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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Hold Third Scrimmage
8/25/2000 | Football
Aug. 25, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe took advantage of the team's third scrimmage to pinpoint areas the Rebels need to improve on before the season opener against Tulane on Sept. 2.
"I saw a few areas we need to focus on in the next few days," Cutcliffe said. "We've got a week to correct the mistakes, but time is running out and we have got to fine tune a lot of things that we are doing."
The Rebels held a 90-play scrimmage with the first and second teams in Blue going against the scout team in White. The Blue team netted 170 yards on the ground and 93 yards in the air to combine for 263 total yards on offense on 36 plays.
Deuce McAllister led all rushers with 50 yards on seven carries and had two touchdowns. Tremaine Turner and Charles Stackhouse both gained 47 yards on the ground.
Senior wide receiver Grant Heard caught four passes for 35 yards and one touchdown. Turner was the squad's second leading receiver catching two passes for 15 yards.
Quarterback Romaro Miller completed seven-of-11 passes for 65 yards and one touchdown while Eli Manning completed three-of-eight passes for 28 yards.
Junior free safety Syniker Taylor highlighted the defense, stripping the ball from running back Chico Chandler and returning it 21 yards for a touchdown. Taylor also collected four tackles.
In other football news, McAllister is one of 35 pre-season candidates for the 2000 Doak Walker Award, which is awarded annually to the nation's top college running back. The Southwestern Bell-SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select eight semifinalists on Nov. 8, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will ultimately vote on the winner in late November.
Junior linebacker, Eddie Strong, is one of 10 SEC players to be named to the 2000 Butkus Award "watch list". The Butkus Award is given to the nation's top collegiate linebacker. The list will be trimmed to 10 semi-finalists on Oct. 19. Three finalists will be named on a national teleconference on Nov. 9 and the winner will be announced Dec. 8 during the Butkus Award Gala.
