Mississippi head coach Hugh Freeze watches on during an NCAA college football practice in Oxford, Miss., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. (Photo/Thomas Graning)
After Tuesday’s practice, the focus was still the injury to sophomore Laquon Treadwell and how the team would be affected without him at the wide receiver spot. Senior receiver Vince Sanders and sophomore receiver Quincy Adeboyejo talked about what they could do in Treadwell’s absence and how it affected them.
“We just went in there and tried to fill his void the best that we could and just went out there and gave it our all trying to give it our all every day at practice,” Adeboyejo said.
The passing game mostly revolved around Treadwell, who would consistently get the ball on screens and short passes in order for him to make a play in open field. Adeboyejo talked about how the offense had changed due to Treadwell’s absence.
“In our three receiver formation, they have me mainly in the slot, basically where (junior) Cody Core was, and moved Cody Core to the outside basically just to step up in that position,” Adeboyejo said.
Adeboyejo has been held without a catch over the last three games, with his last catch coming on the road at Texas A&M. The injury to Treadwell will open it up for receivers like Adeboyejo to step up and make plays.
Adeboyejo also said the injury gave him extra motivation to perform well.
“Laquon is going to be rooting for us as much as he can,” Adeboyejo said. “Just to have him out, it just makes you want to go out there and just do it for him and this team, to just do anything we can to help this thing keep going.”
Treadwell was a huge part of the offense, leading the team with 48 catches for 632 yards and six touchdowns. While Sanders and Adebojeyo have both had good seasons – Sanders with 33 catches for 536 yards and four touchdowns and Adeboyejo with 13 catches for 185 yards and two touchdowns – they’ve both benefitted from how much opposing secondarys key in on Treadwell.
“Laquon, he’s a great player, so of course, you know they’re going to have a safety and their best corner on him and that gives guys like me and Cody (Core) and Quincy (Adeboyejo) more opportunities to make plays, and I love it, but he’s gone, so now, we just have to adapt,” Sanders said.
Sanders talked about the opportunity the younger guys will get and expressed his excitement for that opportunity.
“I’m curious to see how it will be on Saturdays,” Sanders said. “He gets most of the attention from the defenses, so I’ve got to get used to it, and Cody and Quincy and (freshman) Markell (Pack) have to get used to getting more attention from the defense.”
Sanders felt he was up to the challenge of defenses sending extra help his way.
“I’m actually excited to get this opportunity to be in this position,” Sanders said. “I hate I got it the way I got it, but now, that I have it, I have to take it in stride and make the best out of it.”
Adeboyejo also addressed the upcoming game against Presbyterian, a topic that has been somewhat lost with the recent loss to Auburn and injury to Treadwell.
“Coach has told us that our opponent is Presbyterian, and that even though, we’re playing them, we have to treat practice the same as if we were playing Auburn or LSU at the end of the week,” Adeboyejo said. “So, we’re just going to keep going in practice and just continue to try and better ourselves as a team in every aspect.”
