University athletics intern Jhalen Caffey walked onto Hollingsworth Field’s fresh grass Thursday night to greet the first crowd of fans to enter the football stadium after months of renovation.
“Welcome to the new and improved Vaught-Hemingway north end zone,” Caffey said to the crowd.
The Associated Student Body kicked off this year’s pep rally in front of a packed, brand-new student section. Rebels decked out in powder blue and red nearly filled up the entire north end zone of their new stadium.
Katy Perry even made an appearance, via video. The singer, who’s been a Rebs fan since she visited for the 2014 game when Ole Miss beat Alabama for the first time in more than a decade, lead the crowd through the night’s first Hotty Toddy chant, from all three brand new video screens around the field. The largest screen measures a monstrous 104 feet wide by 49 feet tall and sits behind the new student section.
After Katy Perry opened up the rally, head coach Hugh Freeze took center field. Freeze said he wants this to be the Rebels’ loudest season ever. He fired up the crowd and demonstrated how raucous cheering can break up a visiting team’s play.
“We’ve got the greatest student body in all of sports,” Freeze said.
In addition to the new north end zone, video screens and natural grass, Vaught-Hemingway also picked up an impressive new sound system. Athletics Director Ross Bjork is proud of the new speakers, and wants the fans to be just as loud.
“We have to be the loudest student section in the country,” Bjork said. “That’s why we built this end zone, those two new screens and that one behind you.”
Both Bjork and ASB President Austin Powell referred to Ole Miss’ creed in their speeches. Powell pointed out that a pep rally was the perfect end to Creed Week, and Bjork touched on Ole Miss’ reputation of respect.
“We need to be loud, but respectful,” Bjork said. “We respect our opponents. We have a creed.”
Senior Class President Saxon Nelson did not make a speech, but did show up to enjoy to the rally. This was his first time seeing the upgraded Vaught, and he said he was impressed.
“I didn’t come to the pep rally last year, but I had to come out here to see this awesome stuff,” Nelson said.
Later in the rally, cheerleader and self-proclaimed “new 2016 hype man for Ole Miss” Lee Williams bounced around the end zone and taught the crowd three original cheers.
Richard and Tammy Jenkins are big fans of Williams. Fifty-eight and 57 years old respectively, the couple drove down from Chattanooga, Tennessee for a family reunion and to visit Richard’s alma mater. He graduated in 1981 and says the Vaught’s differences are huge.
“We’re no longer also-rans here,” Jenkins said. “This place shows we’re a big powerhouse now. It’s beautiful out here.”
Fifth-year senior and hospitality management major Peter Moss can’t wait to watch kickoff from the Vaught’s new student section.
“It’s my last season, so I’m glad we’re doing it big,” Moss said. “The souped up Vaught was definitely a part of my decision to come back for one more semester.”
