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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Spring Practice Report 04.03
4/3/2009 | Football
OXFORD, Miss. -- More than 160 high school coaches looked on Friday afternoon, as Ole Miss held its fifth practice of 2009 spring football drills.
As the Rebel staff hosted its annual high school coaching clinic, the team worked for two hours in full pads on the practice fields in preparation for Saturday's first scrimmage of the spring. Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt said his improving squad still has work left to do.
"There are still some things we can do so much better," he said. "To win and win big, you can't have foolish penalties and jump offsides and misalign. Yardage is too hard to come by. But the thing you do see, and these coaches will tell you, boy, they're practicing fast and practicing with some enthusiasm and an attitude.' And that's what it's about."
Last spring, Marshay Green made the switch from offense to defense and started 12 games at cornerback in 2008, culminating with Defensive MVP honors in the Cotton Bowl. The rising senior's maturation at the position continues and was evident in Friday's workout, which ended with his interception in the endzone during situational scrimmages.
"Marshay's hands have gotten so much better, and he's reading the quarterback," Nutt said. "From the sixth or seventh game on, he has found how to turn his eyes and read the ball in the flight. He's been a receiver, and that makes it so much easier. It's about confidence and experience."
On offense, Reid Neely moved from guard to left tackle on Wednesday, and Nutt said he remains pleased with that adjustment.
"Reid looks good out there, and I think that helps Bradley Sowelll," Nutt said. "There's nothing like competition. Mixing it up really helps. Rishaw Johnson took another step forward. Brandon Green has come on. A.J. Hawkins is getting some valuable reps. I just like our mix right now.
"Tomorrow will be really interesting, and we'll put a lot of them under the gun, A.J. especially. John Jerry and guys like that probably won't get as much."
The Rebels will begin their Saturday on the practice fields at 10:20 a.m. before moving into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the first time this spring. The scrimmage is expected to last 75 plays with approximately 30 snaps for the first string.
Ole Miss spring football practices are open to the public. Use of cellular phones and cameras are prohibited for fans at practice.
