.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Preseason Report 08.20: Cooler Temperatures Grace Rebels
8/21/2009 | Football
OXFORD, Miss. - With 17 days until the season opener against Memphis, the Ole Miss football team got in some good work on the kicking game, and the defense shined again Thursday in unseasonably cooler temperatures at the practice fields adjacent to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
"We've been blessed with some great weather, and we got a lot done today," head coach Houston Nutt said. "We worked extremely hard on our kicking units again today with emphasis on PATs and field goals and our field goal blocking."
As has been the case for much of the preseason, Nutt praised the play of the defense.
"Our defense really brought a lot of energy; they were swarming the football today," he said. "Allen Walker, Patrick Trahan, Kendrick Lewis and Marshay Green really stepped us as leaders for us. It didn't seem like we got much done offensively, because when we watch the film, I think we'll see a very fast group on defense. They made a lot of plays today. We still have a ways to go, and we have just enough time to get there."
While the defensive line is considered to be one of the deepest in the SEC, it's the safety position that Nutt is looking to secure. He was asked about some of the guys who might step in to replace Jamarca Sanford.
"George Helow is our guy on special teams who hustles. Right now he's running third team safety. We lost a couple of kids that we signed that we were counting on. So now we're expecting Derek Herman to take a jump. Between Derek Herman, George Helow and Jared Mitchell, two of those three guys have to come up.
"They need to be more consistent and better tacklers, Nutt added, when talking about those guys and Fon Ingram as well. They missed some tackles on Wednesday. They're eyes weren't in the right place a couple of times in coverage. That's what you have in Johnny Brown and Kendrick Lewis - some experienced guys. We knew that though."
In reference to the kicking game, Nutt was asked about freshman punter Tyler Campbell, who nailed several long punts during practice.
"It's a consistency thing with him. But, it's a good thing. When we first got here, all I was asked about is whose going to punt, who's going to kick. It's a good thing, because Andrew Ritter and Tyler Campbell give us a chance to say that for the next four years we're going to be in good shape.
"What we feel good about is Justin Sparks. He's been in a game before. If we played tonight he would be our punter. He also could be our kicker. But we have David Hankins and Andrew Ritter kicking off. Really we have two guys to punt, two guys to kickoff, and we're not afraid to put any of the four in the ballgame."
Freshmen Bobbie Massie, Ryan Campbell, Z. Mason and Frank Crawford missed practice due to having to go to mandatory orientation since they were not here in the summer.
Athletics director Pete Boone and Nutt announced earlier in the week that Saturday's planned "Meet the Rebels Day" has been cancelled due to precaution in regards to flu concerns.
