A year ago, Ole Miss was loaded with
experienced playmakers and on their way to competing for the Western Division
crown. This year, the Rebels have to rebuild their defense and find new
playmakers for an offense decimated by graduation. The special teams also will
undergo massive reconstruction.
OFFENSE
Under head coach David Cutcliffe, Ole Miss has
sought balance, although last year’s team threw for nearly 600 yards more than
it ran. With a shortage of quality receivers, this year’s unit might reverse
those numbers.
QUARTERBACKS
Much-ballyhooed Eli Manning takes over for the
departed Romaro Miller, and Manning was impressive in mop-up work and in the
team’s spring game. But Manning has never been the quarterback of record from
the start of any big game, and with a dearth of receivers at his disposal, this
could turn out to be a very intense and disturbing learning experience for the
QB prodigy. If kept healthy, Manning’s arm outpaces Miller’s, and he sees
the field well. Of even greater concern than Manning is the depth situation;
only David Morris has any measurable experience, and his arm is not on par with
other SEC quarterbacks.
RUNNING BACKS
Gone is Deuce McAllister, leaving Joe Gunn as
the featured back. While Gunn is a quality player, it is yet to be seen how he
handles the role of the workhorse. Gunn’s durability is the issue. Fullback is
stacked – no pun intended – with senior Charles Stackhouse and junior Toward
Sanford. Both run like large tailbacks, and blocking shouldn’t be a problem.
Backing up Gunn is junior Robert Williams, who pushed the experienced senior
hard during spring practice.
WIDE RECEIVERS
This group is cause for concern among Ole Miss
coaches. Jamie Armstrong returns from last year’s group, and the tight end
combo of Doug Ziegler and Mitch Skrmetta are both experienced. But the rest of
the group is untested at the SEC level. Omar Rayford, Chris Collins, Ross
Barkley, Trey Fryfogle and Bill Flowers will compete for playing time and
attempt to replace Grant Heard, one of the steadiest Ole Miss receivers in
recent memory. Double coverage on Armstrong should be expected, particularly
until one of the other players emerges – most likely Rayford or Collins.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Provided Terrance Metcalf can stay healthy for
an entire season, he could be the SEC’s best offensive lineman. He’ll start
at left tackle, with Belton Johnson returning at right tackle and underrated Ben
Claxton at center. Longtime reserve Matt Koon settles into the right guard slot,
leaving only left guard up in the air. German Bello leads redshirt freshman Doug
Buckles for the job. Aside from reserve center Justin Sawyer, experience among
the second team is at a premium, but the starting five should be solid enough on
its own.
DEFENSE
Ole Miss must rebuild practically the entire
defense, although they do get linebacker Eddie Strong back from injury. The
front four, however, is a liability and will put too much pressure on the back
seven to make plays against the run.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Aside from Anthony Sims, who brings three years
of experience to the defensive tackle position, the rest of the line is, to be
kind, a question mark that is "large" in the same sense that Mt.
Rushmore is a "big chunk of rock." Josh Cooper and Charlie Anderson
draw the starting assignments at defensive end, but they average 227 pounds. Big
Kenny Jackson will start at tackle alongside Sims, although Jesse Mitchell could
put on a push by season’s end. The second team – ends Brian Lester and
Justin Blake and tackles Yahrek Johnson and Mitchell – have rarely been
counted on in the clutch. To make matters worse, Ole Miss did not sign many
players who could immediately help.
LINEBACKERS
Lanier Goethie stepped into the hole created by
Strong’s injury in 2000 and did very well, finishing third on the team in
tackles. Strong returns from foot surgery to reclaim his strong linebacker
position, and with Goethie, should provide Ole Miss with an effective duo.
Germaine Landrum gets the call opposite Strong, although Kevin Thomas, who has
starting experience, will see some time there. Justin Blake, Justin Wade and
signee Jeremy Ruffin could also contribute.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Strong safety Syniker Taylor has made a name
for himself in the Rebel secondary and is the team’s leading returning
tackler. Justin Coleman returns at one cornerback slot; both he and Taylor have
lettered three years. But Coleman must get more consistent to be considered a
strength. Desmon Johnson and Wes Scott are competing for the slot opposite
Coleman, while Marcus Woodson and Von Hutchins fight for the free safety slot.
Ole Miss led the SEC in pass defense last year, but they will be hard pressed to
do the same in 2001, especially with a weak push from the front four – making
the pressure on the secondary even greater.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Ole Miss might let the placekicking battle be
decided on the field, as Lee Rodgers and Jonathan Nichols are neck-and-neck
heading into the fall. Cody Ridgeway will be the new punter. After two years of
stability in Les Binkley and Regan King, Ole Miss fans might approach punts and
kicks with their eyes closed and heads bowed.
OVERALL
So many defensive playmakers are missing from
2000. Taken alone, the loss of six starters would be critical for any team, but
for a team that averaged giving up 34.3 points per game over its last seven
contests, the thought of rebuilding with smaller, less experienced players is
frightening. Almost as frightening – or more so, depending on whether you
prefer offense or defense – is the prospect of losing Manning to an injury
early. Until the receiving corps develops, Manning may find himself wishing that
he had followed brother Peyton to Tennessee. The bottom line is that Ole Miss
has too many holes to expect to compete at the top of the conference, and a
winning record would have to be considered a hopeful expectation.
