Ole Miss took back to the practice field on Saturday as Rebel fans were welcomed to watch the workouts. What they saw is not necessarily what they expected to see.
Coach Hugh Freeze promised the fans that came that they would get a good show.
“Hopefully, it’s going to be a really physical, high-energy practice,” Freeze said. “We’re going to compete in first-down, second-and-7, third-and-red zone and Red ball competitions. There will be some good competition, and it will be live with mostly the ones and twos and get about 50 plays each.
“We’re a ways away,” Freeze said before the Saturday practice. “That’s something that playing the number of young kids we’re playing, particularly on the offensive line. There are quite a few guys like Fadol (Brown), Anthony (Alford), Marquis (Haynes), Herbert (Moore), defensively who we are depending on, who are quite new at all the stuff. For five days of practice we are not behind, but we still have a ways to go in the execution of things. We’re making progress. I have been pleased.”
The scrimmage ended up being a defensive show, which most fans did not expect. The Rebel D won the day by a 15-14 score after safety Trae Elston broke up a pass on the final play.
There were offensive highlights thanks to touchdown passes from Bo Wallace to Evan Engram, Laquon Treadwell and Quincy Adeboyejo. Backup quarterback DeVante Kincade also had a touchdown pass to Cody Gore.
“The ones on offense, we had a really good day,” Wallace said. “We’re light years ahead of where we were two years ago, especially the defense. They are really bringing it, and we’re still moving the ball, so that’s encouraging.”
There were highlights in the running game as well.
“I was proud of the way (Jordan) Wilkins finished a couple of runs at the end,” Freeze said. “(Eugene) Brazley also finished his runs and showed what we think he has. Jaylen (Walton) and I’Tavius (Mathers), too. We’re happy with all of those guys. They did a really nice job in the last period of picking up the blitzes, which you have to do in this league.”
“You can see that both of those made some nice runs and get downhill quickly,” co-offensive coordinator Dan Werner said. “Brazley has really good vision. He probably needs to get more and north and south, but he will make you miss. He’s going to be tough to tackle.”
All of this offense is what fans expected to see. What they didn’t expect was the defensive effort that they saw.
Senior defensive end C.J. Johnson, who missed most of last season with an ankle injury, has been outstanding this spring.
“The injury took him out of things last year,” Freeze said. “We didn’t see a lot of that throughout the course of the season. Once we got back and into team workouts and getting reports from (Strength and Conditioning coach) Paul Jackson, it was evident that he had turned the page and was ready.”
“It’s been really fun to come out here and work,” Johnson said. “I’m so excited. My body feels good. I probably have not felt this good since I have been here. I’m stronger and faster, so I’ll be better.”
Another defender who has stood out is sophomore defensive back Derrick Jones. Freeze believes Jones owes his improvement to working against the Rebels’ talented wide receiver corps.
“He’s going against some good receivers every day in one-on-ones,” Freeze said. “He had never played corner before in his life, like we’re asking him to play. He still has a way to go to develop. He has the tools to be a really good one.”