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The University of Mississippi Athletics
GAME NOTES: Rebels Seek Bowl Eligibility Against Vols
11/9/2009 | Football
Ole Miss (6-3, 2-3) vs. Tennessee (5-4, 2-3)
TIME: November 14, 2009, 11 a.m. CT
SITE (CAPACITY): Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/ Hollingsworth Field (60,580); Oxford, Miss.
TV: CBS (Craig Bolerjack, play-by-play; Steve Beuerlein, analyst).
RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Harry Harrison, analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter); Satellite Radio: XM 199, Sirius 220.
WEB: OleMissSports.com will provide live stats and live audio on RebelVision. The official Rebel athletics website will also provide a full game recap and photo gallery at the game's conclusion.
POLLS: The Rebels and Volunteers are both receiving votes in this week's polls. Ole Miss rose to No. 4 in the rankings on Sept. 20 for the first time since sitting fourth in the rankings on October 12, 1970. The last time the Rebels were ranked higher than fourth was September 1964, when the team was the nation's No. 1. The Rebels' No. 4 ranking marked the highest ever by a Houston Nutt coached team.
SERIES INFO: This game will mark the 63rd meeting between the Rebels and Volunteers dating back to 1902. Tennessee holds a 43-18-1 advantage in the series and has won 12 straight in the series since a 41-17 win in 1984 and 14 of the last 15 dating back to 1981. The two teams last met in 2005, as the Vols won 27-10 in Knoxville. Tennessee is 3-0 when taking on the Rebels in Oxford.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Rebels are seeking to become bowl eligible for the second straight year ... Ole Miss is off to its best start since 2003 ... Shay Hodge has posted back-to-back 100-yard receiving games ... Ole Miss ranks top 16 in the nation in scoring defense, pass efficiency defense and sacks ... Four members of the Tennessee staff previously served at Ole Miss, including former head coach Ed Orgeron ... The Rebels are making their 21st all-time appearance on CBS ... During pre-game ceremonies, Ole Miss will be honoring the 1969 team, which knocked off No. 3 Tennessee en route to an 8-3 record and a Sugar Bowl win over Arkansas.
OLE MISS HEAD COACH HOUSTON NUTT: Houston Nutt (Oklahoma State, 1981) is in his second season at the Ole Miss helm, after being named the University's 36th head football coach on Nov. 28, 2007. His first season in Oxford saw him lead the Rebels to a Cotton Bowl victory and earn SEC Coach of the Year billing for the third time in his career and Region top coaching honors for the fifth time. During his 10 years as the head coach at Arkansas, Nutt guided the Razorbacks to eight bowl berths, three SEC Western Division titles, two SEC Championship game appearances and an average of more than seven wins per season. He also served head coaching stints at Boise State and Murray State, where he captured two OVC Championships. Nutt is 2-5 against Tennessee as a head coach.
TENNESSEE HEAD COACH LANE KIFFIN: Lane Kiffin is in his first season at the helm of the Tennessee Volunteers and is just the third UT head coach in the last 33 years. Kiffin joins the Vols as the former head coach of the Oakland Raiders and former offensive coordinator at Southern California under head coach Pete Carroll. Kiffin, 34, is currently the youngest head coach in major college football.
TENNESSEE SCOUTING REPORT: The Volunteers are riding a two-game win streak following Saturday's 56-28 home win over Memphis. The UT offense is led by senior QB Jonathan Crompton, who ranks third in the SEC in passing at 216.4 ypg and boasts a league-high 21 TDs with 10 interceptions. Senior RB Montario Hardesty is rushing for 100.1 ypg with eight TDs. Tennessee is third in the SEC in total defense, allowing just 295.1 ypg. All-American safety Eric Berry has notched team highs of six pass break-ups and two interceptions and is second on the team in tackles at 6.9 per game. Senior LB Rico McCoy is the Vols' tackles leader with 76, while junior DE Chris Walker has totaled 7.0 TFLs, including 5.5 sacks.
COACHING TIES: Ole Miss will be facing its previous head coach in Tennessee assistant head coach/ defensive line coach Ed Orgeron. The Rebels' 35th head coach served three seasons (2005-07) and turned in a 10-25 record. Orgeron took control in Oxford after serving the previous seven seasons as defensive line coach at the Southern California. All three of his recruiting classes at Ole Miss were listed among the best in college football. In addition, UT wide receivers coach Frank Wilson, strength & conditioning coach Aaron Ausmus and operations coordinator Kyle Strongin were members of the Rebels' staff under Orgeron.
TENNESSEE REBELS: The Ole Miss roster features 10 players from the Volunteer State, including key personnel Cassius Vaughn (Memphis), Greg Hardy (Millington), LaMark Armour (Nashville) and Preston Powers (Collierville). Other Tennessee Rebels are Justin Sparks (Memphis), E.J. Epperson (Humboldt), Z. Mason (Nashville), J.D. Lawhorn (Memphis), Scott Bubis (Brentwood) and Jack Nuismer (Nashville).
OLE MISS VS. SEC EAST
• Since the SEC started divisional play in 1992, Ole Miss is 27-26 versus the SEC Eastern Division.
• Ole Miss is 0-4 during this time against Tennessee.
• In 2003, the Rebels recorded their first three-game sweep of their SEC East opponents with wins over Vanderbilt, Florida and South Carolina.
REBEL NOTEBOOK
• Ole Miss is seeking bowl eligibility for the second straight year ... The Rebels prevously made consecutive bowl games in 2002 and 2003 ... Ole Miss ranks 17th all-time in bowl appearances (32) and 12th in wins (20).
• Ole Miss is off to its best start since 2003, when the team opened at 7-2 overall ... The Rebels were 5-4 at this point a year ago.
• Ole Miss has opened SEC play 2-3 for the second straight year.
• The Rebels are the second-least penalized team in the SEC, having committed only 44 penalties for an average of 40.2 yards per game.
• The South Carolina loss snapped an eight-game win streak, which was the Rebels' longest streak since reeling off 10 consecutive triumphs during the 1971-72 seasons ... It was the second-longest win streak in the nation ... Ole Miss' previous loss was the 24-20 setback at No. 2 Alabama last year.
OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION
• Ole Miss is averaging 34.7 points per outing over its last 13 games ... Included in this span of games is a 59-0 blanking of Louisiana-Monroe, which was Ole Miss' largest margin of victory since 1969.
• The Rebel offense has reached 500 yards of total offense three times this season, including two of the last four games with 501 vs. UAB and 553 vs. Arkansas ... The 553 yards against Arkansas marked the most by a Rebel offense since posting 567 against Wyoming in 2004.
• The South Carolina game snapped a school-record streak of four straight games with 45 or more points.
STINGY DEFENSE
• Ole Miss ranks 12 in the nation and 4th in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing just 15.8 ppg this year.
• Dating back to last season, the Rebels are holding opponents to just 14.3 points over the last 13 games ... The Rebel defense has posted two shutouts in this span.
• Ole Miss has held the opposition under 300 yards of total offense four times this year, including three SEC games, and eight times under head coach Houston Nutt ... The Rebels limited Arkansas to 299 yards (45 rushing), Vanderbilt to 240 yards (69 passing) and South Carolina to 285 (65 rushing).
• Ole Miss is No. 1 in the SEC in third down defense, holding the opposition to just a 26.4-percent success rate ... Southeastern Louisiana was limited to 0-for-14 on third down, while Alabama was just 4-of-20.
• The Rebels have allowed only six points in the first quarter this year off field goals against Alabama and Auburn.
PASS DEFENSE IMPROVEMENT: After ranking 10th in in the SEC in pass defense efficiency a year ago, Ole Miss stands third in the league and 14th in the NCAA in that category this season, limiting the opposition to an 100.02 efficiency rating. The Rebel defense has surrendered just five passing TDs, which is the third-least in the conference. Ole Miss held Vanderbilt without a pass completion in the first half and limited the Commodores to just 69 passing yards. Alabama QB Greg McElroy entered the game against the Rebels as the nation's sixth-most efficient passer with a 165.48 rating and was held to 15-of-34 passing and an 80.44 efficiency rating.
BEHIND THE LINE: Ole Miss has risen to second in the SEC in both TFLs (7.0 pg) and sacks (2.8 pg, which ranks 16th in the NCAA). The Rebels posted four sacks against Vanderbilt and three each vs. Arkansas and Auburn. Ole Miss notched a pair against Alabama and was also credited with seven QB pressures. The Rebels, who tied for the nation's lead in TFLs in 2008 averaging 8.62 pg, posted 10 TFLs against both Memphis and Northern Arizona. Junior NT Jerrell Powe is tied for sixth in the SEC with 9.0 TFLs, while senior DE Greg Hardy has notched 6.5 TFLs and a team-high 5.0 sacks (0.62 spg is tied for sixth in the SEC).
REB ZONE: Ole Miss has been near perfect in the red zone thus far this season, ranking second in the SEC in red zone offense and third in red zone defense. In their 27 offensive trips inside the 20 yard line, the Rebels have scored 26 times, totaling 21 touchdowns and five field goals. Of the 21 TDs, 12 were passing and nine rushing. In 31 red zone opportunities for the opposition, the Rebels have surrendered just nine TDs, held the foe to a field goal 13 times and forced four turnovers.
RED HOT HODGE: Senior WR Shay Hodge is averaging 110.75 yards and 6.5 receptions over the last four games and has notched consecutive 100-yard receiving games. For the season, he ranks second in the SEC in both receptions (5.0 rpg) and receiving yards (81.4 ypg). Against Northern Arizona, Hodge posted a career-high 169 yards on seven catches with two TDs, which ties his single-game career best. It marked his fourth game of the season with at least seven receptions, and he registered a season-long 65-yard reception. His two TD catches pull him within four of the Ole Miss all-time record of 24 held by Chris Collins (2000-03). With 148 catches for 2,244 yards, Hodge needs only one more reception to tie Bill Flowers (2001-04) for second on the career receptions list and 30 more receiving yards to tie Willie Green (1986-89) for second in that category. Hodge's four career 100-yard receiving games is tied for third in Rebel history, and his three this year equals the fourth-highest single-season total.
GRAND GRANDY: It took freshman Jesse Grandy just a month to carve his name in the Ole Miss record book. In only his fourth game handling returns, Grandy notched his second kickoff return for a TD with an 82-yarder against Auburn. He is only the third Rebel to return two kickoffs for TDs in the same season and the first since John Avery in 1996. The other is Vernon Studdard in 1970. Grandy's current 30.1-yard average ranks second in the SEC and 11th in the nation. The Ole Miss single-season record is 24.6 ypr established last year by Mike Wallace. Grandy returned the opening kickoff of the UAB game 88 yards for a touchdown. The team's previous opening kickoff return for a TD was by Deuce McAllister against Arkansas in Oxford in 1999.
SONIC YOUTH: The Rebels' 2009 signing class is already making its mark on the Ole Miss program, particularly on special teams. In addition to Jesse Grandy's exploits (see previous note), P Tyler Campbell is the No. 2 punter in the SEC and No. 18 in the NCAA with a 43.8-yard average. In addition, K Andrew Ritter is averaging 64.5 yards per kickoff with nine touchbacks. Offensively, WR Pat Patterson is fourth on the team in receiving yards with 163 on 11 catches, and he was among three true freshmen that scored touchdowns against Southeastern Louisiana, including Grandy on a 46-yard run and LB D.T. Shackelford on a 58-yard interception return. A pair of freshmen provided the offensive spark against UAB as Grandy returned the opening kickoff 88 yards for a TD, while RB Rodney Scott rushed for a team-high 57 yards and two TDs, the most rushing scores by a Rebel since 2007.
DEBUTS: A total of 30 Rebels, including 11 true freshman have made their debut in the Red and Blue this season: Ferbia Allen (RFr., TE), Tyler Campbell (Fr., P), Craig Drummond (Fr., DL), E.J. Epperson (RFr., TE), Jesse Grandy (Fr., WR), H.R. Greer (RFr., FB), Melvin Harris (RFr., WR), A.J. Hawkins (Fr., OL), Lekenwic Haynes (RFr., LB), Dan Hoffman (So., FB), Jason Jones (RFr., LB), Layton Jones (Jr., TE), Joel Kight (Fr., LB), Josh Lancaster (RFr., LB), Colby Landers (Sr., FB), Bobby Massie (Fr., OL), Jared Mitchell (RFr., S), Pat Patterson (Fr., WR), Andrew Ritter (Fr., K), Gerald Rivers (RFr., DE), Bryson Rose (RFr., K), Brandon Sanders (RFr., LB), Rodney Scott (Fr., RB), D.T. Shackelford (Fr., LB), Tim Simon (Fr., RB), Nathan Stanley (RFr., QB), Rodney Steen (Jr., DE), Trey Tripp (So., LB), Julian Whitehead (RFr., CB), Rudy Wilson (RFr., DB).
STARTERS: Eleven Rebels have made their first career start this season. NORTHERN ARIZONA: Bobby Massie (Fr., RT), Alex Washington (So., LG); ALABAMA: Pat Patterson (Fr., WR); VANDERBILT: Mark Jean-Louis (Sr., FB); SOUTH CAROLINA: Derrick Davis (Jr., FB); SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA: Rishaw Johnson (So., RG), Jerrell Powe (Jr., NT), Jeremy McGee (Jr., RCB); MEMPHIS: Brandon Bolden (So., RB), Bradley Sowell (So., LT), Ferbia Allen (RFr., TE).
SNEAD FOR SIX: Junior QB Jevan Snead accounted for all four of the Rebels' TDs against Northern Arizona and has been responsible for 11 in the last four games. This season, he has passed for 17 TDs, which is tied for third in the SEC, and rushed for three scores, which have all come in the last three games. Snead tied his career high with two rushing TDs against NAU and completed 16-of-29 passes for 235 yards with two TDs and no interceptions, marking his fourth game this year with no picks. Against Arkansas, Snead notched the first 300-yard passing game of his career, completing 22-of-33 for 332 yards with two passing TDs, one rushing TD and two interceptions. Snead has passed for multiple TD passes in 12 of the last 15 games and has topped 200 yards passing 12 times in his two seasons as a Rebel, including five games this year. Last year, Snead finished second in the SEC in TD passes (26) and third in passing average (212.5 ypg). He ranked third in the SEC (21st in the nation) in pass efficiency (145.5) and fourth in the league in total offense (217.1 ypg). He established Ole Miss season records for average yards per completion (15.0) and average yards per pass attempt (8.4) and ranks behind only Eli Manning on the Rebel single-season passing charts for efficiency (second), TDs (third) and yards (fourth).
CATCH 22: Prior to his light work day against Northern Arizona, senior Dexter McCluster averaged 154.5 rushing yards and 231.5 all-purpose yards over a two-game span. With a career-high 22 carries each outing, he recorded his first two 100-yard rushing games and totaled a career-high 186 at Auburn, which is the most by a Rebel since BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 226 yards against Missouri in 2007. McClusters' 79-yard TD run Saturday marked the longest rush of his career and the longest by an Ole Miss player since Deuce McAllister galloped 80 yards for a score against Oklahoma in the 1999 Independence Bowl. Against the Razorbacks, McCluster became the first Rebel in the modern era (records dating back to 1965) to top the 100-yard mark in both rushing and receiving. McCluster posted team highs of 123 rushing yards and a career-high 137 receiving yards off a career high-tying seven grabs. He finished with 260 all-purpose yards, which is the most by a Rebel since McCluster's own career-best 268-yard performance in his Ole Miss debut against Memphis in 2006. McCluster is second on the team in both rushing (52.6 ypg) and receiving (27 rec, 352 yds) this season. Last year, McCluster joined Florida's Percy Harvin as the only players to rank top 10 in the SEC in rushing yards, receiving yards, receptions and all-purpose yards.
BALANCED BOLDEN: Sophomore RB Brandon Bolden continues to find different ways to contribute for the Rebels. The Baton Rouge native posted 127 all-purpose yards against Alabama, notching career bests of four receptions and 76 receiving yards, and against Northern Arizona, he racked up a team-high 85 rushing yards, including a 45-yard TD run, and a pair of catches for four yards. Bolden totaled 80 all-purpose yards against Arkansas with 62 rushing yards on 14 attempts and two catches for 18 yards, and at Auburn, he matched his career best of four receptions for 46 yards, including a career-long 43-yarder. As a rusher, Bolden has led the team in rushing in four games this year and is first on the team with an average of 58.1 ypg. He has topped 60 yards on the ground five times this year. He reached the 100-yard mark for the second time in his career with 105 yards on 13 carries against Southeastern Louisiana. At Vanderbilt, he ran for 89 yards on a career-high 16 carries. As a receiver, Bolden is third on the team with 17 catches and 188 yards. Bolden has also contributed in the return game with an average of 23.1 ypr in his seven kickoff returns.
MORE OFFENSIVE NOTES
• A total of 15 Rebels have scored TDs this season, led by the six scoring catches of Shay Hodge.
• Junior WR Markeith Summers is first on the team in yards per catch with a 22.9 average and is tied for second in TD catches with three ... Summers posted a career-high three catches for 25 yards against Northern Arizona ... He hauled in a career-long 65-yard reception against UAB ... He collected two grabs for 60 yards at South Carolina.
• Of his six receptions this season, senior FB Andy Hartmann has three TD catches, which is tied for second on the team.
• Three different Rebels scored their first career TD against UAB (Rodney Scott twice by rush, Lionel Breaux by catch, Andrew Harris by catch) ... Three TDs were accounted for by true freshmen (Scott twice by rush, Jesse Grandy by kick return).
• Freshman RB Rodney Scott's two rushing TDs against UAB were the most by a Rebel since BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for three scores in the 2007 Northwestern State game ... Scott topped the team in rushing for the first time in his career, finishing with 57 yards on nine carries.
MORE DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Of senior DE Greg Hardy's 16 credited tackles this year, 6.5 are TFLs and 5.0 sacks ... He posted a season-high two sacks at Auburn ... Hardy boasts 39.0 career TFLs and 26.5 sacks, including an SEC-best 10.0 in 2007 ... Last year, Hardy missed four full games and large portions of others but still posted a team-high 8.5 sacks, which ranked third in the SEC; His 0.94 sacks per game would have ranked seventh in the NCAA if he had played in 75 percent of the games.
• Junior NT Jerrell Powe was credited with a career-high and team-high 3.0 TFLs with 1.0 sack against Northern Arizona ... In his first year as a starter, Powe has risen to first on the team and sixth in the SEC in TFLs with 9.0.
• Senior S Kendrick Lewis topped the team with a career-high 10 tackles against NAU and added a field goal block ... Lewis leads the team in tackles (57) and forced fumbles (2) and is second in pass break-ups (6) ... At Auburn, Lewis finished with seven total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one pass break-up.
• Senior DE Kentrell Lockett boasts a team-high eight QB pressures and is tied for 10th in the SEC in sacks with 4.0 ... He is tied for third on the team with 6.0 TFLs.
• Junior S Johnny Brown has posted three double-digit tackle performances, including 10 against both Auburn and Alabama ... In the season opener against Memphis, Brown made his first start since his freshman year, topped the team with a career-high 15 tackles and recorded his second career interception.
• Senior LB Patrick Trahan has topped the team in tackles twice this season, most recently with seven total stops against Arkansas, including his fourth sack of the year ... Trahan was also the Rebels' tackle leader against Alabama with a career-high 11, including a pair of sacks ... He is tied for 10th in the SEC in sacks.
• Senior CB Cassius Vaughn is seventh in the SEC in passes defended at 1.0 per game ... Vaughn has recorded a team-high eight pass break-ups and his third career interception.
• Against NAU, senior DE Marcus Tillman recorded his second career interception ... He also notched a half TFL.
• Junior LB Allen Walker posted a career high 2.5 TFLs with 1.0 sack vs. NAU ... Walker also equaled his career best with seven stops.
MORE SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
• Ole Miss blocked two field goal attempts against Northern Arizona with one each by Kendrick Lewis and Kentrell Lockett, who collected the second kick block of his career ... The last time the Rebels blocked a field goal was Brandon Jenkins' block in the 2007 Louisiana Tech game.
• Senior K Joshua Shene is a perfect 7-for-7 on field goals inside 40 yards after connecting from 38 yards against NAU ... Shene improved to 9-of-10 overall in FGs this year ... Snead's blocked extra point at Vanderbilt snapped a streak of 88 straight PATs which stands as the second-longest in school history ... Last year, Shene led the SEC in FG pct. (17-of-21, 81.0 pct.) and PATs (52-of-52, 1.000 pct.).
• Freshman P Tyler Campbell is the No. 2 punter in the SEC and No. 18 in the NCAA with a 43.8-yard average ... Campbell has notched six punts of 50-plus yards, including a 71-yarder against Alabama, which is the longest by a Rebel since Cody Ridgeway's 75-yarder in the 2001 Georgia game.
• Freshman K Andrew Ritter is averaging 64.5 yards per kickoff with nine touchbacks in 50 attempts ... Ole Miss is third in the SEC in kickoff coverage with a net of 43.9-yard average per kick.
OLE MISS ON TV
• All nine of the Rebels' games this season have been televised ... Two games each have been on ESPN, the SEC Network and CSS and one each on CBS, ESPNU, FSN and CSS.
• This game will mark the Rebels' 21st appearance all-time on CBS and second this year (Alabama) ... Ole Miss is 7-13 on the network and ended a five- game skid on CBS last November with the 31-13 win at LSU.
• A total of 93 Ole Miss games have been on TV over the past 13 seasons ... Last year, the Rebels appeared on TV seven times, posting a 5-2 mark.
• All-time, this game will be the Rebels' 178th TV appearance since Ole Miss made its network TV debut in the 1953 Sugar Bowl versus Georgia Tech ... Ole Miss is 81-94-2 all-time in TV games.
SOLD OUT: Eleven days before the season even started, Ole Miss officials announced that football season tickets were sold out. It is believed to be the first time the Rebels have sold out of season tickets. The approximately 51,019 season tickets sold easily smashed the previous high mark of 48,180 in 2004.
GRADUATING REBELS: Four student-athletes on the Ole Miss football team have already received their undergraduate degrees. DT LaMark Armour, WR J.D. Lawhorn and K-P Justin Sparks are currently working on a second degree, while QB Billy Tapp is enrolled in graduate school.
