Playing against Auburn should have been one of the happiest memories of Evan Engram’s career. The senior from Powder Springs, Georgia, broke two school records against the Auburn Tigers– yards (700) in a single season for a tight end as well as career touchdowns (13) for a tight end– and walked away with nine receptions on the night. Engram’s efforts, however, were not enough to stop Auburn, as the Rebels slipped even further to 3-5.
It looked as if tonight Ole Miss was finally destined to close a game out. The Rebel offense was gaining yards at will but desperately needed a touchdown. Senior QB Chad Kelly looked downfield and found an unmarked Engram just yards from the end zone. Kelly stepped back and fired a bullet.
“Wide open, Chad put it on a line. It was low. I just didn’t get it,” Engram said.
Engram dropped that pass, and Ole Miss lost possession on the play after. No one in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium saw that coming. Including Chad Kelly.
“He makes those catches in his sleep,” Kelly said.
The Tigers would score again shortly thereafter, and the game would ultimately swing in Auburn’s favor for the rest of the fourth quarter. Blaming Engram for the loss is hard to justify; his play was otherwise exceptional, but he and the rest of the Ole Miss Rebels will have a hard time shaking off yet another loss to an SEC rival school.
“It’s hurting, just hurting. I mean we gave everything for 60 minutes, a 60-minute fight, and now we’re just hurting,” Engram said, “We fought tonight. My brothers gave everything, and I don’t care about the records. I don’t care if we lose every single game for the rest of the year. We fought, and that’s all I can ask for from my brothers”
After returning to Oxford for his senior year, the All-SEC tight end is now part of a losing Ole Miss team. Many have questioned the defense’s ability to stop run options, but Engram isn’t one of them. He flat-out refused to blame anyone other than the team as a unit.
“We’re a team; defense is just as good and important as the offense is,” Engram said.
Even with the adversity Engram and the Rebels have faced, especially in losing another close SEC matchup, Engram remained thankful for his time at Ole Miss.
“God is so good to me, no matter what goes on, no matter what the results say. I’m thankful for my time here,” Engram said, “I’m thankful for what I’ve done, and it’s an honor to be at that level with all that great talent that’s been here, especially at the position, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without God and my teammates. My brothers, I’m just so thankful for them.”
Breaking two school records in front of 65,000 Ole Miss fans sounds like a high point in Evan Engram’s career. Instead, it will probably go down as yet another sad milestone in what has largely been a disappointing season.
