After playing five games in five weeks, four of which came against teams currently ranked in the top 15 of the BCS, Ole Miss will get the opportunity to rest a week before finishing with three Southeastern Conference games and a game with Troy.
“My body’s beat up,” junior quarterback Bo Wallace said. “I know guys that get hit a lot more than me have bodies beat up. (It’s a) good week for everybody to get healthy.”
Getting healthy will be the biggest advantage of the Rebels’ second bye week this season, as they have won the last two games despite playing short-handed.
“It comes at a great time for us,” head coach Hugh Freeze said. “We got a little momentum, a little confidence, but an unhealthy football team.”
Freeze said he is confident that sophomore cornerback Mike Hilton and sophomore defensive tackle Issac Gross will be able to play when Arkansas comes to Oxford in two weeks. He plans to hold Gross and senior cornerback Charles Sawyer out of practice this week. Sophomore linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche did not play against Idaho, but Freeze expects him to be ready for Arkansas.
For freshman defensive end Robert Nkemdiche and senior running back Jeff Scott, who have both missed the last two games, Freeze said they would need to evaluate their injuries next week to gauge if they will be able to play, while junior defensive end Carlos Thompson is doubtful for the Arkansas game.
Interceptions down
Last season, Wallace tied for the FBS lead with 17 interceptions. So far this year, Wallace has thrown just three interceptions, and as a team Ole Miss has thrown 16 touchdowns and five interceptions.
“(Offensive coordinator) Dan (Werner) has done a really nice job of decreasing the package so that there is no question,” Freeze said of decreasing the turnovers. “So that there is a very clear understanding of what your read should be, what the timing should feel like and when it should come out of your hand. As the year’s gone on, we’ve continued to cut back.”
Ole Miss has thrown multiple interceptions in just one game this year, a loss to Auburn. Last season, Ole Miss threw at least two interceptions in six games and had three games with three passes picked off.
Prewitt named finalist for Thorpe Award
Junior safety Cody Prewitt has been named one of the 15 finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is awarded to the best defensive back in college football.
Prewitt has racked up the second-most tackles for the Rebels with 48 along with three tackles for loss. He leads the SEC with four interceptions and is tied for 10th in the conference with five passes broken up. He’s also forced two fumbles, which ties for third in the SEC.
The Thorpe Award was first awarded in 1986. No Ole Miss Rebel has ever won the award, although the last four winners have played for an SEC team. Prewitt, Alabama sophomore Landon Collins and Florida freshman Vernon Hargreaves represent the SEC.
Kickoff set for Arkansas game
Ole Miss will get a break from the night games, as its matchup with Arkansas on Nov. 9 has been scheduled for 11:21 a.m. It will be the first early game for Ole Miss this season and will be broadcasted on SEC TV.
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