Mississippi wide receiver Quincy Adeboyejo (8) breaks away from Boise State safety Jeremy Ioane (10) for a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Atlanta. (DM Photo/Cady Herring)
Following a blow-out victory against the Vanderbilt Commodores, the Rebels are now 2-0 and looking forward to next week’s matchup.
“We have a big game with Louisiana-Lafayette in our home opener, and it’s always great to play here in front of our fans. I know they’ll show up and be very supportive, and we owe them to put a product on the field that’s very exciting,” head coach Hugh Freeze said. “There’s no question in my mind the bull’s-eye that will be on our chest for this week with the group from Lafayette will be huge. We expect to get their best shot and we have to be prepared for it.”
Freeze said he felt familiar with the team due to sharing a conference with them during his stint at Arkansas State.
“Their quarterback is very talented, and they have talent around him with receivers and running backs and offensive line. They are very balanced, and they do a lot of the same stuff we do,” Freeze said. “We should be able to give our defense a good look. They are a good football team, no question.”
In addition to being excited to face their next opponent, several players expressed excitement in playing their first home game of the season.
“Just the feeling of being in the grove and being with our family Rebel Nation, it’s amazing,” junior offensive lineman Justin Bell said. “We take pride in being at home and we have to protect our house.”
“I can’t wait to see Rebel Nation, and the walk of champions never fails. It’s always great getting off that bus and seeing so many fans,” sophomore wide receiver Quincy Adeboyejo said. “I just can’t wait to get this first home game.”
Adeboyejo is coming off a camp in which Freeze said he had some struggles with the consistency of his hands. But so far in the first two weeks, Adeboyejo has played well, already catching as many passes as he did in his entire freshman year.
“I’m really pleased. I don’t want to jinx him, but he’s catching it well with his hands,” Freeze said. “He’s been very consistent in the first two games, and we’re very excited. We need him to play that way.”
“I haven’t dropped a pass in these past two games so that’s a plus, and really in camp I felt like I was stressing myself and I feel like I had a lot of pressure on my back,” Adeboyejo said. “Probably about the last week of camp and the practices we’ve had so far. I’ve just been more relaxed and just played the next play if I do drop a pass. Going into the game I’ve just been more relaxed than I’ve ever been.”
One of the stories of last week’s game was the play of the younger players, particularly the backup quarterbacks, Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade, both of whom are redshirt freshmen.
“He was very comfortable. He didn’t look rattled at all for his first SEC game,” Freeze said of Buchanan. “There are some things that don’t come natural that came natural for him. I like what I saw out of him.”
Freeze discussed Kincaid’s performance as well.
“DeVante was 50-50. You’re dealing with 18-year-old kids, and they make mistakes,” Freeze said. “I don’t think it’s a talent issue. He just needs time to get more comfortable, and he has value he can add to us. There’s no question.”
-Cody Thomason
