Hugh Freeze says there’s been an absence of emotion in practice this week, but he’s okay with that.
“We’ve gotten really good work in. I think we’ve improved in some areas, hopefully with more discipline of eyes and doing your job on a certain task,” Freeze said.
Ole Miss will face its third top-15 opponent in four weeks when it takes the field against Georgia on Saturday, a team brimming with confidence after a 3-0 start.
Head Coach Hugh Freeze looks downfield during practice. (Photo by: Taylor Cook)
“They present a lot of issues with their tight ends and their shifts and their motions and their formations,” Freeze said. “You’ve got to be sure that you’ve got a plan that’s simple enough to adjust to all of that.”
Defensive Coordinator Dave Wommack likened the Bulldog offense to Arkansas in the way they run the football and use their tight ends.
“It’s different,” Wommack said. “They’re going to run 11 personnel and give you a four-wide pictures and empty pictures out of it. They won the game the other night at Missouri doing that.”
It will be a different look as the Ole Miss defense will face a pocket passer in Jacob Eason and a strong running game headlined by Nick Chubb. It is also the third time in four weeks the Rebels will be seeing a freshman quarterback, though in this one Eason will sit back in the pocket and throw it more than the other two.
“I think that’s how they compensate with their offense. They’ve got a few snaps of wildcat they put in there, and the way that they’re set up is to run the football with their great backs and take the stress off of him (Eason),” Wommack said. “He’s a different style, but it’s one that fits them.”
Womack will get some help this week as Freeze announced that Derrick Jones, a defensive back turned receiver and then back again, has been cleared to play along with offensive tackle Jeremy Liggins.
The two had been suspended for a violation of team policy. Freeze did add that this was “as of today” and that the two still have requirements to meet each day leading up to the game.
“I want to see him in the rotation,” Wommack said of Jones. “He’s a great athlete and gives us some length so he’ll absolutely get a lot playing time.”
Jones will add some much-needed experience to a young secondary that has taken its lumps early on against some elite competition.
The game with Georgia will be the last mountain to climb in what has been a brutal opening four weeks for Ole Miss. No one has played a tougher schedule than the Rebels to this point. The injuries have mounted up with the losses, but Freeze has appreciated the chance to play against the best.
“You wish they weren’t all together in a row, but it is very enjoyable for me. The way I view things, it is very enjoyable to compete against the best,” Freeze said. “It’s disappointing and hurts and stings and all of those things when it doesn’t go your way, especially when you think you had a good enough team to win on that given day. You can’t worry about the last one. You’ve got to get excited about the next opportunity and we’ve got a great one.”
Ole Miss and Georgia kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday at home.
