Rebel RoundUp: A Hero’s Return as LSU Comes to Town
OXFORD, Miss. — A gutsy performance in Knoxville by Matt Corral, in the face of a hostile environment of 100,000+ fans, gave Ole Miss an important win that pushed the Rebels further up the rankings. Hostile may even be an understatement based on the antics of the Tennessee faithful. It was good for the Ole Miss team to scrap for a win on the road; the Rebels now have been battle-tested both at home and on the road.
Against the Vols, Corral continued his Heisman campaign despite injuries to four of his targets. He threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns. No. 2’s heroics on the ground were the true show stopper as fans saw every bit of heart Corral has in him. He finished with 30 rushing attempts for 195 yards in a performance that fans will recall for a long time.
This week the Rebels return home for the LSU vs. Ole Miss rivalry, otherwise known as the Magnolia Bowl. A sell-out crowd will pack the Vaught as the Rebels look to improve to 6-1 and hold their second place standing in the SEC West.
This week Ole Miss is also retiring former star Eli Manning’s No. 10. The end zones at Hollingsworth Field have been decorated to say “Manning” in appreciation for all he has done.
LSU comes to Oxford fresh off a much-needed win against Florida. Earlier it was announced that at the end of the season the Tigers will part ways with head coach Ed Orgeron. The news comes for multiple reasons but Orgeron remains focused on finishing the season with his team. “The focus right now is on Ole Miss…Really not much has changed,” said Orgeron.
No team in the nation has been hit harder with injuries than the Tigers. Despite this, LSU shook the SEC by lighting up Florida last Saturday. Tyrion Davis-Prince rushed 36 times for 287 yards. That opened up the way for quarterback Max Johnson to toss for three touchdowns.
GAME DETAILS
- Kickoff: Saturday, Oct. 23rd, 2:30 PM CT
- TV: CBS
- Radio:
- OleMissSports.com
- Memphis: WHBQ-AM 560
- Oxford: WOXF-FM 105.1
- Jackson: WFMN-FM 97.3
- Betting Lines:
- Ole Miss: -7.5
- O/U: 77
- Ole Miss Moneyline: -365
- Tennessee Moneyline: +280
Points of Emphasis
Stop the Counter
If you follow SEC football, it’s no secret on what LSU did to light up the scoreboard last Saturday. The Tigers ran a GT counter to free up space for Davis-Prince to run through. Essentially the guard and tackle on side of the ball will pull across to the opposite side of the field in between a gap and the running back will use them as the guide downfield. They will run through a gap between the TE and the tackle normally. The opposite side of the line pushes up and over creating the gap.
The Gators failed to react to this motion and that was the main reason they lost. Ole Miss has struggled against the counter, giving up 5.3 yards per carry on the year.
Protect Corral at All Costs
After rushing thirty times, Corral took a beating. Kiffin wasn’t shy to discuss the QBs health in press conferences, saying he will be a game-time decision. The Ventura, California native has been through practices this week but concerns are still there. Despite the fire he plays with, Corral could afford to slide more often and the line needs to make sure he has time and doesn’t aggravate anything with unnecessary shots. He has already been sacked thirteen times on the year, including the five from last week.
Give the Receivers Confidence
Last week we saw a receiver corps struggle after dealing with some nagging injuries (Braylon Sanders, Jonathan Mingo, Chase Rogers are all out with injury). In these situations, it gives other players the opportunity to step up. Dannis Jackson made the most of his targets with forty-two yards and a touchdown. Casey Kelly was tied for second for targets.
Jahcour Pearson was also tied for second on the team in targets last week. For Jackson and Pearson, we are seeing their first big-time reps in games. A lot of these guys practice with the twos and haven’t before logged major time on the field yet.
If Sanders misses time or is not 100%, these guys could be in for some more snaps. Another week of preparation and practice could have these guys making big plays.
Get Explosive
Speaking of big plays… this LSU defense has been depleted. They lost both of their All-American corners in Eli Ricks and Derrick Stingley, Jr. Then on top of that, their pass rush took a major hit with the loss of Ali Gaye. The defensive end had 2.5 sacks in four games for the Tigers.
The Ole Miss offensive line should buy Corral time, but its up to Kiffin and Offensive Coordinator Jeff Lebby to design up some unique looks that this inexperienced defensive group won’t be ready for. Look for the Rebels to throw in a couple of pump fakes, quick screens, and deep shots to be wide open and get some momentum in front of a sell-out crowd.
Sell-Out
Funny how we keep leading into things. There were moments where the UT crowd caused havoc and with over 100k people, that’s no surprise. Its now Ole Miss’ turn to have a true home atmosphere that Kiffin has been asking for. If you make the trip to Oxford on Saturday, get ready to get wild!
Hotty Toddy!
TJ Oxley
TJ Oxley is the Vice President of Operations and the Director of Community Relations for The Rebel Walk. He is also the Director of Basketball Content and Senior Basketball Writer. He has over five years of experience providing in-depth analysis of college basketball through multiple platforms. A former MBA graduate of Ole Miss, TJ started with The Rebel Walk in 2019.
