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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Set To Kickoff 108th Season Saturday Versus Louisiana-Monroe
8/26/2002 | Football
Aug. 26, 2002
Ole Miss Game Notes | Monday's Press Conference Transcript
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss will make its debut in the newly expanded Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field Saturday evening when the Rebels kickoff their 108th season of football by hosting Louisiana-Monroe. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m.
Ole Miss finished 7-4 last season but was left out of the bowl scene, while the Indians were 2-9.
With the completion of the nearly two-year project to bowl in the south end zone, Ole Miss' home stadium will have a capacity of 60,580. With season ticket sales at an all-time high of over 45,000, fourth-year head coach David Cutcliffe is looking forward to opening the season in front of a crowd that is projected to break the stadium's attendance mark of 52,476, set when Ole Miss hosted LSU on Nov. 11, 2000.
"I hope we see 60,000-plus and put a body in every seat in the house," Cutcliffe said. "It's exciting. I know our players are extremely excited about it. The fact that it is an evening kickoff where it is going to turn dark, the stadium should be gorgeous."
The Ole Miss Ticket Office announced Monday that single-game tickets remain for Saturday's contest with the Indians. The Rebel Shop Ticket Office, located near the stadium, will open at 3 p.m., on Saturday.
The Ticket Office also announced that season tickets for the north and south end zones have been sold out, but a limited number of sideline season tickets remain for $210 each.
Saturday's game kicks off a 12-game schedule for Ole Miss that will feature seven home games. The Rebels have won six consecutive season openers and have an all-time mark of 80-22-5 in season openers. Ole Miss will also put its 22-game regular-season winning streak over non-conference opponents on the line.
The Rebel offense returns seven starters from last year's unit that scored a school record 391 points, averaging 35.6 points per game, and established a total of 12 school records.
The offense will once again be under the direction of junior quarterback Eli Manning, who currently holds 17 school records after one-year as a starter. Manning tossed a school record 31 TD passes in 2001, while passing for a school single-season record 2,948 yards on 259-of-408 passing with just nine interceptions.
Manning will have four of his top five receivers from last season returning, including junior Chris Collins who caught 54 passes for 692 yards and six TDs. Also returning is senior Jason Armstead (32 rec., 413 yards, 5 TDs), sophomore Bill Flowers (28-315-4) and senior tight end Doug Zeigler (21-281-4).
With the departure of last year's leading rusher Joe Gunn, who gained 870 yards, and fullback Charles Stackhouse, who rushed for 330 yards, the Rebels are taking a running back-by-committee approach into the season opener. Cutcliffe said senior Robert Williams will be starter at tailback, but juniors Ronald McClendon and Tremaine Turner, and redshirt freshman Vashon Pearson could all see time in the back field.
"Based on performance during camp, Robert Williams will be our starter and tailback and Rick Razzano will be our starter at fullback," Cutcliffe said. "I really think we are going to see all four backs in the rotation. How many carries they will get, I don't know. We are worried right now about just getting snaps.
"One thing that I am anxious to see is if they take care of the football like I expect them to."
Saturday's game will also mark the debut of new defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach, who was the defensive coordinator at TCU last season. Driesbach will look to shore up a rushing defense that allowed an average of 214.2 yards on the ground last season. Driesbach's defense at TCU was 10th nationally last season versus the run.
"It can be important for a lot of reasons for our defense to play well early," Cutcliffe said. "It will give them confidence. They have been much-maligned you might say. The thing I want them to do is play within the system, play smart, play hard and play the best that we can play - whatever that is at this stage. Their expectations are greater than they have been and they should be."
Driesbach will have some experienced players to work with as Ole Miss returns four of their top five leading tacklers from last season, including senior linebacker Eddie Strong. Strong led the Rebels with 105 stops in 2001 to become the first Rebel since current Green Bay Packer linebacker Nate Wayne in 1996 to record over 100 tackles in a season.
Strong's status for Saturday's game is questionable, however, due to a sprained ankle suffered during a preseason scrimmage. Cutcliffe also called redshirt freshman wide receiver Mario Hill questionable, as Hill is also nursing an ankle injury.
Despite the Indians' 2-9 mark last season, Cutcliffe expects a good test Saturday evening. UL-Monroe returns 54 lettermen, including 19 starters, from last season.
"We're going to play a really good Louisiana-Monroe football team," Cutcliffe said. "I can tell from reading between the lines that they feel much better about themselves, as they should. They return a lot of quality players. They have an outstanding defensive unit that is quick and aggressive, and they have an outstanding defensive scheme. They have a lot of experience back at the skill positions and on the offensive line, and they are very well-coached."
Junior linebacker Maurice Sonnier led ULM with 76 tackles last season, including 8.5 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 quarterback sacks. Also returning on defense is sophomore free safety Chris Harris, who was third on the squad with 74 hits and intercepted a team-high two passes.
On offense, junior college transfer Daniel DaPrato is expected to start his first game at quarterback. He will have the benefit of the Indians returning their top receiver, junior Mack Vincent, and top rusher, senior Bryant Jacobs, from last season. Vincent caught 47 passes for 619 yards and two scores last season, while Jacobs gained 305 yards on the ground on 103 carries with one score.
