2
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
Ole Miss has officially gone
from the hunter to the hunted
W
ell this is different.
Coming off
another top-15
victory, this time on the road
against Texas A&M, Ole Miss
has validated its place among the
nation’s elite.
The Rebels are one of six
unbeaten teams remaining at the
FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision)
level and, after closing to within two points of No. 2 Florida
State this week, could make for
not one Mississippi, but two
Mississippi atop The Associated
Press Top 25 with another dominant performance this Saturday
against Tennessee.
No. 3 Ole Miss hasn’t been
this high in the rankings since
R
O
C
THE
being tabbed as
No. 1 team in
the land in the
1964 preseason
poll, and that
year turned out
to be a clunker.
The Rebels
limped to a
DAVIS
5-5-1 record and
POTTER
haven’t really
Sports Editor
been able to get
back to — or
near — the top since.
The Rebels have won at least
eight games in a season just
13 times since that ’64 season.
Ole Miss is still the only SEC
West team (not counting thirdyear member Texas A&M) that
hasn’t been to Atlanta to rep-
resent the division in the SEC
Championship Game since the
league started the game in 1992,
and until last week, the Rebels
had never knocked off back-toback ranked opponents.
Brief glimmers of hope
popped up when Archie
Manning’s youngest boy, Eli,
was in town in the early 2000s,
when Ole Miss upset top-ranked
Florida in 2002 and when
Houston Nutt somehow pulled
off back-to-back nine-win seasons
in 2008 and 2009, but that’s all
they were.
Ole Miss has spent a good
portion of the modern era being
a punching bag for the
See HUNTED on Page 12
R
E
N
www.oxfordeagle.com
Tennessee at Ole Miss
Rank: NR
Record: 3-3 (0-2 SEC)
Rank: 3 AP, 3 coaches
Record: 6-0 (3-0 SEC)
All-time series: This is the 65th meeting between
Tennessee and Ole Miss with the Vols holding a 44-19-1
advantage. UT has won 13 of the last 14.
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network (93.7 FM)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 3 — Ole Miss aims to avoid letdown against ‘hungry’ Vols
Page 4 — Healthy Gross enjoys being part of defensive rotation
Page 5 — Know Your Opponent
Page 6 — Engram working to become complete package at TE
Page 7 — Rosters
Page 8 — Nkemdiche embracing second chance
Page 9 — Buy-in paying off for Golson
Page 11 — LOOKBACK: Ole Miss vs. Tennessee, 2009
Page 13 — SEC Notebook
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THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
3
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
Ole Miss aims to avoid letdown against ‘hungry’ Vols
BY DAVIS POTTER
Sports Editor
Ole Miss has disposed of top15 opponents in back-to-back
weeks. Now the Rebels get a bit
of a breather.
At least on paper.
No. 3 Ole Miss (6-0, 3-0 SEC)
will return to Vaught-Hemingway
Stadium on Saturday to take
on Tennessee for homecoming.
The Volunteers (3-3, 0-2) have
yet to win a game within the
Southeastern Conference with
losses to Georgia and a middling
Florida squad.
Nobody will mistake the Vols
for Alabama or Texas A&M, but
don’t tell the Rebels things get
easier for them this week.
“It’s going to be a test for
us,” quarterback Bo Wallace said.
“You’re feeling good about yourself offensively, and you look at
that sheet, you’re going to have
to bring it this week.”
The sheet Wallace was referring shows the stats on the defensive side of the ball for Tennessee,
which is coming off a 45-10 victory over UT-Chattanooga. The
Vols are holding opponents to
less than 20 points per game and
rank fourth in the SEC in total
defense (316 yards allowed per
game).
The Vols’ strength lies in the
secondary. Tennessee trails only
LSU in the SEC in pass defense
(160 yards per game) and ranks
fifth in the league with nine
interceptions. Sophomore corner
Cameron Sutton leads the team
with three picks and six pass
breakups while freshman safety
Todd Kelly Jr. has two intercep-
tions.
Tennessee is anchored in the
middle by All-American linebacker A.J. Johnson, who leads the
SEC with 68 tackles and has
notched double-digit stops in 21
of his 42 career games.
“I always watch the big-play
reel on Monday mornings, and
theirs is very, very small compared to a lot,” Ole Miss coach
Hugh Freeze said. “They don’t
give up explosive plays. They’re
really talented at corner and
Mike linebacker, and their defensive line is extremely, extremely
active and athletic. It’s a quality
defense.”
The defense has helped the
Vols stay in games as the offense
has struggled to find its footing
in the first half of the season.
See LETDOWN on Page 12
ADAM LAU/AP
Tennessee linebacker A.J. Johnson (45) anchors the Vols’
defense in the middle, leading the SEC with 68 tackles.
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4
THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
www.oxfordeagle.com
Healthy Gross enjoys being part of Rebels’ defensive rotation
line coach Chris Kiffin calls his
name.
“As a guy who loves football,
I’d love to play as many snaps
as I can,” Gross said. “But the
way our defense is set up and the
way Coach Kiffin has us rotating,
everybody is doing their job. You
have to lock in, buy in to the
scheme, and when your name is
pulled, go out there and do what
you have to do.”
BY JAKE THOMPSON
Assistant Sports Editor
No. 3 Ole Miss is undefeated through six games. Junior
defensive tackle Issac Gross has
only played in five of them as he
missed the season-opening game
against Boise State due to a neck
injury.
Watching that game from
Oxford was excruciating for
Gross.
“It was hard watching those
guys go off and play in the Georgia
Dome,” Gross said. “I’ve never
played in the Georgia Dome, so it
was kind of hard watching them
load up and do walk-throughs
and I had to stay here.”
Gross suffered what was
described as a neck strain during
the first day of summer drills
and missed most of August camp.
Being two states away from the
action gave Gross added motivation to heal as quickly as possible
so he could get back out on the
field.
“I just got with the trainers and
just got my neck right,” Gross
said. “I was like, ‘Whenever I get
the chance to get back out there
on the field when I can, I’m
just going to put it behind me.’
Redshirt or not, I’m playing ball
now, so I just have to go with it
and play. I feel good. It’s still here
and there, but I’m just going to
Close-knit group
BRUCE NEWMAN
Ole Miss defensive lineman Issac Gross (far right), shown recovering a fumble against Memphis
on Sept. 27, has fought through a preseason neck injury to supply the Rebels with depth up front.
play ball.”
Now that he is playing ball,
Gross has been a steady force
on the front line of one of the
nation’s best defenses. His numbers aren’t eye-popping, but
through the five games played, he
has recorded 11 tackles with one
for a 5-yard loss and recovered
one fumble.
Gross has not started any of
those five games, but is a part of
the large amount of depth at the
defensive line position, which is
no small contribution in itself.
“(The depth) is huge,” defensive end Fadol Brown said. “To be
able to rotate in and out guys and
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guys bringing in different parts
of their game, it just makes us a
more versatile defense, and we
stay fresh.”
Not starting or even playing
every snap has not been an issue
for Gross as he understands it’s
the way the defense works. He is
ready to go whenever defensive
The defense’s fast rise to prominence, according to Gross, can
be attributed to the family-type
atmosphere the group possesses,
something that drew him in from
the first time he stepped on campus coming from perennial power
South Panola High School.
“I was a family-oriented guy
before I even got here,” Gross
said. “It just grew over time with
the guys that was here. My class
and then the younger class, we
all just collaborated together. We
hung out more outside of school.
We were at each other’s houses cooking out and just normal
things. That feeling of knowing I
got his back and he has my back.
It makes a lot of things easier.”
If Gross and the rest of his
defensive family continue playing
the way they are, he may get his
chance to play in the Georgia
Dome after all.
—[email protected]
City of Oxford
Shuttle Service
Pick Up at Central Middle School,
Oxford Activities Center, and Oxford High School
To Vaught Hemingway Stadium
Shuttle will start at 12 for the Memphis State game
$5.00 Per Person Round Trip
For More Information, Please Visit www.oxfordms.net
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
5
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT: TENNESSEE
Head coach: Butch Jones (7-10 at
Tennessee, first matchup against Ole Miss)
Results: Beat Utah State 38-7, beat
Arkansas State 34-19, lost to No.
11 Oklahoma 34-10, lost to No. 10
Georgia 35-32, lost to Florida 10-9, beat
UT-Chattanooga 45-10
Last meeting: Brandon Bolden’s fifth
100-yard rushing game of the season
wasn’t nearly enough for Ole Miss to hang
around with Tennessee in a 52-14 loss in
Knoxville, Tennessee, on Nov. 13, 2010.
Volunteer quarterback Tyler Bray’s first
pass of the game went off the hands of
Jonathan Cornell and into those of wideout Gerald Jones for an 80-yard touchdown, and things only got worse from
there. Jeremiah Masoli threw three picks,
Ole Miss was held to less than 300 yards of
offense, and the Rebels suffered their sixth
loss as part of a losing season.
No fly zone: Tennessee’s strength
lies on defense, specifically in the back seven.
The Volunteers own the
SEC’s second-best pass
defense, allowing just 160
yards a game. Tennessee
has collected nine interceptions, led by cornerback Cameron Sutton’s
three. Oklahoma’s Trevor
Knight (308) is the only
quarterback to reach the
300-yard mark against the
Vols’ defense.
14, the Sooners’ lowest third-down conversion percentage at home since 2009. This
will be the best offense the Volunteers
have seen so far, but it would benefit the
Rebels to stay ahead of the chains and set
up manageable distances on third down.
DAVIS
POTTER
Sports Editor
Three and out: If you can’t pick up
the necessary yardage to move the chains
on first and second down, good luck on
third down. Tennessee is the best in the
SEC and ranks fifth nationally in getting
teams off the field, allowing its opponents
to convert just 23 of its 87 (26 percent)
third-down chances. Georgia and Florida
combined to go just 8-for-30 on third
down, and Oklahoma finished just 3 of
Fresh blood: Tennessee’s offense hasn’t
been able to do much once the competition level increases, but freshman running back Jalen Hurd has given the Vols
a lift. The former five-star recruit is the
SEC’s third-leading rusher among freshmen and leads Tennessee with 374 yards
on 84 carries and two scores. He broke
out with a 24-carry, 119-yard performance
at Georgia on Sept. 27. The entire offense
is struggling in part because it’s got five
new starters along the offensive line, but
the 6-foot-3, 227-pound Hurd is someone
Ole Miss will have to account for Saturday.
Worth noting: The Vols’ last win over
an SEC West team was that beatdown they
put on Ole Miss in 2010. That’s a span of
MICHAEL PATRICK/AP
Tennessee’s Jalen Hurd is one of the
SEC’s top freshman running backs.
seven straight games dating back to 2011.
Getting Tennessee away from Neyland
Stadium when you’re a ranked team is also
a good sign. The Vols’ latest win on the
road against a team with a number beside
its name? Oct. 7, 2006 against Georgia.
—[email protected]
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THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
www.oxfordeagle.com
Engram working to become complete package at tight end
BY JAKE THOMPSON
Assistant Sports Editor
BRUCE NEWMAN
Evan Engram is back catching passes again after an injury-plagued freshman season, but the tight end is focusing on
getting stronger in order to handle other facets of the position.
Several Ole Miss players have
made successful returns to the
field after suffering a major injury a year ago.
Add Evan Engram to that list.
The sophomore tight end was
having a breakout freshman campaign last season with 20 catches
for 265 yards and three touchdowns before injuring his ankle
in the second half of the LSU
game, which required surgery
and kept him out for the rest of
the regular season. He returned
in time to play in the Music City
Bowl against Georgia Tech, but
his affect on the field was minimal at best, recording one catch
for three yards.
Engram is back on the field
and is picking up right where he
left off last season. Through six
games, he has 18 catches for 264
yards, good enough for fourthbest on the team. He doesn’t
have any touchdowns yet but
has made impacts in other ways,
including lining up in the backfield and becoming a blocker if
called upon. That skill was something he had to improve on in
the offseason and got help from
strength and conditioning coach
Paul Jackson.
“Coach Jackson and his staff
did a lot of good work with us
in the summer,” Engram said. “I
definitely feel stronger and much
more confident going up against
ends and picking up blitzes by
linebackers.”
The blocking aspect was something the 6-foot-3, 227-pounder
had to adjust and adapt to know-
ing he was going to be taking on
guys much bigger than himself.
“Just the size difference and
the strength difference made it
tough,” Engram said. “I knew I
could go up and battle with the
big boys, but I definitely feel a
lot better this year than I did last
year.”
The blocking has continued to
get to Engram this season as he
missed a key block on a 56-yard
touchdown run by I’Tavius
Mathers during the LouisianaLafayette game. While the
Rebels still scored, it’s the little
things like a missed assignment
that tight ends coach Maurice
Harris wants Engram to improve
upon for the future.
“Regardless of what’s going on,
he has to be focused and locked
See ENGRAM on Page 14
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Name
Laquon Treadwell
DeVante Kincade
Tee Shepard
C.J. Hampton
Eugene Brazley
Damore’ea Stringfellow
Denzel Nkemdiche
I’Tavius Mathers
Robert Nkemdiche
Jaylen Walton
Cliff Coleman
Trae Elston
Mark Dodson
Quincy Adeboyejo
Kailo Moore
Chief Brown
Breeland Speaks
Ryan Buchanan
C.J. Johnson
Vince Sanders
Channing Ward
Markell Pack
Will Easter
Sammie Epps
Tony Conner
Anthony Alford
Serderius Bryant
Bo Wallace
Kendarius Webster
Jeremy Liggins
Drew Davis
Collins Moore
Victor Evans
Evan Engram
Derrick Jones
Kendrick Doss
Christian Russell
Akeem Judd
Darrius Henderson
Senquez Golson
Ray Ray Smith
Jordan Wilkins
Carlos Davis
Tayler Polk
Keith Lewis
Cody Prewitt
C.J. Moore
Quintavius Burdette
Marquis Haynes
Cale Luke
Mike Hilton
LaKedrick King
David Kamara
Brandon Bell
A.J. Moore
Justin Anderson
DeMarquis Gates
Temario Strong
Nathan Vanderburg
John-Patrick Sherling
Nick Parker
D.K. Buford
Josh Johnson
Luke Davis
Deterrian Shackelford
Martin Johnson
Josh Gregory
Billy Busch
Garrald McDowell
Ty Quick
Charlie Scott
Lavon Hooks
John Youngblood
Carlton Martin
Sean Rawlings
Walker Sturgeon
Davion Johnson
Will Few
Carlos Thompson
Craig Frigo
Woodrow Hamilton
Will Denny
Ben Still
Chase Hughes
Justin Bell
Jordan Sims
Christian Morris
Aaron Morris
Rod Taylor
Fahn Cooper
Robert Conyers
Daronte Bouldin
Talbot Buys
Laremy Tunsil
Elliot Markuson
Trey Bledsoe
Dylan Dyer
Dayall Harris
Hunter Thurley
Alex Weber
Jordan Gallegos
Matt Brown
John Ratliff
Cody Core
Taz Zettergren
Fadol Brown
Nathan Noble
Andy Pappanastos
Andrew Fletcher
Issac Gross
Bryon Bennett
Gary Wunderlich
Grant Warren
Herbert Moore
Ole Miss Rebels
Pos. Height/Weight
WR
6-3/229
QB
6-0/202
DB
6-1/195
DB
6-0/192
RB
5-9/189
WR
6-3/229
LB
5-11/212
RB
5-11/190
DT
6-4/280
RB
5-8/166
DB
5-10/186
DB
6-0/195
RB
5-10/198
WR
6-3/189
DB
5-10/188
DB
6-1/200
DL
6-4/310
QB
6-3/208
DE
6-2/225
WR
6-1/185
DE
6-4/274
WR
6-3/181
WR
6-0/183
WR
6-5/215
DB
6-0/217
DB
6-1/212
LB
5-9/220
QB
6-4/217
DB
5-11/170
TE
6-3/296
QB
6-2/215
WR
6-1/201
DE
6-4/221
TE
6-3/217
DB/WR
6-2/182
QB
6-0/211
LB
6-0/235
RB
6-0/220
QB
5-9/185
DB
5-9/176
LB
6-2/208
RB
6-1/209
DB
5-8/171
LB
5-11/209
LB
6-0/220
DB
6-2/217
DB
6-0/186
WR
5-11/186
DE
6-3/220
WR
6-1/200
DB
5-9/182
DB
5-8/171
DB
5-10/199
WR
6-0/205
DB
6-1/190
DB
5-9/184
LB
6-2/211
LB
6-0/233
RB
5-7/160
LB
5-11/217
TE
6-0/250
DB
5-11/200
WR
5-10/180
LB
6-2/212
LB/DE
6-1/247
RB
6-1/187
DB
5-10/195
LB
5-11/223
DL
6-2/245
TE
6-3/257
TE
6-0/250
DT
6-3/318
DE
6-3/246
DT
6-1/296
OL
6-5/285
DE
6-1/240
OL
6-4/309
LS
6-3/250
DE
6-5/243
OL
6-4/301
DT
6-3/315
LS
5-11/221
C
6-3/298
OL
6-2/308
OL
6-2/352
OL
6-4/370
OL
6-6/335
OL
6-5/345
OL
6-3/230
OL
6-5/312
OL
6-5/295
OL
6-5/327
OL
6-8/306
OL
6-5/305
TE
6-0/235
WR
6-1/208
TE
6-4/227
WR
6-3/185
DE
6-4/245
WR
6-0/176
WR
5-9/170
TE
6-3/229
WR
6-1/186
WR
6-3/196
TE
6-3/225
DE
6-4/280
K
6-3/230
K
5-11/189
K
5-8/180
DT
6-1/250
DL
6-2/293
K/P
6-0/175
P
6-1/207
DT
6-1/325
Yr.
SO
FR
SO
FR
FR
SO
JR
JR
SO
JR
SR
JR
SO
SO
SO
JR
FR
FR
JR
SR
JR
FR
SO
FR
SO
SO
SR
SR
FR
SO
SO
SR
FR
SO
SO
FR
JR
JR
FR
SR
FR
FR
JR
FR
SR
SR
FR
JR
FR
FR
SR
SR
SO
JR
FR
FR
FR
SO
FR
FR
SR
FR
FR
FR
SR-GS
JR
JR
SR
FR
FR
JR
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SR
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JR
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FR
THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
Hometown (Last School)
Crete, Ill.
Dallas
Fresno, Calif. (Holmes CC)
Meridian
New Orleans
Perris, Calif. (Washington)
Loganville, Ga.
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Loganville, Ga.
Memphis
Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
Oxford, Ala.
Memphis
Cedar Hill, Texas
Rosedale
Winona
Jackson
Jackson
Philadelphia, Miss.
Macon
Aberdeen
Purvis
Rosemary Beach, Fla. (Louisburg)
Greenwood
Batesville
Petal (Southern Miss)
Sanford, Fla.
Pulaski, Tenn. (East Miss. CC)
Stockbridge, Ga.
Oxford (Northeast Miss. CC)
Chapel Hill, N.C. (Coffeyville CC)
Madison, Ala.
Dallas
Powder Springs, Ga.
Eupora
Florence, Ala.
Fayetteville, N.C. (East Miss. CC)
Durham, N.C. (Ga. Military College)
Memphis
Pascagoula
Florence, Ala.
Cordova, Tenn.
Birmingham, Ala.
Magee
Tampa, Fla.
Bay Springs
Bassfield
Senatobia
Jacksonville, Fla. (Fork Union Military)
Clinton
Fayetteville, Ga.
Duncanville, Texas
Loganville, Ga.
Columbus (East Miss. CC)
Bassfield
Houston, Texas
Hampton, Ga.
Batesville
Olive Branch
Fairhope, Ala.
Batesville
Oxford
Belden
Trussville, Ala.
Decatur, Ala.
Preston (East Central CC)
Alpharetta, Ga. (Alabama)
St. Louis (Butler)
Covington, La.
Terry
Jackson
Atlanta (Northeast Miss. CC)
Trussville, Ala.
Madison
Madison
Horn Lake
Byhalia
Augusta, Ga.
Hollandale
Bay St. Louis (Miss. Gulf Coast CC)
Raleigh
Jackson
Memphis
Springville, Ala.
Jackson
Homewood, Ala.
Memphis (UCLA)
Jackson
Jackson
Crystal Lake, Ill. (College of DuPage)
Miami, Fla.
Canton
Vicksburg (Holmes CC)
Lake City, Fla.
Oxford
Grenada
Flora (Holmes CC)
Jackson
Nashville, Tenn. (Wofford)
Lake City, Fla.
New Albany, Ohio
Cordova, Tenn.
Fort Worth, Texas
Auburn, Ala.
Senatobia
Charleston, S.C. (FIU)
Greenville
Montgomery, Ala.
Nashville, Tenn.
Batesville
Madison
Memphis
Pascagoula
Memphis
No.
1
2
2
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
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81
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83
84
85
86
87
88
89
89
90
93
95
96
Name
Jalen Hurd
Pig Howard
D’Andre Payne
Josh Malone
Vic Wharton
LaTroy Lewis
Ryan Jenkins
George Bullock
Todd Kelly Jr.
Mike Wegzyn
Drae Bowles
Rashaan Gaulden
Dewayne Hendrix
Marquez North
Derek Barnett
Von Pearson
Isaiah McDaniel
Will Bradshaw
Josh Dobbs
Nathan Peterman
Emmanuel Moseley
Patrick Ashford
Devaun Swafford
Justin Worley
Marlin Lane
Dillon Bates
Devin Smith
Michael Cantwell
Jason Croom
Devrin Young
David Priddy
Cortez McDowell
Riyahd Jones
Malik Foreman
Cameron Sutton
Michael Williams
Derrell Scott
Aaron Medley
Josh Smith
Geraldo Orta
Justin Coleman
Lemond Johnson
Evan Berry
Deanthonie Summerhill
Devin Williams
Justus Pickett
LaDarrell McNeil
Jalen Reeves-Maybin
Troy Waites
Ryan Ault
Gavin Bryant
Jayson Sparks
Brian Randolph
Jaye Rochell
Justin King
Kendal Vickers
Dimarya Mixon
Elliott Berry
Chris Weatherd
Matt Darr
Jakob Johnson
Jase Stubbs
A.J. Johnson
Max Arnold
Joe Stocstill
Alex Ellis
Corey Vereen
Kenny Bynum
Joe Henderson
Colton Jumper
Danny Finch
Jordan Williams
Coleman Thomas
Cody Underwood
Curt Maggitt
Mack Crowder
Owen Williams
Gregory Grieco
Matt Giampapa
Austin Sanders
Brett Kendrick
Ray Raulerson
Jacob Gilliam
Marques Pair
Benson Napier
Dylan Wiesman
Michael Sawyers
Jashon Robertson
Dontavius Blair
Marcus Jackson
Kyler Kerbyson
Charles Mosley
Thomas Edwards
Daniel Helm
Johnathon Johnson
Ethan Wolf
Cody Blanc
Woody Quinn
Brendan Downs
A.J. Branisel
Jacob Carter
Neiko Creamer
Jaylen Miller
Adrian Gamble
Charles Folger
Trevor Daniel
Danny O’Brien
Trevarris Saulsberry
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
Tennessee Volunteers
Pos. Height/Weight
RB
6-3/227
WR
5-8/187
DB
5-9/185
WR
6-3/204
WR
5-11/201
DL
6-4/257
WR
5-11/193
PK
6-0/209
DB
6-0/203
QB
6-5/222
WR
6-0/206
DB
6-1/173
DL
6-4/275
WR
6-4/221
DE
6-3/267
WR
6-3/183
DB
5-10/188
LS
6-4/219
QB
6-3/216
QB
6-2/220
DB
5-11/178
H
6-0/213
DB
5-11/184
QB
6-4/220
RB
5-11/209
LB
6-3/222
QB
6-4/199
LB
5-11/203
WR
6-5/243
RB
5-8/173
DB
5-10/170
LB
6-1/215
DB
6-0/188
DB
5-10/190
DB
6-1/190
DB
5-11/177
RB
5-11/194
PK
6-2/181
WR
6-1/200
DB
6-0/183
DB
5-10/188
DB
6-1/200
DB
5-11/199
RB
5-9/202
DB
5-7/187
RB
5-10/199
DB
6-1/215
LB
6-1/230
P
6-2/179
P/PK
5-11/198
LB
6-0/236
RB
5-8/175
DB
6-0/209
WR
6-2/206
LB
6-2/245
DL
6-3/262
DL
6-3/282
LB
6-0/208
LB
6-4/225
P
6-1/220
DL
6-4/240
TE
6-2/235
LB
6-2/245
DB
5-11/191
TE
6-2/237
TE
6-4/238
DL
6-2/253
LB
6-1/243
DL
6-4/234
LB
6-2/227
LS
6-2/207
DL
6-5/284
OL
6-6/328
LB
6-2/215
LB/DL
6-3/251
OL
6-2/295
DL
6-2/288
LB
5-10/221
LS
6-0/211
OL
6-5/311
OL
6-6/316
OL
6-5/278
OL
6-4/297
OL
6-5/327
OL
6-3/327
Ol
6-3/303
DL
6-3/306
OL
6-3/304
OL
6-8/300
OL
6-2/306
OL
6-4/312
DL
6-5/370
OL
6-4/322
TE
6-4/240
WR
5-9/186
TE
6-5/240
WR
6-3/207
TE
6-6/251
TE
6-5/240
TE
6-4/238
WR
6-0/191
TE
6-3/229
DL
6-2/253
WR
6-1/176
DL
6-4/254
P
6-2/237
DL
6-2/286
DL
6-4/296
Yr.
FR
JR
FR
FR
FR
SO
FR
SO
FR
JR
SO
FR
FR
SO
FR
JR
FR
FR
SO
SO
FR
JR
SO
SR
SR
FR
FR
JR
SO
SR
SO
FR
SR
SO
SO
SO
FR
FR
SO
FR
SR
SO
FR
SR
FR
JR
JR
SO
FR
SO
FR
SO
JR
FR
SO
FR
FR
FR
JR
SR
FR
FR
SR
JR
SO
JR
SO
SO
FR
FR
FR
SR
FR
FR
JR
JR
JR
SR
JR
FR
FR
FR
SR
SR
FR
SO
FR
FR
JR
JR
JR
FR
FR
FR
JR
FR
JR
SR
SR
SO
SR
FR
SO
JR
SO
FR
SO
JR
Hometown (Last School)
Hendersonville, Tenn.
Orlando, Fla.
Washington, D.C.
Gallatin, Tenn.
Spring Hill, Tenn.
Akron, Ohio
Marietta, Ga.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Knoxville, Tenn. (UMass)
Jackson, Tenn.
Spring Hill, Tenn.
O’Fallon, Ill.
Charlotte, N.C.
Nashville, Tenn.
Newport New, Va. (Feather River)
Knoxville, Tenn.
Dyersburg, Tenn.
Alpharetta, Ga.
Fruit Cove, Fla.
Greensboro, N.C.
Morristown, Tenn. (Carson-Newman)
Kingsport, Tenn.
Rock Hill, S.C.
Daytona Beach, Fla.
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Morristown, Tenn.
Norcross, Ga.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Hendersonville, Tenn.
Locust Grove, Ga.
Columbus, Ga. (Garden City CC)
Kingsport, Tenn.
Jonesboro, Ga.
Laurel, Md.
Havelock, N.C.
Lewisburg, Tenn.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Valdosta, Ga.
Brunswick, Ga.
Cooper City, Fla.
Fairburn, Ga.
Tuscumbia, Ala.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Charlotte, N.C.
Dallas
Clarksville, Tenn.
Hattiesburg
Brentwood, Tenn.
Jackson, Ala.
Loganville, Ga.
Marietta, Ga.
Norcross, Ga.
Dunwoody, Ga.
Havelock, N.C.
Compton, Calif.
Fairburn, Ga.
Carrollton, Texas (Trinity Valley CC)
Bakersfield, Calif.
Stuttgart, Germany
Covington, La.
Gainesville, Ga.
McKenzie, Tenn.
Lewisburgh, Tenn.
Del Mar, Del.
Winter Garden, Fla.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Lookout Mountain, Tenn.
Maryville, Tenn.
Gainesville, Fla.
Max Meadows, Va.
Knoxville, Tenn.
West Palm Beach, Fla.
Bristol, Tenn.
Macon, Ga. (Butler CC)
Knoxville, Tenn.
Jackson, Tenn. (Michigan State)
Cleveland, Tenn.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Tampa, Fla.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Sumter, S.C.
Coalfield, Tenn.
Cincinnati
Antioch, Tenn.
Nashville, Tenn.
Anniston, Ala. (Garden City CC)
Vero Beach, Fla.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Brighton, Tenn.
Kingsport, Tenn.
Chatham, Ill.
Friendswood, Texas (Blinn College)
Minster, Ohio
Knoxville, Tenn.
Dana Point, Calif. (Santa Ana College)
Bristol, Tenn.
South Euclid, Ohio
Nashville, Tenn.
Wilmington, Del.
Gaffney, S.C.
Charlotte, N.C. (Virginia)
Augusta, Ga.
Dickson, Tenn.
Flint, Mich.
Gainesville, Fla.
7
8
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
www.oxfordeagle.com
Nkemdiche embracing 2nd chance
BY DAVIS POTTER
Sports Editor
Denzel Nkemdiche’s season started a
game later than everybody else’s. The
junior is making up for lost time.
Ole Miss’ outside linebacker has piled
up 24 tackles this season, sixth-most on
the team. He got his first snaps against
Vanderbilt in the second game of the
season and broke into the starting lineup
against Memphis two games later, recording six tackles in the 24-3 win.
He
looked
like
the
Denzel
Nkemdiche
of
old.
See NKEMDICHE on Page 10
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
9
Buy-in paying off for Golson
BY DAVIS POTTER
Sports Editor
Hugh Freeze never expected
him to be there. But there he
was. At the right place. At the
right time.
When cornerback Senquez
Golson, all 5-foot-9 of him, outfought Alabama’s 6-6 tight end,
O.J. Howard, for the ball in the
back of the end zone with 37
seconds left in a one-possession
game on Oct. 4, it preserved arguably the biggest win in Ole Miss
history and signaled to the rest of
the country that, for the first time
in a long time, the Rebels were
going to be a serious player in the
ultra-competitive SEC West.
But Freeze was as surprised
as anybody to see Golson back
there saving the day. Not because
Golson didn’t have the talent to
produce that kind of play, but
because, at one time, the Rebels’
coach thought he was going to
waste it.
“I tried to run him off when
I first got here,” Freeze said. “I
didn’t think he would ever make
it in this program.”
Golson survived, and his final
season in Oxford is turning out
to be his best.
The senior pulled down his
first pick in the season opener
against Boise State, grabbed two
more against Louisiana-Lafayette
and was on the receiving end of
one of Texas A&M quarterback
Kenny Hill’s two interceptions a
week ago to run his season tally to
five. Golson’s three pass breakups
are as many as he had each of the
last two seasons.
“You kind of always see your-
self making plays,” Golson said.
“You’ve always got to envision
yourself making the plays mentally first. And for some strange reason, when you do them mentally,
they become true.”
Getting to this point took some
work.
Golson, a Pascagoula native,
came to Ole Miss as a two-sport
star in 2011, turning down millions of dollars as an eighthround draft pick of the Boston
Red Sox out of high school to
attend Ole Miss. He played both
sports for the Rebels as a freshman, but after dragging through
a 2-10 season on the gridiron
in his first year that resulted in
Houston Nutt being out and
Freeze coming in, he was ready
to hang up the pads for good.
See GOLSON on Page 14
BRUCE NEWMAN
Senquez Golson almost didn’t make it in Hugh Freeze’s program, but the senior has transformed his attitude and his game
to become one of the nation’s best cornerbacks.
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10
THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
www.oxfordeagle.com
Nkemdiche: Approach ‘completely changed’ for junior linebacker following arrest, suspension
“I felt great because I was prepared,”
Nkemdiche said. “I felt like I had a great
week of practice. Felt like my coaches got me
ready for that game. I felt like I could feed off
my teammates for energy and everybody was
doing their job, so it was easy for me to do
my job.”
That job was in jeopardy in the offseason.
The 5-foot-11, 212-pound Nkemdiche
broke onto the scene in 2012, becoming
the first freshman in school history to lead
the leam in tackles (82) on his way to second-team All-SEC honors. It was hard for
Nkemdiche to keep up as a sophomore as he
battled a knee injury and finished with just
35 tackles in six starts.
Things got worse when he was arrested in
February on charges of disorderly conduct
and failure to comply with a police officer.
The trouble piled on later in the spring when
a YouTube video surfaced of Nkemdiche
shouting profanities at a group of people on
a beach during spring break.
Nkemdiche was suspended from spring
practice, though he was reinstated toward
the end of the spring, and missed the season
opener against Boise State as part of that suspension. It served as a wake-up call.
“When I was up early at 5:30 doing runs
and lifting alone, not being able to come out
and practice with my team, it changed the
whole outlook on everything — my perspective, how I attack the game, my approach to
everything,” Nkemdiche said. “It completely
changed.”
Nkemdiche participated fully in fall camp,
working to regain his old form. He spared
Serderius Bryant at times in the 41-3 win over
Vanderbilt, notching three tackles in his first
game action since the Music City Bowl nine
months earlier.
Nkemdiche again came off the bench the
following week against Louisiana-Lafayette
and collected five tackles before putting
together his best performance with those half
a dozen tackles in the start against Memphis,
the most stops he had recorded since notching seven against LSU last October.
Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze was happy
to see it.
“I thought it was real solid,” Freeze said. “I
thought he tackled well, I thought he played
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extremely hard, him and Bird (Bryant) both.
… It was a great performance.”
Nkemdiche got his second straight start
against Alabama before rotating in with
Bryant against A&M. He tied his output
against Memphis with six stops against the
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Now feeling “fast” and “healthy,”
Nkemdiche is making the most of his second
chance.
“Football is a temporary thing. It’s a temporary job,” Nkemdiche said. “It has its window,
and I wasn’t taking advantage of that window.
“Whatever happened last season and in
the offseason, it helped me mature and it
helped me realize what I did have and, if I
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11
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
LOOKBACK: 2009 TENNESSEE
McCluster runs wild, sets records in 42-17 thrashing of Vols
BY JAKE THOMPSON
Assistant Sports Editor
No. 3 Ole Miss welcomes
the Tennessee Volunteers back
to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
on Saturday. The last time the
Volunteers came to Oxford was
2009, and it was not a pleasant
trip for the visitors as the Rebels
defeated them, 42-17.
With the win, Ole Miss ended
a 12-game losing streak at the
hands of the Volunteers that
dated back to 1984.
The star of the game was
Ole Miss running back Dexter
McCluster, who had a breakout
game and set two school records
in the process.
The senior scored four touch-
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downs and rushed for 282 yards
to set the single-game rushing
record, shattering the previous record of 242 held by Dou
Innocent when he set it against
Mississippi State in 1995.
McCluster was not finished
rewriting the record books as
he accumulated 324 all-purpose
yards, passing another Ole Miss
great, Deuce McAllister, who
held the record with 317 yards.
“I was in the zone from jump,
from the first play of the game,”
McCluster said. “I was in that
zone, and I was able to stay in
that zone all game. The offensive
line did a great job blocking, and
I got off good blocks downfield
from the wide receivers.”
The game was not entirely a
one-sided blowout as the score-
board indicated with both teams
trading scores in the first half.
Thanks to a missed 28-yard
field-goal attempt by placekicker Joshua Shene, Ole Miss was
clinging to a 21-17 lead heading
into halftime.
In the third quarter, Ole Miss
quarterback Jevan Snead threw
his lone interception, and the
Volunteers had a chance to get
back into the game.
The Ole Miss defense had
other plans
After forcing Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton
to throw an incomplete pass
on first down but giving up an
8-yard run to Volunteers receiver Gerald Jones, the Rebels hit
See WILD on Page 15
BRUCE NEWMAN
Ole Miss’ Dexter McCluster (22) set single-game school records
in rushing yards (282) and all-purpose yardage (324) in a 42-17 win
over Tennessee at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Nov. 14, 2009.
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12
THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
www.oxfordeagle.com
Letdown: Ole Miss’ aerial attack will be tested by one of the SEC’s best pass defenses
Continued from Page 3
Tennessee is last in the league
in rushing offense (109 yards per
game) and next to last in total
offense (347) and scoring (28). It’s
contributed to a 34-10 loss at No.
11 Oklahoma, a three-point loss at
No. 10 Georgia and a one-point
loss to the Gators, the type of close
calls that look all too familiar to
Ole Miss’ third-year coach.
“This team reminds me eerily
similar of our journey, and they
are a very, very talented team,”
said Freeze, whose first team in
2012 lost to Texas A&M, LSU
and Vanderbilt by a combined 10
points before losing to A&M by
three last season. “They are hun-
gry. It’s one of those scary games
that you know they have good
enough athletes to beat you.”
Ole Miss matches up well with
the Vols, entering the contest
ranked in the SEC’s top 5 in every
major defensive statistical category
and testing Tennessee’s back end
with one of the league’s best passing attacks. Wallace is throwing
for 283 yards a game and has 14
touchdown tosses against just three
picks since the second half of the
season opener against Boise State.
The senior signal caller completed 13 passes for 178 yards and a
score last time out against A&M to
push his completion percentage to
69 percent. He also ran for his first
two touchdowns of the season.
Tennessee coach Butch Jones
knows what his team will have
to contend with in Oxford on
Saturday.
“I don’t see any inconsistency
right now in his play,” Jones said of
Wallace. “All I have to go on is the
video from this year. He’s playing
winning football.”
—[email protected]
Hunted: No. 3 Rebels control own destiny, now a team that everybody else is chasing
Continued from Page 2
conference’s heavyweights. While
Alabama, Florida, LSU, Georgia, Auburn
and even Arkansas began paving a path to
the SEC championship, national championship or a BCS bowl game, Ole Miss was
nothing more than a nuisance in the way,
a team all of them had to try their hardest
not to overlook so that an upset didn’t
steer them off the road.
Ole Miss has spent most of its time chasing everybody else.
Until now.
The Rebels are off to their best start
since the 1962 team won a share of the
national title, and it’s no fluke. That
dynasty of an Alabama program Nick
Saban has built? It couldn’t stand up to
the Rebels this season. And that Texas
A&M offense that can put the fear of God
into anybody with Kevin Sumlin at the
controls? 20 points against Ole Miss, 13 of
those in garbage time.
Not many defenses are better than the
one the Rebels put out on the field every
week, and the offense, while not perfect,
has its share of top-end talent with one of
the country’s most experienced quarterback calling the shots. It’s got the look of a
team that could finally get to Atlanta and
maybe more.
We’re getting ahead of ourselves though.
Tests still await in the nation’s most rugged conference starting tomorrow against
Tennessee that include road trips to LSU
and Arkansas and home dates with No. 6
Auburn and top-ranked Mississippi State.
But with the exception of the Bulldogs,
everyone’s chasing Ole Miss, not the other
way around.
It’s taken a while, but Ole Miss has gone
from the hunter to the hunted.
—[email protected]
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THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
13
Aggies working to clean up act before ‘Bama
BY JAKE THOMPSON
Assistant Sports Editor
When No. 21 Texas A&M and No. 7
Alabama have met the previous two seasons, the right to sit atop the Southeastern
Conference’s Western Division throne
has been on the line. This year, both
teams are just trying right the ship after
tough losses and close wins.
The Aggies are coming off a one-two
punch from the Magnolia State the
last two weeks while Alabama escaped
Fayetteville, Arkansas, with a 14-13 victory
over Arkansas last Saturday.
For the Aggies, they must try and fix
the offensive woes that have plagued
them recently. It’s not the scoring as they
put up 68 total points against Mississippi
State and Ole Miss the past two games,
but it’s the key drops and turnovers that
have accumulated during those games.
Quarterback Kenny Hill threw five of his
seven interceptions in the past two weeks
and both of his turnovers against Ole Miss
resulted in touchdowns.
It has A&M coach Kevin Sumlin considering a subtle makeover to the offense
when the Aggies take on the Crimson
Tide.
SEC
NOTEBOOK
“When you lose, there’s a lot more criticism or a lot more questions asked from
outside than even inside,” Sumlin said.
“The way we do things here, we’re always
analyzing everything. When you lose a
game or you’re inefficient, you have to
start looking at things and saying, ‘What’s
wrong?’ Is it scheme? Is it personnel? Is it
both? Is it luck? So you’ve got all kinds of
things you have to consider.”
Last season, the A&M offense, led by
Johnny Manziel, scored 42 points against
the Crimson Tide, something Crimson
Tide coach Nick Saban hopes his defense
can prevent from happening again.
“I don’t think there’s any question
about the fact that you’ve got to play very,
very disciplined, have great eye control
in terms of reading run/pass and discipline in coverage responsibility,” Saban
said. “Effecting the quarterback is always
important. Getting turnovers is always
important, and not allowing them to have
See NOTEBOOK on Page 15
SATURDAY’S
SEC SLATE
Furman at South
Carolina, 11 a.m. (SECN)
No. 21 Texas A&M at No.
7 Alabama, 2:30 p.m.
(CBS)
No. 10 Georgia at
Arkansas, 3 p.m. (SECN)
Tennessee at No. 3 Ole
Miss, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
Missouri at Florida, 6
p.m. (ESPN2)
Kentucky at LSU, 6:30
p.m. (SECN)
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Engram: Sophomore produces more big plays in passing game coming off ankle injury
Continued from Page 6
into every situation,” Harris said.
“I don’t care about the previous
game. It’s always about the next
game, the next play. Hopefully he
understands that.”
When he is not asked to be a
blocker, Engram will line up as a
receiver and is excelling. This is
part of the new modern tight end
that became cool due in large part
to the success of New Orleans
Saints tight end Jimmy Graham,
who is more often thought of as a
wideout than a tight end.
That is something fellow teammates agree with.
“He might as well meet with
us after practice,” wide receiver
Quincy Adeboyejo said. “I mean,
he is just as good as the receivers.
He can run just like all of us and
catch just like all of us. He’s just
a bigger body, but he could be a
really good receiver if he wasn’t a
tight end.”
Even though Engram has not
found the end zone, he has come
up with key plays, including a
50-yard reception to keep a drive
going that led to the first Ole Miss
Takeout & Tailgate!
Golson: Senior enjoying breakout season
Continued from Page 9
“After that 2-10 season and we lost our
head coach, a lot of players were thinking
about getting out,” Golson said. “I almost
left to go play baseball.”
Golson stuck it out, though he wasn’t
willing to follow the new law under Freeze.
The new coach and the young defensive
back clashed, and Golson was simply
going through the motions.
He was there, but at the same time, he
wasn’t.
“He was not bought in and didn’t
understand how to work,” Freeze said.
“He did not want to be great.”
Ole Miss defensive coordinator Dave
Wommack called Golson’s practice habits
“lazy,” a message Wommack often delivered to Golson directly. Said Wommack,
“You kind of felt like you were held hostage at times with him.”
Golson had two options: Either get serious or get out.
“When I came in my freshman year and
sophomore year, it took me a while to
adjust,” Golson said. “I had the wrong attitude, and I realized I had to make a lot of
self-evaluations and get my life together.”
Golson saw action in 12 games as a
sophomore and drew six starts, finishing with 36 tackles and three picks. He
became a regular starter opposite Mike
Hilton last year and had two interceptions
and 41 tackles.
He’s morphed into one of the nation’s
best corners this season.
Those five interceptions lead the SEC
and are tied for second-most nationally.
Though he said he plans to be a part of the
Rebels’ baseball team this spring, the NFL
is likely to come calling. NFLDraftScout.
com has Golson ranked as the 21st-best
available corner for next year’s draft with
touchdown against Alabama and
a catch Tide coach Nick Saban
felt turned the game around in
the Rebels’ favor.
If defenses do not keep an eye
on No. 17, he may affect a lot
more games this season.
—[email protected]
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Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze is proud
of the player and person Golson has
transformed into this season. “That
wasn’t always the case,” Freeze said.
a fourth-to-fifth-round grade.
“That’s as rewarding to me to see lives
changed in a positive way and hopefully
will lead to him being a productive young
man in society, a good husband and a
good father,” Freeze said. “Right now
I can look him in his eyes and tell him
I’m extremely proud of him. That wasn’t
always the case.”
Golson has finally bought in, and everybody’s benefiting.
“We talked to the coaches, and we
just decided to stay,” Golson said. “Look
where we’re at now.”
—[email protected]
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014
THE OXFORD EAGLE-GAME DAY
15
Notebook: UGA heading into second game without Gurley against Hogs
a lot of explosive plays, which we didn’t do
very well last year.”
on the game as (Georgia) continues to be
very impressive, especially running the
ball. (Nick) Chubb came in and did a nice
job.”
Frustrated Hogs
Life without Gurley
Continued from Page 13
For the past two games, Arkansas has
seen near victory ripped out of its hands.
Last week, the Hogs fell by a point to
Alabama and three weeks ago they squandered a 14-point lead against A&M, eventually losing 35-28 in overtime.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema knows the
wins will come, which will end an SEC
losing streak that has reached 15 games.
“Believe me, they’re frustrated, they’re
disappointed, they’re sad. A lot of emotions in the locker room that you expect
to be there,” Bielema said of his players.
“I think we have a team that cares. If it
wasn’t there, I’d be upset. What they do
see is they see themselves getting closer
and closer. They know that they are getting
very well respected for being a 3-3 team.”
Arkansas has another chance to end
the losing streak this weekend with its
matchup against Georgia in Little Rock,
Arkansas, on Saturday.
“We’re excited,” Bielema said. “A crossover game in the SEC against a team
that didn’t miss a beat obviously losing
a very good player. Whether he plays this
Saturday or not doesn’t have a huge effect
That player Georgia’s missing is star
running back Todd Gurley, who is still
suspended due to an alleged autograph
scandal.
The Bulldogs handled the first game
without Gurley better than most people
expected with a dominant 38-0 victory
over Missouri last week.
The concern of an emotional letdown
by the Bulldogs is valid after everything
they went through leading up to the game.
After defeating the Tigers and regaining
control of the SEC East, Georgia coach
Mark Richt hopes a letdown is not an issue
against Arkansas.
“There’s so much at stake,” Richt said.
“I think our players understand that. I
think they are thankful for the opportunity to be back in control of our destiny, and
we need a victory to do that.”
second and final bye week of the season.
After becoming the kings of college
football, at least for the next couple weeks,
they aren’t kicking back and basking in the
glory. Instead, the Bulldogs are going back
to the chalkboard to work on themselves.
“Coming into this open week, we’re
really working on getting better at our fundamentals,” Mississippi State coach Dan
Mullen said. “A lot of times you get into
the regular season, you get into that weekly
routine and the schedule and all the game
planning and the scheming for each specific game. There are certain things that
you don’t get time to work on, so we’re
kind of going back to like a training camp
mentality.”
—[email protected]
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Back to basics
Mississippi State is the No. 1 team in the
country for the first time in program history, and the Bulldogs get to celebrate by
having the week off. They’re entering their
Wild: McCluster saves ‘best’ run for last
Continued from Page 11
running back Mario Hardesty for a 2-yard
loss. On fourth down at Ole Miss’ 37-yard
line, safety Kendrick Lewis broke up a pass
from Crompton for a turnover on downs.
“There’s nothing like it,” then-Ole Miss
coach Huston Nutt said. “In my mind, I’m
thinking if they score quick, there’s the
(threat of an) onside kick. You’re thinking
all of these scenarios. There’s nothing like
the defense coming to the sideline, the
offense taking the field and keeping the
clock moving.”
The Ole Miss offense didn’t waste its
newly possessed momentum, marching
down the field in 13 plays and ending
the drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown from sophomore Brandon Bolden
to extend the Rebels’ lead to 28-17.
Tennessee wouldn’t score the rest of the
game, and Ole Miss added two more scores
before the day was finished. The final dagger was a 71-yard run by McCluster at the
13:59 mark of the fourth quarter. It was
a play that was only supposed to gain 4
yards, but McCluster saw a hole in the
Tennessee secondary and wanted more.
“(Nutt) told me to get the ball and
lock the ball up and get the first down,”
McCluster said. “The back side opened
up, and I saw a big hole. I said, ‘Why stop
now?’ I would say it was one of my best
(runs), reversing fields. There are a lot of
them out there, and I would label this one
the best.”
—[email protected]
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