INSIDE SLANT
The expectations are out there. The records have been broken, the players are aware of the hype, the fans are excited.
Now, the question is: Can Ole Miss live up to its highest expectations in nearly four decades?
Ole Miss is ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press preseason poll. Coach Houston Nutt told The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger that he was appreciative of the high rankings, but also remembered a year ago at this time, when his team was coming off a winless season in the Southeastern Conference and little was expected of it.
"It's the same attitude we had last year when nobody had us ranked," Nutt said of his approach to the ranking.
The Rebels managed to skip through preseason practices with only minimal injuries, none of which are expected to change the team's approach to the season-opener.
Though Ole Miss might not think too much of playing at Memphis, fans will do well to be reminded of the last time the Rebels journeyed up Interstate 55 in a season with much promise: In Eli Manning's senior year, 2003, the Rebels lost at Memphis 44-34 in the second weekend of the season.
"It's time to hit somebody else. That's the feeling that we're getting right now," Nutt said.
NOTES, QUOTES
--For what the school believes is the first time in school history, it has sold out of season tickets. Ole Miss announced is has sold 50,800 season tickets, although some individual tickets remain.
--Fans heading to the Memphis game on Sept. 6 will have a new attraction in aging Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. In order to offset an expected gap in revenue, the University of Memphis will sell beer at its games. It's one of the few Division I programs that do so.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Ole Miss' offense begins and ends with its star quarterback, Jevan Snead. But there are weapons on the outside, like wide receiver Dexter McCluster. And Ole Miss is considerably deep at running back, with Brandon Bolden leading the way. But he has yet to emerge as a clear-cut feature back.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: UM fans reveled in their defensive front last season, especially considering the 11-sack effort it had in a 45-0 whipping of Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. There were players lost up front, though, such as first-round NFL Draft pick Peria Jerry. Just how much, if any, UM skips a beat up front should be telling to the team's chances this season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Honestly, I haven't put much thought into it. And I don't think we really should." -- Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead, in The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger, of his team's No. 8 AP ranking.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
THIS WEEK'S GAME: Ole Miss at Memphis, Sept. 6 -- ESPN will televise the Rebels' opener against a Conference USA school, which in most instances should mean an easy win. But for Memphis, this is different. The Tigers, located about an hour north of Ole Miss' campus, treat this as one of their biggest games of the year. The Tigers won in back-to-back seasons, 2003 and 2004. But Ole Miss has won the past four meetings and leads the series, 46-10-2.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
QB Jevan Snead -- Some are saying he's a dark horse Heisman candidate. But for that to get anywhere, losing to Memphis simply isn't an option. In last year's game, he passed for 185 yards and two touchdowns.
WR Pat Patterson -- A highly-acclaimed recruit out of a school much closer to Mississippi State than Ole Miss, Patterson is likely to play as a freshman. He could be the No. 3 option in some personnel groupings, which says plenty considering he's behind Dexter McCluster and Shay Hodge.
DE Greg Hardy -- The 6-foot-4, 265-pound end missed the spring and some of August with injuries, including one that came from a car accident in July. Ole Miss will have to rely on him to lead its defensive front.
ROSTER REPORT:
--Highly acclaimed DB signee Tig Barksdale won't enroll at Ole Miss this year after undisclosed medical problems were discovered a week into the preseason. The situation has been curious. Coach Houston Nutt originally said Barksdale's issue was possibly a heart murmur, but UM's trainer said the next day that wasn't the case.
--DE Greg Hardy (foot) has returned to practice in time for game week. So has DE Kentrell Lockett (neck).
--LB D.T. Shackelford and LB Joel Kight will likely play as true freshmen, coach Houston Nutt said last week.
Previous Report: 04/27/2009
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