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The University of Mississippi Athletics
INSIDER: Spring has Sprung
3/2/2007 | Football
By Ben Garrett
OleMissSports.com Insider
Following a 20-17 thriller over
Starting today, Ole Miss football fans will be able to catch a glimpse of the 2007 version of the Rebels through a month-long pigskin teaser, which will conclude with the annual Grove Bowl April 7.
With many questions regarding potential position battles and various vacated holes, due to departures via graduation and the NFL Draft, spring practice should be enticing for even the slightest football enthusiast.
“We are excited to start spring ball on Friday”, said Rebel head coach Ed Orgeron. “We really feel excited about our offense and I know (offensive coordinator) Dan (Werner) is going to do a great job with it. We have some work to do on defense, and we’re going to try to put the best people in the best positions to make plays.”
There will be many position battles to watch come Friday, with quarterback being a prime example of the upcoming competition that lies ahead. With returning starter Brent Schaeffer and backup Seth Adams as the current front-runners to be given the nod as gunslinger for the Rebels, a fight until the end should not come unsuspected.
“I think there’s going to be a battle at quarterback,” Orgeron said. “What we need to see is consistency. We need to improve on our passing game. We want the best guy to play. Hopefully, it will be Brent if he has a great spring. If not, it may be Seth. I think it will be one of those two guys. But it is open to all quarterbacks.”
Another quarterback that is sure to get plenty of looks in the upcoming weeks is
“There is no scout team in the spring, so we are going to let Jevan play and compete,” Orgeron said. “He will get him some snaps with both the first team and the second team. Maybe we can learn a few things from him.”
Another key position to watch will be at linebacker. With the departure of senior leader Patrick Willis and swingman Rory Johnson, the Rebels will have to find a group of capable replacements to lead the defense. While the current roster is thin at the position, possible switches have been mentioned to help returnees Jonathon Cornell, Brandon Thomas, and Antonio Turner. Those switches include former defensive end Chris Bowers as well as newly signed LaDerrick Vaughn, who was suspected to play defensive back upon his arrival in
“We’re going to mix and match a lot of guys,” said Orgeron. “It’s easy to say we’re going to put a guy here and then everybody mention he’s playing there and he’s not playing there the next day. We’re not going to do that this spring. We’re going to mix and match guys as we feel fit and we probably will not have our starting linebacker corps until everybody gets together and we see who plays.”
Although there will be many storylines in the upcoming weeks in regards to position battles and player performance, there is plenty of talent returning that should be noted. Upcoming seniors currently on the roster include Benjarvus Green-Ellis, who rushed for 1,000 yards last season, tight end
“Jeremy Garrett has had an excellent offseason,” he said. “He really works hard. He has to stay healthy. If he can stay healthy, he can be a leader. Other guys have to come to the front. They haven’t proven that they can be leaders yet. We are looking for that.”
Another revelation that will take shape this spring will be a more aggressive style defense. With the hiring of defensive coordinator John Thompson in January, the Rebels look to use a variety of different looks defensively, as well as a mixture of different blitz packages to help increase pressure on the quarterback. The Rebels managed only 14 sacks last season.
“John is doing an excellent job, like I thought he would,” said Orgeron. “He is in the defensive staff meetings, and it seems like things are well organized. He has got the guys in good places right now, and it seems like he has us in the direction that we want to go. I think that our players are already attached to him. I think that he does a great job of communicating with the players and he’s a great leader.”
Although spring ball is merely a quick look at the upcoming football season, many positions and roles will begin to take shape throughout its duration. With position battles and switches, to senior leaders surfacing, to a new look defensively, this time of year always yields a plethora of interest.
And while experts will tell you that the official start to spring is on the day of equality between night and day on March 21, don’t be fooled. For any Ole Miss Rebel, spring has already sprung.
