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The University of Mississippi Athletics
GAMEDAY PREVIEW: Ole Miss vs. Alabama
10/15/2011 | Football
Oct. 15, 2011
Gameday Central | Scouting Report |
TV: ESPN2 | Ole Miss Radio Network (Sirius 220, XM 199)
OXFORD, Miss. - Coming off of an out-of-conference victory over Fresno State and an open week of preparation, the Ole Miss Rebels face a tough test in one of their biggest home games of the year, as Nick Saban's No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide bring their vaunted defense to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Kickoff is slated for 5:00 p.m. today. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
The Rebels will look to end a seven-game losing streak against the Crimson Tide. Alabama currently holds a 47-9-2 lead in the series.
This will be the first ranked opponent that the Rebels have faced this season, and the first of three consecutive games against ranked opponents.
With the open date, junior quarterback Randall Mackey had an opportunity to spend an extra week preparing for the Alabama defense. In his first career start against Fresno State, Mackey completed 8 of 18 passes for 214 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 35 yards.
"Tyrone [Nix] used the defense to blitz him [Mackey] a bit and see how he reads things," head coach Houston Nutt said. "He is getting better and I am excited about how he is approaching things and studying the game. I like the way he is handling practice. He is going through reads and the main thing he is doing is not turning the ball over."
The Alabama defense is holding opponents to just 191.3 yards per game and ranks first in the nation in rushing defense, surrendering a mere 39.8 yards on the ground per-game and 1.6 yards per-carry.
"Their secondary does so many good things with man coverage and gives you the perception that it is going to be man coverage, and then they trade off on crossing routes," Nutt said. There is a lot of variety so it is just tough. The main thing they do is stop the run. When you watch these teams, they try but it doesn't happen. It is an awfully good scheme, multiple schemes with good people."
The Rebels will look to be the first team to find success on the ground against the Tide. Jeff Scott turned in a career-best 138-yard, two touchdown effort against Fresno State. In all three losses this season, the Rebels have failed to gain 100 yards on the ground.
The Tide will also bring the nation's most balanced offensive attack into Oxford today. The Crimson Tide average 434.8 yards per-game with 217.0 coming on the ground and 217.8 through the air.
Taking over for former Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram has proven to be little challenge for junior running back Trent Richardson. Now a Heisman candidate in his own right, Richardson has rushed for 720 yards this season for a 6.3 yards-per-carry average and 11 touchdowns. The SEC's second leading rusher has gone over 100 yards in his last four games.
"Trent is really hard to bring down. He does an excellent job of breaking tackles," Nutt said. "It helps that they have a good offensive line and they are working well together."
The Ole Miss defense held the Crimson Tide to their third lowest rushing output of the 2010 season in last year's meeting-100 yards-but the Rebels are giving up an average of 193.0 yards a game on the ground this season and have allowed a 100-yard rusher in their last three games.
Led by Charles Sawyer, the defensive backfield has been the strength of the Rebel defense. Ole Miss is tied for eighth in the nation in interceptions. Individually, Sawyer ranks second in the nation with four interceptions in five games-including a 96-yard pick-six in the opener against BYU.
They will face a difficult task going against an Alabama passing attack led by sophomore quarterback AJ McCarron. McCarron is completing 65.3 percent of his passes and has thrown for 1,156 yards and eight touchdowns to six different receivers.
"They pick and choose their spots with him," Nutt said. "He doesn't force it or make errors and throw it to the other team. The number one thing he does so well at quarterback is protect the ball."
New for fans in 2011 is the "Rebel Fanfare," sponsored by Baptist Hospital of North Mississippi. It opens three hours prior to kickoff and is located off All-American Drive, across the street from the Starnes Center. Admission is free for all ages. "Rebel Fanfare" includes inflatables, interactive games for kids, food vendors and the pre-game radio show which begins two hours prior to kickoff. It will also feature appearances by former players, cheerleaders, Rebelettes and Rebel.
Visit OleMissFB.com for all the information you need about Ole Miss gamedays this fall, and follow @RebelGameday on Twitter for the most up-to-date news and info each Saturday.
