The Rebel Walk QB Film Room: Ole Miss 40, Southeastern 29
David Walker is a former 4-year starting QB and the youngest in NCAA history to start at the position.
Editor’s Note: Welcome to “The Rebel Walk QB Film Room!” To take a look at Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral’s performance in the win over Southeastern, The Rebel Walk turns to David Walker, former four-year starting quarterback at Texas A&M. If anyone out there understands what it’s like for a young quarterback to lead a major D1 team, it’s David!
Here are his thoughts on Matt’s performance.
The Rebel Walk QB Film Room
At this early point in the season and particularly after the previous two football games, Rebels fans have to be delighted with the solid play of quarterback Matt Corral and the offense as a whole.
The 50-30 ratio in runs to passes seen against Southeastern Louisiana is likely the blueprint for success for Ole Miss. With the diversity in contributions from so many outstanding athletes, one could only surmise there are great things in store for this group of young men.
While there were several outstanding plays I could’ve also included in this week’s breakdown, these are the plays I think best represent the progress and accomplishments that these young representatives of Ole Miss are making.
Video 1
On this first look we have a balanced offensive set with 270-pound Tight End Octavious Cooley in the flex position on the right. Matt Corral makes an excellent throw through traffic and then notice the hard running by 15 after the catch. I submit to you that Cooley may very well be the biggest slot receiver in the history of college football.
Video 2
This is a difficult throw that Matt makes look easy. Out of a 2-back twins set, he fakes the handoff and zips a strike to Elijah Moore — very nicely executed.
Video 3
Here we have a one-back set with trips to the right. The Rebels are sending Jonathan Mingo, the single receiver at the top, on a streak pattern against rolled up coverage. Corral’s emphasis here is to get the ball over the CB and still beat the Safety with the throw, which he does beautifully.
Video 4
You have to like the hustle and willingness to contribute by your quarterback based on this play alone. Watch Corral as freshman RB Jerrion Ealy breaks a long one on this play.
Video 5
It’s not all about throwing pretty passes for this Ole Miss quarterback. Here, he makes a terrific read on his handoff key, the defensive end, which allows the freshman Ealy, behind excellent blocking up front, to get the score. A poor read here likely ends up in a tackle for loss.
Video 6
We’re throwing this one in for your halftime entertainment. Jones. Jacquez Jones. #TheSilverHammer.
Video 7
When Emory Bellard was teaching me his triple option when I was the QB at A&M, he never said to block my handoff key after the handoff. But here, well, Corral decides to block his handoff key, making sure the DE doesn’t fall back into the play.
Video 8
Here Corral exhibits poise in the pocket and excellent zip on the football as he hits Dontario Drummond on a deep curl on 3rd and long.
Video 9
This time we have the other Tight End aligned in the slot, Jason Pellerin, and he will weave past the under-coverage and look for the football. Corral clears the linebackers’ outreached hands with the pass and hits his receiver an instant before the free safety does — an outstanding display of fearlessness and concentration by the former quarterback from Louisiana.
Video 10
This may be the play of the game as the Rebels are both running clock and trying to score the clinching points. Behind a good cross block from Pellerin, Corral jukes and jives in the pocket and finds Demarcus Gregory on a huge 20-yard pass play. It’s an excellent sliding catch by the receiver on the clutch play of the game.
Join us again next week when Quarterback Guru David Walker takes a look at the QB play in the Ole Miss game vs. Cal….only available here in The Rebel Walk QB Film Room.
David Walker
David Walker was named Louisiana’s High School Player of the Year at just 16 years old and, at 17, became college football’s first quarterback to earn Freshman of the Year honors. He remains the NCAA’s youngest-ever starting quarterback, a distinction that has stood for decades.
Transitioning from a wide-open high school offense to Emory Bellard’s renowned wishbone triple option, Walker excelled as a dual-threat quarterback. He graduated as Texas A&M’s all-time winningest quarterback and served as a two-time team captain, helping to transform a program that had endured 15 losing seasons in the previous 16 years.
After his playing career, Walker coached and taught algebra at six Texas high schools before moving into private business. In 2011, he published his memoir, “I’ll Tell You When You’re Good,” a title inspired by the coaching philosophy of Shannon Suarez, the Sulphur High and Louisiana High School Hall of Fame coach who was a significant influence on Walker’s life and career.
Walker’s compelling storytelling in his autobiography reflects the breadth of his experiences in high school and college football, and it is an undeniable fact that he saw more action than any athlete in the history of the NCAA. Since 2013, he has contributed to The Rebel Walk, sharing his insights and expertise with readers.
