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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebel Newcomers Complete First Day Of Drills On Campus
8/5/2002 | Football
Aug. 5, 2002
OXFORD, Miss. - Fifteen newcomers to the Ole Miss football program completed the opening day of drills in the first day of two-a-day practices in preparation for the upcoming football season.
After not reporting on Friday with the rest of the newcomers, Jayme Mitchell, a lineman from Forest Hill High School in Jackson, joined the team in time for the first day of practice. Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe also announced that Nate Banks, a back from Amite County High School, did not meet initial eligibility certification and will not report to the Rebels this fall.
The morning practice focused primarily on fundamental offensive and defensive drills and served as a good starting point for evaluating the players. The Rebels spent some time learning to work together as a unit before breaking up into positions to run drills.
Cutcliffe and the Ole Miss coaches are pleased with the newcomers thus far, but more time on the field will tell the staff exactly where the squad stands as a whole.
"We have a lot of big people, two-thirds of our kids reporting weigh 265 or more, and I have been impressed with how well they move," Cutcliffe said. "We have some that need to get in a little better shape, but getting through that first day anxiety will help. We have a lot of good athletes and certainly we have addressed the size issue. I am looking forward to working with them and seeing how quickly they can progress."
The Rebels returned to the field on Monday afternoon where they continued evaluations and conditioning drills as a unit and with their individual position coaches.
"The afternoon session was much improved," said Cutcliffe. "The tempo was much more to our liking. The one individual that really stood out today was quarterback Ethan Flatt (Nashville, Tenn.). He had a great afternoon, he was throwing the ball well and is ahead in his footwork."
Ole Miss will be spending the 2002 preseason practicing on the Ole Miss intramural fields.
"The football program and Bill Kingery and his staff in the intramural offices have formed a good working partnership," Cutcliffe said. "We provided some funding and services toward the improvement of the intramural facilities, and they have been kind enough to let us practice here this preseason. It's a great situation that benefits both sides and we are thankful for the opportunity to be working with them."
Two-a-day practices will continue through August 17, with the upperclassmen reporting Tuesday and joining the newcomers on the field on Thursday.
