Ole Miss Football Game Notes

Nov. 7, 2005

Game 9: Arkansas (2-6, 0-5) at Ole Miss (3-5, 1-4)

Ole Miss Game Notes in PDF Format |

DATE: Saturday, November 12, 2005

TIME: 1:00 p.m. CT

SITE (CAPACITY): 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; Richard Cross and Pete Cordelli, pregame and postgame hosts). Sirius Satellite Radio channel 181 (Ole Miss broadcast).

POLLS: Neither Ole Miss nor Arkansas is ranked in this week's USA Today Coaches Top 25 or in the Associated Press Top 25.

SERIES INFO: Today's game will mark the 52nd meeting all-time between Ole Miss and Arkansas dating back to 1908. Ole Miss records show the Rebels trailing the series 24-26-1, while Arkansas' records indicate a 27-23-1 advantage for the Razorbacks. Arkansas claims a forfeit victory in a 1914 game that Ole Miss won 13-7. The two teams met almost yearly from 1937-1969 before the series took a hiatus until 1981. The two schools have played yearly since then, and Ole Miss is 9-14-1 against Arkansas since the series resumed. Arkansas holds a narrow 7-6 edge since it joined the SEC in 1992. The Rebels are 5-1 all-time in Oxford matchups dating back to 1997, with the lone blemish being the infamous seven overtime battle in 2001 won by the Razorbacks 58-56. Arkansas took last year's bout 35-3 in Fayetteville.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Ole Miss enters this game needing a win to stay alive for a possible bowl berth ... Both teams will be looking for their first victory over an SEC Western Division team ... The Rebels rank 14th in the nation in scoring defense ... Junior LB Patrick Willis ranks second in the country in solo stops (8.86 per game) and leads the SEC in total tackles (12.9 per game).

OLE MISS HEAD COACH Ed Orgeron: Ed Orgeron (Northwestern State, 1984) is in his first season as the Rebels' head coach, having been hired on Dec. 16, 2004. Ole Miss is Orgeron's first career head coaching position, although he possesses 20 years of college coaching experience, most recently as an assistant head coach on USC's 2003 and 2004 national champion teams.

ARKANSAS HEAD COACH HOUSTON NUTT: Houston Nutt is in his eighth season as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. He is 55-39 (.585 winning pct.) with the Razorbacks and has a career mark of 91-61 (.599 winning pct.) in 13 seasons a collegiate head coach. Prior to Arkansas, Nutt served four seasons as the head coach at Murray State from 1993-1996, posting a 31-16 record, and coached Boise State for one season in 1997, leading the Broncos to a 5-6 mark. Nutt is 4-3 against Ole Miss.

ARKANSAS SCOUTING REPORT: The Razorbacks are on a three-game skid following Saturday's 14-10 homecoming loss to South Carolina. Arkansas has lost its last two games by a combined seven points, including a 23-20 loss to No. 4 Georgia on the road. The Razorbacks are averaging 24.2 points and 385.4 yards per game. Led by a pair of freshmen, Arkansas features the SEC's top rushing attack at 251.9 yards on the ground per game. True freshman RB Darren McFadden leads the conference in rushing at 108.6 yards per game. He boasts 869 yards on 118 carries with eight touchdowns. Fellow first-year Razorback Felix Jones has 72 rushes for 500 yards and three scores. Sophomore QB Robert Johnson started the first seven games of the year behind center and completed 88-of-156 passes for 783 yards, five TDs and six interceptions. Freshman signal-caller Casey Dick got the starting nod against the Gamecocks Saturday and was 12-of-24 for 137 yards with one TD and one INT. Sophomore FB Peyton Hillis is the team's top receiver with 28 catches for 259 yards and two scores. Sophomore WR Marcus Monk has 23 receptions, 286 yards and four TDs. Defensively, Arkansas is allowing an average of 28.1 points and 368.8 yards per game. The Razorbacks are allowing an average of 154.2 rushing yards, but over the last two games, limited Georgia to 52 yards and South Carolina to 45. Junior LB Sam Olajubutu has totaled a team-best 97 tackles (58 solo), 9.5 TFLs and seven QB hurries. Junior DE Desmond Sims leads the team with 5.0 sacks along with 8.5 TFLs and 50 total tackles. Junior DB Michael Coe is among the SEC leaders in passes defended with three interceptions and seven break-ups.

OLE MISS BEGINS COACH "O" ERA IN 2005: Ole Miss officially kicked off the Ed Orgeron era with a 10-6 victory at Memphis on Sept. 5. Orgeron was hired as the 35th head coach in the history of the University of Mississippi on December 16, 2004. Prior to coming to Ole Miss, Orgeron served the previous seven seasons as the defensive line coach at the University of Southern California and played a key role in Pete Carroll's Trojans winning back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004. He also served as USC's recruiting coordinator from 2001-2004 and was named assistant head coach in 2003.

OLE MISS LOOKS TO AVOID LOSING SEASON: With a 3-5 record entering this game against Arkansas, Ole Miss needs a win to avoid recording its second straight losing season. The last time the Rebels finished below .500 in consecutive campaigns was in 1987 and 1988, going 3-8 and 5-6, respectively. Prior to last year's 4-7 finish, Ole Miss had recorded seven straight winning seasons, their longest such streak since notching seven straight from 1965-1971.

REBEL NOTEBOOK
The Auburn game was only the Rebels' second of the season in which they did not score first.
With Matt Hinkle's 43-yard FG against the Tigers, Ole Miss scored in the second quarter for the second straight game, after falling to post points in the second stanza of the first six games ... The Rebels have been outscored 49-13 in the second quarter this season.
After accumulating over 32 minutes in time of possession in three straight games, Ole Miss was limited to 25:26 TOP against Auburn ... The Rebels have been under 26:00 in time of possession in four games this season -- all losses.
The Auburn loss dropped Ole Miss to 0-3 vs. ranked teams this year.
The Rebels are 12-19 following an off-week since 1990.
Nine true freshmen and 22 players overall have seen their first action in the Red and Blue this season.
The Rebels enter the game with an all-time record of 590-440-35 (.570 winning percentage).
The University of Mississippi is in its 111th football season dating back to 1893 ... Ole Miss 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.

FIRST-TIME STARTERS
OFFENSE: #21 Jamal Pittman (Jr.) earned his first career start at FB ... Pittman's only other start was at RB against Memphis in the season opener.

ARKANSAS REBELS: Ole Miss has one player on its 2005 roster that calls the state of Arkansas home: redshirt freshman OL Maurice Miller (West Helena, Ark.).

McSWAIN AMONG NATION'S TOP FRESHMEN: Ole Miss RB Mico McSwain has ranked among the nation's top freshman rushers during his redshirt season. The Richton, Miss., native has already established an Ole Miss freshman rushing record, and below his how he stacks up nationally among rookie rushers (NCAA freshman rank):
Rushing Yards (9): 97.43
Average Yards Per Rush (8): 5.1
Rushing Yards vs. Ranked Opponents (3): 62.67
100-Yard Rushing Games (T4): 3

OFFENSIVE NOTES
Senior WR Mike Espy finished one short of his career high for receptions at Auburn with nine catches for 63 yards ... With 111 all-purpose yards against the Tigers, Espy moved into fifth on the Rebel all-time list with 3,015 all-purpose yards, which ranks second among active SEC players.
Junior QB Ethan Flatt saw his first action of the year against the Tigers ... Flatt finished 11-of-17 for 81 yards.
At Auburn, senior RB Brandon Jacobs saw his first action since the season opener at Memphis and had two carries.
Senior QB Micheal Spurlock failed to toss a TD pass at Auburn for the first time in the last four games ... His 105 passing yards was his least in a start this season.
The Rebels failed to score a TD vs. the Tigers for the first time this season ... The three points scored was Ole Miss' fewest since last year's 35-3 loss at Arkansas.
The 23 net yards on the ground was Ole Miss' least since rushing for four yards against Alabama in 2002 ... The Rebels were held under 70 yards rushing for the fourth time this season.
Ole Miss' 209 total yards of offense at Auburn was its least since managing 192 yards in last year's Alabama game.
Senior WR Mario Hill ranks second in the SEC in receiving yards per game (75.8) and fifth in receptions per game (4.67).
With his start at right tackle against Auburn, senior OL Tre' Stallings extended his stretch of consecutive starts to 45, which is the third-longest active streak in the SEC and tied for the fifth-longest in the nation ... If he starts the three remaining regular-season games, Stallings would tie the school record for consecutive starts of 48, held by Marcus Johnson (2001-04).

WILLIS NAMED BEDNARIK SEMIFINALIST: Ole Miss junior LB Patrick Willis has been named one of 12 semifinalists for the 11th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year, it was announced Wednesday by Maxwell Football Club President Ron Jaworski. The announcement of the winner will be made during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show that will be broadcast on ESPN on Thursday, December 8, 2005. Three finalists for each award will be in attendance for the ESPN broadcast. Willis also recently garnered recognition from College Football News.com, who named the SEC tackles leader a Midseason All-America Second Team honoree, the 26th best player in the nation and 8th best in the SEC.

REBEL "D" TIGHTENS UP: The Rebels have limited the opposition to only one TD in three of the last four games. The Ole Miss defense has been particularly strong against the pass, allowing 150.2 yards in the air over the last four contests. Kentucky mustered only 107 passing yards, while The Citadel was handcuffed to only 21 yards. Below charts how the Rebel defense has risen among the nation's best (NCAA rank):
Scoring Defense (14): 17.8
Pass Defense (20): 196.2
Pass Defense Efficiency (21): 109.3
Total Defense (26): 325.8

DEFENSIVE NOTES
The Ole Miss defense registered a season-high four QB sacks against Auburn ... The Rebels have totaled seven sacks over the last two games.
Senior DT McKinley Boykin notched a career-high three QB pressures at Auburn and matched his career-best for total tackles with seven, along with 2.5 TFLs and 1.5 QB sacks.
Senior NT Michael Bozeman tied his career highs with two QB pressures along with four stops vs. the Tigers ... Bozeman leads all SEC nose guards/nose tackles in tackles and ranks sixth among all linemen at 4.2 per game.
Senior DE Corvelli Haynes matched his career-high for tackles at Auburn with six along with a forced fumble.
The Rebels have forced and recovered at least two fumbles in three straight games.
Senior DB Travis Johnson is tied for the SEC-lead in forced fumbles with three.
Ole Miss held Alabama to a then season low in points (13) and a tie for its least rushing yards (121) ... The Tide was averaging 29.6 points per game.
The Rebels limited The Citadel to 81 yards of total offense on the game, the least allowed by the Rebels since holding Vanderbilt to 51 total yards in 1993.

MOSELEY NO. 1 IN SEC IN KICKOFFS: When it comes to kickoffs, junior K Will Moseley is tops among SEC kickers, recording touchbacks on 18 of his 29 kickoffs for a league-best 62.1 percentage. The Bailey, Miss., native is also tied, along with teammate Matt Hinkle, for fifth in the conference in field goals over 40 yards for a .500 percentage, knocking down 2-of-4 from that distance, including a 50-yarder against Tennessee.

SPECIALTY NOTES
Sophomore K Matt Hinkle has connected on a FG of 40-plus yards in consecutive games, hitting from 45 yards out against Kentucky and from 43 yards at Auburn.
Three different kickers have been used by the Rebels this season. Below charts how redshirt freshman Robert Bass, sophomore Matt Hinkle and junior Will Moseley have performed:
Bass: 7-7 PAT; 2-4 FG
Hinkle: 1-1 PAT; 4-8 FG
Moseley: 3-4 PAT; 3-6 FG
Senior Mike Espy ran back a punt 51 yards for a his first career return for a TD at Vanderbilt ... It marked the first punt return for a score by a Rebel since Jason Armstead scampered 62 yards against Memphis in 2002.

REBELS IN NOVEMBER
Ole Miss has an all-time record of 191-157-13 (.547 winning percentage) during the month of November.
The Rebels are 113-65-5 (.631 winning percentage) in home games during November, including home contests played in Jackson and Memphis ... In home games played in Oxford during November, the Rebels are 66-26-4 (.708 winning percentage).
Ole Miss is 78-92-8 (.461 winning percentage) in road games during November.
In SEC games played in November, Ole Miss has an overall record of 81-84-7 (.491 winning pct.).
In SEC home games during November, the Rebels are 50-43-2 (.537 winning pct.), including home games played in Jackson and Memphis ... In SEC home games played in Oxford during November, Ole Miss is 19-20-1 (.488 winning pct.).
In SEC road games during November, Ole Miss is 31-41-5 (.435 winning percentage).

McSWAIN SETS FRESHMAN RECORD: With his 104 rushing yards against Kentucky, redshirt freshman RB Mico McSwain surpassed Joe Gunn (547 in 1998) to establish an Ole Miss freshman rushing record, now at 613 yards on the season. McSwain has led Ole Miss in rushing in all eight games this year, and registered three 100-yard performances, which is also a Rebel freshman record.

ROBINSON NAMED TO SEC GOOD WORKS TEAM: Senior LB Kelvin Robinson was featured as the SEC Good Works Team Player of the Week for the week of the Ole Miss-Tennessee contest. A criminal justice major from Jackson, Miss., Robinson has been active in the Oxford Pantry Canned Food Drive, the Oxford Highway Clean-up, Reading with the Rebels and Toys for Tots. He has visited patients at the North Mississippi Regional Medical Center and with the elderly at the Azalea Gardens Retirement Center and Heritage Gardens Retirement Center. He also visited area elementary schools, speaking to children at Costa Rica Elementary School during a study abroad program and during National Student-Athlete Day at Oxford Elementary School. Also, he has been part of the Ole Miss Team Mentoring Program.

GRADUATED REBELS: The Rebels have four players on this year's team who have completed their undergraduate degrees -- DT McKinley Boykin (Bessemer, Ala.), LB Kelvin Robinson (Jackson, Miss.), QB Micheal Spurlock (Indianola, Miss.) and OL Tre' Stallings (Magnolia, Miss.).

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