The Ole Miss football team started spring practice Tuesday night in the first of 15 practices leading up to the annual Grove Bowl on April 5.
“The theme for this spring will be being more consistent as we build a depth chart that looks like one for an SEC football team,” head coach Hugh Freeze said. “We’re not quite there yet.”
That task will be a little more difficult with several guys out with injuries and suspensions.
The injury list includes a number of players who will be day-to-day with nagging injuries. However, junior defensive tackle Woodrow Hamilton will miss the spring after breaking his foot a few days ago. Hamilton’s injury will keep him out for 10 weeks.
Transfer freshman offensive lineman Christian Morris tore his achilles in winter workouts and will be out for 6-7 months. Senior offensive lineman Aaron Morris will also be held out of spring practice. He is 23 weeks out of surgery to repair a torn ACL.
Senior linebacker Serderius Bryant and junior linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche were suspended in February after being arrested. Freeze said Wednesday that both still have work to do to “regain good standing” with the coaching staff, but each player has different punishments.
Bryant will participate in spring drills, while Nkemdiche will miss the entire spring and be suspended for the season opener against Boise State.
“We’ll hold their feet to the fire,” Freeze said. “We’re not afraid to make a tough decision. No one is more important than this team. The team comes first, and we’ve got a lot of kids that never show up on a list.”
Corner Bobby Hill, who was arrested on a sexual battery charge, has been dismissed from the team and is no longer enrolled at the university. Freeze said they are still gathering the facts on junior defensive end Channing Ward’s DUI. Freeze said Ward will spend the spring at tight end, and he is expected to be cleared.
Other position changes include senior Carlton Martin moving from defensive line to offensive line, sophomore Kailo Moore moving from running back to corner and junior Quintavius Burdette has moved from corner to wide receiver.
