin Guice Cameron Toney Jack Bjork Montavious Atkinson C.J. Tolbert Jeff Ford Darrell Williams Chase Ritter Richard McBryde Xavier Dampeer Clarke Smith Kaleb Kim Carl Lawson Jackson Thomas Deshaun Davis Josh Shockley Sam Sherrod Ryan Meneely Jaunta’vius Johnson Alex Kozan Mike Horton Tucker Brown Bailey Sharp Tyler Carr Zach Wade Ike Powell Robert Leff Braden Smith Prince Sammons Austin Golson Bubba Dowdell Deon Mix Prince Tega Wanogho Maquel Harrell Darius James Andrew Williams Marcus Davis Darius Slayton Pete Berryman Ryan Davis Chase Cramer Jalen Harris Carson Griffis Pace Ozmint Griffin King Maurice Swain, Jr. Kevin Phillips Nick Coe Tyler Carter Devaroe Lawrence Dontavius Russell Sidney Mims Gary Walker Spencher Nigh
Pos. Height/Weight DL 6-4/309 QB 6-2/238 WR 6-2/204 DL 6-3/273 OLB 6-2/250 WR 6-1/188 DL 6-5/330 QB 6-1/186 DB 6-1/195 DB 6-0/181 WR 6-4/212 DE 6-3/276 RB 5-10/177 LB 6-4/271 RB 5-9/185 DB 6-0/200 WR 6-2/219 DB 6-2/209 WR 6-0/177 DB 6-0/190 QB 6-0/200 DB 5-11/183 DB 5-11/195 QB 6-1/236 QB 6-2/248 WR 6-2/208 LB 6-0/235 DB 6-1/179 DB 6-0/203 DB 6-0/177 RB 6-0/211 DB 5-11/168 DB 6-0/204 DB 5-11/192 RB 6-3/206 DB 5-9/176 DB 6-3/191 FB 6-1/236 DB 6-1/207 H 6-1/212 RB 5-9/229 LB 6-2/240 DB 5-10/182 K/P 6-0/183 RB 5-11/229 K/WR 5-10/172 WR 5-9/177 RB 6-0/240 DB 5-9/175 WR 6-0/206 K 6-4/218 RB 6-1/255 LB 5-10/200 RB 5-7/190 LB 6-3/250 FB 6-0/237 RB 5-7/182 K/P 6-3/218 DB 5-11/171 WR 6-0/198 DB 5-11/190 TE 6-3/221 DB 5-7/153 OLB 6-1/244 WR 6-1/192 LB 6-1/211 RB 5-7/195 TE 6-4/268 LB 6-2/231 LB 5-10/205 LB 6-1/231 OL 6-2/310 LS 6-3/239 OL 6-4/290 DL 6-2/253 LB 5-11/221 LB 5-11/239 LB 5-10/218 LB 5-10/192 OL 6-2/301 DL 6-2/317 OL 6-4/310 OL 6-4/331 OL 6-3/290 OL 6-5/300 OL 6-5/318 LS 5-10/218 LS 6-3/264 OL 6-6/299 OL 6-6/300 OL 6-7/289 OL 6-5/314 OL 6-2/297 OL 6-4/315 OL 6-8/282 OL 6-3/318 OL 6-4/320 DL 6-4/289 WR 5-9/180 WR 6-2/191 TE 6-5/220 WR 5-9/172 FB 5-10/208 TE 6-4/259 WR 5-10/166 WR 6-1/179 WR 5-10/181 DL 6-5/314 P 6-0/185 DL 6-6/255 DL 6-1/243 DL 6-2/303 DL 6-3/308 DL 6-4/250 DL 5-11/269 FB 6-0/272
Yr. SR FR FR FR SO JR FR JR So FR SR SO FR JR So SO FR RS-FR FR SR SO JR SR RS-FR JR FR SR FR JR SO SO FR SR FR FR SR SR SO JR JR SR JR RS-FR FR FR SO FR SO JR SO JR RS-FR RS-FR RS-FR SR SO RS-FR RS-FR RS-FR JR FR JR FR JR SR SO SO FR SO JR RS-FR Sr FR RS-FR JR SR So SO FR RS-FR RS-FR SR RS-FR SO RS-FR RS-FR SO JR SR JR FR JR FR JR RS-FR RS-FR JR SO SR RS-FR So SO RS-FR SO FR FR RS-FR SR SR FR RS-FR SR SO FR RS-FR FR
Hometown (Last School) Vienna, Ga. Winter Garden, Fla. Dade City, Fla. Greenville, Ala. Jacksonville, Fla. Mobile, Ala. Sugar Hill, Ga. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Miami Atlanta Orlando Seffner, Fla. Port Arthur, Texas Miami Atlanta Newnan, Ga. Loganville, Ga. Cocoa, Fla. Niceville, Fla. Tallahassee, Fla. Boca Raton, Fla. Opelika, Ala. Fairburn, Ga. Kennesaw, Ga. Mobile, Ala. Crestview, Fla. McKeesport, Pa. Dade City, Fla. Duluth, Ga. Miami Madison, Ala. Phenix City, Ala. Big Cove, Ala. Montgomery, Ala. Irmo, S.C. Decatur, Ala. Cordele, Ga. Apopka, Fla. Newnan, Ga. Hokes Bluff, Ala. Wetumpka, Ala. Mobile, Ala. Jacksonville, Fla. Auburn, Ala. Huntsville, Ala. Little Rock, Ar. Opelika, Ala. Montgomery, Ala. Atlanta, Ga. Rome, Ga. Colorado Springs, Co. Rome, Ga. Athens, Ga. Grovetown, Ga. Athens, Ga. Snellville, Ga. Valley, Ala. Marietta, Ga. Marietta, Ga. Brentwood, Tenn. Goodwater, Ala. Huntsville, Ala. Opelika, Ala. Huntsville, Ala. Dallas Fairburn, Ga. Dadeville, Ala. Glencoe, Ala. Hoover, Ala. Wetumpka, Ala. Troy, Ala. Mendenhall Leeds, Ala. Buford, Ga. Alpharetta, Ga. Birmingham, Ala. Prichard, Ala. Locust Grove, Ga. Birmingham, Ala. McDonough, Ga. Lincoln, Ala. Castle Rock, Co. Atlanta Trussville, Ala. Marietta, Ga. Southside, Ala. Bremen, Ga. Tifton, Ga. Fairhope, Ala. Olathe, Kan. Clarksville, Ohio Prattville, Ala. Auburn, Ala. Batesville Elmore, Ala. Fairburn, Ga. Killeen, Texas McDonough, Ga. Boynton Beach, Fla. Norcross, Ga. Birmingham, Ala. St. Petersburg, Fla. Orlando Montgomery, Ala. Homewood, Ala. Glencoe, Ala. Atlanta West Point, Ga. Greenwood Asheboro, N.C. Decatur, Ala. Greenville, S.C. Carrolton, Ga. Montgomery, Ala. Toccoa,Ga Magnolia, Texas
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
Ole Miss ends conference skid with dominant win BY JAKE THOMPSON jake.thompson@oxfordeagle.com
BRUCE NEWMAN
Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace (14) celebrates his touchdown catch with center Evan Swindall (56) against Auburn at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford on Oct. 13, 2012. The Rebels snapped a 17-game SEC losing streak.
Auburn has provided some key moments for Ole Miss throughout the years. Perhaps the most meaningful moment in recent years, and during the Hugh Freeze era, was the game in Oxford in 2012. The Rebels had not won a Southeastern Conference game in 17 tries and were dealt a heartbreaking loss by Texas A&M the week before. Ole Miss found redemption and dominated Auburn for a 41-20 win on Oct. 13, 2012, their first SEC victory since a 42-35 win over Kentucky on Oct. 2, 2010, nearly two years prior.
LOOKBACK: AUBURN 2012 “Words really don’t describe the feeling in that locker room, in that stadium,” Freeze said after the win. “For the better part of two years, Rebel fans and kids and administration have had to put up with some disappointing times. We’re not there yet nor do we think we are, but today we were.” Ole Miss answered if the 30-27 loss to the Aggies the week prior was going to affect them by scoring first with a 25-yard touchdown pass to quarterback Bo Wallace from
Randall Mackey midway through the first quarter. The 7-0 lead soon doubled when C.J. Johnson recovered a fumble by Auburn quarterback Clint Moseley in the end zone for a two-score lead. The second quarter was all Auburn as they outscored the Rebels 17-3. Ole Miss’ Bryson Rose connected on a 28-yard field goal as the first half expired to make it a 17-17 game heading into halftime. From there, it was all Ole Miss, outscoring the Tigers 24-3 the final 30 minutes of the game to finally get off the schneid. SEE DOMINANT, 13
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
Friday, October 28, 2016
Rebels have bevy of options to deal with in Tigers’ backfield BY DAVIS POTTER davis.potter@oxfordeagle.com
Stopping the run is a challenge every week for Ole Miss’ defense, but the test from Auburn will be a little different. The Tigers have no shortage of options in helping them rank third nationally in rush offense at more than 300 yards per game. Eight Auburn players have at least 16 rushing attempts while nine players have found the end zone at least once on the ground. Auburn has its regulars in big-bodied Kamryn Pettway, a converted fullback, and Kerryon Johnson, who have combined for 1,235 yards and 12 touchdowns. But the Tigers have utilized nearly every weapon at their disposal in the backfield to pile up AUBURN ATHLETICS 2,120 rushing yards as a team. Leading rusher Kamryn Pettway (36) is one SEE OPTIONS, 12
of seven Auburn players who have at least 16 carries this season.
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
Needing to ‘step up to the plate,’ Brazley embracing role BY JAKE THOMPSON jake.thompson@oxfordeagle.com
BRUCE NEWMAN
Junior running back Eugene Brazley (23) has gotten the most extensive work of his career this season with others at the position unavailable.
When the season began, Eugene Brazley anticipated playing a certain role in the running backs room. What he did not know was what would happen to two of his teammates, pushing him up the depth chart and into a key role. During fall camp, it was discovered Jordan Wilkins was academically ineligible due to a lack of proper credits. The Ole Miss run game was already down a major piece before the first snap of the season. In Orlando during the season opener against Florida State, Eric Swinney suffered another leg injury, sidelining him for essentially a second
straight year. An injury and clerical error left the Rebels with two experienced running backs in Brazley and Akeem Judd. “I felt like I had to step up to the plate,” Brazley said. “Filling the shoes of those guys. They’re bigger backs, but I feel like I had to use my God-given ability to produce and get the yards and help out to be a piece of this offense.” The New Orleans native has become more than a piece of the offense as he is just one of three Rebels to rush for more than 200 yards through seven games with 209 on 35 carries and two touchdowns. Judd leads quarterback Chad Kelly and Brazley with 382 yards and four
carries. “I think all of us have the same ability,” Brazley said of the running back corps. “Nothing’s changed. Whether (Swinney and Wilkins) are here or not, the game plan is still going to go on as being the running backs that we are.” The past two seasons saw Brazley play in 11 games total and rush for 350 yards. He has already played more than half of the amount of games from 2014-15 due to the increased need. Brazley is also having his best receiving season with eight catches for 59 yards and recorded his only career touchdown reception earlier this season. SEE BRAZLEY, 12
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
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Little ‘getting better and better’ on line BY JAKE THOMPSON jake.thompson@oxfordeagle.com
Filling the shoes, and the hole on the field, left behind by former standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil is a tough ask for any one. Even a five-star recruit in Greg Little. Thanks to an injury-riddled offensive line, Little is getting a head start on that task. Before the season began, Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze and offensive line coach Matt Luke were hesitant to say if Little would see action immediately, let alone start, his freshman season. The coaches knew Tunsil was a rare talent and were aware of the expectations surrounding Little and the potential for the type of player he could become. They did not want to rush that by giving into the hype. “We do think he’s a really good future left BRUCE NEWMAN True freshman Greg Little (74) has rotated tackle,” Freeze said during his media day press regularly at left tackle this season and may conference at the start of fall camp. “When get his first start Saturday against Auburn. that takes place is hard to say. But he wants to
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do it, and he learns and he studies, so I think the learning curve, he’ll handle that well.” Fast forward to Saturday when Little replaced the injured Rod Taylor against LSU at Tiger Stadium. It is the seventh game of the season and Little has seen action in all seven, including the season opener against then-No.
4 Florida State in Orlando, Florida. Taylor is just one of the several offensive linemen that have been injured during the season, including Jordan Sims, who’s also dealing with an ankle injury. SEE LITTLE, 16
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Patterson a young veteran along Rebels’ offensive line BY JAKE THOMPSON jake.thompson@oxfordeagle.com
Javon Patterson may be a sophomore, but in terms of the offensive line, he may as well be a seasoned veteran. Injuries and lack of depth along the front have caused several young players to have to dive into a brutal Southeastern Conference schedule a little quicker than they may have anticipated. Patterson is one of those. The Petal native played in 12 games last year and started in six of them (four at left guard, two at right guard). This season, Patterson has been the starting left guard in the first seven games of the year. With 19 games under his belt only a year and a half into his Ole Miss career, Patterson is a leader in the offensive line room. “Me and Jordan (Sims) have kind of
taken that leadership role before the season began,” Patterson said. “We always keep people going in a positive direction. We have a great bond between the offensive line. That’s how we keep things going.” As an early enrollee in January of last year, Patterson got a jump start on learning the playbook and adjusting to a game much faster at the college level than what he was used to playing for four years at Petal High School. With an extra spring in his pocket and a full summer of drills, it helped Patterson letter his freshman season. The success in his first year earned him a preseason All-SEC third-team honor by Athlon Sports. With the early success comes increased expectations by head coach Hugh Freeze and his position coach, Matt Luke. SEE PATTERSON, 13
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COMPLETE: Rebels will have to contend with one of SEC’s best defenses in addition to league’s top rushing attack FROM PAGE 3 has scored 10 total points in the second half of losses to Arkansas and LSU — all of them coming in the fourth quarter against the Razorbacks — and mustered just 104 yards in the final two quarters against LSU. “I wish I knew,” quarterback Chad Kelly said of the recent second-half struggles. “We’ve just have to play harder and have the mental makeup that we’re going out to the second half to a team that’s going to make adjustments. We’ve got to execute better.”
But the Rebels’ biggest issues are on the defensive side of the ball. After surrendering an SEC single-game school record of 284 rushing yards to LSU star running back Leonard Fournette last week, the Rebels are 113th out of 128 FBS teams against the run and don’t rank any better than 70th nationally in pass defense, total defense or scoring defense. It’s a mismatch on paper as the Tigers’ running game, fresh off setting an SEC single-game rushing record with 543 yards
against Arkansas, goes up against an Ole Miss defense that’s surrendering nearly 227 yards a game on the ground, the most in the league. “I’m sure they’re going to come out and see it as a weakness to run the ball,” defensive end Victor Evans said. “We’ve just got to handle it.” Auburn has won four straight after a 1-2 start while the Rebels’ deficiencies have them trending in the opposite direction. A preseason top-15 team, Ole Miss is riding
its first losing streak since 2014 and needs wins in three of its final five games to make a bowl. It won’t get any easier against one of the SEC’s most improved teams. “They’re playing as well as any team in the country I think,” Kelly said of Auburn. “From the first game until this past game, they’re rolling right now — offense, defense and special teams. We have to make sure we get a good week of practice in and understand the game plan.”
POTTER: Good or bad, offense’s production may not matter if Rebels can’t plug some of their defensive holes FROM PAGE 2 SEC history in a conference game its last time out with a whopping 543 yards in a 56-3 whipping of Arkansas. And that was without Johnson, who sat to rest an ankle injury.
Auburn likes to take its shots deep in the passing game off of that, but Sean White only threw 11 passes against the Razorbacks with the ground game doing most of the work. He may attempt less than that Saturday if Ole Miss can’t keep Auburn’s
backs from getting loose. But the defense has rarely shown that ability this season, meaning the onus will likely once again be on the offense to keep the Rebels in the game. The unit has been good for the most part this season con-
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sidering the pressure it’s been under to constantly produce, but Ole Miss has to figure out the second-half struggles that have popped up recently. The Rebels have been shut out in two straight third quarters and had just 104 yards in a scoreless
second half against LSU, a lack of production the unit just can’t afford right now. But if the defense can’t do anything about another offense lining up and running right at it, it may not matter.
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The Oxford Eagle - Game Day
OPTIONS: Tigers also using receivers, backup QB to move ball on the ground FROM PAGE 7 “I think they are really talented to begin with, and they have a good system that really makes you defend the entire field,” Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. “They have quality in their backs and their offensive line. They’ve committed to it.” Stanton Truitt and freshman Kam Martin switch up the pace on defenses with their speed. Truitt, a converted wideout, is averaging 6.7 yards a carry while Martin isn’t far behind at 6.3 a tote. Receiver Eli Stove is a burner, too, with Auburn recently utilizing his swiftness on perimeter runs. The freshman ripped off a 78-yard touchdown run on the Tigers’ first play from scrimmage last week against Arkansas, just a fraction of the SEC single-game record 543 rushing yards the Tigers put up in their
56-3 win. Then there’s quarterback John Franklin III, Sean White’s backup who is brought in from time to time as a running threat with elite speed at the position. A former track athlete at Florida State and transfer from East Mississippi Community College, Franklin has made the most of his snaps, rushing for 256 yards for an average of nearly 10 yards a pop. Auburn has run for at least 228 yards in all but one of its SEC games and has eclipsed the 400-yard mark on the ground three times. Ole Miss has yielded more than 300 rushing yards twice. “It’s what they do, and it’s difficult because they can put a quarterback in there that can fly and do what they want to do yet he has the background to throw it good enough,” defensive coordinator Dave Wommack said. “I think they’ve got a plethora of backs.
They’ve always had pretty good backs. They’ve kind of found Pettway, who’s running over people, and Johnson. And they moved a wide receiver the week before last. He’s in there doing all that stuff.” Ole Miss’ defense is getting a similar look to what they’ll see from Auburn’s tempo and formations going up against its own offense in practice, and Freeze is hopeful that will help. “We certainly can make ours look very similar to theirs,” Freeze said of the teams’ offensive styles. “We will go some good on good to try to help with that. That could certainly help us prepare.” But the personnel is vastly different, and the Rebels have yet to have this many options to keep up with in the backfield. “There’s a lot of things to prepare for,” Wommack said.
BRAZLEY: Junior getting his chance to help running game FROM PAGE 8
“(Running backs) coach (Derrick) Nix had a meeting and told us that somebody has to step up,” Brazley said. “(Judd and I) talked to each other about it and basically talked about doing what we got to do and being a piece to the puzzle of this offense.” While Brazley, Judd and even D’Vaughn Pennamon to an extent have tried to fill the gaps of productivity left by Wilkins’ and Swinney’s absence, the running game is still the weak link of the Rebels’ offense. It is not lost on anyone on the team or coaching staff either. “It is always a concern if you are not able to be balanced,” head coach Hugh Freeze said. “I think it is a combination of coaches, our injuries. Missing Eric and Jordan is difficult on us.” With five games left in the regular season, and potentially a bowl berth, Brazley will have to continue to improve and keep the puzzle together.
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DOMINANT: Wallace has unique scoring day FROM PAGE 6 “Winning is contagious and confidence is huge,” Freeze said. “Getting that monkey (off our backs), where our kids don’t have to hear, our students, our fans, they don’t have to hear how long can this streak in the SEC go. I think that’s big to get out of the way.”
Wallace makes history
It was a career-making day as well as an emotional day for Wallace. He became the first Ole Miss player in history to throw, run and also catch a touchdown. Wallace used his feet for a 2-yard run late in the fourth quarter for the winning margin and used his arm for a 55-yard pass to running back Jeff Scott the drive prior to his run. “I got to give him a lot of credit. He was 17-for-22 for 226
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yards and he took care of the football for us and didn’t put it in too many bad situations,” Freeze said. “I’m proud of that. He continues to improve.” Wallace was also trying to shake off the horrific week he had to deal with leading up to the game. His sister was injured in a car wreck, resulting in her being airlifted to a hospital in Nashville and having to have successful surgery on her broken neck. “It happened on Monday, so Tuesday and Wednesday were rough for me,” Wallace said. “Those are big preparation days, so it was really tough to just sit there in film and be really focused in on the defense when I had to deal with that. Thursday, after the surgery went good, I kind of just worried about football.”
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PATTERSON: Game slowing down for guard in sophomore season FROM PAGE 10 “I feel like I’ve done a great job,” Patterson said of his second-year performance. “It’s not all about me, but as an offensive line, we get better. … Last year, I was a young guy, and being young and having older guys lead by example, it does a great job. This game has really slowed down for me.” The game may be slowing down for him in Year 2, but that does not mean some work and adjustments didn’t have to be made on Patterson’s end. Learning how to defend his quarterback and block SEC defenses with NFL talent week-in-andweek-out has been something Patterson has had to strive to improve on every day in practice and even take some lumps on Saturdays in the process. “Just being locked in on dif-
BRUCE NEWMAN
Sophomore guard Javon Patterson has started every game this season.
ferent types of fronts and different types of schemes a defense brings,” Patterson said of what he has improved on from his freshman year to his sophomore
season. “As a young guy, you’re learning a lot of stuff and it can be very confusing to you. But it’s slowed down, and I feel like I’ve done a great job of grasping it.”
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SEC NOTEBOOK
Georgia’s Smart meeting past in more ways than one BY DAVIS POTTER davis.potter@oxfordeagle.com
Georgia coach Kirby Smart will lead the Bulldogs against another Southeastern Conference Eastern Division opponent Saturday, but this one will take him back in time for a couple of different reasons. The Bulldogs’ coach will coach against No. 14 Florida for the first time Saturday in Jacksonville in what’s annually dubbed as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, a series Smart remembers all too well as a player. Smart played defensive back for Georgia from 1995-98, an era in which the Gators dominated the series before Georgia finally ended Florida’s seven-game winning streak between the teams with a 37-17 win in 1997. “Playing in the game, it was exciting,” Smart said. “We tried to bring the rivalry back in the game because we had lost several in a row during the Spurrier years. It was a weird deal for me because during my time we actually played in Gainesville and in Athens a couple years back to back, but then we also got to go to Jacksonville I guess two or three times. It’s always a pleasure to get to play in it because it’s unique.” It will also be a reunion for Smart and Florida’s Jim McElwain, who coached together for a few years on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama. Smart was Saban’s defensive coordinator before landing the Georgia gig earlier this year while McElwain was the Tide’s offensive coordinator for four seasons. “A great man to be around,” Smart said. “I’ve always thought he’s done a great job offensively, and the players when I was around him really liked him a lot. Played hard for him.” As for the game itself, McElwain said he’s concerned about his defense containing the SEC’s fifth-ranked rushing offense in conference games behind the 1-2 punch of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. “A lot of talent and a team that I know when they’re running the football, man, it’s something special to watch,” McElwain
BRUCE NEWMAN
Former Georgia player Kirby Smart will face Florida for the first time as the Bulldogs’ coach Saturday against Jim McElwain, whom Smart recently coached with at Alabama.
said.
Building his resume? With last week’s 38-21 win over Ole Miss, LSU improved to 3-0 during Ed Orgeron’s time as the interim coach. The speculation of Orgeron getting the permanent tag continues to grow with each passing week, but with the Tigers having five games left, including their biggest test with a visit coming from No. 1 Alabama
next weekend, Orgeron said he’s trying his best to tune out the noise. “Obviously the natural thing is to think about it, but I have to block it out and take the day as it is,” said Orgeron, whose team has an extra week to prepare with a bye week. “Whatever is going to happen over the next four or five weeks is going to happen anyway. I can’t worry about that today. … We’re going to get after it as a football team, and that’s all I can control.”
Alabama coach Nick Saban said he’s noticed some subtle differences in LSU’s offense under Orgeron, but it hasn’t been revamped. “The thing about it is their execution has been really good, and that’s usually what makes the difference,” Saban said.
Hogs looking for answers Bret Bielema watched his Arkansas team give up 543 rushing yards to Auburn a
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week ago. It’s the most ever for a team in an SEC game and the highest total for an FBS team this season. The Razorbacks have a week off before hosting Florida next Saturday, a week Bielema said is being spent re-evaluating everything on the defensive side of the ball. “Believe me, we’ve had some heart-toheart discussions since Saturday about who we’re lining up, how we’re asking them to line up and what they’re doing,” Bielema said. “But the big thing too is to get our guys playing fast, playing physical and playing with confidence.”
Young vibes
Life after Dak Prescott has been rough for Mississippi State, which has an uphill climb just to make a bowl game after falling to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in SEC play with a last-second loss at Kentucky a week ago. The struggles have led to head coach Dan Mullen turning to some younger players to see what they can do. Rather than getting down with the Bulldogs riding a three-game losing streak and tied for last in the SEC West standings, Mullen said the youngsters have grown into some of the Bulldogs’ most vocal players in
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SATURDAY’S SEC SLATE - Kentucky at Missouri, 11 a.m. (SECN) - Samford at Mississippi St., 2:30 p.m. (SECN) - Florida vs. Georgia (at Jacksonville), 2:30 p.m. (CBS) - Auburn at Ole Miss, 6:15 p.m. (SECN) - Tennessee at South Carolina, 6:15 p.m. (ESPN2) - New Mexico St. at Texas A&M, 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
practice and in the games. “I think early in the year, they’re younger guys, they’ve never been in a leadership role and there’s other seniors on the team,” Mullen said. “They’re guys that are really being outspoken vocal leaders, motivating players and making sure we’re playing at a level we need to be at. “When you see guys like that, guys that are just getting a little more comfortable being vocal out there on the field, that’s a real positive sign.” Mississippi State will take a break from league play Saturday when the Bulldogs host Samford.
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RUSH MAN
AUBURN ATHLETICS
Auburn defensive end Carl Lawson (55) leads the Tigers and is tied for second in the SEC with 6.5 sacks. Projected to be a high pick in next year’s NFL Draft, Lawson also has 18 quarterback hurries and eight tackles for loss.
LITTLE: Highly touted signee still getting used to speed of the game as part of regular rotation along offensive line FROM PAGE 9 Little was in a rotation at left tackle already, but with players ending up on the shelf for extended periods of time, that role has been increased. “I’m really proud of (Little),” Luke said. “A true freshman competing. He plays about half the snaps and is grading out really well. Making some freshman mistakes
but has been playing really good.” Taylor is dealing with a high ankle sprain that he suffered at LSU, which makes his status for Saturday’s game against Auburn unknown. With that knowledge, Little is the presumptive starter against the Tigers. It would be his first start of his career and against an Auburn defensive front that has vastly improved from a season ago.
“He is getting better and better,” Freeze said of Little’s progress. “It is a tough environment to play in. Those tackles on the edge out there are the last ones to know the ball is snapped and you are playing against a senior-led defensive line like (LSU), and that’s difficult. … He is going to be an outstanding player and he’s an outstanding leader.”
The high praise does not mean Little has mastered the tackle position and is poised to be an AllAmerican his freshman season. There are still growing pains to be had for the Allen, Texas native, and he is experiencing them not as a member of the practice squad Monday through Thursday but in live action against SEC competition.
“Speed of the game,” Luke said of Little’s biggest challenge still. “Just learning how to play fast. The proper technique when you go against really, really good players, you just can’t go on sheer ability. You have to put your hands in the right places. You got to be able to move your feet and do the technical things really well.”