Ole Miss begins fall practices

Ole Miss got the ball rolling Thursday morning with its first official practice of the fall, one day after its media day.

During the course of Ole Miss Media Day on Wednesday, head coach Hugh Freeze answered questions about the offense and its overall health. Last season the Rebels’ offense got hit hard with injuries that ultimately cost Ole Miss solid opportunities to run and throw the football at a steady, efficient rate.

Freeze told the reporters gathered in the team meeting room of the Manning Center that his offensive line is relatively healthy, but he is not quite sure yet how some of the players will look at full-speed.

Offensive lineman Aaron Morris had a second surgery to repair a torn ACL he originally suffered in 2013. The 6-foot-5, 313-pound senior will be limited in the early going of camp. Coach Freeze remains optimistic about how Morris’ body will respond after having two surgeries.

“Aaron is ready to go with some things,” Freeze said. “But any time you’ve had two knee surgeries, you’re just not quite sure. I’m not. Everything looks good. I’ve got to see him go out there and get it done.”

Laremy Tunsil worked out with the Rebels at the team’s first practice August 6. (Photo credit: Joshua McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics)

Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil, who suffered a broken leg and dislocated ankle during the Rebels’ loss to TCU in last season’s Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, was in attendance for his team’s first official practice and has been cleared to practice.

Offensive lineman Talbot Buys is expected to be back in two weeks after having surgery on his foot.

Ole Miss recently announced that freshman running back Eric Swinney will need surgery to repair a stress fracture in his leg he injured over the summer.

Swinney, the former four-star prospect out of Sandy Creek High School, was expected to get a lot of touches behind senior back Jaylen Walton. Last season Walton rushed for 586 yards and five touchdowns on 106 carries for an Ole Miss squad that averaged 4.2 yards per carry.

Update: Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Herbert Moore confirmed to The Rebel Walk that he is out for the season with a torn ACL. The Memphis native, a 6-foot-1, 322-pounder, played in six games last season.

Click here to watch Rebel Walk videos from Media Day! 

(Feature image credit: Joshua McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics)