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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Practice Report: Week 7
10/9/2019 | Football
<i class="icon-video"></i> Jacob Peeler Interview<i class="icon-video"></i> Jonathan Mingo Interview<i class="icon-video"></i> Luke Knox Interview
Jacob Peeler, Jonathan Mingo and Luke Knox Meet with Media
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss football returned to the practice field Tuesday coming off a decisive 31-6 win over Vanderbilt on homecoming weekend.
After Tuesday's practice, receivers coach Jacob Peeler, receiver Jonathan Mingo and outside linebacker Luke Knox met with the media to preview this weekend's road trip to Missouri.
PEELER ON PROGRESS
Ole Miss has racked up a combined 692 yards on the ground over the last two games, the most in a two-game span since the Rebels totaled 754 against LSU and Tennessee in 1977. The tremendous success on the ground has left fewer receptions to be had for coach Jacob Peeler's Nasty Wide Outs. However, as long as the offense has success, Peeler isn't concerned about how that success comes.
"Last week, we ran with the hot hand and were able to establish the run," Peeler said. "If it ain't broke, why try to mess with it? We'll do whatever we have to do to win football games."
The Rebel receiving room is laden with young players. Five freshmen have seen the field this year, in addition to sophomores Elijah Moore and Tylan Knight. So while the Ole Miss receivers haven't put up massive numbers in the passing game lately, Peeler has still seen great progress from his young group.
"We're still growing, learning," Peeler said. "It's never at the level you want it to be as a coach. You always want to improve upon it, but we are doing some good things. We're doing some stuff away from the ball, even when we're not getting the ball, on the perimeter blocking and winning some routes when it's our time. We just have to keep executing and continue getting those guys better every week."
MINGO ON PLUMLEE ISLAND?
Jonathan Mingo has risen to the top of the crop of freshmen in the receiver room. He's currently second on the team with 144 receiving yards on nine catches, second only to Moore. He's one of several impact freshmen on the Rebel roster, showing how bright the future can be in Oxford. But even with the early success of the 2019 class, the focus is on winning in the here and now.
"We know we're special, but right now we're just trying to focus on the present," Mingo said. "We have some seniors in the locker room. We're trying to get them to a bowl game, send them out in the right way."
One of Mingo's fellow impact freshmen is a familiar face in John Rhys Plumlee. Mingo, a product of Brandon High School, squared off with Plumlee's Oak Grove squad in high school—and Plumlee even lined up at cornerback across the field from Mingo. The media asked Mingo about that matchup, giving the Rebel receiver an opportunity to talk a little trash to his quarterback.
"He came out the first play and they didn't throw to me, but the next time I scored on him. I can beat John Rhys in anything. Jumping, speed, throwing—I can out-throw him too. I'm a competitor," Mingo quipped. "He's a good athlete. I like John Rhys. I like playing with him and Matt Corral."
STARTING KNOX
After spending the 2018 season as a redshirt, Luke Knox has been a fast riser on the Ole Miss defense, culminating with his first career start last weekend against Vanderbilt. The second-year freshman made a pair of tackles and broke up a pass during his first game in a lead role in the OLB rotation.
"It was fun," Knox said. "It was just like any other game getting out there. I had been doing reps with the ones all week, but I didn't really know going into game time if I'd be the starter or not, but it was fun getting out there. Week by week, I'm just getting more and more confident, knowing my assignments. There are a bunch of guys in that room who are all really talented. A bunch of guys who know what they're doing, doing the right thing. And the coaches do a great job getting us ready."
Now, Knox and Co. will look ahead to a road trip to Missouri, where they'll be tasked with slowing down Tiger quarterback Kelly Bryant. The former Clemson signal caller has thrown for 1,246 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions, in addition to 123 yards and a score on the ground—so disrupting Bryant's rhythm will be one of the defense's top priorities in Columbia.
"He's a great player," Knox said of Bryant. "He's one of those guys who, if we can put pressure on him, you never know what will happen. He's a great athlete, he can scramble, he can throw. We need to prepare for him going into this week for sure."
After Tuesday's practice, receivers coach Jacob Peeler, receiver Jonathan Mingo and outside linebacker Luke Knox met with the media to preview this weekend's road trip to Missouri.
PEELER ON PROGRESS
Ole Miss has racked up a combined 692 yards on the ground over the last two games, the most in a two-game span since the Rebels totaled 754 against LSU and Tennessee in 1977. The tremendous success on the ground has left fewer receptions to be had for coach Jacob Peeler's Nasty Wide Outs. However, as long as the offense has success, Peeler isn't concerned about how that success comes.
"Last week, we ran with the hot hand and were able to establish the run," Peeler said. "If it ain't broke, why try to mess with it? We'll do whatever we have to do to win football games."
The Rebel receiving room is laden with young players. Five freshmen have seen the field this year, in addition to sophomores Elijah Moore and Tylan Knight. So while the Ole Miss receivers haven't put up massive numbers in the passing game lately, Peeler has still seen great progress from his young group.
"We're still growing, learning," Peeler said. "It's never at the level you want it to be as a coach. You always want to improve upon it, but we are doing some good things. We're doing some stuff away from the ball, even when we're not getting the ball, on the perimeter blocking and winning some routes when it's our time. We just have to keep executing and continue getting those guys better every week."
MINGO ON PLUMLEE ISLAND?
Jonathan Mingo has risen to the top of the crop of freshmen in the receiver room. He's currently second on the team with 144 receiving yards on nine catches, second only to Moore. He's one of several impact freshmen on the Rebel roster, showing how bright the future can be in Oxford. But even with the early success of the 2019 class, the focus is on winning in the here and now.
"We know we're special, but right now we're just trying to focus on the present," Mingo said. "We have some seniors in the locker room. We're trying to get them to a bowl game, send them out in the right way."
One of Mingo's fellow impact freshmen is a familiar face in John Rhys Plumlee. Mingo, a product of Brandon High School, squared off with Plumlee's Oak Grove squad in high school—and Plumlee even lined up at cornerback across the field from Mingo. The media asked Mingo about that matchup, giving the Rebel receiver an opportunity to talk a little trash to his quarterback.
"He came out the first play and they didn't throw to me, but the next time I scored on him. I can beat John Rhys in anything. Jumping, speed, throwing—I can out-throw him too. I'm a competitor," Mingo quipped. "He's a good athlete. I like John Rhys. I like playing with him and Matt Corral."
STARTING KNOX
After spending the 2018 season as a redshirt, Luke Knox has been a fast riser on the Ole Miss defense, culminating with his first career start last weekend against Vanderbilt. The second-year freshman made a pair of tackles and broke up a pass during his first game in a lead role in the OLB rotation.
"It was fun," Knox said. "It was just like any other game getting out there. I had been doing reps with the ones all week, but I didn't really know going into game time if I'd be the starter or not, but it was fun getting out there. Week by week, I'm just getting more and more confident, knowing my assignments. There are a bunch of guys in that room who are all really talented. A bunch of guys who know what they're doing, doing the right thing. And the coaches do a great job getting us ready."
Now, Knox and Co. will look ahead to a road trip to Missouri, where they'll be tasked with slowing down Tiger quarterback Kelly Bryant. The former Clemson signal caller has thrown for 1,246 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions, in addition to 123 yards and a score on the ground—so disrupting Bryant's rhythm will be one of the defense's top priorities in Columbia.
"He's a great player," Knox said of Bryant. "He's one of those guys who, if we can put pressure on him, you never know what will happen. He's a great athlete, he can scramble, he can throw. We need to prepare for him going into this week for sure."
Players Mentioned
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