Ole Miss was the host of the SEC Network’s SEC Nation pregame show Saturday, the show broadcasting live from the Grove Stage. SEC Nation features commentator Joe Tessitore, former Heisman-winning quarterback Tim Tebow and former LSU defensive lineman Marcus Spears. The three analysts spoke to the media to give their thoughts on the Ole Miss football team and the Grove.
“I love coming here, because I like good food and I like passionate people,” Tessitore said.
“I think what’s so special about it is the environment and the fans and the passion and the pageantry, and you don’t find any of that better than here in the Grove,” Tebow said.
Spears, who played his college football at LSU before spending nine years in the NFL, primarily with the Cowboys, was very impressed with how the Rebels program was built.
“I think Coach Freeze has done a tremendous job. He’s implemented a philosophy with this football team,” Spears said. “He’s put guys in places, recruited well, and in order to stay at the top of this league you have to have players.”
Tessitore was also impressed with Freeze’s recruiting and the Rebels’ quick rise to national relevancy.
“An incredible recruiting class, that in the span of 18 months has you guys competing for a national title, that’s as good as you’re going to see,” Tessitore said.
Spears was also impressed with how talented the Rebels team is.
“If you go man for man, in the whole country, I’ll stack this Ole Miss team up against anybody, especially on defense,” Spears said. “There’s six or seven first round draft picks, potentially, on this defense right now. They stack up as well against anybody.”
Spears highlighted sophomore defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche as an important part of the defense.
“He’s a beast. The way he plays the game, he plays with a high intensity level, he can knock guys back, and he has great bend,” Spears said. “He can win with leverage and he wins with tenacity. He has all of the tools. He could be a defensive end or defensive tackle in the NFL, and I think that poses a lot of problems for offensive lines in that, first of all, you can move him. He can be effective from different positions, and that’s what I like about him, but more than anything I just like his attitude. I like the way he plays.”
Spears felt senior quarterback Bo Wallace could really help the Rebels as well.
“I think Bo Wallace gives them the extra ‘oomph’ that they need in order to win big games and put them in position to be in the college football playoff,” Spears said.
Tebow also praised Wallace.
“I think he’s improved a lot,” Tebow said. “In SEC play, he doesn’t have a turnover and he’s making big plays, but it’s also not making big errors in the biggest of games. So that’s been huge, especially when you have a big time defense.
“But what I like most about Bo is kind of that courage and that leadership and that little bit of ‘it factor’ that he has.”
