On Saturday, Head Coach Hugh Freeze will go up against a familiar face but an unfamiliar foe when the Rebels take on the LSU Tigers and the Interim Head Coach Ed Orgeron. Orgeron was the head coach at Ole Miss from 2005-2007, and he hired Freeze as assistant athletics director for external affairs in 2005. Freeze would later be named the Rebels’ recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach and then became the wide receivers coach while serving on Orgeron’s staff. Freeze said the two have kept in contact.
Coach Hugh Freeze talks to the media during a press conference Monday about this weeks game against LSU.
“I have reached out to him several times [while he was] at USC when he got the interim there, and then here when he did,” Freeze said. “We spoke last week, actually, about some things that were going on, and everyone comes up with their own opinions, but I am so indebted to Coach Orgeron.”
“I have great respect for him and everything that he has meant to my career,” Freeze continued. “He gave me an opportunity just to come here and be in an off-the-field position, and to learn from him in recruiting and the things that I watched him do and how persistent, and how he did his things with great passion. I learned a lot from him, and I am very indebted for the opportunity and the time I had and the opportunities he gave me.”
Freeze said the whole team had to improve to get ready for a talented LSU team, one that will potentially have star running back Leonard Fournette back after missing most of the Tigers’ game against Missouri and all of their game against Southern Mississippi.
“We all know the talent that they have at receiver, and they are utilizing that now. At running back, they are always special there,” Freeze said. “Offensive line-wise, they are good, and the quarterback is making great decisions. They are doing a really nice job there defensively, and they have always been one of the best in the country and continue to be that. I think we are playing one of the better teams in the country this Saturday night, and it is a great opportunity.”
The Ole Miss defense has struggled this season, ranking dead-last in the SEC in rushing yards allowed per game. The linebacker position has played a significant part in that, and all year Freeze and Defensive Coordinator Dave Wommack have said the group has struggled filling their run fits. Freeze is changing up the coaching plan in an effort to finally fix the Rebels’ run defense woes.
“We have assigned [graduate assistant] Christian Robinson to take the Mike linebackers this week and coach them from this point forward. Dave will handle the stingers to try to get more attention to them in practice.”
As a whole, the team came out of their loss to Arkansas relatively healthy. Defensive tackle D.J. Jones left the game with a bruised elbow but is expected to play against LSU. Receiver A.J. Brown had a slight knee injury but isn’t expected to miss time. Quarterback Chad Kelly and tight end Evan Engram had minor injuries as well, but both practiced on Sunday and are expected to play.
Freeze was eager to move on from last week’s loss and focus on the upcoming rivalry game against LSU and the chance for the Rebels to keep the Magnolia Bowl trophy another year.
“This one, I know, means a lot to our people,” Freeze said. “We will educate our young kids on the history of it this week and hopefully get them prepared to go and play in another hostile environment and to play better than we did last week.”
