Last season, Ole Miss was atrocious on special teams. They ranked near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in nearly every special teams statistical category.
The Rebels averaged just 5.58 yards per punt return, worst in the SEC. Ole Miss was 12th in the conference in average punt yards at 40.52. Ole Miss was 12th in the SEC in average kick return yards and gave up the most yards per kick return.
Placekicker Bryson Rose missed 10 field goals, only Aaron Jones of Baylor and Chase Hover of SMU missed more field goals last season than Rose. The only area in which Ole Miss excelled in special teams was extra points, as Rose made all 49 of his attempts.
All of these numbers are reflected in the Fremeau Efficiency Index, according to Football Outsiders. The Rebels ranked 111th out of 124 teams in special teams efficiency in 2012. Ole Miss ranked in the top 50 in offensive and defensive efficiency and considering they lost three games by 10 total points, it is hard to determine exactly how much the Rebels’ deficiency in the third facet of the game cost them.
Ole Miss is looking for immediate improvement in the often overlooked area of special teams. Senior running back Jeff Scott will be moved to punt returner with the added depth at running back, and Tyler Campbell will return to handle the punting duties after redshirting last season.
In 2011, Scott was the top punt returner for the Rebels and Campbell was the punter. Despite going 2-10 in Houston Nutt’s final season, Ole Miss actually ranked thirteenth in the country in special teams efficiency. Expect Scott and Campbell to help turn around the efficiency rating for the special teams.
When Ole Miss takes on Vanderbilt Thursday night, expect special teams efficiency to play a major role in determining the victor.
Last season, Vanderbilt defeated Ole Miss by the slimmest of margins, 27-26. Not coincidentally, last season Vanderbilt ranked sixth in special teams efficiency. Now, special teams may be directly traced to Ole Miss losing; Rose missed a 52-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. But Rose connected on his four other field goal attempts and a 52-yarder is certainly not a chip shot.
However, special teams had an indirect effect on Ole Miss losing. Senior wide receiver Korvic Neat had negative five yards on three punt returns, and Vanderbilt punted eight times. Neat had a long return of two yards, meaning every time Richard Kent punted for Vanderbilt, the Ole Miss offense was starting wherever he made the ball landed or worse. Kent downed four of his punts inside the 20-yard line, which gave Ole Miss trouble as they started seven possessions inside their own 20-yard line and produced five punts, one made field goal and one missed field goal.
Also indirectly hurting Ole Miss was Jim Broadway’s punting. In the third quarter, he had a 38-yard punt to the Vanderbilt 49-yard line that resulted in Vanderbilt driving the short field for a touchdown to pull within 23-20. At the end of the first half, he had a 37-yard punt to the Vanderbilt 49-yard line that allowed the Commodores to complete one pass and kick a field goal in the last 21 seconds of the first half.
Ole Miss held the fourth best punt return man in the SEC, Jonathan Krause, in check. He had just one yard on four returns, 20 yards below his per game average. Ole Miss will need to replicate that type of punt coverage, as well as get Scott and Campbell to provide an instant upgrade to punt returning and punting, to go into Nashville and knock off Vanderbilt.
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss football, follow @Tyler_RSR and @thedm_sports on Twitter.
