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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Game Notes
8/25/2002 | Football
Updated Aug. 30, 2002
Live Audio | | Ole Miss Game Notes in PDF Format (updated Friday, Aug. 30, 2002) | Louisiana-Monroe Game Notes in PDF Format (Updated Aug. 30, 2002) | SEC Weekly Release | Monday Press Conference Transcript | Game Preview
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
DATE: Saturday, August 31, 2002
TIME: 6:00 p.m.
SITE: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field (60,580); Oxford, Miss.
TV: None
RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Harry Harrison, color analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter; Gary Darby, Pregame host).
POLLS: Neither Ole Miss or Louisiana-Monroe are ranked in this week's USA Today/ESPN Coaches or The Associated Press Top 25 polls. The Rebels did receive 23 votes in the USA Today/ESPN poll to rank 16th among "Others Receiving Votes" and 10 votes in the AP Top 25 to rate 15th in the "Others Receiving Votes" category.
SERIES INFO: Saturday's meeting will be the first-ever between Louisiana-Monroe and Ole Miss.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Ole Miss has won 22 consecutive regular season non-conference games dating back to a 17-16 loss to Memphis in Oxford on Nov. 5, 1994 ... The Rebels have won six straight season openers and 14 consecutive home openers (including games in Jackson) ... Junior QB Eli Manning has thrown a TD in a school record 12 straight games dating back to the 2000 Music City Bowl.
OLE MISS HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE: Saturday's game marks the start of David Cutcliffe's (Alabama, 1976) fourth full season at the reigns of the Ole Miss program. Cutcliffe was named the 34th head coach at The University of Mississippi on Dec. 2, 1998 after 17 seasons as an assistant at Tennessee. He coached his first game four weeks later in the 1998 Independence Bowl, and guided the Rebels to a 35-18 win over heavily-favored Texas Tech. Cutcliffe has a 23-13 record at Ole Miss, guiding the Rebels to at least seven wins in all three years to become the only coach besides Harry J. Mehre to win at least seven games in each of his first three seasons at the school. Ole Miss' 22-13 mark since 1999 is the best in the SEC Western Division.
UL-MONROE HEAD COACH BOBBY KEASLER: Bobby Keasler (UL-Monroe, 1970) is entering his fourth season as the head coach of his alma mater. He is 8-25 with the Indians and has a career record of 86-59-2 that includes a nine-year record of 78-34-2 at McNeese State from 1990-1998. Keasler guided the Cowboys to seven appearances in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, including a runner-up finish in 1997. He was an assistant coach at UL-Monroe from 1981-1989, and was the defensive coordinator on the Indians 1987 NCAA Division I-AA national championship team.
UL-MONROE SCOUTING REPORT: The Indians are coming off a 2-9 season but return a veteran team as they return 54 lettermen from last season, including 19 starters. The Indians lost just 10 lettermen from last year's squad. The offense, though, will be under the direction of a new quarterback. Two JUCO transfers are listed on the depth chart with Daniel DaPrato listed as the starter to replace Andy Chance, who passed for 1,054 yards in seven games last year. The Indians return their leading receiver from a year ago in junior Mack Vincent, who caught 47 passes for 619 yards and two scores. Senior tailback Bryant Jacobs led ULM on the ground last season, gaining 305 yards on 103 carries with one score. Jacobs also averaged 22.1 yards on 20 kickoff returns, including a 94-yard return for a score. Junior LB Maurice Soonier registered a team-high 76 stops in 2001, including 8.5 TFLs and 5.0 sacks, both team-highs. Sophomore FS Chris Harris was third on the squad with 74 hits and intercepted a team-high two passes. Junior kicker Tyler Kuecker was second on the team in scoring with 22 points, connecting on all five field goal attempts and converting on 7-of-8 extra points.
2001 UL-MONROE INDIANS SEASON RESULTS (2-9, 2-4 SUN BELT)
| SEPT. 1 | SAM HOUSTON | L, 9-20 |
| Sept. 8 | at Florida | L, 6-55 |
| SEPT. 22 | MIDDLE TENNESSEE* | L, 20-38 |
| SEPT. 29 | NEW MEXICO STATE* | L, 0-31 |
| OCT. 6 | NORTH TEXAS* | W, 19-17 |
| Oct. 20 | at Central Florida | L, 6-38 |
| Oct. 27 | at UL-Lafayette* | L, 12-17 |
| Nov. 3 | at Idaho* | L, 38-42 |
| NOV. 10 | TROY STATE | L, 12-44 |
| Nov. 17 | at Arkansas State* | W, 16-7 |
| Dec. 1 | at Cincinnati | L, 10-42 |
HOME GAMES IN CAPS
ELI MANNING FACT SHEET
PRESEASON HONORS
* Named to the Playboy All-America team.
* Selected second team preseason All-America by Football Action.
* Named second team All-SEC by The Birmingham News, The Sporting NewsThe Southeastern Post, and at SEC Media Days.
* Named "Best Leader" in the SEC by The Birmingham News.
NOTING ELI
* Is on the Davey O'Brien Award watch list for the nation's top quarterback, and is on the Football Writers' Association of America (FWAA) All-America watch list.
* Ranks fourth among active SEC players in passing yardage (3,118), completions (275) and total offense (3,131).
* Ranks in the top 10 in 14 career offensive categories at Ole Miss.
* Enters the 2002 season having set or currently holds 17 school records.
* Carries a school-record streak of 12 straight games with a TD pass, dating back to the 2000 Music City Bowl, into Saturday's opener with Louisiana-Monroe.
* Enters Saturday's game with a school-record 11 consecutive 200-yard passing games.
* Will take sole possession of the school record for career 250-yard passing games, currently shared with Romaro Miller at 8, with his next 250-yard performance.
* Finished in the top 25 nationally in 12 offensive categories.
* Engineered three fourth-quarter come-from-behind wins last season against Alabama, LSU and Vanderbilt.
MANNING IN THE FINAL 2001 NATIONAL RANKINGS
| CATEGORY | NO. | RANK |
| Touchdown Passes: | 31 | 6th |
| Completions Per Game: | 23.55 | T6th |
| Points Responsible For: | 16.91 | T8th |
| Passing Attempts Per Game: | 37.09 | T9th |
| TD-to-INT Ratio: | 3.44:1 | T9th |
| Highest Percentage of TD Passes: | 7.60 | 12th |
| Passing Yards Per Game: | 268.0 | 13th |
| Completion Percentage: | 63.48 | 14th |
| Total Offense (Yards Per Game): | 268.82 | 17th |
| Lowest Percentage of Passes Intercepted: | 2.21 | 18th |
| Average Total Player Per Game (rush+pass): | 40.18 | 20th |
| Passing Efficiency: | 144.84 | 20th |
SCHOOL RECORDS HELD BY MANNING
SINGLE GAME
Consecutive Pass Completed: 18 vs. Murray State (9/1/2001)
Completion Percentage (30-39 attempts): 80.6 (25x31) vs. Middle Tennessee (10/20/2001)
TD Passes: 6 vs. Arkansas (11/3) - broke his own record of 5 set against Murray State on Sept. 1, 2001
SEASON
Passing Yards: 2,948 (2001)
Passing Attempts: 408 (2001)
Completions: 259 (2001)
Highest Percentage of Passes for TDs: 7.60 (2001)
Total Offense: 2,957 (2001)
Total Offensive Plays (rush + pass): 442 (2001)
Total TDs Responsible For: 31 (2001)
Most TD Passes in a Three-Game Span: 12 from Oct. 20-Nov. 3, 2001 vs. Middle Tennessee, LSU and Arkansas
CAREER
Consecutive Games with a TD Pass: 12, 2000 Music City Bowl - present
Consecutive 200-yard Passing Games: 11, Sept. 1, 2001- present
Consecutive 250-yard Passing Games: 6, Sept. 1-Oct. 20, 2001
Career 250-yard Passing Games: 8 (tied with Romaro Miller)
Completion Percentage (minimum 210 attempts): 62.4* - entering Saturday's game with UL-Monroe
ELI AMONG THE NATION'S TOP RETURNING PASSERS
Passing Efficiency
| Player, School | Rating | |
| 1. | Rex Grossman, Florida | 170.8 |
| 2. | Ryan Dinwiddie, Boise State | 164.7 |
| 3. | Byron Leftwich, Marshall | 164.6 |
| 4. | Jeff Smoker, Michigan State | 162.8 |
| 5. | Chris Rix, Florida State | 156.6 |
| 6. | Casey Clausen, Tennessee | 150.0 |
| 7. | Darian Durant, N. Carolina | 149.3 |
| 8. | Ben Roethlisberger, Miami (OH) | 146.5 |
| 9. | Ken Dorsey, Miami (FL) | 146.1 |
| 10. | Eli Manning, Ole Miss | 144.8 |
Total Offense (Yards Per Game)
| Player, School | Yds/Gm | |
| 1. | Rex Grossman, Florida | 354.9 |
| 2. | Byron Leftwich, Marshall | 352.0 |
| 3. | Luke McCown, La. Tech | 316.5 |
| 4. | Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech | 314.0 |
| 5. | Ryan Dinwiddie, Boise State | 285.5 |
| 6. | Chris Rix, Florida State | 283.9 |
| Marquel Blackwell, S. Florida | 283.9 | |
| 8. | Casey Bramlet, Wyoming | 277.1 |
| 9. | Ben Roethlisberger, Miami (OH) | 274.5 |
| 10. | Eli Manning, Ole Miss | 268.8 |
Points Responsible For
| Player, School | Points/GM | |
| 1. | Rex Grossman, Florida | 21.27 |
| 2. | Byron Leftwich, Marshall | 21.00 |
| 3. | Ryan Dinwiddie, Boise State | 17.82 |
| 4. | Luke McCown, La. Tech | 17.45 |
| 5. | Eli Manning, Ole Miss | 16.91 |
Completions Per Game
| Player, School | Comp/Gm | |
| 1. | Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech | 33.09 |
| 2. | Byron Leftwich, Marshall | 26.25 |
| 3. | Luke McCown, La. Tech | 25.18 |
| 4. | Jose Fuentes, Utah State | 23.64 |
| 5. | Eli Manning, Ole Miss | 23.55 |
| Rex Grossman, Florida | 23.55 |
CLUTCH PERFORMER
When the game is on the line, Eli Manning had a knack for performing in the clutch during the fourth quarter. His passing efficiency rating during the final 15 minutes in 2001 was 169.60, over 27 points higher than in any other quarter (excluding overtime). He enters the 2002 season with a career fourth-quarter passing efficiency of 154.28 (including the 2000 Music City Bowl), the highest of any quarter. The following chart shows Manning's stats by quarter during his career:
FIRST QUARTER
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2000 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2001 | 59-86-0 | 638 | 3 | 142.33 |
| TOTAL | 59-86-0 | 638 | 3 | 142.33 |
SECOND QUARTER
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2000 | 1-3-0 | 15 | 0 | 75.33 |
| 2001 | 70-109-4 | 756 | 8 | 139.36 |
| TOTAL | 71-112-4 | 771 | 8 | 137.65 |
THIRD QUARTER
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2000 | 3-5-0 | 21 | 0 | 95.28 |
| 2001 | 62-106-1 | 646 | 3 | 117.14 |
| TOTAL | 65-111-1 | 667 | 3 | 116.15 |
FOURTH QUARTER
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2000 | 24-45-2 | 301 | 3 | 122.63 |
| 2001 | 58-93-4 | 811 | 12 | 169.60 |
| TOTAL | 82-138-6 | 1112 | 15 | 154.28 |
OVERTIME
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2001 | 10-14-0 | 97 | 5 | 247.49 |
| TOTAL | 10-14-0 | 97 | 5 | 247.49 |
NOTE: Totals include the 2000 Music City Bowl
BRINGING IT BACK INTO THE FAMILY: Eli Manning's 31 TDs responsible for (TDs scored + TD passes) last season broke his father's, Archie, record of 23 set in 1969. Eli also set seven other school records last season that at one time were held by Archie. The following chart shows marks set by Eli last season that were also broken by Archie during his career at Ole Miss from 1968-1970.
| CATEGORY | ELI | ARCHIE (YEAR) | WHEN ARCHIE'S MARK FELL |
| Passing Yards - Season | 2,948 | 1,762 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (1,897) |
| Pass Attempts - Season | 408 | 265 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (286) |
| Pass Completions - Season | 259 | 154 (1969) | 1982 by Kent Austin (186) |
| Total Offense - Season | 2,957 | 2,264 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (2,299) |
| Total Plays (Rush + Pass) - Season | 442 | 389 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (411) |
| TDs Responsible For - Season | 31 | 23 (1969) | 2001 by Eli Manning (31) |
| Consec. Game w/TD pass | 12 | 8** | 1999 by Romaro Miller (8) |
| Career 250-yard passing games | 8* | 6 (1968-1970) | by Kent Austin w/7 from 1981-1985 |
** - Archie and Romaro Miller were tied for the record when it was broken by Eli.
COMPARING THE MANNING'S
The following chart compares the three Manning quarterbacks -- Archie, Peyton and Eli -- through their sophomore seasons in college. Archie's statistics are for just his sophomore year in 1968 as freshman were ineligible to participate at that time.
| GP | Comp-Att-Int | Yards | Pct. | Avg/G | TD | Long | Effic. | |
| Archie Manning, 1968 | 10 | 127-263-17 | 1,510 | .483 | 151.0 | 8 | 65 | 93.63 |
| Peyton Manning, 1994-95 | 22 | 333-524-10 | 4,095 | .635 | 186.1 | 33 | 80 | 146.2 |
| Eli Manning, 2000-2001 | 17 | 275-441-10 | 3,118 | .624 | 183.4 | 31 | 56 | 140.4 |
MANNING ON THE OLE MISS CAREER TOP 10 CHARTS
PASSING ATTEMPTS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Kent Austin, 1981-85 | 981 |
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| . | ||
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| 6. | Russ Shows, 1989-1992 | 560 |
| 7. | Josh Nelson, 1994-1995 | 558 |
| 8. | Stewart Patridge, 1994, 96-97 | 510 |
| 9. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 441 |
COMPLETIONS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 566 |
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| . | ||
| . | ||
| 5. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 402 |
| 6. | Josh Nelson, 1994-1995 | 311 |
| 7. | Stewart Patridge, 1994, 96-97 | 310 |
| 8. | Russ Shows, 1989-1992 | 279 |
| 9. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 275 |
PASSING YARDS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 6,311 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 8. | Stewart Patridge, 1994, 96-97 | 3,564 |
| 9. | John Darnell, 1987-1989 | 3,253 |
| 10. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 3,118 |
PASSING TDs
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 43 |
| 2. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 31 |
| Mark Young, 1985-1988 | 31 | |
| Eli Manning, 2000-present | 31 | |
| Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 31 |
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Pct. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 62.4 |
| 2. | Paul Head, 1993-1996 | 61.5 |
| 3. | Stewart Patridge, 1994, 96-97 | 60.8 |
PASS EFFICIENCY
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Effic. | |
| 1. | Jake Gibbs, 1958-1960 | 145.3 |
| 2. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 140.4 |
| 3. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 138.9 |
AVERAGE YDS/PASS ATTEMPT
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Eagle Day, 1953-1955 | 8.7 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 4. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 7.5 |
| John Darnell, 1987-1989 | 7.5 | |
| 6. | Lawrence Adams, 1993-93, 95-96 | 7.3 |
| 7. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 7.1 |
200-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 19 |
| 2. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 11 |
| Eli Manning, 2000-present | 11 |
250-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 8 |
| Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 8 |
300-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 3 |
| Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 3 | |
| Stewart Patridge, 1996-1997 | 3 | |
| 4. | John Darnell, 1987-1989 | 2 |
| Mark Young, 1985-1988 | 2 | |
| Eli Manning, 2000-present | 2 |
TDs RESPONSIBLE FOR
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 56 |
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| . | ||
| . | ||
| 5. | Mark Young, 1985-1988 | 38 |
| 6. | Norris Weese, 1971-1973 | 33 |
| Jake Gibbs, 1958-1960 | 33 | |
| 8. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 32 |
| 9. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 31 |
TOTAL OFFENSE PER GAME
(minimum 14 career games)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 199.1 |
| 2. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 184.2 |
| 3. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 183.2 |
TOTAL OFFENSE PER PLAY
(minimum 150 career plays)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Doug Elmore, 1959-1961 | 6.64 |
| 2. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 6.62 |
| 3. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 6.50 |
| 4. | Rocky Byrd, 1949-1951 | 6.37 |
TOTAL OFFENSE
| Player, Years | Yards | |
| 1. | John Fourcade, 1978-1981 | 6,713 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 7. | John Darnell, 1986-1989 | 3,525 |
| 8. | Josh Nelson, 1994-1995 | 3,294 |
| 9. | Norris Weese, 1971-1973 | 3,179 |
| 10. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 3,131 |
HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE
Fourth year at Ole Miss
Record at Ole Miss: 23-13 (.639)
Career Record: 23-13 (.639/4 years)
AT OLE MISS (1998-PRESENT)
* Named the 34th head coach at The University of Mississippi on Dec. 2, 1998.
* Coached first game in the 1998 Independence Bowl and guided the Rebels to a 35-18 win over heavily-favored Texas Tech in what was possibly the bowl season's biggest upset.
* Joins Harry J. Mehre as the only coach in school history to win at least seven games during each of his first three seasons at Ole Miss.
* The 22-13 record since 1999 ranks as the best in the SEC Western Division.
* Ole Miss has made 22 appearances on TV (not including pay-per-view telecasts) during Cutcliffe's first three full seasons, including 13 on ESPN or ESPN2, and one national telecast on CBS in 1999.
* The 2001 team set 12 offensive team records, including most points scored with 391.
* Has had two first team All-Americans in DB Ken Lucas (2000) and OL Terrence Metcalf (2001).
* Coached 15 players to All-SEC accolades.
* Produced seven NFL draft picks, including Deuce McAllister, a first-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints in 2001.
* Coached a total of 15 players at Ole Miss that have made professional rosters in either the NFL, CFL or NFL Europe.
PRIOR TO OLE MISS
* Spent 17 years as an assistant under Johnny Majors and Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee from 1982-1998 ... Helped the Volunteers compile a 154-46-7 record during his time in Knoxville, including winning five SEC championships and one national title in 1998.
* The Volunteers went to 16 bowl games in his 17 years on the UT staff.
* Was Tennessee's offensive coordinator from 1993-1998.
* Recipient of the 1998 Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach.
* Coached NFL quarterbacks Heath Shuler, Peyton Manning and Tee Martin.
CUTCLIFFE RECORD BREAKDOWN
| W-L | Pct. | |
| SEC: | 12-12 | .500 |
| vs. SEC West: | 7-8 | .467 |
| vs. SEC East: | 5-4 | .556 |
| Non-Conference opponents: | 11-1 | .917 |
| Bowl Games: | 2-1 | .667 |
| Home: | 12-7 | .632 |
| Away: | 9-5 | .643 |
| Neutral: | 2-1 | .667 |
| Day Games: | 12-6 | .667 |
| Night Games (6 pm start or later): | 11-7 | .611 |
| vs. Top 25 teams | 2-5 | .286 |
| When leading at halftime: | 20-6 | .769 |
| Overtime games: | 2-1 | .667 |
REBEL GAME NOTES
REBELS OPEN 108TH SEASON
* Tonight's game with Louisiana-Monroe will kickoff the 108th season of football at Ole Miss dating back to the 1893 season ... The Rebels did not field teams in 1897 due to an epidemic of yellow fever, and also in 1943 when football was abolished at all Mississippi state-supported institutions by the Board of Trustees.
* The Rebels are 79-23-5 (.761 winning percentage) in season opener and have won six straight season lid-lifters.
* Ole Miss' last loss in a season opener was at Auburn, 46-13, on Sept. 2, 1995.
* In home openers, the Rebels are an impressive 89-12-5 (.863 winning percentage), and have won 14 consecutive home openers since losing to Arkansas, 31-10, in Jackson on Sept. 12, 1987 (Ole Miss used to play some home games in both Jackson and Memphis) ... When playing their home opener in Oxford, the Rebels are 66-5-4 (.907 winning percentage).
* When the Rebels' season and home openers are on in the same, Ole Miss is 55-3-3 (.926 winning percentage) ... Ole Miss has won 11 such openers, with Texas A&M being the last school to defeat the Rebels in a season/home opener, 23-20 on Sept. 6, 1980 in Jackson.
* Ole Miss opened its 2001 season with a 49-14 win over Murray State in Oxford.
* Saturday's game with UL-Monroe will mark the Rebels' fourth August opener ... Ole Miss' last August opener was Aug. 30, 1997 versus Central Florida in Oxford, a 24-23 overtime win ... The Rebels are 3-0 in August openers.
REBEL RAMBLINGS
* Ole Miss' 12-game schedule in 2002 will be the Rebels' first since 1936 when Ole Miss went 5-5-2.
* The Rebels have seven home games on their schedule for the third time since 1996. However, Ole Miss played a home game in both Jackson and Memphis in 1996 ... The 2002 season will be the second time Ole Miss has played all seven home contests in Oxford, the other was in 2000.
* Since lights were added to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field in 1990, the Rebels are 21-4 in home night games, including 12-0 against non-conference opponents.
* Ole Miss enters the 2002 season with five straight seven-win seasons, its longest such streak since having 12 consecutive seasons with at least seven victories from 1952-63.
* The Rebels are looking to return to the bowl scene after having its streak of four straight bowl appearances snapped last season, despite a 7-4 mark. Prior to last season, Ole Miss was the only team in the SEC Western Division to appear in a bowl game in four straight years.
* Ole Miss returns 51 letterwinners from last season, including 17 starters (including specialists).
* Ole Miss redshirted 17 players last season from the 22-member signing class of 2001.
* 67 of Ole Miss' 116 players -- or 57.8 percent -- hail from the state of Mississippi.
* The Rebels were the least penalized team in the SEC during the 2001 season, averaging 42.3 penalty yards per game.
STAFF CHANGES: Ole Miss welcomes two new full-time assistants to the coaching staff in 2002. Chuck Driesbach was named the Rebels' new defensive coordinator and linebacker coach this past February, after serving as the defensive coordinator/inside linebacker coach at TCU in 2001. Former Rebel center Matt Luke was hired as the new tight ends coach last spring, replacing Richard Bisaccia, who joined Jon Gruden's coaching staff with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Luke will also assist with the offensive line. Fourth-year assistant Ron Middleton, who coached the tight ends his first three years in Oxford, will now coach the running backs and special teams.
THE DRIESBACH FILE
* While serving as the defensive coordinator at TCU, the Horned Frogs ranked 10th nationally against the run and 24th in the NCAA against the pass.
* Defensive coordinator at Western Michigan from 1997-2000 ... Also coached outside linebackers and safeties ... The Broncos finished fourth in the nation in scoring defense and ninth in total defense in 2000.
* Defensive coordinator at Cornell from 1990-1992 and at Pittsburgh from 1993-1996.
* Coached running backs and the secondary at Ole Miss in 1989 .. Coached the late Chucky Mullins.
* Served as running backs coach at East Carolina during the 1987 and 1988 seasons.
* From 1984-1986 at Wake Forest, coached the defensive line, receivers and tight ends.
* Served as an assistant at Kansas State from 1976-1983, where he coached the tight ends, tackles, receivers and the secondary during his tenure in Manhattan, Kan.
THE LUKE FILE
* Spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons coaching with former Ole Miss assistant Joe Pannunzio at Murray State.
* After his playing career at Ole Miss, served as a student assistant coach with the Rebels in 1999, working with the centers and guards.
BEST IN THE WEST: Since David Cutcliffe's first full season in 1999, Ole Miss has recorded more wins (22) and has the best winning percentage (.629) than any other SEC Western Division school. The Rebels are also the only SEC Western Division team to have recorded five straight seasons with at least seven wins since 1997. The following chart shows the overall standings of the SEC Western Division since 1999 (records include bowl games):
| School | W-L | Pct. |
| Ole Miss | 22-13 | .629 |
| Mississippi State | 21-14 | .600 |
| Arkansas | 21-15 | .583 |
| Auburn | 21-15 | .583 |
| LSU | 21-15 | .583 |
| Alabama | 20-16 | .556 |
WELCOME TO THE NEWLY-EXPANDED VAUGHT-HEMINGWAY STADIUM/HOLLINGSWORTH FIELD
Saturday's game with Louisiana-Monroe will be the Rebels' first in the newly-expanded Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field. At the conclusion of the 2000 season, the bleachers in the south end zone were torn down to begin a nearly two-year construction project to bowl in the section. The construction raises the stadium's capacity from 50,577 in 2000 to 60,580, making it the largest on-campus facility in the state of Mississippi.
STADIUM TIMELINE
* Ole Miss has won 77.8 percent of its home games at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field, compiling an all-time mark of 206-58-8.
1915: The stadium, known as Hemingway Stadium for much of its existence, began its historic life in when students helped in construction of the first football grandstand at the site of the present field ... The construction of the stadium and its permanent foundation was a three-year, federally-sponsored project and had an original capacity listed at 24,000 ... The facility was named after the late Judge William Hemingway (1869-1937), professor of law and longtime chairman of the University's Committee on Athletics.
1950: One of the nation's longest press boxes, measuring 80 yards, was added.
1970: Astroturf was installed on the playing surface in 1970.
1971: Blue fiber glass seating was added to the West side stands in 1971 and later to the East stands in 1973.
1980: Permanent aluminum bleachers were installed in both end zones in 1980, enlarging capacity to 41,000.
OCT. 16, 1982: John Howard Vaught saw his name added to the stadium. The legendary Rebel coach compiled an impressive 190-61-12 record as head football coach at Ole Miss and brought the Rebels national championships in 1959, 1960 and 1962.
SUMMER, 1984: The astroturf was removed and replaced with prescription athletic turf.
SUMMER, 1988: The stadium received a major facelift, including a new press box, new aluminum sideline seating, restrooms and concessions stands, plus a club level section for 700 people.
1990: Lights were added.
1997: A new Sony JumboTron scoreboard/message center was installed.
1998: The Guy C. Billups Rebel Club was completed prior to the season, which included a special seating section with an enclosed concession and lounge area. The addition pushed capacity to over 50,000.
SEPT 5, 1998: The field was named in honor of Dr. Jerry Hollingsworth for his continuing generous support to the entire athletic department.
NOV. 11, 2000: A record crowd of 52,476 witnessed Ole Miss host LSU.
NOVEMBER 2000: Construction began on bowling in the south end zone following Ole Miss' 45-30 win over Mississippi State in the regular-season finale.
REBELS LOOK TO EXTEND NON-CONFERENCE WIN STREAK: Ole Miss will enter Saturday's game with Louisiana-Monroe looking to extend its regular-season win streak over non-conference opponents to 23 games. The Rebels have not lost a regular-season non-conference contest since dropping a 17-16 decision to Memphis on Nov. 5, 1994. During the 22-game win streak, Ole Miss' average margin of victory has been 19.1 points. Including bowl games, Ole Miss has won 26 of its last 27 games against the non-conference opponents. The Rebels' only loss during that span was a 49-38 loss to West Virginia in the 2000 Music City Bowl. The following chart shows the results of Ole Miss' 22-game regular-season win streak over non-conference opponents:
| Opponent (Date) | Score |
| at Tulane (11-12-94) | W, 38-0 |
| Indiana State (9-9-95) | W, 56-10 |
| Tulane (10-7-95) | W, 20-17 |
| at Memphis (11-4-95) | W, 34-3 |
| Idaho State (8-31-96) | W, 38-14 |
| VMI (9-7-96) | W, 31-7 |
| Arkansas State (10-26-96) | W, 38-21 |
| Central Florida (8-30-97) | W, 24-23 (ot) |
| SMU (9-6-97) | W, 23-15 |
| at Tulane (11-15-97) | W, 41-24 |
| Memphis (9-5-98) | W, 30-10 |
| at SMU (9-26-98) | W, 48-41 (ot) |
| Arkansas State (10-24-98) | W, 30-17 |
| at Memphis (9-4-99) | W, 3-0 |
| Arkansas State (9-11-99) | W, 38-14 |
| Tulane (10-9-99) | W, 20-13 |
| Tulane (9-2-2000) | W, 49-20 |
| Arkansas State (10-7-2000) | W, 35-10 |
| UNLV (10-28-2000) | W, 43-40 (ot) |
| Murray State (9-1-2001) | W, 49-14 |
| at Arkansas State (10-6-2001) | W, 35-17 |
| Middle Tennessee (10-20-2001) | W, 45-17 |
REBELS VERSUS THE SUN BELT CONFERENCE: Ole Miss will enter Saturday's game versus Louisiana-Monroe with an all-time record of 24-1-2 (.907 winning percentage) against teams that currently compete in the Sun Belt Conference. The Rebels were 2-0 last season against the Sun Belt, defeating Arkansas State, 35-17, in Jonesboro on Oct. 6, and Middle Tennessee, 45-17, on Oct. 20 in Oxford during Homecoming. The following chart shows Ole Miss' all-time record against teams currently in the Sun Belt Conference:
| School | W-L-T | Pct. |
| Arkansas State | 17-1-2 | .875 |
| Middle Tennessee | 1-0-0 | 1.000 |
| North Texas | 4-0-0 | 1.000 |
| UL-Lafayette | 2-0-0 | 1.000 |
| UL-Monroe | 0-0-0 | .000 |
REBELS TABBED FOR THIRD IN THE WEST: Ole Miss was picked to finish third in the SEC Western Division by a panel of media members at the annual SEC Media Days. The Rebels received seven first-place votes to win the West, and two votes to win the overall SEC title. The following shows the predicted order of finish for the SEC Eastern and Western Divisions from the SEC Media Days (first-place votes are listed in parenthesis):
Eastern Division
| School | Pts | |
| 1. | Tennessee (41) | 136 |
| 2. | Georgia (19) | 175 |
| 3. | Florida (19) | 197 |
| 4. | South Carolina (3) | 305 |
| 5. | Kentucky | 428 |
| 6. | Vanderbilt | 481 |
Western Division
| School | Pts | |
| 1. | LSU (43) | 140 |
| 2. | Alabama (24) | 203 |
| 3. | Ole Miss (7) | 291 |
| 4. | Auburn (3) | 311 |
| 5. | Arkansas (5) | 330 |
| 6. | Mississippi State | 447 |
SEC Champion: Tennessee (34), Florida (17), Georgia (16), LSU (4), Ole Miss (2), South Carolina (2), Alabama (1).
2002 CAPTAINS: Seniors center Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.), linebacker Lanier Goethie (Baxley, Ga.), linebacker Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss.), and tight end Doug Zeigler (Wilmington, Ohio) have been selected as the four permanent team captains for the 2002 season.
ALL-AMERICA SPRINGS: Two redshirt freshman enjoyed All-America springs for Ole Miss off the gridiron this past year. WR Taye Biddle (Decatur, Ala.) earned All-America honors in track as a member of the Rebels' 4x100-meter relay team that set an Ole Miss record by turning in a 39.57 at the NCAA Outdoor Champion-ships. QB Seth Smith (Jackson, Miss.) was the starting right fielder on the Rebel baseball team and garnered first team Freshman All-America accolades from Collegiate Baseball. Smith became the first Rebel since 1997 to hit over .400 for the season, turning in a .402 average and set school freshman records for batting average, hits (82), singles (67), total bases (107), RBI (52) and on-base average (.452). He was also named the SEC's Freshman of the Year and was a first team All-SEC selection.
Biddle and Smith were two of five two-sport Rebels last year. Sophomore WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) also ran track, and sophomore RB Chad Pilcher (West Monroe, La.) and redshirt freshman QB Micheal Spurlock (Indianola, Miss.) were members of the baseball team.
JOHNSON AND JOHNSON COMPANY: Ole Miss has six players with the last name of Johnson on its roster, though, only two are related: offensive linemen Belton and Marcus from Coffeeville, Miss. The other four Johnsons are: Desmon, a senior cornerback from Okmulgee, Okla.; Kerry, a sophomore WR from Oxford, Miss.; Travis, a redshirt freshman defensive back from Shannon, Miss.; and Yahrek, a senior defensive lineman from Atlanta, Ga. Last season, Belton and Marcus started all 11 games for the Rebels on the offensive line, playing right next to each other. Belton, a senior, played right tackle, and Marcus, now a sophomore, played at right guard.
REBELS ON POSTSEASON AWARDS WATCH LISTS: Ole Miss has four players on preseason watch lists for postseason awards in 2002:
BUTKUS AWARD (Nation's Top Linebacker)
Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss), Sr., LB
DAVEY O'BRIEN AWARD (Nation's Top Quarterback)
Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.), Jr., QB
LOMBARDI AWARD (Nation's Top Lineman/Linebacker)
Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.), Sr., C Doug Zeigler (Wilmington, Ohio), Sr., TE
RIMINGTON TROPHY(Nation's Top Center)
Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.), Sr., C
FWAA ALL-AMERICA WATCH LIST: In addition to junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) four other Rebels have been named to the Football Writers' Association of America's All-America watch list: senior center Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.), junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.), senior LB Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss.) and senior TE Doug Zeigler (Wilmington, Ohio).
OFFENSIVE NOTES
* Ole Miss returns seven starters from last year's unit that set 12 school records, including most points scored with 391 (see chart below).
* Ole Miss ranked 11th in the nation last season in scoring offense, averaging 35.6 points per game, and topped the 40-point mark four times.
* The Rebels return 64.2 percent of its total scoring and 73.7 percent of its total yardage gained from last season. Junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) accounted for 64.8 percent of the Rebels' total offense a year ago, as he amassed a school single-season record of 2,957 yards of total offense.
* Junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) enters Saturday's game 140 receiving yards shy of becoming the 19th player in school history to reach the 1,000-yard mark in career receiving yards ... Collins will also set a new Ole Miss career record for 100-yard receiving games with his next 100-yard day. He is currently tied with Floyd Franks (1968-70) for the record with four.
* Collins' 54 receptions last season tied Franks for the second-highest single-season total in Ole Miss history, two shy of the school record of 56 set by LeMay Thomas in 1995.
REBEL OFFENSE RE-WRITES THE RECORD BOOK IN 2001: En route to becoming the highest scoring unit in school history during the 2001 season, the Rebel offense established a total of 12 school records. The following shows the list of records set, along the previous mark that was broken.
| Category | 2001 | Previous (Year) |
| Points Scored | 391 | 329 (1959) |
| Most Touchdowns | 55 | 47 (1961) |
| Most Passing TDs | 31 | 19 (4x, last 2000) |
| Most PATs made | 48 | 40 (1971) |
| Most PATs made kicking | 47 | 39 (1971) |
| Most First Downs | 268 | 245 (1980) |
| Most First Downs Passing | 141 | 116 (1997) |
| Most Total Yards | 4,565 | 4,320 (1998) |
| Most Passing Attempts | 417 | 365 (1995) |
| Most Completions | 263 | 233 (1997) |
| Most Passing Yards | 2,978 | 2,694 (1997) |
| Most Passing Yards PG | 270.7 | 244.9 (1997) |
COLLINS AHEAD OF THE PACK: Junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) ended his sophomore season having totaled the most receptions and the most receiving yards of any Ole Miss player in school history after their sophomore season. The following chart shows the top five list for receptions and receiving yards by players after their sophomore seasons, and what their totals were following their junior seasons:
--RECEPTIONS--
Player,Years | Soph. Year | Junior Year |
| Chris Collins, 2000-present | 66 | ?? |
| Grant Heard, 1996-2000* | 56 | 96 |
| Ta'Boris Fisher, 1993-1996 | 54 | 99 |
| James Harbour, 1981-1984 | 53 | 55 |
| Rufus French, 1996-1998 | 49 | 84 |
--RECEIVING YARDS--
Player,Years | Soph. Year | Junior Year |
| Chris Collins, 2000-present | 860 | ?? |
| Willie Green, 1986-1989* | 810 | 1,458 |
| Grant Heard, 1996-2000 | 804 | 1,363 |
| James Harbour, 1981-1984 | 759 | 781 |
| Cory Peterson, 1999-1999 | 631 | 1,232 |
| Ta'Boris Fisher, 1993-1996 | 601 | 1,094 |
* - denotes Ole Miss career record holder.
HANDS OFF!: Since the 1999 season, Ole Miss has allowed the fewest sacks in the SEC with 33, 15 less than Georgia with 48. The Rebels have led the SEC in the fewest sacks allowed the last two seasons, yielding seven in 2000 and 10 in 2001. The following chart shows the top five teams for the fewest sacks allowed in the SEC since 1999:
| Team | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | Total | |
| 1. | Ole Miss | 16 | 7 | 10 | 33 |
| 2. | Georgia | 21 | 12 | 15 | 48 |
| 3. | Arkansas | 14 | 17 | 19 | 50 |
| 4. | LSU | 25 | 12 | 19 | 56 |
| 5. | Florida | 18 | 26 | 13 | 57 |
CLAXTON TABBED FIRST TEAM PRESEASON ALL-SEC: Senior center Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.) was named to the first team preseason All-SEC team at the SEC Media Days. In addition, he earned first team preseason All-SEC honors from Athlon, The Sporting News, Street & Smith's, The Southeastern Post, and Lindy's, as well as second team honors from The Birmingham News. Claxton is also a preseason second team All-America selection by Lindy's and a third-team pick by Athlon and Street & Smith's.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
* The Rebels return four of their top five leading tacklers from last season, including senior LB Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss.), who led the squad with 105 tackles.
* Last season, Strong became the first Rebel since current Green Bay Packer linebacker Nate Wayne to record over 100 stops in a season.
* Strong's 243 career tackles ranks third among active SEC players, and his eight career sacks is fourth among active players.
* Ole Miss ranked second in the SEC last season in pass defense efficiency with a rating of 109.3. The Rebels also allowed the lowest percentage of passes completed in the conference, holding the opposition to a 49.5 completion percentage (136x275).
GOETHIE TO WEAR CHUCKY MULLINS' NO. 38: Senior LB Lanier Goethie (Baxley, GA) was named this year's winner of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award in April, and as a result, will wear the late Mullins' No. 38 this season. He was No. 2 last season. Goethie played in all 11 games last season, including making 10 starts at middle linebacker, and finished fourth on the team in tackles with 85 (43 solo).
SPECIALTY NOTES
* The Rebels averaged 24.4 yards per kickoff return as a unit last season to establish a new school record.
* Senior Jason Armstead (Moss Point, Miss.) ranked second in the SEC and ninth nationally in kickoff returns, averaging 27.6 yards per return.
* Ole Miss has returned at least one kickoff for a touchdown in each of the past three seasons. Deuce McAllister returned a kick 100 yards for a score on the game's opening kickoff against Arkansas on Nov. 6, 1999, Robert Williams (Gadsden, Ala.) went 97 yards for a score versus the Razorbacks on Nov. 4, 2000, and Armstead returned a kick 93 yards in last year's season opener against Murray State.
MISSISSIPPI INDIANS: Louisiana-Monroe has three players listed on the roster in its 2002 media guide that are from the state of Mississippi: senior LB Carlos Hughes (Rosedale, Miss.), senior OG Zack Sims (Hernando, Miss.) and sophomore C Hayden Wadsworth (Natchez, Miss.). ULM head coach Bobby Keasler was born in Columbus, Miss.
LOUISIANA REBELS: Ole Miss has five players on its current roster that call the state of Louisiana home: sophomore DE Andrew LaFontaine (St. Bernard, La.), junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.), junior RB Ronald McClendon (Ponchatoula, La.), sophomore RB Chad Pilcher (West Monroe, La.) and freshman DL Andrew Wicker (Zachery, La.).
2002 OLE MISS PRESEASON HONORS
JASON ARMSTEAD, SR., WR/KR
* Preseason All-SEC kick returner by The Sporting News
* Second team preseason All-SEC kick returner by Athlon and The Southeastern Post
* Listed as the SEC's "Best Kick Returner" by The Birmingham News
DOUG BUCKLES, SOPH., OL
* First team preseason All-SEC by Street & Smith's
* Jeff Hamm Memorial Award winner as Ole Miss' most improved player on offense during spring practice.
BEN CLAXTON, SR., OL
* Named one of four permanent team captains for 2002
* Named to Lombardi Award watch list for the nation's top lineman or linebacker
* Named to the Rimington Trophy watch list for the nation's top center
* Named to the FWAA All-America watch list
* First team preseason All-SEC by Athlon, The Sporting News, Street & Smith's, The Southeastern Post, Lindy's and at SEC Media Days
* Second team preseason All-SEC by The Birmingham News
* Second team preseason All-America Lindy's
* Third team preseason All-America by Street & Smith's
CHRIS COLLINS, JR., WR
* Named to the FWAA All-America watch list
LANIER GOETHIE, SR., LB
* Named one of four permanent team captains for 2002
* 2002 Chucky Mullins Courage Award winner
RONALD McCLENDON, JR., RB
* The Sporting News preseason SEC Offensive Newcomer of the Year
ELI MANNING, JR., QB
* Named to the Davey O'Brien Award watch list for the nation's top quarterback
* Named to the FWAA All-America watch list
* Named to the Playboy All-America team
* Football Action second team preseason All-America
* Second team preseason All-SEC by The Birmingham News, The Sporting News, The Southeastern Post and at SEC Media Days
* Named "Best Leader" in the SEC by The Birmingham News
EDDIE STRONG, SR., LB
* Named one of four permanent team captains for 2002
* Named to the FWAA All-America watch list
* Named third team preseason All-America by Athlon
* First team preseason All-SEC by Athlon, The Southeastern Post and Street & Smith's
* Named second team preseason All-SEC at SEC Media Days
DOUG ZEIGLER, SR., TE
* Named one of four permanent team captains for 2002
* Named to Lombardi Award watch list for the nation's top lineman or linebacker
* Named to the FWAA All-America watch list
* Second team preseason All-America by The Sporting News
* Third team preseason All-America by Athlon
* Named first team preseason All-SEC by Athlon, The Birmingham News, The Southeastern Post, and The Sporting News
* Earned second team preseason All-SEC honors from Lindy's and at SEC Media Days
