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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Football Game Notes
9/1/2002 | Football
Updated Sept. 6, 2002
Ole Miss Notes in PDF Format | Memphis Notes in PDF Format | Ole Miss Season Statistics | Monday Press Conference Transcript | Game Preview
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
DATE: Saturday, September 7, 2002
TIME: 11:30 a.m.
SITE: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field (60,580); Oxford, Miss.
TV: Jefferson-Pilot (Dave Neal, play-by-play; Dave Rowe, color analyst; Dave Baker, sideline reporter/pre-game host).
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 Memphis are ranked in the current ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25 or The Associated Press Top 25 polls. The Rebels did, however, received 23 votes in the ESPN/USA Today poll and 10 in the AP poll.
SERIES INFO: Saturday's meeting will be the 52nd all-time between the two Mid-South rivals. Ole Miss holds a 41-8-2 lead in the series, and has won eight of the last 10 meetings dating back to 1988. This is the first meeting between the two schools since a 3-0 Rebel win at the Liberty Bowl in 1999. Ole Miss is 15-1 against the Tigers in Oxford, with the lone defeat coming on Nov. 5, 1994, 17-16.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Head coach David Cutcliffe is aiming for his 25th career win ... The Rebels have won 23 straight regular-season games over non-conference opponents ... Junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) has a streak of 13 straight games with a TD pass.
OLE MISS HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE: David Cutcliffe's (Alabama, 1976) is in his fourth full season as the head coach of the Rebels. He 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 24-13 record at Ole Miss, guiding the Rebels to at least seven wins in each of his first full three seasons 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' 23-13 mark since 1999 is the best in the SEC Western Division.
MEMPHIS HEAD COACH TOMMY WEST: Tommy West (Tennessee, 1976) is in his second season as the Tigers' head coach. He served as the defensive coordinator at Memphis during the 2000 season before succeeding Rip Scherer as head coach. West is 6-6 with the Tigers and has a career record of 41-41 in eight seasons as a head coach. West coached UT-Chattanooga to a 4-7 mark in 1993 before being named the head coach at Clemson prior to the 1993 Peach Bowl. He guided the Tigers to a 14-13 win over Kentucky and posted a five-year mark of 31-28 at the ACC school. West received his first coaching assignment at Ole Miss in 1979, working with the running backs on former Rebel coach Steve Sloan's staff.
MEMPHIS SCOUTING REPORT: The Tigers opened their 2002 campaign with a 52-6 win over NCAA Division I-AA Murray State this past Saturday at the Liberty Bowl. Sophomore QB Danny Wimprine passed for a school single-game record five TD passes, as he completed 23-of-32 throws for 245 yards. Sophomore WR Darron White caught eight passes for 73 yards and a score, and freshman RB DeAngelo Williams added 129 yards rushing on 12 carries with one TD. The Tigers out-gained the Racers 522-285. Senior FS Elijah Bell led the Memphis defense with seven stops. Freshman FS O.C. Collins and sophomore CB Tristan Thomas both recorded interceptions in the win. Memphis will play all three Mississippi I-A schools this season. In addition to Saturday's game at Ole Miss, the Tigers will travel to Hattiesburg on Sept. 14 for their Conference USA opener at Southern Miss, and will host SEC-foe Mississippi State on Oct. 19.
2001 2002 MEMPHIS TIGERS SCHEDULE/RESULTS (1-0, 0-0 CONFERENCE USA)
| AUG. 31 | MURRAY STATE | W, 52-6 |
| Sept. 7 | at Ole Miss | 11:30 am |
| Sept. 14 | at Southern Miss* | 6 pm |
| SEPT. 21 | TULANE* | 7 PM |
| Sept. 28 | at UAB* | 6 pm |
| OCT. 8 | LOUISVILLE* | 7 PM |
| OCT. 19 | MISSISSIPPI STATE* | 7 PM |
| Oct. 26 | at Cincinnati* | 1 pm |
| NOV. 2 | HOUSTON* | 1 PM |
| Nov. 9 | at South Florida | 6 pm |
| NOV. 23 | ARMY* | 1 PM |
| Nov. 30 | at TCU* | 2 pm |
HOME GAMES IN CAPS
All times are Central.
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.
* Listed as a candidate by the Walter Camp Foundation for its prestigious Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the fourth oldest individual college football award in the country.
* Entered last weekend ranked fourth among active SEC players in passing yardage (3,118), completions (275) and total offense (3,131) (updated on Tuesday's).
* Ranks in the top 10 in 14 career offensive categories at Ole Miss (see chart below).
* Entered the 2002 season having set or currently holds 17 school records.
* Threw one TD pass versus UL-Monroe to extend his streak to 13 consecutive games with at least one TD pass, dating back to the 2000 Music City Bowl.
* The 192 yards passing versus the Indians was his lowest output as a starter and snapped a string of 11 consecutive 200-yard passing games - a school record.
* 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)
Pass Effic. Rating (min. 200 attempts): 144.8 (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): 61.9* - entering Saturday's game with Memphis.
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 has 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). Entering Saturday's game with Memphis, Manning's career passing efficiency rating of 154.77 in the fourth quarter, is the highest of any quarter. The following chart breaks down Manning's career stats by quarter:
FIRST QUARTER
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2000 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2001 | 59-86-0 | 638 | 3 | 142.33 |
| 2002 | 2-7-1 | 18 | 0 | 21.6 |
| TOTAL | 61-93-1 | 656 | 3 | 133.34 |
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 |
| 2002 | 4-5-0 | 52 | 1 | 233.36 |
| TOTAL | 75-117-4 | 823 | 9 | 141.74 |
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 |
| 2002 | 4-11-0 | 55 | 0 | 78.36 |
| TOTAL | 69-122-1 | 722 | 3 | 112.74 |
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 |
| 2002 | 7-8-0 | 67 | 0 | 157.85 |
| TOTAL | 89-146-6 | 1179 | 15 | 154.77 |
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 | 13 | 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 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 6. | Russ Shows, 1989-1992 | 560 |
| 7. | Josh Nelson, 1994-1995 | 558 |
| 8. | Stewart Patridge, 1994, 96-97 | 510 |
| 9. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 472 |
COMPLETIONS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 566 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 5. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 402 |
| 6. | Josh Nelson, 1994-1995 | 311 |
| 7. | Stewart Patridge, 1994, 96-97 | 310 |
| 8. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 292 |
PASSING YARDS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 6,311 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 8. | Stewart Patridge, 1994, 96-97 | 3,564 |
| 9. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 3,310 |
PASSING TDs
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 43 |
| 2. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 32 |
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Pct. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 62.4 |
| 2. | Paul Head, 1993-1996 | 61.9 |
| 3. | Stewart Patridge, 1994, 96-97 | 60.8 |
PASS EFFICIENCY
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Effic. | |
| 1. | Jake Gibbs, 1958-1960 | 145.3 |
| 2. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 138.9 |
| 3. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 138.5 |
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 | 7.0 |
| Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 7.0 | |
| Stewart Patridge, 1994, 1996-97 | 7.0 |
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 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 5. | Mark Young, 1985-1988 | 38 |
| 6. | Norris Weese, 1971-1973 | 33 |
| Jake Gibbs, 1958-1960 | 33 | |
| 8. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 32 |
| Eli Manning, 2000-present | 32 |
TOTAL OFFENSE PER GAME
(minimum 14 career games)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 199.1 |
| 2. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 184.6 |
| 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 | 6.48 |
| 4. | Rocky Byrd, 1949-1951 | 6.37 |
TOTAL OFFENSE
| Player, Years | Yards | |
| 1. | John Fourcade, 1978-1981 | 6,713 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 6. | Russ Shows, 1989-1992 | 3,919 |
| 7. | John Darnell, 1986-1989 | 3,525 |
| 8. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 3,323 |
HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE
Fourth year at Ole Miss
Record at Ole Miss: 24-13 (.649)
Career Record: 24-13 (.649/4 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 23-13 record since 1999 ranks as the best in the SEC Western Division.
* Saturday's game, to be televised by Jefferson-Pilot, will be Ole Miss' 23rd TV appearance during Cutcliffe's three-plus full seasons, including the ninth on JP.
* 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: | 12-1 | .923 |
| Bowl Games: | 2-1 | .667 |
| Home: | 13-7 | .650 |
| Away: | 9-5 | .643 |
| Neutral: | 2-1 | .667 |
| Day Games: | 12-6 | .667 |
| Night Games (6 pm start or later): | 12-7 | .632 |
| vs. Top 25 teams | 2-5 | .286 |
| When leading at halftime: | 21-6 | .778 |
| Overtime games: | 2-1 | .667 |
REBEL GAME NOTES
REBELS IN SEPTEMBER
* Ole Miss is 132-56-7 (.695 winning percentage) all-time during the month of September.
* The Rebels have an 82-18-3 (.811 winning percentage) in September home games (including home contests played in Memphis and Jackson) ... Ole Miss has a 57-5-2 (.906 winning percentage) in September games played in Oxford.
* Ole Miss is 8-3 (.727 winning percentage) in September under head coach David Cutcliffe.
* The Rebels have six straight winning September's since going 2-2 in September in 1995. Ole Miss has also had 13 consecutive September's with at least a .500 record since going 1-2 in 1988.
* Ole Miss has won 18 straight September games over non-conference opponents since losing to Arkansas, prior to the Razorbacks joining the SEC, 24-17 in Jackson, Miss., on Sept. 23, 1989 ... 14 of those 18 wins have come in home games (including two games played in Jackson).
* Ole Miss has a 24-game unbeaten streak versus non-SEC teams in Oxford during the month of September ... The last non-conference team to defeat the Rebels in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium during September was Tulane, 26-24, on Sept. 27, 1980 ... During the 24-game unbeaten streak, the Rebels tied one game, playing to a 10-10 draw against Arkansas State on Sept. 20, 1986.
REBELS ON TV: Saturday's game, to be televised by Jefferson-Pilot, is the first of four scheduled TV games for the Rebels this season. Ole Miss is slated to appear on TV in each of the next three weeks as ABC is set to televise the Rebels Sept. 14 game at Texas Tech, and JP will televise the Sept. 21 home game with Vanderbilt. Ole Miss will also appear on TV Thanksgiving Night, Nov. 28, as ESPN will televise the annual Egg Bowl battle with Mississippi State for the fifth straight year.
Saturday's game will mark the 23rd time Ole Miss has appeared on TV under head coach David Cutcliffe since 1999, including the ninth time on JP. All-time, it will mark the Rebels' 120th TV appearance. Ole Miss has an all-time record of 53-64-2 in TV games, including a 12-11 mark on JP. Ole Miss is 1-0 all-time against Memphis on TV, with JP carrying the Rebels' 30-10 win in Oxford to open the 1998 season.
CUTCLIFFE GOES FOR WIN NO. 25: A win Saturday over Memphis would give Rebel head coach David Cutcliffe his 25th career win at Ole Miss. It also would tie him with legendary coach John Vaught as the second fastest coach in school history to reach the 25-win plateau, doing so in his 38th game with the Rebels. Only Harry J. Mehre reached 25 wins faster, doing so in 31 games from 1938 through the final game of 1940.
FOLLOWING THE SIMILAR PATHS: Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe and Memphis head coach Tommy West will not be strangers to one another when their two teams meet Saturday in Oxford. Both Cutcliffe and West were members of Johnny Majors' coaching staff at Tennessee during the 1990 season. West coached the running backs while Cutcliffe worked with the quarterbacks. The two have also followed similar career paths as both have been coordinators at SEC schools. West was the defensive coordinator at South Carolina from 1991-1992 (the Gamecocks' first year in the SEC was 1992), and Cutcliffe served as the offensive coordinator at Tennessee from 1993-1998. Like Cutcliffe, West also made his NCAA Division I-A head coaching debut in a bowl game and guided his team to a win. West coached Clemson to a 14-13 win over Kentucky in the 1993 Peach Bowl.
REBELS SET NEW ATTENDANCE MARK: The announced crowd of 58,151 for this past Saturday's game with Louisiana-Monroe established a new Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/ Hollingsworth Field record in the first game played in the stadium since its capacity was expanded to 60,580. It was also the largest crowd to watch a college football game on-campus in the state of Mississippi. The previous Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field attendance record was 52,476 set against LSU on Nov. 11, 2000 (see the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field timeline below).
WELCOME TO THE NEWLY-EXPANDED VAUGHT-HEMINGWAY STADIUM/HOLLINGSWORTH FIELD
Last Saturday's game with Louisiana-Monroe was the unveiling of the newly expanded Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field. The nearly two-year construction project, that began following the 2000 season, saw the bowling in of the south end zone. The construction raised the stadium's capacity from 50,577 in 2000 to 60,580, making it the largest on-campus facility in the state of Mississippi. A stadium record crowd of 58,151 watched the Rebels defeat the Indians 31-3, breaking the old attendance record of 52,476 set on Nov. 11, 2000 against LSU.
STADIUM TIMELINE
* Ole Miss has won 77.9 percent of its home games at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field, compiling an all-time mark of 207-58-8.
1915: The stadium, known as Hemingway Stadium for much of its existence, began its historic life 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 then-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.
AUG. 31, 2001: In the first game since the bowling in of the south end zone, a stadium record 58,151 watched Ole Miss down Louisiana-Monroe 31-3.
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 (23) and has the best winning percentage (.639) 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 chart on the following page shows the overall standings of the SEC Western Division since 1999 (records include bowl games):
| School | W-L | Pct. |
| Ole Miss | 23-13 | .639 |
| Arkansas | 21-15 | .583 |
| Auburn | 21-15 | .583 |
| Mississippi State | 21-15 | .583 |
| Alabama | 21-16 | .568 |
| LSU | 21-16 | .568 |
REBEL RAMBLINGS:
* Ole Miss was penalized seven times for 78 yards against Louisiana-Monroe, the most penalty yards charged against the Rebels since recording 114 yards of infractions on 11 penalties in the 2000 season opener versus Tulane ... Last season, Ole Miss was the least penalized team in the SEC, averaging 42.3 penalty yards per game.
* The 31-3 win over Louisiana-Monroe marked Ole Miss' seventh straight season-opening victory, and improved the Rebels to 80-23-5 (.764 winning percentage) all-time in season openers.
* The win was also Ole Miss' 15th straight home-opening win, and improved its mark to 90-12-5 (.864 winning percentage) all-time in home openers (including home games that were played in either Jackson or Memphis) ... The Rebels are now 67-5-4 (.908 winning percentage) in home openers played in Oxford.
* The Rebels are now 56-3-3 (.927 winning percentage) in games that are both their season and home openers. Ole Miss has now won 12 straight such openers since losing 23-20 to Texas A&M on Sept. 6, 1980, in a contest played in Jackson.
* Last Saturday's win improved the Rebels to 22-4 (.846 winning percentage) in home night games since lights were installed at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field in 1990, including 13-0 versus non-SEC teams.
* Ole Miss entered 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.
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).
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) |
REBELS LOOK TO EXTEND NON-CONFERENCE WIN STREAK:
* Ole Miss will once again put its regular-season win streak over non-conference opponents on the line Saturday when the Rebels host Memphis. Last Saturday's 31-3 victory over Louisiana-Monroe, extended the streak to 23 games.
* The Tigers are the last non-SEC team to defeat the Rebels during the regular season, edging Ole Miss 17-16 on Nov. 5, 1994 in Oxford.
* During the 23-game win streak, Ole Miss' average margin of victory has been 19.5 points.
* The Rebels have beaten Memphis three times during the streak: 34-3 at the Liberty Bowl in 1995; 30-10 in Oxford in 1998; and 3-0 at the Liberty Bowl in 1999. Ole Miss is also 8-0 versus Conference USA during that span, as they have also defeated Tulane five times.
* Ole Miss is 18-0 in home games during the 23-game streak.
* Including bowl games, Ole Miss has won 26 of its last 27 games against non-conference opponents. The Rebels' only loss during that span was a 49-38 loss to West Virginia in the 2000 Music City Bowl.
* Head coach David Cutcliffe is 10-0 against non-conference opponents during the regular season.
* The following chart shows the results of Ole Miss' 23-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 |
| Louisiana-Monroe (8-31-2002) | W, 31-3 |
REBELS VERSUS CONFERENCE USA: Ole Miss will enter Saturday's game against Memphis with an all-time record of 120-46-2 (.720 winning percentage) versus schools that are currently members of Conference USA. Saturday's game will be the Rebels' first meeting with a Conference USA school since defeating Tulane, 49-20, in Oxford to open the 2000 season. The following chart shows Ole Miss' all-time record against teams currently in Conference USA:
| School | W-L-T | Pct. |
| Houston | 15-3-0 | .833 |
| Memphis | 41-8-2 | .824 |
| Southern Miss | 18-6-0 | .750 |
| TCU | 5-1-0 | .833 |
| Tulane | 41-28-0 | .594 |
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
WALTER CAMP PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Nation's Top Player)
Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.), Jr., QB
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).
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.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
* Ole Miss ran 68 offensive plays, including 35 rushing, against Louisiana-Monroe last Saturday without recording negative yardage. It is the first time in 121 games since Oct. 5, 1991 versus Kentucky (40 rush, 28 pass) that the Rebels went an entire game without having a negative-yardage play.
* Senior RB Robert Williams (Gadsden, Ala.) recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game against Louisiana-Monroe, rushing a career-high 18 times for 100 yards with two TDs.
* Junior RB Ronald McClendon (Ponchatoula, La.) scored on his first career carry as a Rebel, scoring from 13 yards out with 10:42 left in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring in the 31-3 win. McClendon finished with 40 yards on six carries.
* Junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) caught one pass for 11 yards Saturday to give him a reception in 10 straight games dating back to last year's Kentucky on game on Sept. 29.
* Collins is 129 receiving yards shy of becoming the 19th player in school history to reach the 1,000-yard mark in career in receiving yards.
* Collins will 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.
* Ole Miss returns seven starters from last year's unit that set 12 school records, including most points scored with 391 (see chart above).
* 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.
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 Rebels did not allow a sack in this past Saturday's 31-3 win over Louisiana-Monroe. The following chart shows the top five teams for the fewest sacks allowed in the SEC since 1999 (totals will be updated Tuesday following the completion of this week's SEC schedule Monday evening):
| 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 |
DEFENSIVE NOTES
* Senior LB Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss.) did not play in this past Saturday's game with Louisiana-Monroe due to an ankle injury suffered during a preseason scrimmage.
* Strong led the Rebels in tackles last season with 105, becoming the first Ole Miss player since current Green Bay Packer linebacker Nate Wayne to record over 100 stops in a season.
* Strong's 243 career tackles ranked third among active SEC players, and his eight career sacks was fourth among active players entering the 2002 season.
* Ole Miss recorded 11 tackles-for-loss, including two sacks, in this past Saturday's win over UL-Monroe.
* Senior LB Ryan Hamilton (Miami, Fla.) recorded a career-high 10 stops (five solo) versus ULM. His previous high was five against Georgia on Nov. 18, 2000.
* Senior DB Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.) was credited with six tackles (five solo), including two TFLs for -12 yards and one QB sack for -10 yards, and also intercepted a pass against the Indians.
* 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) ... Ole Miss allowed UL-Monroe to complete 39.1 percent (9x23) of its passes in this past Saturday's contest.
* With two QB sacks against the Indians, the Rebel defense has recorded at least one sack in 21 of their last 22 games dating back to the Sept. 16, 2000 game at Vanderbilt ... The only game during that span in which the Rebels did not record a sack was in last year's game versus Arkansas on Nov. 6.
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
* Sophomore PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) made a career-long 47-yard field goal on his first attempt of the season during the third quarter against UL-Monroe ... Last season, Ole Miss did not attempt its first field goal until the fourth game of the season against Arkansas State.
* Nichols also recorded his first career punt against UL-Monroe, when he pinned the Indians' at their own 3-yard line with a 32-yard kick in the third quarter, after taking the snap when the Rebels' lined up for a field goal.
* Sophomore P Cody Ridgeway (Jackson, Tenn.) averaged 50.0 yards per punt on two kicks this past Saturday, making him the first Rebel since Bill Smith in 1986 to average 50 yards per kick in a game (min. 2 punts).
* 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.
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.
MISSISSIPPI TIGERS: Memphis has five players on its 2002 roster that call the state of Mississippi home: freshman long snapper Rusty Clayton (Hattiesburg, Miss.), junior OG David Davis (Hamilton, Miss.), junior WR Tavares Gideon (Greenville, Miss.), freshman DB Wesley Smith (Oxford, Miss.), redshirt freshman TE Marcus West (Columbus, Miss.)
MEMPHIS-AREA REBELS: Ole Miss has three players on its 2002 roster that are from the Memphis-area: freshman OL Tony Sanders (Memphis, Tenn.), junior DB Wes Scott (Memphis, Tenn.), redshirt freshman DB Keith White (Germantown, Tenn.).
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
