Speed. That one word up sums up everything you need to know about this Ole Miss team. They run a high tempo offense with some seriously gifted playmaking talent, the defense is under-sized and fast, speeding to the ball at every opportunity, and the turnaround under head coach Hugh Freeze has been swift. Freeze took over the Rebels at the start of the 2012 campaign, transforming a 2-10 bottom dwelling SEC team into one which went 7-6 in his first season and 8-5 in his second. They have struggled in conference play, with matching 3-5 records in both seasons under Freeze, but thanks to a terrific 2013 recruiting class, the roster looks increasingly loaded with SEC caliber talent; a resulting improvement in conference play is expected.
2013 Ole Miss Rebels Season
Ole Miss started strong last season with an impressive victory at Vanderbilt to open the campaign and victory over the Longhorns in Austin two weeks later had the Rebels flying high. However, they were promptly brought down to earth with back to back defeats in the state of Alabama, particularly when they were steamrollered in Tuscaloosa. However, they rebounded well from that, pushing Texas A&M close, before picking up their biggest SEC scalp under coach Freeze with a win over LSU. The team, and particularly quarterback Bo Wallace, wore down towards the end of the season when they suffered defeats against Missouri and Mississippi State.
Offense
To succeed in the SEC a team needs gifted athletes, and Ole Miss have some at the skill positions, starting with star receiver and the 2013 SEC Freshman of the Year, Laquon Treadwell. Playing predominantly from the slot in 2013, Treadwell recorded 78 catches for 608 yards and 5 touchdowns, frequently catching the ball on short routes and using his size and athleticism to gain yards after the catch. In 2014, Treadwell will become the team's primary receiver, playing on the outside opposite Vince Sanders and acting as more of a downfield threat. That should open up the middle of the field for new slot receiver Quincy Adeboyejo and sophomore playmaking tight end Evan Engram.
I'Tavius Mathers is set to take on the starting running back role after impressing in a rotational capacity during his first two seasons in which he rushed for 563 yards and three touchdowns on 95 carries in 2012. Mathers will be supported by the swift Jaylen Walton and two talented members of that 2013 recruiting class, Mark Dodson and Jordan Wilkins, all of whom are likely to contribute.
Unfortunately, they will be running behind a much changed offensive line which may take time to gel. The Rebels have starting experience at both guard positions, and an elite left tackle in Laremy Tunsil, who earned All-SEC honors as a freshman in 2013, but will have new starters at right tackle and center. The line should be fine with time, but they need to avoid serious injuries as there is a lack of depth behind the starting unit.
The key to the Rebels offense is the health of senior quarterback Bo Wallace. At his best, Wallace is a dangerously strong armed and mobile quarterback, but he has had injuries to his throwing shoulder and his arm strength faded towards the end of the 2013 season. While Wallace possesses the ideal physical characteristics for this offense, the Hugh Freeze scheme also requires the quarterback to make accurate pre-snap reads and swift decisions, which Wallace has struggled with at times. The most notable example was during the 2013 Egg Bowl loss, when a weakening arm and poor decision making caused Wallace to throw three interceptions.
Defense
The Rebels utilize a 4-2-5 defense that features a hybrid position in the secondary and sacrifices size for speed. As a unit they were good, but not great in 2013, lacking the pass rush to make the most of a talented secondary. They return a wealth of experience in 2014 and the unit looks deeper throughout. If they can establish a more potent pass rush, they could be touching upon elite by the end of the season.
It all starts up front with a line that was stout in 2013 and should continue to be so in 2014. At tackle they will pair former 5 star recruit Robert Nkemdiche and the undersized Issac Gross who led the team with 3.5 sacks in 2013. Much is expected from Nkemdiche, as he has now enjoyed a full offseason practicing at tackle (after converting from defensive end) and is ready to wreak havoc on the interior of the offensive line, which as we all know, is the fastest path to the quarterback. Expect to see Nkemdiche spending a lot of time in the opponents backfield. On the outside, much depends on the form of former 5 star recruit rush end C.J. Johnson, who led the team with 6.5 sacks in 2012, but was unable to reach full fitness prior to being shut down for the season in 2013. Johnson is the most natural pass rusher on the Rebels roster; he is explosive off the edge, he has the speed to go around the tackle, and the power to bull rush him once wrong footed, which is a potent combination for a pass rusher.
At linebacker the Rebels must cope without the suspended Denzel Nkemdiche when the season begins, but he had been supplanted by Serderius Bryant in 2013 and is set to be his primary backup this year, though both will be called on throughout the season. Inside the Rebels turn to converted defensive end Deterrian Shackelford, who has the size and strength to be the teams chief run stuffer.
The starting secondary features Derrick Jones and Senquez Golson at cornerback, Cody Prewitt at costless safety, Trae Elston at Rover (strong safety) and Tony Conner at Husky (a hybrid nickel role). The secondary just might be the best in the SEC. Sophomore Conner excelled in his first season, possessing the athleticism to cover receivers, and the size and power to be used in blitz packages. That versatility is key to the success of the 4-2-5 scheme. However, the star of the secondary is undoubtedly the hard hitting Prewitt, a first team All-American in 2013 after leading the SEC with six interceptions.
Special Teams
It is all change for Ole Miss on special teams with new starters in most roles. Senior Andrew Fletcher starts at kicker and will be the most experienced member of the kicking team, though that experience amounts to just two (successful) PAT conversions. Freshman Will Gleason is expected to handle punt duties and sophomore Nathan Noble the kickoffs. Running back Jaylen Walton will return kicks, but he struggled last year and they could use more dynamism on kick and punt returns.
2014 Season Outlook
Ole Miss opted not to ease into the season with a few soft out of conference fixtures, instead they have to hit the ground running with a tough fixture against Boise State in the Georgia Dome. A difficult trip to Vanderbilt follows before a potential banana skin when the Ragin' Cajuns come to Oxford; Ole Miss should have too much talent for the Sun Belt team, but they cannot afford to take them lightly. The SEC slate falls as well as it can fall in the Western division. They play host to both Alabama and Auburn, the preseason favorites to claim conference honors, and travel to Texas A&M and LSU, two strong programs who are undergoing something of a transition. The Rebels toughest cross division contest is the trip to Vanderbilt, and they host the Egg Bowl to finish the season, giving them the chance to avenge last year's loss to the Bulldogs.
It may be a year too soon for this Ole Miss team to truly peak. For all their hype, the talented first and second year players still have a lot of developing to do before their performances can begin to equal their potential. However, the defense should be close to great, there is too much talent across the roster to settle for just another rebuilding year, and the schedule is about as favorable as it gets in the SEC West. Failing to take advantage of the schedule could prove costly. The early successes under Hugh Freeze caused expectations to blossom in Oxford and getting the most out of the 2013 class will be key to the Rebels long term potential as an SEC power. Do so and star recruits will continue to roll into Oxford. Fail and the terrific 2013 class will become just an interesting footnote for a Rebels team that has not known sustained success in more than half a century.