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The University of Mississippi Athletics
French Named Pre-Season Football All-America
6/21/1999 | Football
July 9, 1998
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss junior tight end Rufus French of Amory has been selected to The Sporting News preseason All-America first team and is rated by the magazine as the nation's No. 1 player at his position.
"This is great recognition for both Rufus and our football program," said head coach Tommy Tuberville. "We knew when we were recruiting him out of high school that he had outstanding potential."
The Sporting News also recognized sophomore Romaro Miller of Shannon as the nation's No. 14 all-purpose quarterback.
"Romaro had an outstanding spring and has demonstrated the ability to do a lot of things well," Tuberville said. "He's made so much progress since enrolling as a freshman last year."
French, a 6-4, 245 pounder, was a consensus first team All- Southeastern pick last season when the Rebels finished 8-4 overall, was ranked No. 22 in the final polls, and defeated Marshall, 34-31, in the first Ford Motor City Bowl.
Following the season, French was selected second team All- America by Football Digest and third team All-America by The Associated Press.
Being recognized by The Sporting News is just the latest honor to come French's way this summer. He was earlier named preseason second team All-America by several other national and regional publications and first team preseason All-SEC.
After playing his true freshman year behind All-America tight end Kris Mangum, now with the Carolina Panthers, French used his sophomore season to quickly establish himself as one of the nation's best tight ends. He led the Rebels in receiving last year when he caught 43 passes for 345 yards and two touchdowns. That effort also led all SEC tight ends.
Tight end is a special position at Ole Miss, dating back to the days of All-America and Hall of Famer Barney Poole (1942; 1947-48). In recent years, the Rebs have sent three tight ends to the National Football League -- All-American's Wesley Walls and Mangum, plus Tyji Armstrong. Walls, like Mangum, also plays for Carolina, while Armstrong played for Tampa Bay and Dallas, and was in the NFL Europe League last spring.
