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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Increase Intensity At First Morning Workout
8/12/2004 | Football
Aug. 12, 2004
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss football team endured its first morning practice of the 2004 preseason on Thursday, as they took the field at 10 a.m. for a two-and-a-half hour practice on the fields adjacent to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
With unseasonably cool temperatures and a slight breeze in the air providing perfect practice conditions, the Rebels took the intensity level up a notch in their fourth practice this week.
"I think the intensity was good today," said Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe. "Starting with our kicking game in the first period right through the end of practice the effort was outstanding, but tomorrow we will find out who really wants to compete and that's what its all about."
Ole Miss will don full pads for the first time at Friday's practice. On Thursday, however, Cutcliffe was again pleased with the defense and their work on the practice field.
"I thought we had good work overall," said Cutcliffe. "Again I felt our defense set the tempo. We did some good things in our long yardage work offensively, but we are still dropping too many balls.
"Maybe part of the dropped balls comes from the defense contesting us a little closer than they have in the past. Hopefully that's the case. Our offensive execution needs to improve."
After stepping up the intensity at Thursday's practice session with the offensive and defensive line going through some one-on-one battles, Cutcliffe expects to see the intensity rise to another level once the players go at it with full pads on.
"We will know a lot more tomorrow when we put the full pads on," said Cutcliffe. "I am looking forward to getting started and seeing just how physical of a team we are going to be."
Ole Miss will take the field for the season-opener on Saturday, Sept. 4 when they play host to Memphis at 6 p.m. at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field.
