Rebels Face Commodores in Homecoming Clash

DATE: Saturday, October 7, 2006

TIME: 1:00 p.m. CT

SITE (CAPACITY): Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field (60, 580)

TV: The Ole Miss-Vanderbilt game will not be broadxast live. A CSS replay of the Ole Miss-Vanderbilt game will be on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m.

RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Pete Cordelli, color analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter; Richard Cross and Harry Harrison, pregame and postgame hosts). Sirius Satellite Radio channel 107 (Ole Miss broadcast).

POLLS: Neither Ole Miss nor Vanderibilt is receiving votes in the current USA Today/ESPN Coach's Poll or the Associated Press poll.

SERIES INFO: This game will be the 81st meeting between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt dating back to 1894. The Rebels lead the series 45-33-2 and have won 11 of the last 13 meetings since 1992. Vanderbilt's two wins during that period came last season and in 1999. The Rebels hold a 21-3 advantage in games played in Oxford, including three-straight. Ole Miss leads 45-15-2 in SEC games versus VU. The Commodores last win in Oxford came in 1999 when they won 37-34 in overtime. Vanderbilt won the first 19 games in the series, with Ole Miss having won 45 of the last 61 games played between the two teams (see All-Time Series Results and Last Five Meetings on page 2).

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The game versus Vanderbilt will not be televised for the first time in nine seasons ... Lincoln Financial Sports (formerly Jefferson Pilot Sports) had broadcast the Ole Miss-Vanderbilt game the last eight seasons ... With CBS doing a doubleheader this week, Lincoln Financial Sports does not have a telecast scheduled ... Rebel running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis is looking to eclipse the 500 yard rushing mark ... Green-Ellis, who currently has 470 yards on the ground, could be the fastest Rebel to reach the 500-yard mark in rushing since Vashon Pearson went over 500 yards in the sixth game of the season in 2004 ... Ole Miss is 3-7 at home under head coach Ed Orgeron.

OLE MISS HEAD COACH ED ORGERON: Ed Orgeron (Northwestern State, 1984) is in his second season as the Ole Miss head coach, having been hired on Dec. 16, 2004. The Rebels are 4-12 under Orgeron as he posted a 3-8 mark in his first season in Oxford. Ole Miss is Orgeron's first career head coaching position, although he possesses over 20 years of college coaching experience, most recently as an assistant head coach on USC's 2003 and 2004 national champion teams. Orgeron is 0-1 versus Vanderbilt after falling to the Commodores 31-23 last season in Nashville.

VANDERBILT HEAD COACH BOBBY JOHNSON: Bobby Johnson (Clemson, 1972) is in his fifth year as the head coach of the Commodores. He is 13-38 at Vanderbilt and has a career mark of 73-74 in his 13th season as a collegiate head coach. Prior to coming to Vanderbilt, Johnson spent eight seasons at Division I-AA Furman, guiding the Paladins to a 60-36 record with four trips to the Division I-AA playoffs. Johnson is 1-3 versus Ole Miss.

VANDERBILT SCOUTING REPORT: The Commodores improved to 2-3 on the season with a 43-14 win over Temple in their last outing. Vanderbilt has won two-straight games with a win over Tennessee State prior to the win over the Owls. VU opened the season with a 27-7 loss at Michigan, followed by SEC losses to Alabama and Arkansas. The Commodores have dominated in the second quarter of play, outscoring their opponents 40-20 in the second frame. Junior running back Cassen Jackson-Garrison leads the Dores on the ground. Jackson-Garrison has picked up 347 yards on 65 carries with two TDs, while sophomore quarterback Chris Nickson has added 236 yards on 60 carries with three TDS. Nickson has completed 56-of-107 passes for 633 yards and six TDs through the air. Nickson's top target is sophomore wide receiver Earl Bennett. Bennett has 23 catches for 285 yards and two TDs. The Commodore defense is led by junior linebacker Jonathan Goff with 45 (35 solo) tackles. Goff has four quarterback hurries and 1.0 TFL for minus 16 yards. Junior defensive end Curtis Gatewood has 24 (15 solo) tackles, including 4.0 TFLs for minus 21 yards. Junior linebacker Marcus Buggs has a team-leading 7.0 TFLs for minus 27 yards, while sophomore safety Reshard Langford leads VU with two interceptions.

OLE MISS VS. SEC EAST
Since the SEC started divisional play in 1992, Ole Miss is 24-19 versus the SEC Eastern Division.
Entering the game with Vanderbilt, the Rebels have won nine of their last 14 games versus the SEC East, dating back to Ole Miss' 45-38 win over Vanderbilt to open the 2002 SEC portion of the schedule.
Last year, Ole Miss was 1-2 against SEC East opponents, defeating Kentucky 13-7 and falling at Vanderbilt 31-23 and Tennessee 27-10 ... In 2003, the Rebels recorded their first three-game sweep of their SEC East opponents with wins over Vanderbilt, Florida and South Carolina.
Ole Miss is 11-3 against Vanderbilt since the SEC began divisional play in 1992.
Ole Miss is 12-6 against the SEC East at home.

REB TALK SLATED FOR THURSDAY LINE-UP: Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron's weekly call-in radio show, Reb Talk, will air Thursday, Oct. 5, from 7 to 8 p.m. CT from the Oxford University Club on the Oxford Square. A full listing of radio affiliates is available on page 6.

GREEN-ELLIS LEADS THE GROUND GAME
Ole Miss junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis is the leader in the Rebel ground game. Green-Ellis has led Ole Miss in rushing in each of the first five games with a career-high 135 in the Rebels' last outing versus Georgia. It marked his second 100-yard rushing game of the season as he posted 127 yards in the season-opener versus Memphis. Green-Ellis currently ranks third in the SEC with 94.0 yards per game. With 470 yards through the first five games, The New Orleans native has compiled the most yards by an Ole Miss running back through the first five games Vashon Pearson picked up 481 yards through the first five contests in the 2004 campaign. Green-Ellis is currently on pace to become Ole Miss' first 1,000-yard rusher since Deuce McAllister recorded 1,082 yards on 212 rushes during the 1998 season.

HARDY WRECKING HAVOC
Rebel freshman DE Greg Hardy picked up his third-straight start versus Georgia collecting a team-high six (four solo) tackles, including 1.0 TFL for minus one yard. On the season, Hardy ranks eighth on the team in tackles with 15 (11 solo), while leading Ole Miss with two forced fumbles. Since joining the starting line-up, Hardy has collected 12 (nine solo) tackles, two forced fumbles, two passes defensed, and one TFL.

CASSIUS GOES FOR THE KNOCKOUT
Ole Miss freshman DB Cassius Vaughn made a splash in a big way in Ole Miss' narrow loss to Georgia. Vaughn, who has played on special teams in each of the Rebels' first five games, finally got a piece of the action picking up his first career punt block in the second quarter. The outstanding special teams play led to an Ole Miss field goal and got Ole Miss on the board versus the Bulldogs. Vaughn also recorded his first career tackle versus Georgia.

BLOCK PARTY
In the game versus Georgia, Ole Miss blocked two punts, although the first was called back for a holding penalty. Rebel DBs Dustin Mouzon and Cassius Vaughn each picked up a block on Georgia's Gordon Ely-Kelso in the first half of action. Had the first block versus Georgia not been called back, it would have marked Ole Miss' third block of the season as senior DB Trumaine McBride blocked a Kentucky field goal attempt earlier in the season.

SECOND-QUARTER REBELS: Ole Miss has been a strong second-quarter team this season, outscoring the opposition 34-31 after the second frame. Of the Rebels' 61 points, 34 have come in the second period of play. Conversely, the Rebels have struggled to put points on the board in the other three quarters, picking up just seven points in both the first and third quarters and 13 in the fourth quarter.

NEWCOMERS THROWN INTO ACTION: Through the first five games of the season, 22 members of the 2006 signing class have already seen game action, including 17 true freshmen. Ole Miss ranks second in the country with its 17 true freshmen seeing action. Temple has had 19 first-year players see action and Illinois has fielded 17. Jonathan Cornell (Fr., LB) and Bryan Kendricks (Fr, DB) were the latest newcomers to check into the game as both saw action for the first time against Georgia. The following newcomers have hit the field in their first season in the Red and Blue: Corey Actis (Jr., OL), Cordera Eason (Fr., RB), Daverin Geralds (Fr., DL), Marshay Green (Fr., WR), BenJarvus Green-Ellis (Jr., RB), Bruce Hall (Jr., RB), Andy Hartmann (Fr., FB), Greg Hardy (Fr., DL), Jamal Harvey (Fr., DB), Shay Hodge (Fr., WR), Hayward Howard (So., DL), John Jerry (Fr., OL), Rory Johnson (Jr., LB), Kendrick Lewis (Fr., WR), Kentrell Lockett (Fr., DL), Dexter McCluster (Fr., WR), Preston Powers (Fr., LS), Brent Schaeffer (Jr., QB) Joshua Shene (Fr., K), Marcus Tillman (Fr., DE) and Cassius Vaughn (Fr., DB).

SCHAEFFER FINDING HIS RECEIVERS
After only connecting with two receivers in the first game of the season against Memphis, junior QB Brent Schaeffer has started spread the ball around. In the second game versus Missouri, Schaeffer completed passes to six different pass catchers and in the Kentucky game a season-high eight Rebels caught passes from Schaeffer. In all, 13 different players have made a reception on the season, led by freshman WR Dexter McCluster with 15 catches for 232 yards and one TD.

GOING SOLO
Ole Miss senior Patrick Willis and junior Garry Pack accomplished quite a feat at Kentucky. The duo combined for 26 solo tackles with Pack picking up 14 and Willis 12, both career-highs. The last time a Rebel duo combined for 25 or more solo tackles was in 2001 when Matt Grier and Von Hutchins tallied 25 versus Arkansas in a seven overtime game.

STARTING SOMETHING
Eight offensive players and seven players on the defensive side of the ball have picked up their first career starts through the first five games of the season. Brent Schaeffer (QB), Mike Wallace (WR), Dexter McCluster (WR), Corey Actis (C), David Traxler (RT), John Jerry (RG), Marshay Green (WR) and BenJarvus Green-Ellis (RB) have each started for the first time for the Rebel offense, while Greg Hardy (DE), Peria Jerry (DE), Hayward Howard (DT), Viciente DeLoach (DE), Marcus Tillman (DE), Rory Johnson (WLB) and Quentin Taylor (WLB) have started for the Rebel defense.

RUN DMC
Ole Miss freshman WR Dexter McCluster is racking up yards in all phases of the game. McCluster, who was named Freshman of the Week by both the Southeastern Conference and Rivals.com after the Memphis game, is the Ole Miss' leader in all-purpose yards. He has gained 68 yards on the ground, 232 yards through the air and 256 on kick-off returns. His 111.2 all-purpose yards per game rank sixth in the SEC.
YOUNG RECEIVERS: Ole Miss boasts experienced pass-catchers at the running back and tight end positions, but at wide receiver, the Rebel talent is young. Of the 60 receptions on the season, 50 are to first-time pass-catchers. True freshmen Dexter McCluster and Marshay Green lead the way. McCluster has 15 catches for 232 yards and a TD and Green has 10 receptions for 113 yards and two TDs. Redshirt freshman Michael Hicks was the most recent young receiver to get in the mix as he caught the first pass of his career versus Wake Forest, finishing the game with three catches for 53 yards.

OFFENSIVE NOTES VS. GEORGIA
Junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis led the Rebels on the ground for the fifth-straight game versus Georgia as he finished the game with a career-high 135 yards on 24 carries ...The 135 Yards also marked the second time this season Green-Ellis has gone over the century mark, as he had 127 yards in the season-opener versus Memphis ... The 135 yards marked the most by a Rebel running back since Vashon Pearson ran for 139 yards against Wyoming in 2004 ... Green-Ellis now has 470 yards on the season.
Junior QB Brent Schaeffer was 6-for-15 against Georgia for 87 yards, a season-low.
Freshman WR Dexter McCluster's 49-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter versus UGA was his first of the season, and the longest reception of the season for the Rebels ... the 49-yard reception was also a career-long for McCluster.

DEFENSIVE NOTES VS. GEORGIA
The Rebel defense held its opponent to a punt on its first possession for just the second time in five games this season. In the other three games, the opposing team has scored a TD on its first drive.
The Ole Miss defense shut out its opponent in the first half for the first time this season when it held Georgia scoreless the first two periods.
Senior LB Patrick Willis was held to a season-low four tackles versus UGA. Willis had previously recorded 10 or more tackles in each of the last six games and has now recorded double digits in tackles in 11 of his last 13 games.

SPECIALTY NOTES VS. GEORGIA
Freshman SS Cassius Vaughn blocked a punt by Georgia's Gordon Ely-Kelso in the second quarter ... The block was the first of Vaughn's career and the first blocked punt by a Rebel since Bryan Brown blocked a punt versus Kentucky in 2005.
Freshman K Joshua Shene was 1-for-2 on the evening, knocking through a 23-yard attempt in the second frame after missing a career-long attempt of 53-yards in the first quarter.

SCHEDULE NOTES
Ole Miss will face six teams that went to bowl games last year: Memphis (Motor City), Missouri (Independence), Georgia (Sugar), Alabama (Cotton), Auburn (Capital One) and LSU (Peach).
The Rebels take on two first-time opponents in Wake Forest and Northwestern State.
For the first time in two years, Ole Miss plays seven home games this season, hosting Memphis (Sept. 3), Wake Forest (Sept. 23), Georgia (Sept. 30), Vanderbilt (Oct. 7), Auburn (Oct. 28), Northwestern State (Nov. 4) and Mississippi State (Nov. 25).

REBELS ADD HERALDED SIGNING CLASS: This preseason, Ole Miss has welcomed what many have called the greatest recruiting class in school history. Highlighted by JUCO All-American QB Brent Schaeffer and Parade High School All-American DL Marcus Tillman, the Rebels' signing class has been ranked as high as ninth in college football. Below charts where the media experts tabbed Ole Miss' 2006 incoming class:
CBS SportsLine.com 9th
SuperPrep 13th
ESPN.com 14th
Tom Lemming 15th
Scout.com 15th
CollegeFootballNews.com 15th
Rivals.com 16th
Max Emfinger 16th

2006 SEASON GAME-BY-GAME NOTES

GAME #1: OLE MISS 28
MEMPHIS 25
The Rebels' 28 points scored versus Memphis was the most by an Ole Miss team since they tallied 31 points at South Carolina on Oct. 9, 2004.
The newcomers on the Rebel offense had a warm welcome to their new home, accounting for 321 of Ole Miss' 337 yards in the win over Memphis. Transfers BenJarvus Green-Ellis (RB) and Brent Schaeffer (QB) tallied 127 and 48 yards, respectively, on the ground to go along with Dexter McCluster's (WR) 60 yards of rushing. McCluster also added 86 receiving yards.
Junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis plowed his way to 127 yards and 2 TDs on 26 carries in his Rebel debut versus Memphis. Green-Ellis, who registered career highs of 203 yards and 3 TDs on 42 carries while spending his first two collegiate seasons at Indiana, tallied the most yards by an Ole Miss running back since Vashon Pearson turned in 139 yards on 21 carries versus Wyoming in 2004.
Behind Green-Ellis' performance, the Rebels picked up 240 yards on the ground, the most by an Ole Miss squad since the season-ending win over Mississippi State in the 2004 Egg Bowl. Ole Miss notched 283 yards versus the Bulldogs. The Rebels did not eclipse the 200-yard mark in rushing for all of the 2005 season, with the highest mark of 163 coming against Kentucky.
Sophomore LB Quentin Taylor posted a career-high 8 tackles (4 solo) versus Memphis. Taylor, who picked up his first start, had previously tallied a career high of 5 tackles versus Tennessee last season.
Junior CB Nate Banks posted a career-best 3 passes defensed versus Memphis.
Junior DE Viciente DeLoach forced a fumble in the third quarter versus Memphis. It was the first forced fumble of his career.
Freshman WR Dexter McCluster gained 122 yards on 5 kick-off returns for the Rebels.
Sophomore P Rob Park punted three times versus Memphis for an average of 47.3 yards, a single game career-best average. He averaged 38.2 yards per punt in 2005.

GAME #2: OLE MISS 7
MISSOURI 34
Junior QB Brent Schaeffer completed his first TD pass in a Rebel uniform versus Missouri with a 30-yard strike to freshman WR Marshay Green in the second quarter. Schaeffer previously recorded 2 TD passes as a freshman at Tennessee.
With a Brent Schaeffer interception in the second quarter, the Rebels committed their first turnover of the 2006 season. On the day, Ole Miss turned the ball over three times, all on interceptions.
The Rebels had the ball for just 57 plays versus Missouri compared to 83 vs. the Tigers. Despite the difference in the number of plays, Ole Miss led in possession time 30:49 to 29:11.
Freshman WR Marshay Green caught his first career pass with a 5-yard reception in the second quarter at Missouri. Green followed that up with his first career TD reception on the following play.
Ole Miss' 162 yards of total offense versus Missouri was the Rebels' lowest offensive output since posting only 136 yards versus Auburn in 1998.
Four Rebels recorded their first career reception in the loss to Missouri. Along with Marshay Green, junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, sophomore WR Mike Wallace and freshman WR Kendrick Lewis each grabbed their first pass-catch.
Senior LB Patrick Willis recorded 10 tackles (6 solo) and also picked up a career-best two pass break-ups versus Missouri. The 10 tackles marked the fourth-straight double-digit tackling game for Willis dating back to last season. He has recorded 10 or more tackles in nine of his last 10 games.
Sophomore DL Peria Jerry was credited with his first career sack at Missouri. Jerry sacked Tiger QB Chase Daniel in the first quarter for a 2-yard loss. Jerry also recorded a career-high six tackles in the game.
In his first career start, true freshman DL Marcus Tillman posted a career-high six (five solo) tackles, including 2.0 TFLs for minus two yards.
Sophomore CB Dustin Mouzon posted a career-best five (four solo) tackles. Mouzon also recorded his first career forced fumble versus Missouri.
Rob Park had a career-high 10 punts for a career-high 405 yards at Missouri, including a long of 48 yards. Park's previous career-best marks came against LSU in 2005 when he punted nine times for 325 yards.

GAME #3: OLE MISS 14
KENTUCKY 31

Junior QB Brent Schaeffer completed 13-of-26 passes versus Kentucky for 190 yards, two TDs and one interception. The two TDs marked the first multiple TD performance of Schaeffer's career. The 190 yards were a new career best. Schaeffer also rushed 11 times for 65 yards, both career highs ... Schaeffer connected with eight different receivers on the evening, the most for Ole Miss this season.
Junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis finished the Kentucky game with 85 yards on 19 carries ... Green-Ellis now has 216 yards on 52 carries versus Kentucky in his college career.
Freshman WR Marshay Green hauled in his second career TD with a 47-yard pass reception from QB Brent Schaeffer with 1:03 remaining in the first quarter at Kentucky. The TD marked the first Ole Miss points scored in the first quarter of play this season ... Green's 47-yard reception was also the longest of his career.
Junior TE Robert Hough caught his first career TD pass with a 27-yard grab from Schaeffer with 4:08 remaining in the second quarter versus Kentucky. Hough's TD was the first for a Rebel TE since Lawrence Lilly hauled in a 4-yard TD pass versus Mississippi State in 2004 ... The reception by Hough was also the first for an Ole Miss TE this season.
The Ole Miss offense tallied 395 total yards on 65 plays versus Kentucky, season-highs for both. The 395 yards were the most by a Rebel offense since recording 400 yards versus Vanderbilt in 2005.
Junior LB Garry Pack posted a career-best 14 tackles against the Wildcats. His previous career high was 10 (10 solo) tackles versus Mississippi State in 2005. His 14 solo tackles are also a career high.
Senior LB Patrick Willis recorded 13 tackles (seven solo) and also picked up 1.5 TFLs for minus five yards and a pass break-up versus Kentucky. The 13 tackles marked the fifth-straight double-digit tackling game for Willis dating back to last season. He has recorded 10 or more tackles in 10 of his last 11 games.
The Rebel defense held Kentucky to a punt on the first possession of the game. It marked the first time this season Ole Miss did not allow a TD on the opponents opening drive.
In his first career start at Kentucky, freshman DE Greg Hardy recorded his first career forced fumble and fumble recovery. Hardy also posted a career-best two passes defensed.
The 21 points given up by the Rebel defense in the first half at Kentucky was the most points surrendered in a half this season.
Freshman WR Marshay Green returned the second kick-off of his career in the first quarter for 41 yards versus the the Wildcats. The 41-yard return marked a career-high for Green.
On the final play of the first half, senior CB Trumaine McBride blocked a 37-yard FG attempt by UK's Lones Seiber. It was the first blocked FG for the Rebels since Jayme Mitchell blocked a 51-yard attempt versus Tennessee in 2005. It was McBride's first career blocked FG.

GAME #4: OLE MISS 3
WAKE FOREST 27

Redshirt freshman Michael Hicks picked up his first career reception with a 20-yard catch to end the third quarter. Hicks finished the game versus Wake Forest with three catches for 53 yards.
Junior QB Seth Adams saw his first career action versus Wake Forest. Adams was 8-for-11 passing for 84 yards.
Senior LB Patrick Willis collected 11 tackles, marking the sixth-straight double-digit tackling game for Willis. He has now recorded 10 or more tackles in 11 of his last 12 games.
Sophomore DB Jamarca Sanford tallied 10 tackles, a new career-high. He previously posted eight tackles on three occasions.
The Rebel defense gave up a TD on the opponents' first drive for the third time in four games this season.
Sophomore LB Quentin Taylor picked up 9 tackles, a new career-high. He previously posted eight tackles in the season opener versus Memphis.
Freshman DE Greg Hardy recorded his second-straight game with a forced fumble in the loss to Wake Forest. Hardy also forced a fumble last week versus Kentucky.
Junior DL Brandon Jenkins recovered his first career fumble following Hardy's strip in the first quarter. Jenkins also recorded a career-best six tackles.
Freshman K Joshua Shene connected on his first career FG in the second quarter, a 26-yard attempt. Shene was 1-of-2 on the evening after missing his first career attempt of 25 yards in the first quarter.

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