Quarterback Bo Wallace throws the ball during the Music City Bowl football game against Georgia Tech. Photo: Alex Edwards, The Daily Mississippian.
It’s that time of year again. It’s time for spring football practice, and Ole Miss will look to get the most out of its spring season, which begins today.
The Rebels are coming off an 8-5 season that was capped with a 25-17 win over Georgia Tech in the Music City Bowl. Now, Ole Miss is looking to take the next step in year three under head coach Hugh Freeze.
Here are the main story lines to watch for each position as the spring season rolls on:
Quarterback
Ole Miss is one of the only teams in the Southeastern Conference that doesn’t have a lot of questions at quarterback.
Bo Wallace will return for his senior season as a three-year starter. Wallace, who threw for 3,346 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this past season, will go through his first set of spring drills as the starter.
In his first season, he was battling for the starting job, and last season he was recovering from shoulder surgery. This year, he will get those valuable reps that could take the Rebel offense to the next level.
The biggest question at the position will be at the backup spot. Who, if anyone, will fill Barry Brunetti’s role? Redshirt freshman DeVante Kincade appears to be the leader over redshirt freshman Ryan Buchanan at this point, but spring could tell the tale of who will be Wallace’s backup next season.
Running Back
Ole Miss has a stable of running backs, but the need is for a big back that the coaching staff can rely on in short-distance situations.
Redshirt freshman Jordan Wilkins will get his opportunity to get ahold of that spot before junior college signee Akeem Judd gets to campus this summer.
Wide Receiver
Obviously, the loss of Donte Moncrief hurts the receiving units for the Rebels, but there’s still plenty of talent to go around.
Sophomore Laquon Treadwell could move outside to take Moncrief’s spot. Senior Vince Sanders will be healthy as well, and sophomore Quincy Adeboyejo will be looking to make more of an impact.
Offensive Line
The biggest question mark offensively is on the offensive line. Ole Miss is replacing three starters from this past season, while also moving guys around.
Sophomores Laremy Tunsil and Austin Golson will be full go at left and right tackle, respectively, after having late-season surgeries. Junior Justin Bell played left guard in 2013, but could see time at both guard and center. At right guard, look for redshirt freshman Daronte Bouldin to get the majority of the reps. The center spot is still in the air, but the two most likely candidates are sophomore Robert Conyers and junior Ben Still.
Defensive Line
The defensive line will be looking to tighten any loose ends this spring. They have a good core group of returners left, so there aren’t a lot of changes expected to be made. It’s all about getting more production out of guys now that they are a year older.
Linebacker
There will be a lot of movement at linebacker this spring with the loss of Mike Marry and the suspensions of junior Denzel Nkemdiche and senior Serderius Bryant.
The status of Nkemdiche and Bryant is still unknown, but look for senior Keith Lewis to get a shot at stinger if those two don’t go through drills. Lewis can play both linebacker spots.
At middle linebacker, junior college signee Christian Russell appears to be the man destined for the starting job. The coaches like his combination of size and speed, so this spring will be all about learning the defensive scheme.
Sixth-year senior D.T. Shackelford will also be in the mix at middle linebacker as well as defensive end.
Cornerback
This spring will be especially important for sophomore Derrick Jones, who was converted from wide receiver to safety to corner this past season. Jones gives Ole Miss a big corner who can play against taller receivers.
Other than that, the corners will be looking to take a step forward in their progressions.
Safety
The safety position will also see some movement this spring.
Sophomore Tony Conner will be the man at huskie, and senior Cody Prewitt is as consistent as it gets. However, there’s a logjam with redshirt sophomore Anthony Alford getting into the mix with juniors Trae Elston and Chief Brown.
The coaches always rave about Alford’s athletic ability, so expect him to become a big-time playmaker for the Ole Miss defense.
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss football, follow @DavidLCollier and @thedm_sports on Twitter.
— David Collier
thedmsports@gmail.com
