RYAN BUCHANAN
CHAD KELLY
S/O 15 $4.99 U.S.
0
7447 0 8 0 68 7
09
5
DEVANTE KINCADE
It’s a deal that’s hard to pass up. We can’t promise you’ll be transformed into a guitar legend, but we’re pretty sure you’ll leave a changed person. This place gave Tennessee Williams plenty of material based on his early life here, and music legends like Conway Twitty and Sam Cooke didn’t come from some ordinary place. The literary and music history sets the stage for good food and lots of events. Come visit and see what sets us apart. And remember, when you get to the Crossroads, you’re here. CHECK OUT OUR AMAZING NUMBER OF FESTIVALS AND GET DETAILS ON OUR WEBSITE. Clarksdale Film Festival
MS Delta Tennessee Williams Festival
Juke Joint Festival and related events
Second Street Blues Party
Cat Head Mini Blues Fest I
Pinetop Perkins Day
Friday at the Stage
Cat Head Mini Blues Fest III
Clarksdale Caravan Music Fest II
Deep Blues Festival
Delta Jubilee
Hambone Festival
Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival
Holiday Festival Parade
January 29-30, 2015 April 9-12, 2015 April 12, 2015
Each Friday in May 2015 May 8-10, 2015 June 5-6, 2015 August 2015
Cat Head Mini Blues Fest II
August 11, 2015
Delta Busking Festival
September 25-27, 2015
Coahoma County Tourism P. O. Box 1770 • Clarksdale, MS 662.627.6149 • visitclarksdale.com
October 2-3, 2015 October 2015
October 11, 2015 October 11, 2015 October 2015
October 30-31,2015 December 1, 2015
Weekday Hotel Packages Starting
at $128*
“Top 100 Courses You Can Play - #32” - Golf Magazine “2015 Golfweek’s Best Resort Courses” - GolfWeek Magazine “Most Scenic Golf Course in Mississippi” Spring 2014 - Mississippi Business Journal “Top 100 Public Course in America - #91” - Golf Digest Magazine “The Augusta You Can Play” - Named by Golf Magazine *Rate based on Dancing Rabbit Inn double occupancy, mid-week, tax not included. Hotel golf packages include a one night stay, 18 hole round of golf, practice balls, shared cart and hot clubhouse breakfast. Multiple golf package and lodging options available! Located 70 miles northeast of Jackson, near Philadelphia, MS.
Pearl River Resort Choctaw, MS near Philadelphia 1.866.44PEARL(1.866.447.3275) www.pearlriverresort.com A development of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Scan Here!
BE A REBEL
DONATE BLOOD Find a Draw Center Near You
BATESVILLE - BROOKHAVEN - CLARKSDALE - CLEVELAND FLOWOOD - GREENVILLE - GREENWOOD - OXFORD - VICKSBURG
msblood.com
888-90-BLOOD
#giveblood
@MSBloodServices
2 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
011 6789 1 DEBIT 5 4 3 2 4351 4351
12/16
ER CUSTOM FINE M
Official Bank of the
ARE YOU A CARD-CARRYING OLE MISS FAN? Put the Ole Miss Regions Visa® CheckCard* in your wallet. All you need is a Regions checking account. There’s never been a better time to show your school spirit. To find out how to customize your Regions CheckCard, stop by any branch to talk with an associate, call 1.800.regions or visit regions.com/gorebels.
Checking | Savings | Lending | Advice and Guidance
To learn more, stop by a branch, call 1.800.regions or visit regions.com/gorebels © 2015 Regions Bank. All deposit accounts are subject to the terms and conditions of the Regions Deposit Agreement. *Additional fees apply to collegiate CheckCards.
OXFORD’S NEWEST PUBLICATION Follow the latest Ole Miss, Oxford & Lafayette County news in Oxford’s only total market coverage publication - Oxford Citizen. With stories from writers you know that have the experience to give you the news that matters to you John Davis, Errol Castens, Parrish Alford, & more!
Local News. Local Sports. Full Content for FREE, including Thursday & Sunday print editions.
Visit us online at oxfordcitizen.com Updated regularly with breaking news.
Citizen OXFORD
www.oxfordcitizen.com • @oxfordcitizen • @oxfordcitizenjohndavis REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 3
Hederman Bros.
4 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
The Perfect Day in The Grove Starts Here Remember to stop by Colony Wine Market when planning your next gameday! We pride ourselves on having the most extensive collection of wines in Mississippi. Plus, we have the spirits that give gameday its own flavor. Our staff can help you with your selection, and even recommend cocktail recipes.
Owned and operated by an Ole Miss Alumnus! • Over 1700 Wines In Stock
• Over 500 Spirits In Stock
• Three Sommeliers On Staff • Food & Wine Pairings • And More!
Hotty Toddy!
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 5
UNDER THE OAKS...
There’s nothing like the Grove on a Saturday afternoon. Known as “the Holy Grail of Tailgating” by The Sporting News, the Grove is a special place to every Ole Miss fan. There’s no place quite like it on Earth, that’s for sure. Where else can family and friends come together en masse, to celebrate their beloved Ole Miss Rebels? Hotty Toddy! - Photo by Rebel Nation Magazine
6 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 7
IT’S TIME...
Fins Up Rebel Nation! You’ve waited long enough, your Ole Miss Rebels are ready to hit the field. Coming off wins over #1 Alabama, #4 Mississippi State and appearing in its third consecutive bowl game in 2014, Ole Miss is primed for another memorable season. The Rebels enter 2015 ranked #15 in the USA Today/Coaches poll and kick-off the season on September 5th against UT-Martin. Let’s get ready to lock the gate and pick a fight! - Photo by Rebel Nation Magazine
8 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 9
Live Oxford. Bank Oxford. The best banking experience you will find anywhere.
We offer FREE KASASA CHECKING to meet your individual needs. 1500 University Ave. • Oxford, MS 38655 • 662-234-6668
2301 West Jackson Ave. • Oxford, MS 38655 • 662-234-0622 1882 Hwy. 15 N • Pontotoc, MS 38863 • 662-489-6404
Visit us online at www.oubol.com
Volume 3, Issue 2 September/October 2015 Published by Pevey Publishing, LLC Publishers Greg Pevey, Publisher Mendy Pevey, Chief Financial Officer Featured Columnists Brad Logan, Bob Lynch Contributing Writers Parrish Alford, David Collier, John Davis, Angie Ledbetter, Acey Roberts Layout & Design Greg Pevey Contributing Photographers Angie Ledbetter, Joshua McCoy, Bobby McDuffie, Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, Ole Miss Athletics and Media Relations, Greg Pevey Advertising Sales Greg Pevey greg@rebelnationmagazine.com Angie Ledbetter angie@rebelnationmagazine.com Jason Scarborough jason@rebelnationmagazine.com Rebel Nation Magazine™ is published bi-monthly by Pevey Publishing, LLC to promote the athletic programs, fans and businesses affiliated with the University of Mississippi in an informative and entertaining manner. Contributions of articles and photos are welcome. All submissions are subject to editing and availability of space. Rebel Nation Magazine™ is not responsible for the return or loss of, or for any damage or any other injury to, unsolicited manuscripts, unsolicited artwork or any other unsolicited materials. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all labeled materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Rebel Nation Magazine™ are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Pevey Publishing, LLC is not directly affiliated with any institution, college, university, or other academic or athletic organization. Subscriptions are $24 (1 year, 6 issues) or $40 (2 years - 12 issues). Make checks payable to Rebel Nation Magazine™ and mail to: P.O. Box 5842, Brandon, MS 39047 or subscribe online at www.rebelnationmagazine.com. ©2015 Pevey Publishing, LLC.
PEVEY PUBLISHING, LLC Rebel Nation Magazine™
P.O. Box 5842 • Brandon, MS 39047 Phone: 601-503-7205 • Fax: 601-992-2885 email: greg@rebelnationmagazine.com www.rebelnationmagazine.com
10 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
The Peddle Bell Tower of the Paris-Yates Chapel. - Photo by Rebel Nation Magazine
LINEUP
S EP T E M B E R /O C TOBE R 2 01 5
VOL. 3 • NO.2
COMMENTARY 14 The Rebel Report - Brad Logan 48 Red Solo Cup - Bob Lynch
FEATURES 16 The Scardino Family A Legacy of Rebelettes 18 No Days Off - Strength and Conditioning Coach Paul Jackson
38 Too Close to Call Who will take the lead this Fall as the Rebels Number One Signal Caller?
20 End of an Era - Can Beat Writers Survive in the Blogosphere? 22 The Gold Standard Charlie Conerly set the Standard for Ole Miss Quarterbacks
GRANT HEARD
26 Get Involved In Ole Miss
40 Wide Receiver U. Coach Grant Heard uses his experience to make the Ole Miss WR corp one of the best in the Country
30 Evan Engram - A New Attitude
42 Lock the Vaught Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Celebrates 100 Years in 2015
36 Issac Gross - Dynamite Comes in Small Packages
46 Meet the Fans Sandy and Ron Brooks of Houma, LA
EVAN ENGRAM
To Contact REBEL NATION MAGAZINE™ > ADVERTISING INFORMATION, LETTERS, STORY IDEAS AND PHOTO SUBMISSIONS • Email Rebel Nation Magazine at info@ rebelnationmagazine.com or mail to Rebel Nation Magazine, P.O. Box 5842, Brandon, Mississippi 39047. Letters should include writer’s full name, address and telephone number and may be edited for clarity and space. REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 11
#FINSUP
TO SUBMIT PHOTOS: Rebel fans, this page is for you! Submit your “FinsUp” photos to be published in each issue of Rebel Nation Magazine™. Post your photos on our Facebook page (facebook.com/rebelnationmagazine), Tweet them to us @RebelNationMag or email them directly to greg@rebelnationmagazine. com. Please include the names of those featured in the photo, location taken and hometown.
12 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 13
REBEL REPORT BRAD LOGAN
Follow Brad on Twitter @BradLoganCOTE
My Mississippi
I
n my travels, I often hear people say or post things with the pronoun “my” in front of it. It could be your town, university, family member or favorite food. For most, it is used as a sense of pride. Here recently, my wife and I ate lunch at a place in Memphis, on a road less traveled, and it was fantastic. Shortly after, I saw a Memphian tweet about the restaurant, using the hashtag #MyMemphis. Mississippians have a pride for our state, and everything she is, like no one in the US. Frankly, we do not have a choice. When our friends from the Northeast and West think people in the south have no conditioned air, paved roads, and fail to have the money to buy shoes, well, that’s a stereotype that’s not pleasing. I’ve often said, if people understood and gave our state a chance, they would fall in love with her like we all have. Unfortunately, sometimes we fail to get out of our own way. Race relations in Mississippi have far exceeded most states in the United States from where we began. We worship together, eat together, vote together and cheer on our favorite teams in the stands together. Many reading this will reply that they do not care in the least what other people say. I disagree. I want Mississippi to prosper, both socially and financially. The more people understand our progress, the more industry and tourism will be on the rise. When Tommy Tuberville asked for the confederate flag to be removed from any association to Ole Miss, I applauded. As I watched Hugh Freeze ask for the State of Mississippi’s flag to be changed and the portion of our flag that is used by groups we are not associated with changed, I applauded even more. Many of you know my stance on the flag, as I have written it both here and on the digital platform of this publication. With that said, Mississippi and Ole Miss are much more than a piece of fabric. Ole Miss is a way of life to so many. In fact, Ole Miss athletics has opened the eyes to so many across the country. We are all aware that college football is more than a sport. At Ole Miss, it is more of a fabric of our lives than a 4’ x 6’ item flying on a pole. Just last fall, The Grove was a gracious host to ESPN College Game Day and SEC Nation, it was a host to its fair share of visiting fans from opposing teams. I had a conversation with a few families that simply wanted to see The Grove. They were from Seattle, WA and from Phoenix, AZ. They took a vacation to fly to Oxford, MS and enjoy The
14 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
Grove. They weren’t football fans. They were now fans of Ole Miss and the State of Mississippi. At the end of our conversation, a high school junior smiled and told me she would be attending Ole Miss for college. The parents had already inquired about having a second home in Oxford. I admit, I’ve grown tired of the rhetoric of Mississippi and the negative connotations that surround our state. Will changing our state flag eradicate that? Not completely, but it’s a great step forward. So many of our friends and family are offended by the current flag. I’m of the opinion, if one Mississippian does not feel 100-percent welcome at our home, something should be evaluated at once. I’ve often heard the stories that Ole Miss has always had a roadblock in football recruiting because of the state’s past. So much so, that the NCAA ruling that no state with any association on what many call the confederate battle flag, may host any NCAA post season events. So many minorities take offense to this and who can blame them? At the end of the day, recruiting at Ole Miss has been on a roll because of Hugh Freeze and his staff. Why should Ole Miss worry about people shying away from visiting? It has been said by a high percentage of families and prospects, they weren’t sure about visiting but glad they did. Often times, the recruits commit on the spot. Why? Each of their family members are there. Not only is Ole Miss the complete opposite than people think, it is a family atmosphere. Imagine what Ole Miss could do with no roadblocks at all? If I could write an open letter to the State of Mississippi legislature and governing body, it would be concise and to the point. The University of Mississippi, from both the academic and athletic side, have done its part, now it’s time for you to do yours. The enrollment at Ole Miss is at an all-time high. With leadership like Ross Bjork and Michael Thompson, the branding and imagery of Ole Miss has never been better. Cutting edge videography and outside-the-box thinking involving social media, the university as a whole is possibly one of the most diverse in the Southeastern Conference. Well done, Ole Miss. Let’s hope everyone else follows your lead. - RN If you have any questions or comments you can contact Brad Logan by email at BLogan@bsnsports.com
FIND IN HERE WHAT YOU NEED OUT THERE
HUNTING
FISHING
CAMPING
RELOADING
CLOTHING
FOOTWEAR
SOUTHAVEN
130 Marathon Way . (662)349-5500 www.SportsmansWarehouse.com
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 15
REBEL NAT I ON
Follow Mark on Twitter @MarkStowers
The Scardino Family – A Legacy of Rebelettes By MARK STOWERS Contributing Writer Photos by Rebel Nation Magazine and Matt Scardio
O
le Miss and legacies – the two traditionally go hand in hand – whether it’s a major, a Greek affiliation or any other function on campus. Family legacies are important and fun. For the Scardino family, the legacy high steps its way through the Ole Miss Rebelettes dance team. Mom, Connally Compretta Scardino, was a Rebelette in her undergrad days from 1986 to 1989. And the legacy was passed onto her oldest daughter Mattison ‘Matti’ Scardino who is now a senior and captain of the 26-member dance team. Her younger sister Maycee Scardino joined the team two years ago to further extend the legacy. But the legacy initially began thanks to Connally’s mom, Karen Compretta, who never took classes in Oxford but an afternoon at Vaught Hemingway Stadium sparked her Rebel spirit that she passed onto her daughter. “My mom is from Louisiana and my dad (Bobby Compretta) is from Mississippi but neither of them went to Ole Miss. My mom went to a football game when I was in junior high,” Connally said. “She came home and pretty much said that’s where I was going because she fell in love with it. She was right because I loved it too.” From there the Bay St. Louis family began their Rebel legacy. Connally was a cheerleader and took studio dance in high school but decided to take a one-year break from it as a freshman. But she missed being on the field and tried out for the Rebelette dance team. In the late 80s it was a bit different than what current Rebelettes know. “We were a member of the band and pretty much sat in the stands and at halftime marched on the field and then we did
16 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
(L to R) Matti, Connally and Maycee Scardino
our dance,” Connally said. “Then we went back into the stands.” Today’s Rebelettes are supported and funded by Ole Miss Athletics as members of the Spirit Squads as well as members of the Pride of the South Marching Band. In addition to performing on the field with the Pride of the South, they are active throughout games working the sidelines keeping the Rebel spirit at a peak. They also appear in the Grove and work alumni, on-campus, and community events. Though the 80’s Rebelettes worked hard to hone their skills and talents, today’s Rebelettes have a more stringent schedule to keep up with the demands of being such a huge part of one of the best athletic programs in the country. “We would practice every day and we would do a little bit of aerobics,” Connally said. Current Rebelette team members have a more regimented schedule. “During football season we have dance rehearsals or practice with the band every day for two and half hours. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we workout as a team at 6:00 a.m. with our strength coach, and we also have to sign in on our own time at var-
ious points throughout the season to get additional conditioning hours,” Matti said. The team begins practicing in the summer and work through both football and basketball season ending sometime in April. From there new members are added to the team and they take May and June off and start back up in July. Freshmen Rebelettes are required to be in study hall for a minimum of six hours each week and if grades are maintained that requirement is relaxed. But behind the pretty faces and athletic dancing are some smart ladies. Matti is a mechanical engineering major like her dad, Matt. And other cheerleaders and Rebelettes are in challenging majors as well. Today’s Rebelettes each get a $2,000 scholarship as members of the team. “All of our team members are studious, like to study, and make good grades,” Matti said. “My mom was a pharmacy major as are a handful of our current team members, and my sister is a business management major.” The Rebelette uniform has undergone a fashion change as well. “I have to laugh because when I was
there my first year we had these sequin, ‘old timey’ outfits. The second year we got uniforms that were a higher cut and we had a lot of alumni complaints. But now my kids are in two piece uniforms – we’ve come a long way.” During her undergrad years, the team was rebuilding under head coach Billy Brewer and started to increase its win column notches. “We beat LSU and Tennessee a couple of times and it was exciting,” she said. “We did go to a bowl game – the Independence Bowl in Shreveport.” One of her highlights was marching
Connally as featured in Lindy’s Magazine
and blue and the Rebelette legacy began. “My first game when I went to see my oldest I think I was more excited to see her on the field than I was my first time on the field. All the memories came flooding back. The songs were the same and the atmosphere was the same. The tradition at Ole Miss is so awesome. It felt like yesterday that I was on the field and she felt the same thing I did and that meant a lot to me.” Matti remembers being nervous her first time in the Rebelette uniform. “I had never marched with a band before and I was more nervous about remem-
Matti
My first game when I went to see my oldest I think I was more excited to see her on the field than I was my first time on the field. All the memories came flooding back. The songs were the same and the atmosphere was the same. The tradition at Ole Miss is so awesome. - Connally Scardino in the Oxford Christmas parade but there were no marketing appearances. She did grace the cover of Lindy’s SEC Magazine her sophomore year. “That was my claim to fame and they’ve seen that at home and knew all about my Rebelette days,” Connally said. Now as the mom of two Rebelettes, Connally gets a little ribbing about the old days but the legacy nearly never began. Matti was eyeing an LSU career, as the Tigers were much closer to home than Oxford. “I was a little concerned and we brought her up there and she really liked Ole Miss and tried out for Rebelette and it was a done deal,” Connally said. Matti was “dead set” on becoming an LSU cheerleader but she agreed to try out at Ole Miss. She was selected and her purple and gold spirit was transformed into red
bering all my choreography,” Matti said. “I thought I had been in front of plenty of people but it’s another story when you have 60,000 people looking down at you.” The daughters did find a bit of history in the band hall at Ole Miss – an 80s era photo of their mom in a corduroy red cape. “They thought that was hysterical and they sent a picture of that to me,” Connally said. “Now they have these Nike jog suits with sparkles. They got rid of the corduroy capes.” These days the Rebelettes are more of a feature and when ESPN’s Game Day came to town for the Alabama game, Matti and Maycee got to be front and center so to speak in the Grove. “It’s my third year and we’ve never had Game Day or anything like that come before. Katy Perry was the special guest and
we had a chance to meet her, take pictures, and share in a Hotty Toddy,” Matti said. “That was exciting enough but then beating Alabama took it over the top.” By the time Maycee was in high school and Matti became a Rebelette, she knew that is what she wanted to do as well. “I was kind of scared to be far away at school but when Matti did it I decided that’s where I was going to go,” Maycee said. And with her older sister learning the ropes of the legacy first, Maycee got a first hand view of what it takes to be a Rebelette.
Maycee
“It’s really good to have Matti here guiding me throughout this experience. I probably wouldn’t have made it my first year without her,” Maycee said. Connally was just as excited to have a second member of her family on the Ole Miss sidelines performing. “That was unbelievable because it was so surreal that we all three have been on that field,” Connally said. “Because they feel the same way I do, it’s special.” In addition to their roles on campus and on game day, the team also has the opportunity to compete at UDA College Nationals in Orlando, Florida over Christmas break against the top IA programs in the country. This year’s trip to Nationals was featured in an episode of The Season presented by Ole Miss Sports Production that highlights Rebel each of the Rebel sports teams. The second generation of Rebelettes enjoys teasing their mom about the old outfits but the trio has a special bond, a legacy that hopefully will grow stronger and continue into future Scardino bloodlines. Red and blue bloodlines – who high step, twirl and smile – in rhythm with the rest of the Rebelette team. - RN REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 17
REBEL NAT I ON
No Days Off
A Q&A with Ole Miss Strength and Conditioning Coach Paul Jackson By JOHN DAVIS Contributing Writer, Oxford Citizen Photos Courtesy Ole Miss Athletics
18 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
Follow John on Twitter @OxfordCitizenJD
John Davis: How were the workouts leading up to the start of summer drills? Paul Jackson: The guys were training at a very high level in terms of energy and attitude. We’ve got a good group of out-front guys who bring energy to it everyday like Laquon (Treadwell), Evan Engram, Derrick Jones and the twins (CJ and AJ Moore). They just bring such an energy to things that your hard work gets done less painfully. That’s always exciting. Just seeing the level of athleticism that we have collected is amazing. JD: Should we expect similar kind of results from the Rebels in 2015. I know prior to the start of the 2014 season you felt like the team would win their fare share of games. Jackson: There were some that thought we were a year ahead of schedule. I thought the talent was there last year but just like the coaches have said, the depth probably wasn’t there. And the experience of being in those types of situations wasn’t there. But you can continue to see that the coaches do a great job of collecting high-end talent. We’re bringing in better looking kids
that want to compete at a high level and want to play at the high SEC level. The style of kid that they’re recruiting, and also the way we train, it produces very lean, very fast skill guys. It’s exciting to see a bunch of guys out here that can really, really run. We didn’t have that the first couple of years, so I like seeing that. JD: How are the newcomers, the recruits that signed this past February? Jackson: Both the ‘14 and ‘15 classes were high level, big SEC bodies that were filled by good athletes and guys that can move. When people come to visit and they watch workouts, one of the things they say is how well these guys move. They move well for big people, and that’s good to see. We still don’t just have a ton of mass. We don’t have a bunch of big safeties or big linebackers. I know that the o-line has plenty of size and the d-line is not huge. As terms of those big thumpers, we still don’t have a ton of that and I don’t know if we ever will. That’s not our style to play at or recruit to. JD: You seem to have plenty of players who are long and lean and a lot of guys
that can run. What are your thoughts on the guys that had to be built up, the members of the 2012 class? Jackson: A lot of those guys had to play from day one, and they’ve helped build our program. They’ve contributed a lot. I think 13 or 14 kids from that class have played a lot of football for us. They’re a major part of what we’re doing and they are also the ones that, maybe because they didn’t come in as ready-made as some of these other kids, you can see the progress made through coaching and training them. You can see how much better they got going through their third and fourth spring practice. Those guys have all gotten better and better and better throughout their college career. That’s what you want. You don’t want a guy that comes in a 9 (out of 10) already and he leaves as a 9. I take pride in seeing how those guys have progressed and gotten better, even going into their senior years, how much better they have continued to get. JD: What are your thoughts on a guy like defensive tackle DJ Jones. He has been compared to a Booger McFarlandtype guy.
Jackson: He is just naturally strong and very, very fast. I don’t think he is as tall as Booger McFarland because he is just a little over 6-foot, maybe 6-1. But he is 325 pounds and I can’t see anybody digging him out of there in the middle. That’s because he is twitchy guy. He’s not a strong, slow guy. He moves the bar very fast. If you were to run a 10yard sprint, he would compete with our faster guys. He’s a very explosive, fast guy. He still has to get in shape, and he has to continue to learn our defense and the techniques and things; but as far as putting his hands on people, he’s impressive.
involved with us. It was a very unique year. If you look at the total amount of games missed, we had far less injuries than the year before, but the ones we had were far more serious and they required surgeries and they were to our premier guys. So that’s bad luck and we had to start the offseason with Robert Conyers and Daronte Bouldin coming off surgery as well as Laquon and Laremy (Tunsil). People forget that Denzel had ankle surgery because he healed so quickly.
JD: Several players missed action in the spring, and the only one that will be limited heading into camp is Aaron Morris. How did the overall rehab process go?
Jackson: One of my assistants, Dominick (Studzinski) headed that up and he did an unbelievable job with it. They all got integrated into the normal routine at different times. Denzel came back pretty early. To me, they looked better than they did before. When you’re in that individualized setting that they were in, they can focus in on what they need based off their injury, as well as the things that are specific to them. - RN
Jackson: The reason Aaron is slowed up more because it’s his second surgery on that knee and it’s similar to DT (Shackleford). Different circumstances, but you handle it the same way where you’re a little more conservative when it’s the second time to the same knee. You slow the process down a little bit. Besides that, those other injured guys are fully
JD: Did you end up creating something different for those injured players?
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 19
R EBEL NATI ON
Follow Acey on Twitter @AceyRob
END OF AN ERA: Can Beat Writers Survive in the Blogosphere? By ACEY ROBERTS
I
Contributing Writer, Rebel Nation Magazine™
f the pen is mightier than the sword, the ultimate weapon must be a message board. Nowhere else can you so quickly and effectively shape public opinion in the world of sports. Now if I could just capitalize on free, worthless information, I would be writing from my Destin beach house!
20 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
Let’s just face it: newspapers are the worst. Right? If you’re a sports fan, of any team, you have likely convinced yourself that your local newspaper is owned by your rival. It’s one of the only things that Ole Miss fans have in common with all other fans: We all think the local newspapers hate our team. It’s a clue to the fact that all fans are the same, fanatical to a fault and incapable of objectivity. If you are a “real” degree’d journalist you would likely scoff at the idea that the public would dare question your integrity and professional ethics. Today, large newspapers are filled with ambitious 25 year olds who have likely never visited your college campus prior to being hired by your local paper. The idea that there is some sort of given bias for or against your school is really just a fantasy in your mind. Your beat writer doesn’t hate your school. He is just being honest – and that does not align with our base sensibilities. Reality is a bitter pill and truth is no one’s friend. While those sayings are constant and 100% true, being brutally honest doesn’t really sell papers anymore.
Since the advent of free websites and keyboards, people have more options than fire-starter to read every morning. When I became a sports fan in the late 80’s there was virtually zero information during the summer about my favorite team. Recruiting was followed by the coaches that recruited. I assume beat writers prior to the 90’s had the same schedule as school teachers and great golf scores. I longed for the Athlon’s and Lindy’s pre-season magazines and would read them over and over during the summer until I basically had them memorized. The information coming from a college town during the summer was slower than Billy Brewer’s drawl. The less information that got out during “arrest” season, the better, for the coaches and the writers back then made sure to protect those relationships. Now, stories are broken by college kids with a Twitter account that saw the cops arrest the athlete in their dorm, complete with video of the arrest and extended commentary afterward. You no longer have to wait for the SID’s press conference 10 days later where all the details are expunged from the player’s record. Recruiting “gurus” have further turned the profession on its ear. Recruiting “news” is the exact opposite of what vetted news was like 20 years ago. The fewer details and the more exaggerated the claim the better, actually; and at some point the more the sites unfairly hyped players, the more money the “gurus” made from their lack of journalistic integrity. I don’t know when the tipping point was reached but 2015 is clearly beyond the control of the beat writer. At the Clarion-Ledger, both MSU and Ole Miss beat writers have been roundly excommunicated by their fan bases for essentially reporting the news. I know every Ole Miss fan thought Rick Cleveland was
The idea that there is some sort of given bias for or against your school is really just a fantasy in your mind. Your beat writer doesn’t hate your school. He is just being honest – and that does not align with our base sensibilities. secretly a fan of MSU or USM back in the day but oh, how we long for a Rick Cleveland today. We will never have that familiarity from a beat writers or editorial staff again. On one hand, we have never had a time when the beat writers were more honest and unbiased towards our respective schools – but at the same time subscriptions have never been lower. I am not blaming the current newspaper staffs. Nor am I saying they could even do anything to change their fate. This is just where technology is taking us today. People want to get mass quantities of information daily with a tinge of propaganda, and if they can’t get that they will at least settle for negative news about their rival. The money spent on website
subscriptions justify this form of journalism. It’s what the market demands. It’s what the people want. Fox Sports’ regional websites have seen heavy editorial layoffs. ESPN is slashing budgets in half or even deeper. Gannett has been liquidating their most top heavy talent from USA Today and replicating that process down to even the smallest market of Jackson, MS. If you are looking for the worst MSU-based examples of what passes for “journalism” today look no further than fan sites such as MaroonandWhiteNation.com or EliteDawgs.com. In the world of sports writing it is the Highlights-for-Kids
equivalent. I have a hard time even saying they are MSUbased outlets because they have as much anti-Ole Miss content as pro-MSU. But this is what fans like. M&W Nation was the #1 read Fansided.com blog last fall. This type of ridiculous, fancentric, click baiting is what we demand. The big generic corporations can’t or either refuse to adapt to the multitude of blog sites. The audience is too fractured, there are too many flashing lights in our eyes and the names we don’t recognize from New York or DC don’t stand a chance. There is no money to be made from this market. Why would we pay a subscription fee when we can get our high fives and chuckles for free? That is a hint of the future. So what is the future? Where is this all going? In the past we had one media source as an option. Now we have too many options. Perhaps the future is the laziest option possible, being force fed information without paying or even searching for it. The “Team Stream” concept from Bleacher Report or ESPN which aggregates news and social media and sends it to your phone at a moment’s notice as Twitter and scores break – that‘s where we are now. Of course it uses mainly computer algorithms and very few flesh and blood experienced writers to put out an enormous amount of content daily. It is likely this type of free, zero-effort social media content will also spell the end of the micro-market subscription sports services as well. I guess you live by the sword you die by the sword, but I won’t cry when Elite Dawgs dies. And, hey: thanks for actually reading this. - RN
(Left) Pictured is the #1 Ole Miss blog on the internet today, www.redcuprebellion. com. Make sure you visit this site daily as it’s always on top of what’s going on in Ole Miss sports, with a splash of humor to go along with it. REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 21
REBEL LEGENDS
THE GOLD STANDARD Charlie Conerly set the Standard for Quarterbacks in Oxford long before Archie, Eli or any other great Rebel QB’s stepped on Campus
F
By JOHN DAVIS
Contributing Writer - Oxford Citizen Photos courtesy Ole Miss Atheltics, Perian Conerly, and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
ive decades before Eli Manning won two Super Bowls for the New York Giants, Charlie Conerly was the former Rebel signal caller making the headlines in the city that never sleeps. Years before Archie, Eli’s father, was the toast of the college football landscape as the latest in a long line of standout quarterbacks from Ole Miss, Conerly was setting the groundwork as a singlewing tailback who could pass. Conerly, a native of Clarksdale, was the first outstanding signal caller for the Ole Miss Rebels. He was a quiet man, a player who garnered the utmost respect from his teammates because of the effort he gave each and every contest. Conerly was a veteran of World War II, earning the rank of corporal fighting in the Pacific Theater of operations. He had to see untold suffering during his time as a U.S. Marine, but he never talked about it. Conerly never opened up about what he did during his service career that interrupted his first playing career at Ole Miss. That wasn’t his style. He was the strong, silent type. He was the kind of man that John Wayne portrayed in his movies. His
22 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
Follow John on Twitter @OxfordCitizenJD
Photo - Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
stare told his story. His eyes, and rugged good looks, earned him fame after his pro football playing days as the original Marlboro Man. Conerly never spoke about that gig either, according to Eddie Crawford, who played with Conerly on the 1957 New York Giants. “I will say this about Charlie Conerly, he was very unselfish,” said Crawford, who was a three-sport standout for the Rebels from 1954 to 1956 before playing halfback for the Giants. “He was one of those that just knew how to play the game. And he could always make the big play when he had to.” Conerly played one season for legendary coach John Vaught at Ole Miss. He also played one season for Harry Mehre in 1942. Ole Miss went 2-7 that season. The Rebels were also 2-7 in 1946 when Conerly returned to Oxford, playing for Harold “Red” Drew. Finally, in 1947, in Vaught’s first season, the Rebels won their first SEC Championship, with Conerly as team captain. Ole Miss was 9-2 that season, losing by four points to Vanderbilt and by five points to Arkansas. Vaught’s Rebels played in the school’s second bowl game ever, defeating Texas Christian 13-9 in the now defunct Delta Bowl. Ole Miss became a powerhouse under Vaught from that point forward, winning five more SEC titles. Conerly was the second player to earn All-American status from Ole Miss. He was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1965,
and he was one of just three running backs named to the All-Century Team at Ole Miss in 1992. Billy Brewer was coaching the Rebels back then. He remembers Conerly leaving almost immediately after the dinner was held. That was his style. He was modest, he was unassuming and he never went for the spotlight. “He was a very quiet guy who never wanted any attention whatsoever,” Brewer said. “Vaught was selected as the coach of that team and I remember he said to me ‘Well, kid, you’ll be the coach of the next 100 years.’ I said ‘Charlie, I don’t think either one of us will be around to see that.’ He had a wonderful sense of humor.” Brewer had conversations with Conerly in the past, both when he was head coach, and when the two squared off against each other in the NFL. Brewer’s first year in the NFL, in 1960, was the second to last for Conerly. Brewer played for the Washington Redskins, one of the Giants’ main rivals. “It snowed my rookie season when we were set to play in old Griffith Stadium in Washington D.C.,” Brewer said. “With me being a defensive back, I was just excited about it. I knew they couldn’t throw the ball very much. In that particular time in the NFL, both teams were on the same sideline with one team on a side of the 50 and the other on the other side. I thought they were going to call the game off but they didn’t. We visited a little before the game and I was just in awe of him. He
was the ‘It’ quarterback. He was the ‘It’ of Ole Miss, he was ‘It’ in the Southeast.” As the game went on, Conerly needed to lead the Giants to a touchdown to win the contest. Not only did he do that, he was the one that dove into the end zone. Brewer has never forgotten what Conerly said to him as the two met right at the 50. “He was under the pile and the snow was about six inches deep and the snow was just banked under his helmet, just all crammed up in there,” Brewer said. “He looked like a snowman. He had that gait walk and he was coming off the field. I was standing at the 50, looking at him, and he sees me and he looked at me and just kept walking when he said this ‘Hell of a way to make a living isn’t it kid?’ I was stoned. That comes up to me in memory nowadays.” When Conerly finally retired from the Giants following the 1961 season, he held every passing record for over 20 years until Phil Simms came along. Conerly was the “Rookie of the Year” in 1948 and he was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1959. The Giants played in three NFL Championship games in four seasons in the late 1950s. Conerly led the Giants to the title in 1956. During those seasons, Brewer remembers Conerly coming back to Oxford to watch practices, and how he was adored by everyone. “He would stand on top of the hill where the parking lot is now and where the basketball facility is going to be and watch practice. Of course Coach Vaught would have him down,” Brewer said. “He didn’t have any words of encouragement, he just wanted to come watch. Then when I was coach here, he would come to the games. He would come back on a Monday or the next Friday or something. We were playing close ballgames and doing all this stuff and he came into the office one day and I asked him about the end of the game. He said ‘Billy, I had to leave at halftime. I couldn’t stay. Y’all are playing these games that are real close and it’s drama after drama. I can’t take the stress. How you do it, I can’t understand.’ Here is someone who fought in the war and was a great player in the pros and here, and he asks me that question. That just blew me away.” There were a number of great players that accompanied Conerly on the Giants of that era. Frank Gifford is one of the most well known, and he said Conerly was the reason the Giants were so popular the following season. “The next year, the Giants had a sellout every game because of what we did in 1956,” Gifford said in an interview REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 23
REBEL LEGENDS
“If you want to pencil somebody in as the guy that set the tone of being a great quarterback, Charlie Conerly is it. He was it for the rest of the Ole Miss guys that came along. If you wanted to be a quarterback, you’d come to Ole Miss because they have had some really great ones.” - Billy Brewer with the New York Times shortly after Conerly’s death. “Charlie was the biggest reason for that.” Conerly’s rise to popularity came through some hard knocks. In a 14-10 loss to the Eagles in 1952, he was sacked 17 times. New York fans made signs that said “Goodbye Charlie” and “Get a New Quarterback,” according to the same Times article. The Giants ownership made some changes and the new head coach, Jim Lee Howell, hired Vince Lombardi to take over the offense. Conerly thrived in the change as he threw 14 fewer interceptions than the previous season with 100 less attempts. While he never threw for 2,000 or more yards like he did when he started his career in New York, he did surpass 1,700 yards twice in the late stages of his career, and he never had a season in which he threw for more interceptions than touchdowns. All of the stats were put up during an era where the forward pass wasn’t the top option for teams to attack defenses. “Charlie had a great arm, that was No. 1. He could sit in the pocket very well,” Crawford said adding that Conerly was also a threat to run. “To throw the ball, he was one of the few people that could really lead the receiver. And I thought he had a great knack for doing that. With him playing here at Ole Miss, I always knew what kind of a great quarterback he was, and with the Giants he just capped that off even better. “He played around some legends up there with the Giants and he was revered
24 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
as one of the greats in the NFL,” Brewer said. “The Giants’ coach was a big fan of Ole Miss and he would always come to spring practice to see Coach Vaught every year. And when they could, the Giants would draft an Ole Miss player. It’s very ironic that the colors of the New York Giants are similar to the colors of Ole Miss. And all he would ever do was beat you. He was a winner.” Conerly played in an era where games were heard on the radio, and the coverage of pro and college football wasn’t even near the level of what it was in the late 1960s and 1970s let alone what it is today. Still, Brewer said Conerly’s name was the word around the state.
“He was just an easy-going guy, a real class guy and he was a great quarterback here at Ole Miss,” Brewer said. “If you want to pencil somebody in as the guy that set the tone of being a great quarterback, Charlie Conerly is it. He was it for the rest of the Ole Miss guys that came along. If you wanted to be a quarterback, you’d come to Ole Miss because they have had some really great ones.’ Crawford felt if Conerly had played 20 years later, around the time of Archie, he would be remembered the same way. “I think he would be the top notch of all of them,” he added. “He was one of the first great quarterbacks to ever play in the SEC.” - RN
REBEL NAT I ON
Follow John on Twitter @OxfordCitizenJD
Photo by Rebel Nation Magazine™
GET INVOLVED IN OLE MISS By JOHN DAVIS Contributing Writer - Oxford Citizen Photos by Rebel Nation Magazine and Courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics
26 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
O
le Miss fans looking to get more involved and donate money without having to break their bank account, have more options than they realize right at their fingertips. Outside of purchasing season tickets for sporting events, people that support the Rebels, and Lady Rebels, can show their allegiance to the school through booster organizations.
Michael Thompson, the senior associate athletics director for communications and marketing, said one of the best ways for fans to show support is to show up and cheer. There are so many ways to be involved. Outside of buying tickets, the best way is to come out and watch our students compete on behalf of Ole Miss,” Thompson said. “In some of the smaller venues like volleyball, soccer and softball, a boost in attendance goes a long way in terms of overall fan experience and our students notice.” Rebel Rewards and the Kids Club are two initiatives that have been created in the last few years to help garner more fans, more attention, and more support. Thompson felt like both were going very well. “We launched Rebel Rewards in a different way – it’s so technologically advanced that we wanted to ensure an excellent user experience interacting with the all-mobile program,” he said. “We softlaunched it a couple of years ago and heavily targeted students as they are the most likely early adopters of such a program. After significant overhauls of the app and program,
we’re finally at a place now for mass use and you’ll see significantly more promotion of the program in coming months.” He added that in four years, 600 children had joined the Kids Club. “Mascot programs in general are heavily focused on creating connections with children and our Kids Club is our number one strategy for achieving that,” Thompson said. “It’s been incredibly successful.” Plans for future programs are so numerous that Thompson couldn’t even name them all. Ideas for the programs are debated, and the head coaches of sports are a part of the whole process, something that helps separate Ole Miss from other schools. “That External Team is comprised of professionals from marketing, fan experience, productions, media and public relations, the foundation, facilities and most importantly, members of the coaching staff,” Thompson said. “These teams meet every two weeks throughout the year and their mission is to grow the program. This planned and direct interaction creates an amazing amount of collaboration between coaches and our staff.”
Keith Carter, a former standout basketball player for the Rebels, is the executive director of the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation. He said ever since Ross Bjork took over as the athletics director, the goal has been to include everyone in the process. “His motto, and what our motto has been in the ticket office or the department, is to give what you can. For us, we just want people to support. We want as many season ticket holders, foundation members, fans - we just want more people involved with Ole Miss,” Carter said. “Whether that is giving us $10 or giving $1 million. Or buying a T-shirt and becoming a member at the foundation at the lowest level of $50, we just want people to
be a part of what we’re doing and to take ownership and be engaged in what we’re doing. We feel like we’ve given folks a lot of different options, a lot of different ways to give. Hopefully those vehicles are appropriate for everyone and somebody can find an option that fits them. The bottom line is we want people to support. We feel like we have a very passionate donor base and fan base, but we need to continue to grow it and to continue to work on the bottom end of that giving triangle a little more.” Carter added that increasing the bottom of the triangle meant recruiting more younger donors and fans to be a part of what is going on at Ole Miss from an athletics standpoint. The Forward Together campaign is still the top priority,
“His (Ross Bjork) motto, and what our motto has been in the ticket office or the department, is to give what you can. For us, we just want people to support. We want as many season ticket holders, foundation members, fans - we just want more people involved with Ole Miss.” - Keith Carter REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 27
and main initiative. Carter said $137 million has been raised on the way to the goal of $150 million. “That will continue to be our focus, but we want to support organizations like the Quarterback Club and the Bullpen Club and Kennedy’s Korner, all those specific giving clubs, much as we can,” Carter said. “We know those are very important and we’ve actually partnered with those recently. We actually housed their money in the athletic foundation. We try and not get too involved in how they run their operation. We want that to be more on the coach and the director of operations and the volunteers that are helping with those. But we are there to support and we certainly understand the importance of those clubs. While it may not be our main focus, we have an eye on it at all times, and we want to do what we can to help those specific groups be successful.” The Ole Miss Quarterback
28 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
The Quarterback Club’s Annual Signing Day Party is one of the biggest events of the year. - Photo by Rebel Nation Magazine™
Club is an organization that gives money directly back to the football team. In recent years, funds have helped finish out the player lounge or things that may not be in the budget. “We feel like we’re trying to do as much as we can inside the budget to help our sports and our programs, but inevitably there may be something that happens outside the budget that they need some help on,” Carter said. “It’s all about being involved and whether that’s the Bullpen Club or the Quarterback Club or the way you want to get engaged, we certainly want you to do that. We may then come behind and see if you want to be a part of what we are doing in the foundation and in our capital funds campaign as well.” There are over 11,000 members throughout the foundation currently, Carter said. The goal over the past few years has been to reach 10,000. “We’ve hit that goal and we feel like we’re going to be able
“All of the money that we get goes directly towards the program for things that aren’t in the normal football budget. If they’re a big fan of football, and a football supporter, they need to join and let this money go to help the team in order to get things they may need down the road. The biggest objection we have when someone is wanting to join is they say they can’t get up to make the meetings. That’s not what it’s about. It’s not about joining to make the meetings, it’s there to support the football team.” - Lee Meek, Ole Miss Quarterback Club
to continue to grow. We feel really good about that,” Carter said. “You never want to stop, but that’s a number that we’re proud of and the work that we have done. We certainly thank the donors for stepping up and joining. There are also more season ticket holders that just buy the season tickets. Then you have Vaught Society members which are included in that foundation membership. It goes a long way. It goes from buying an individual game ticket to season ticket to being a Vaught Society member at the highest level.” Social media is one of the biggest ways Ole Miss officials have used to get the word out to fans about the different ways to give. “We feel like the Foundation has a good Twitter page
and a good Facebook, just a lot of those things that can get it out to the masses,” Carter said. “Then we have more deliberate approaches to it. We talk in our external meeting basically daily about ways to market the Foundation. Then we segment it out. We’re looking for folks to join at every level. We have our annual fund side of the staff that is almost exclusively working on our operational dollars which includes donations for ticketing, parking, those type of things. Then we have our major gift side of the Foundation that is out soliciting gifts of $25,000 and above. We’re just out and about. We’re trying to be more visible. Word of mouth has been awesome. Our donor base is very passionate. Sometimes our major gift staff will go on a visit in Jack-
son or Memphis or wherever we need to go and you walk out of a meeting and there are five more names you’re going to see. With our marketing, communications folks, we’ve been very intentional about getting specific messages out on how we want to grow, goals that we want to obtain. It’s been very successful and we’re just going to keep rolling. We feel good about where we are, but we want to keep it going as well.” Lee Meek is the president of the QB Club, which is based out of Oxford. It’s a national group, with members located all over the country. Meetings are held before each home game, but even if you can’t attend, Meek said joining is so helpful just because of where the money goes.
Anyone who supports the Rebels can join the club. It’s the national support group for the football program and part of the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation. “All of the money that we get goes directly towards the program for things that aren’t in the normal football budget,” Meek said. “If they’re a big fan of football, and a football supporter, they need to join and let this money go to help the team in order to get things they may need down the road. The biggest objection we have when someone is wanting to join is they say they can’t get up to make the meetings. That’s not what it’s about. It’s not about joining to make the meetings, it’s there to support the football team.” - RN
For more information on becoming a member of any of these organizations visit these websites online at: Vaught Society: www.olemisssports.com/sports/umaaf/vaught-society Forward Together: www.olemisssports.com/sports/umaaf/forward-together/ Ole Miss Quarterback Club: www.omqbclub.com/qb/default.htm Ole Miss Bullpen Club: www.ernielabargebullpenclub.com Rebel Kids Club: www.rebelkidsclub.com Ole Miss Alumni Association: www.olemissalumni.com Kennedy’s Korner: www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/102108aaa.html REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 29
R E B E L N AT I O N
COVER STORY
EVAN ENGRAM: A New Attitude By J O H N DAV I S Contributing Writer - Oxford Citizen Photos by Rebel Nation Magazine™
I
t takes a lot for CJ Johnson to be impressed. The Philadelphia native has dealt with his share of injuries, and change during his Ole Miss career. He’s seen a lot, more than most players do, as he gets ready to play his fifth year in Oxford. So when Johnson praises a teammate for their work ethic, and overall ability, it should be noted. He’s seen a lot of good, and he’s seen a lot of not so good. And Evan Engram, the Rebels’ junior tight end, is all good in Johnson’s book. “He does so much. He does everything well,” Johnson said. “What makes Evan stand out is his route running. I don’t think he gets enough credit for how well he runs routes. He’s really hard to touch, especially when you’re in a trailing position.” When Engram first arrived at Ole Miss, he looked like a tall wide receiver. He was lanky, and not nearly as muscular as he has become. Engram, who is from Powder Springs, Georgia, couldn’t block very well because he only weighed about 215 pounds. “But you knew he would be a good receiver and you just didn’t know if he would develop more as a receiver or a tight end,” Johnson said. “He’s really worked hard and I think that’s the thing Evan doesn’t get enough credit for now,
30 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
Follow Jason on Twitter @JasonScarboro
his blocking. He’s a great guy, blue collar all the way. He comes to work every single day. There isn’t a day where I haven’t seen Evan work. There are days where I’m tired and he’s always ‘Let’s go, let’s go.’” Strength coach Paul Jackson praised Engram’s great work ethic in the weight room. He has done that the past two years because Engram is as consistent as he is relentless at getting better. Engram, who was named to the first team All-SEC
preseason list, has only gotten better during his playing days. He burst on to the scene as a freshman in 2013 only to suffer an injury that almost certainly cost him a chance to make the All-Freshman team chosen by the media. In 2014, he led all tight ends in the SEC with 38 catches for 662 yards, good for a 17.4 yards per catch average. Even bigger things are expected for Engram, who could end up being one of the juniors that leaves Oxford early.
“I really focused on getting stronger and just getting a little more weight on me,” said Engram, who played at 227 last year. “Right now I’m at 235. I was a lot more comfortable this past spring in the trenches blocking against the defensive ends. I’m looking to not come out on those third-and-short downs. I’m looking to get in there and mix it up a little bit.” There were a lot of questions directed to Engram about the loss suffered in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 31
when Engram made his appearance at SEC Media Days. Right after the game, he was focused on getting better. His answers in July didn’t change much other than it was very easy to move past the loss. “I think we used that loss for the good. We used it to fuel the fire this offseason and to prepare and to better our craft so that something like that never happens again,” Engram said. “We had a lot of injuries last year with Laquon (Treadwell), Laremy (Tunsil), Denzel (Nkemdiche) and Aaron Morris. It was tough, but it feels good. It feels like we hit the refresh button. We have a lot of great opponents this year and we’re ready to hit it full speed.” Ole Miss plays at Alabama and at Auburn before ending at Mississippi State, a team they have yet to beat on the road in a decade. Engram felt like if the Rebels were going to be a team that took another step as a program, a win, or two, on the road was needed. “Those environments are tough, but where we want to get to, we have no other choice but to go in there and win,” Engram said. “There are no ifs, ands or buts about it. We don’t want to plan on
32 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
losing one. We want to win all our games, home or on the road. Being able to do that will put us in the position to compete for SEC Championship, which will put us in the spot of winning a national championship. We’ve set very high expectations for ourselves. That’s why we work. You’re supposed to work to not just go 9-4. We’re not satisfied with 9-4 and beating Alabama. We want to compete on the biggest stage and that’s for an SEC and national championship.” As for his role during the 2015 season, Engram said he wants to be a spark for the rest of the team. “I want to be a positive, vocal leader, especially during the grind of the SEC schedule,” Engram said. “Things do get
tough and I’ve really focused on becoming a leader, and using my playmaking ability to not only help the offense win games, but to spark other players, my teammates, to make the big plays as well. That builds championship teams and I’m looking forward to bettering myself in that aspect in that area.” Last season the Ole Miss defense was the best in the nation in points allowed, and Engram felt like facing them everyday in practice made him better. “And with all the weapons we have on our side of the ball, it’s a great recipe for success,” he added. “Practicing against each other, and demanding the best out of each other, it’s very crucial. It’s going to be a big part of success.” - RN
“I think we used that loss for the good. We used it to fuel the fire this offseason and to prepare and to better our craft so that something like that never happens again...It was tough, but it feels good. It feels like we hit the refresh button. We have a lot of great opponents this year and we’re ready to hit it full speed.” - Evan Engram
Even when you're away, there’s ONE near you! ATMs@Walgreens
Horn Lake Olive Branch Oxford Senatobia Starkville 662.563.9311 firstsecuritybk.com
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 33
34 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
DON’T MISS AN ISSUE
SUBSCRIBE TODAY! When you subscribe to Rebel Nation Magazine™ you’ll pay just $24 for 6 great issues (one year) or $40 for 12 issues (two years). Just fill out the form below (cut out, photo copy or include address in envelope) and insert check or money order and mail to:
Rebel Nation Magazine™, P.O. Box 5842, Brandon, MS 39047. Make checks payable to Rebel Nation Magazine™. *Subscriptions begin with the following issue unless otherwise noted.
You can subscribe online with a credit card at www.rebelnationmagazine.com - 1 year (6 issues - $24) - 2 years (12 issues - $40) BEST VALUE
Email:__________________________________________________
Name:_ _________________________________________________________ Address:_ _______________________________________________________
Send a one year gift subscription to: (additional $24) Name:_ _________________________________________________________ Address:_ _______________________________________________________ City:_______________________________ State:_____ Zip:_______________
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
City:_______________________________ State:_____ Zip:_______________
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 35
REBEL FOOTBALL
DYNAMITE COMES IN SMALL PACKAGES
At only 6’1” 235lbs. defensive lineman Issac Gross is the anchor of the Landshark Defense B y PA R R I S H A L F O R D Contributing Writer - Daily Journal Photos by Rebel Nation Magazine™
L
ike so many Americans, Issac Gross is all about a diet and counting calories. He just counts them in a different sort of way. Weight – the struggle to find it and keep it – is an on-going battle for Ole Miss’ diminutive senior nose tackle. It’s bothered him all his life. He’s not trying to shed it but put it on. Peanut butter shakes, snack bags, whatever. Bring it on. He embraces it all. “It’s just so hard to gain weight. I eat all the right stuff. I overeat. But I’m an active person, so I just burn it off as fast as I get it,” he says. Not often in Oxford, with its array of restaurants, do residents complain about an inability to gain weight. And Gross, a high school star at South Panola, now has a team of fitness professionals trying to help him pack it on.
36 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
Standing 6-foot-1 Gross is gearing up for his final college football season at the unimposing weight of 235 pounds. A little extra mass would go a long way in hand-to-hand combat with SEC offensive linemen. His metabolism just won’t let him do it. This is not new. “No sir, it’s just a step up. I come from a school, a football factory myself, and it was always intense at home. We always worked out. Here it’s more explosive. The drills are more intense. You use more of your body than I used to have to back when I was in high school. It’s just hard to put on weight.” Gross has been a lot heavier, but that was some time ago. He walked off the field after the Rebels knocked off Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl at 270 pounds. That was the heaviest he’s been as a college defensive lineman. “After I had that growing surge at the end of my freshman year I’ve been back and forth. My sophomore year
Follow Parrish on Twitter @ParrishAlford
In an anonymous contribution to the preseason magazine Athlon this spring, one SEC assistant coach called Gross underrated and praised him as one of the conference’s most difficult nose guards to block. I played at 240. Last year I couldn’t get past 235.” Size isn’t everything, and Gross’ lack of it is off-set by his explosiveness. His quickness at the snap of the football – the “get-off” as it’s called – makes him tough to handle. In a sport where the biggest players often thrive Gross will routinely give away 75 pounds or more to an opponent, but there’s no smack talk directed to him, no outward display of overconfidence from the guys across the line. Not that Gross would hear much of it. “I just lock in and key on what I’ve got to do. I’m keyed in on the ball the whole time. I’ve got to stay focused because I want to get that jump. I want that first step. I lock in on that ball before it moves, and if it even acts like it’s going to flinch I’m on it.” Quickness is Gross’ biggest
asset, his calling card. It’s why he’s gained the respect of opponents throughout the league. In an anonymous contribution to the preseason magazine Athlon this spring, one SEC assistant coach called Gross underrated and praised him as one of the conference’s most difficult nose guards to block. It’s been that way since his arrival. He earned freshman All-American honors in 2012 with 10 tackles for loss and 2 1/2 sacks. He had eight tackles for loss last year, two of them against Tennessee. He had six tackles against LSU, three of them solo. Extra weight would help Gross better handle the wear and tear against his body that has at times kept him out of games. He’s had plenty of ailments, but even through the rigors of
the SEC he’s missed only one complete game because of injury. Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze was asked about Gross at SEC Media Days. “All 230 pounds of him?” he laughed. “We’ve tried everything to put weight on him. He’ll probably be like me and start putting some on when he hits 40. It’s just the way his body works.” Gross believes he could carry extra weight without losing quickness. “That’s just one of my gifts.” Indeed it is, and he’s hoping the gift will help NFL scouts take him seriously while he lacks the size they want at his position. Gross, like many players coming out of South Panola, has NFL dreams. “Everybody knows, just like I know, that I won’t play nose guard in the NFL,” he said. There have been thoughts and discussions about Gross playing another position for the Rebels but nothing that has materialized. He’s open to change but has accepted that it’s not likely to happen at Ole Miss. “It’s so hard to move from your hand in the ground to standing up. We’ve thought about him at linebacker at times, but that’s not who he is and not who he wants to be,” Freeze said. “Maybe a rush end but not a linebacker.” Coaches, like Gross himself, understood the “get-off” time as his greatest asset. With his college career nearing an end he has mixed feelings about his position. “We talked about linebacker after my freshman year, but I don’t think we ever took it seriously. I’ve been serious about it every time I talk about it,” he said. “Once you’ve got a job and you’re good at what you’re doing coaches don’t want to move you and mess up anything else they got going on.” Timing has worked against him. When Gross was a freshman there wasn’t enough depth for him to redshirt. Now as an upperclassman there’s a
lot more talent and depth at other positions. Moving him would add a talented player to another spot but would subtract a weapon from the defensive line interior. Gross, as a 235-pound lightning bolt over center, gives the Rebels that something different, something many teams don’t have. “We’re glad we have him. He’s a three-year starter, and man, he’s a handful,” Freeze said. “You wish he was heavier, but he’s probably not going to be.” Gross doesn’t get hung up on position. He’s eager to play his part on what he believes will be one of the best defensive lines in the country this season and in years to come. Gross singles out redshirt freshman Breeland Speaks as just one newcomer to watch. “It’s not just about the guys that are here. It’s about the young guys and how they respond. This ain’t just big guys that sit on the line and two gap. We don’t do that. We penetrate and stunt. We jump all over the line.” That’s where Gross’ quickness really comes into play. Size matters, yes, but it’s not the only way to get things done. The NFL discussion is closer for Gross than it was a few years ago, but he’s focusing on his senior year just like he focuses on his get-off at the snap. There’s more he wants to accomplish, and if he reaches season goals that strengthens his position for opportunities at the next level of play. “I’ve learned that in college, guys play where they’re needed. In the NFL guys play where they’re best at. I’ve stayed humble about it and prayerful about it,” he said. “When my time comes I’ll make a path for myself. If I get a chance in a package or two this year at linebacker I’ll do what I’ve got to do. If not I’ll just keep my hand in the dirt and keep getting them TFLs.” - RN
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 37
REBEL FOOTBALL
Follow Parrish on Twitter @ParrishAlford
TOO CLOSE TO CALL
The battle to replace Bo Wallace as the starting QB this spring ended with no one player breaking away from the pack. Who will stand out during summer workouts and take the first snap this fall? B y PA R R I S H A L F O R D Contributing Writer - Daily Journal Photos by Rebel Nation Magazine™
I
f your confidence in Ole Miss football depends on a starting quarterback, well you’re out of luck. Indeed, there have been enough story lines this summer to take attention away from the unresolved quarterback position. The race is just one of many in the SEC where question marks behind center are the norm. Ole Miss fans eager for summer news have been able to sink their teeth into the on-going Laremy Tunsil situation. It may have satisfied a thirst for Rebels coverage,
#38 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
but it underscored another truth: Sometimes quiet is better. There have been other story lines too. The preseason magazines and websites have high expectations for Ole Miss even if SEC media do not. The Rebels ranged from No. 11 to No. 15 nationally in most outlets this summer, but in Hoover, Ala., SEC media placed them fifth in the Western Division. Another nugget to come from Media Days – a surprise by no means – is that the Ole Miss quarterback race will almost certainly linger into the regular season. Freeze named Ryan Buchanan the leader ahead of junior college transfer Chad Kelly at the end of spring
drills but stressed the lead was so slight it was almost inconsequential. DeVante Kincade remains a factor too. There were things he wanted to see in the summer, who showed leadership, who players would rally to, etc. Those are important traits but were not enough to create any separation in the race in the summer. The best thing to come from the QB race in the offseason – as would have been preferred with Tunsil – was a lot of quiet. Kelly’s troubled past has been well-documented. The fact that he’s been out of the news may be the best indication yet that he understands the score. Freeze has never used the phrase “zero toler-
ance,” but the rope is short for Kelly. So far it looks like no news has been good news for Jim Kelly’s nephew. If he’s been on social media this summer it hasn’t been for night life on the Square. It’s been sharing Bible verses, snapping pictures with kids or re-tweeting the news that he’d been named M-Club student-athlete of the month. He was also part of the football program’s mission trip to Haiti. This is great for Kelly. It won’t win him the job but failing to do these things – and thereby failing to show an improved attitude – could lose him the job. Kelly’s football savvy and
his finesse with the deep ball are the traits that will likely win him the job. Clearly Freeze was impressed with Buchanan during the spring, more than he was when Buchanan and Kincade, the two third-year sophomores, were thrust into a difficult situation last November at Arkansas. When Bo Wallace went down with a sprained ankle they got their shot. So they came into the game cold and didn’t lead a comeback win. Wallace would return as well. Ulti-
a benefit in this race, they’ve also had much more time to impress Freeze yet Freeze, at the end of the 2014 regular season, felt the need to bring in a junior college quarterback, even one with Kelly’s questionable past. For clarity here, Kelly had had one bad experience at one FBS school when he signed with Ole Miss. Soon after he showed poor judgment for time and place, was arrested and ultimately accepted a plea deal that left him guilty of disorderly conduct.
the football. Bo Wallace threw 62 touchdowns in three years but also threw 41 interceptions. There were various reasons for that. You can talk about a gunslinger attitude. You can talk about the shoulder woes. You can talk about poor protection, at times, from his offensive line. At the end of the day Wallace had three years to improve and never really was able to distance himself from the interception bug. He was very good for
IS EXPERIENCE THE KEY? While some believe when Coach Hugh Freeze brought the highly touted transfer Chad Kelly into the fold that he would automatically be named the starter, but with Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade already having two years experience with the Rebel offense, they may have the advantage over Kelly. We’ll see how this QB race unfolds when the Rebels open the season on September 5th against UT-Martin.
mately it didn’t matter that day in Fayetteville who was quarterbacking the Rebels. The die was cast early, and the hole was dug. Neither Buchanan nor Kincade showed super hero tendencies that day. In the race to find the 2015 starter that doesn’t count against them, but it also doesn’t count for them. Had they led a touchdown drive or two or done something to show a spark the vibe around one or both of them could be very different right now. They did very little in that game to put in the plus column. Buchanan and Kincade have much more time in the program than Kelly, but that cuts both ways. While they’ve gained experience in Freeze’s system,
Kincade hasn’t been eliminated from the race, but unless he makes a hard push this is most likely about two guys. Mobility is important, but the race won’t be won with mobility. Buchanan and Kelly have enough of it, and the Ole Miss offense is at its best when a quarterback sits in the pocket, makes second and third reads and completes 70 percent. These are strengths that both Buchanan and Kelly bring to the table. Neither are exactly immobile. Running is a big part of Kelly’s game, and Buchanan in the spring showed an ability to avoid pressure. There’s another little thing the winner must do. Protect
stretches of time. His fourth quarter against Alabama will never be forgotten. Going into last year’s Arkansas debacle Wallace had thrown 10 touchdown passes and only one interception in SEC play. He threw six in the last three games. There were some memorable fumbles too. It’s not realistic to think that the new Ole Miss quarterback – whoever that might be – is not going to have some turnovers. Indeed, SEC defensive coordinators will seize upon the inexperience and try harder to be disruptive and force turnovers. Freeze and Dan Werner will have to work equally hard to keep that from happening, to put their new man in right plays and right
positions. And it will get to one man soon. Summer didn’t do it, and fall camp hasn’t resolved it, but nothing will help name a starting quarterback better than the knowledge that Alabama is on the schedule in Week 3. This competition is poised to carry into the regular season. When all is said and done the quarterbacks will have gotten a good long look from Freeze. Maybe he knows in his thoughts who he will name the starter. When a guy of Kelly’s skill set, his football pedigree and elite junior college success enters the program it’s not to sit on the bench. Freeze is making it clear, however, that the job isn’t being handed to Kelly. Truthfully, that wouldn’t be fair to any of the quarterbacks including Kelly. Had the job just been handed to him he wouldn’t be emotionally ready to accept it. Chad Kelly may end up winning the job, the guess here is that he will, but he’ll know he’s fought to get it. That will help him keep it, and that will help him lead. None of it will get done by the Sept. 5 opener against Tennessee (the Martin campus). So if you need that for your Ole Miss football selfesteem you’ll be disappointed. If you have to look ahead and know the starter will be, just relax. Buckle up and prepare for the ride. Watch both quarterbacks – maybe all three – play against UTMartin, maybe even Fresno, and know that the Crimson Tide is coming. Quarterback competitions take on different shapes and forms. Coaches can make them long or short as they see fit, but sometimes nothing spurs them along like a date on the calendar. - RN REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 39
REBEL FOOTBALL
Follow John on Twitter @OxfordCitizenJD
WIDE RECEIVER U.
Photo courtesy Ole Miss Athletics (Josh McCoy)
Having played the position, Ole Miss WR Coach Grant Heard knows first hand what it takes to be great, and is turning Ole Miss into one of the top places to play the position in college football today. By JOHN DAVIS Contributing Writer - Oxford Citizen Photos courtesy Ole Miss Atheltics and Rebel Nation Magazine™
40 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
G
rant Heard called his return to coach the wide receivers at his alma mater as a “blessing.” For Heard, who played for the Rebels in the late 1990s under Tommy Tuberville and David Cutcliffe, there isn’t another school he would choose to coach at other than Ole Miss. “Having played here, it’s really just a blessing to be able to come back and help the team out to the point where we can be competitive and be relevant in the SEC,” he said. Heard wasn’t sure if he was a better coach now that he has returned to Oxford, but he did think that knowing Ole Miss so well helped him when it came time to recruit high school and junior college players. “Being able to speak about experiences having lived it, I can talk to parents and tell them exactly what their kids are going to go through,” Heard said. “I know times change a little bit, but I can sit there and say I’ve done it. Especially with my guys that I have here now. To be able to say that I was in your shoes and Ole Miss changed my life and it can do the same thing for you, it’s great to be able to have that experience.”
Grant Heard was a star receiver at Ole Miss from 1997-2000. - Photo courtesy Ole Miss Athletics
Photo by Rebel Nation Magazine
Photo by Rebel Nation Magazine
Passion is the word Heard used to describe the feeling the alumni have for Ole Miss. “Even when I wasn’t here, I still followed Ole Miss and I still wanted them to be the best in the country,” he said. “To be able to be a part of it now, it’s definitely special.” Of all the games Heard played in, the come-frombehind win over SMU in 1998 was still at the top of his list. “It’s hard to say one because there were a lot of great ones but the biggest would probably be that SMU game because it was the closest I got to play to my home,” said Heard, who is originally from Lake Jackson, Texas. “My grandmother got to come see me play, my brother, and to play in my home state and have all of my friends there, that one sticks out to me the most. To be able to come back and win that game like we did, that one stands out to me.” Following his career with
the Rebels, Heard signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2002. He played in NFL Europe and he was attempting to earn a spot on the San Francisco 49ers, where his brother Ronnie played, when Heard started to see professional football evolve into a coaching career. “I learned real early that I wasn’t made to have a suit on and sit inside,” he quipped. “I like being outside. I like football. It gives me a challenge since it always changes. To just now be around it, the nature of it, to be able to compete against other teams is big for me.” Over the past three seasons, Heard has coached some great athletes. Donte Moncrief, who is now playing in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts, and Laquon Treadwell have been the headliners of a group that has garnered a lot of success overall. Heard said the offense the Rebels run is really the key to
being able to recruit standout wideouts. But it’s not going to hurt when Treadwell gets drafted in the first round like he is projected to following the 2015 season. “I think the offense attracts them because they see how much we throw it,” Heard said. “I’m not saying we get all the top wideouts, but they’re at least interested because of our style of offense. And having those type of guys like Laquon and Donte helps. Everyone wants to play with good players. Seeing the success that they’ve had, I think they want to be a part of it. For me to be able to say that we have a guy that we coached in the NFL that is being successful, and for me to tell a kid that he has those same type skills, and we think you can reach that same goal, that really helps. And to do it from our offense really helps because a lot of people say we’re not a pro-style offense or that it doesn’t equate to the NFL. Donte is a guy that has been in it and he’s doing fine.” To make it in the NFL, Heard said, you have to be special from a talent standpoint, but maybe just as important is the amount of work that has to be put in. “You have to put the time in and sacrifice a lot. I would like to say that it was just all coaching, but a lot of it is really them putting in the extra work and them wanting to be great,” Heard said. When it comes time to recruiting a wide receiver, Heard said the first thing he wants to know about are his ball skills. “That’s the biggest thing. Then you want to know how he gets in and out of cuts,” Heard added. “Then speed. Size is definitely a factor in it. The bigger you are, you don’t have to run as well. But the smaller you are, the more electric you have to be. There are 1,000 great wideouts in the country. You probably couldn’t tell one from the other if you just closed your eyes. The big thing for me is I want to get kids that want to be great on and off
the field and in the classroom. That’s really important.” Heading into the start of summer drills, Heard felt like his group had the depth needed to really compete in the SEC. Treadwell is healthy and ready to regain his form, while a newcomer like Demarkus Lodge seems poised to start his own legacy. The only thing Heard has asked them to do was to go out and compete. “We’ve got some depth now and I want them to compete and go out and practice hard and win the day everyday they have the opportunity to be out there between those lines,” Heard said. “I don’t really have a goal saying that we have to do this or we have to do that. I just want them to go out there and play their butts off.” And that statement never means as much as when it comes time to block in the running game. “If you want to be great, you have to sacrifice yourself and Coach Freeze does a great job of talking about sacrificing and not being selfish,” Heard said. “That’s another part of it. Even when you’re not getting the ball, you have to give up your body and your effort in order for someone else to be successful. They’ve all bought into that and they all kind of compete and outdo each other. They all want to watch themselves on tape and say that they dumped their DB and you didn’t. They get competitive with it, so it’s been great.” Heard was unsure how many wideouts will see time this coming season in the rotation. With the amount of players limited on the road, Heard was unsure if he would bring eight even though it appears he is that deep. “The big men always get preference and you never seem to have enough of those guys,” Heard said. “I know I’m going to have as many ready as I can get. And if they’re called on, I have confidence that they can get the job done. Right now, whoever is in, I’ll be confident that they can produce and help us win.” - RN REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 41
R EBEL NATI ON
42 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
Follow David on Twitter @DavidCollier
LOCK THE VAUGHT
VAUGHT-HEMINGWAY STADIUM CELEBRATES 100 YEARS IN 2015
VHS Present Day
T
By DAV I D CO L L I E R
Contributing Writer Photos courtesy Ole Miss Atheltics / Rebel Nation Magazine
here is nothing quite like a football game day at Ole Miss. You’ve heard that one before, right? Of course you have. Ole Miss – despite the rollercoaster ride of success they’ve had in the modern era – is a destination point on Saturdays in the fall. REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 43
REBEL NATION
1980
44 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
1952
1990 The main attraction point, undoubtedly, is The Grove. There is just something about 10 acres of trees, tents and people dressed in their Sunday best that is appealing to folks. The hospitality, the aroma of all the delicious treats you can imagine and the buzz of an excited fan base is hard to top. However, people don’t take the drive down Highway 6 and fight the traffic of Jackson Avenue for just the experience that comes with a trip to The Grove, at least most don’t. They come for football, and it all starts with Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Vaught-Hemingway is the center of Ole Miss football, and this season bodes to be a little more special than ones past – not because the Rebels could be in for a season for the ages but because the home of Ole Miss football turns 100. The stadium opened at its present site in 1915 as Hemingway Stadium at a capacity of 24,000 fans. The namesake comes from Judge William Hemingway, a professor of law and chairman of the university’s committee on athletics. In 1982, former Ole Miss head coach Johnny Vaught’s name was added to the stadium.
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has since seen a plethora of expansions and upgrades that have had the capacity on an uphill climb. In 1950, the stadium saw its first expansion take capacity to 34,500. The stadium’s capacity increased to 42,500 in 1980, and in 1998, capacity reached 50,577. Then came the biggest expansion since 1950. In 2002, Ole Miss capitalized on an improving on-the-field record when they bowled in the south end of the stadium in a project that is often referred to as “The End Zone That Eli Built,” of course referring to Rebel quarterback Eli Manning who played during the expansion. This expansion raised the threshold at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to its current capacity of 60,580. Following the celebration of its 100th birthday, VaughtHemingway will undergo another expansion, as Ole Miss will bowl in the north end zone to give the Rebels’ home a finished bowl and give the stadium a “front door” at the entrance of the new end zone. The project is part of the Forward Together Campaign – a $150 million fundraiser that is responsible for building the Pavilion at Ole Miss.
There is undoubtedly a ton of history packed into the gates of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium that Rebel faithful everywhere hold close to their heart. It is the home of Ole Miss football, and it is ultimately where it all begins and ends. So for the fan base prides itself on a slogan that says “we’ve never lost a party,” it is time to throw the birthday party of a lifetime for VaughtHemingway. Remember all the big moments. Whether it is the first game ever in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium – a 10-0 loss to the Arkansas Aggies on Oct. 1, 1915 – or the first win the stadium’s history – a 13-10 victory over SPU (Southwestern Presbyterian University) a week later, there’s plenty of good memories to go around. There’s the 14-0 win over Mississippi State in 1954 to clinch the Rebels’ second Southeastern Conference Championship. Then, there’s another win over the MSU in 1960 to clinch another SEC title and help Ole Miss win its second-ever national championship. The same thing happened again in 1962 when the Rebels took down their in-state foe 13-6 in Oxford. No one can take away the feeling of watching Archie Man-
ning run wild on opponents, but it’s also impossible to take the pain away from watching a Manning-led Ole Miss team stub their toe in Vaught-Hemingway to Southern Miss in 1970. But that’s the beauty of sports. You take the good with the bad, and Vaught-Hemingway has certainly delivered its share of both. There is the missed opportunity that the LSU game in 2003 brought, and the numb feeling the upset over No. 1 Alabama brought last fall. It is a celebration followed by heartbreak followed by another celebration. That is what makes Vaught-Hemingway special. No matter how far you have driven, how hot, cold or rainy it might be, or how much the tickets cost, there isn’t a whole lot that will keep you out of the stadium on Saturdays. It is your home away from home – your happy place. That’s what Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is for all Ole Miss fans. So treasure whatever wins come Ole Miss’ way this season. Fill the stadium for every game, no matter the opponent. VaughtHemingway Stadium is turning 100 this year. Celebrate all your memories, and this season will more than likely provide many more. - RN REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 45
>
BY ANGIE LEDBETTER, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
MEET THE FANS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 ISSUE - THE BROOKS FAMILY - HOUMA, LA parents weren’t into football at all. My dad did some announcing of the games for the local radio programs for a while. I was an only child so we did things around the church. What was it like to be a Rebel and then move in the middle of Louisiana State University Tiger fans? Ron: It was exciting, challenging and fun. I used it to my advantage. That was the days of Archie Manning and he was kicking their tails for two years in a row. I would write the score on my card and send it in to the doctor. They couldn’t wait until they got into their office because I had Ole Miss winning. When you think of Ole Miss what comes to mind? Sandy: Hotty Toddy Ron: It is a beautiful campus with rich tradition.
Sandy and Ron Brooks
This issue we meet Sandy and Ron Brooks from Houma, Louisiana. Where did you grow up? Sandy: I have lived in Houma, LA all my life. Ron: I grew up in Magee, MS How did you meet each other? Ron: I was a sales representative for Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical and had left practicing pharmacy in Magee and Mendehall to go to work for Eli Lilly in Houma. Sandy: I was taking a break from going to school at Louisiana Tech University and working at a clinic that he used to call on. Someone set us up on a blind date.
46 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
Where did you go to College? Ron: I graduated from the University of Mississippi in August 1965. Sandy: I attended Louisiana Tech University for two years What was Ole Miss like during the time you attended school? Ron: The campus was much smaller. I went through all of the riots in 1962 with the Federal troops but I was pretty removed from all of that. I was taking a lot of chemistry, did a lot of studying and was in Kappa Sigma Fraternity. I went to football, baseball and occasionally some basketball games. Did you grow up a Tiger fan? Sandy: Not really because my
How long have you been going to football games? Sandy: It wasn’t until our two daughters were grown and left home that we started going. We went to a few games before 2005 but that is the year we started buying season tickets. Our oldest daughter graduated from Ole Miss in 1993 but we did not attend games because we had another daughter in high school. Is football your favorite sport? Sandy: Absolutely but we go to some baseball games also. Ron: Yes but I go to all of the SEC baseball games. Every year I take some LSU guys to one game. If Ole Miss is playing LSU then we go to that game. This year we went to the Mississippi State game. How did you start tailgating? Sandy: We were in Fayetteville and met Lamar and Jan Wad-
If you have a long-standing tradition in the Grove and would like to share your story, please email us at info@rebelnationmagazine.com
dell and David and Norma McCullough in 2007. They had started tailgating the year before and invited us to join them. We have taken it to a new level now. Ron: We were going to the games but were booked for the season at a hotel in Grenada. We were meeting people and they would invite us to things on Friday but that was too far of a drive so we bought a condo in Oxford. What is your favorite thing about tailgating? Sandy: Introducing newcomers to the grove and Ole Miss. Name one special event that has happened at your tailgate tent. Sandy: It was our 45th wedding anniversary and the day of the Egg Bowl game. Ron surprised me by getting down on one knee and proposed again proclaiming his love. He had it all planned and gave me a sapphire necklace and I knew nothing about it. Ron: It was not hard to pull it off. We were both so busy at the time. Are your daughters and their families Rebels? Sandy: Our oldest daughter, Elizabeth Simons and her husband Slade have three children. Slade played football at Georgia so two of their children are Georgia fans but their oldest child is planning on going to Ole Miss. The youngest daughter, Bonnie Brumfield and her husband Jason have two boys. Jason is a diehard LSU fan and they are bringing them up in the Tiger faith of course. They are Ole Miss fans when we are not playing them. Ron: We are a house divided. - RN
2015 SEC SCHEDULES SEC WEST ALABAMA
Sept. 5............................... Wisconsin Sept. 12.........Middle Tennessee St. Sept. 19.................................Ole Miss Sept 26............................ LA-Monroe Oct. 3...................................@Georgia Oct. 10.................................Arkansas Oct. 17...........................@Texas A&M Oct. 24...............................Tennessee Oct. 31..........................................Open Nov. 7.............................................LSU Nov. 14..........................@Miss. State Nov. 21........... Charleston Southern Nov. 28............................... @Auburn
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME • SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2015 GEORGIA DOME • ATLANTA, GA
Oct. 17...................................... Florida Oct. 24................Western Kentucky Oct. 31..........................................Open Nov. 7................................@Alabama Nov. 14................................. Arkansas Nov. 21...............................@Ole Miss Nov. 28.............................Texas A&M
MISS. STATE Sept. 5................... @Southern Miss Sept. 12......................................... LSU Sept. 19.......... Northwestern State Sept. 26.............................. @Auburn Oct. 3.............................@Texas A&M Oct. 10.......................................... Troy Oct. 17........................ Louisiana Tech Oct. 24.................................Kentucky
ARKANSAS
Oct. 31..........................................Open
Sept. 12.................................... Toledo
Nov. 14..................................Alabama
Sept. 5........................................ UTEP Sept. 19.............................Texas Tech Sept. 26............................Texas A&M Oct. 3.............................. @Tennessee Oct. 10..............................@Alabama Oct. 17..........................................Open Oct. 24.................................... Auburn Oct. 31................................ UT-Martin Nov. 7.................................@Ole Miss Nov. 14.......................................@LSU Nov. 21..............................Miss. State
Nov. 5................................ @Missouri Nov. 21............................. @Arkansas Nov. 28..................................Ole Miss
OLE MISS Sept. 5............................... UT-Martin Sept. 12........................ Fresno State Sept. 19............................@Alabama Sept. 26.............................Vanderbilt Oct. 3.................................... @Florida Oct. 10................ New Mexico State
Nov. 28................................. Missouri
Oct. 17.............................. @Memphis
AUBURN
Oct. 31................................. @Auburn
Sept. 5.................................Louisville Sept. 12...............Jacksonville State Sept. 19.....................................@LSU Sept. 26............................Miss. State Oct. 3..........................San Jose State Oct. 10.........................................Open
Oct. 24..............................Texas A&M Nov. 7................................... Arkansas Nov. 14.........................................Open Nov. 21........................................... LSU Nov. 28.........................@Miss. State
TEXAS A&M
SEC EAST FLORIDA
Sept. 5................ New Mexico State Sept. 12........................East Carolina Sept. 19...........................@Kentucky Sept. 26.............................Tennessee Oct. 3......................................Ole Miss Oct. 10.............................. @Missouri Oct. 17........................................@LSU Oct. 24.........................................Open Oct. 31.....................................Georgia Nov. 7.................................Vanderbilt Nov. 14...................@South Carolina Nov. 21......................Florida Atlantic Nov. 28......................... Florida State
GEORGIA
Sept. 5............................. LA-Monroe Sept. 12.........................@Vanderbilt Sept. 19.....................South Carolina Sept. 26.................... Southern Univ. Oct. 3.....................................Alabama Oct. 10........................... @Tennessee Oct. 17................................... Missouri Oct. 24.........................................Open Oct. 31...................................... Florida Nov. 7...................................Kentucky Nov. 14................................ @Auburn Nov. 21................. Georgia Southern Nov. 28..................... @Georgia Tech
KENTUCKY
Sept. 5..........................LA-Lafeyette Sept. 12.................@South Carolina Sept. 19................................... Florida Sept. 26................................ Missouri Oct. 3.................... Eastern Kentucky Oct. 10.........................................Open
Oct. 15..............................@Kentucky
Sept 5..........................Arizona State
Oct. 24.............................@Arkansas
Sept. 12.............................. Ball State
Oct. 24..........................@Miss. State
Oct. 31....................................Ole Miss
Sept. 19.................................. Nevada
Oct. 31................................Tennessee
Nov. 7............................@Texas A&M
Sept. 26........................... @Arkansas
Nov. 7..................................@Georgia
Nov. 14....................................Georgia
Oct. 3.................................Miss. State
Nov. 14...........................@Vanderbilt
Nov. 21........................................ Idaho
Oct. 10.........................................Open
Nov. 21.................................Charlotte
Nov. 28.................................Alabama
Oct. 17...................................Alabama
Nov. 28................................Louisville
LSU
Oct. 24...............................@Ole Miss Oct. 31........................South Carolina
Oct. 15..................................... Auburn
MISSOURI
Sept. 5...................... McNesse State
Nov. 7...................................... Auburn
Sept. 12........................@Miss. State
Nov. 14..................Western Carolina
Sept. 12................@Arkansas State
Sept. 19.................................. Auburn
Nov. 21...........................@Vanderbilt
Sept. 19.......................... Connecticut
Sept. 26........................... @Syracuse
Nov. 28......................................@LSU
Sept. 26...........................@Kentucky
Sept.5............................. SE Missouri
Oct. 3.....................Eastern Michigan
Oct. 3..........................South Carolina
Oct. 10...................@South Carolina
Oct. 10..................................... Florida
Oct. 17.................................@Georgia Oct. 24...........................@Vanderbilt Oct. 31..........................................Open Nov. 5................................Miss. State Nov. 14.......................................... BYU Nov. 21...............................Tennessee Nov. 28............................ @Arkansas
SOUTH CAROLINA
Sept. 3.......................North Carolina Sept. 12...............................Kentucky Sept. 19..............................@Georgia Sept. 26.....................Central Florida Oct. 3................................. @Missouri Oct. 10........................................... LSU Oct. 17................................Vanderbilt Oct. 24.........................................Open Oct. 31...........................@Texas A&M Nov. 7............................. @Tennessee Nov. 14..................................... Florida Nov. 21............................. The Citadel Nov. 28................................. Clemson
TENNESSEE
Sept. 5.......................Bowling Green Sept. 12............................. Oklahoma Sept. 19................Western Carolina Sept. 26............................... @Florida Oct. 3.................................... Arkansas Oct. 10....................................Georgia Oct. 17..........................................Open Oct. 24..............................@Alabama Oct. 31..............................@Kentucky Nov. 7.........................South Carolina Nov. 14............................North Texas Nov. 21.............................. @Missouri Nov. 28..............................Vanderbilt
VANDERBILT
Sept. 5................Western Kentucky Sept. 12..................................Georgia Sept. 19..........................Austin Peay Sept. 26.............................@Ole Miss Oct. 3..............Middle Tennessee St. Oct. 10.........................................Open Oct. 17....................@South Carolina Oct. 24.................................. Missouri Oct. 31............................... @Houston Nov. 7................................... @Florida Nov. 14.................................Kentucky Nov. 21..............................Texas A&M Nov. 28.......................... @Tennessee
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 47
Red Solo Cup
by BOB LYNCH
COMMENTARY
If you have any questions or comments you can contact Bob Lynch by email at redcuprebellion@gmail.com
48 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE
How the 2013 Signing Class will Impact the Future of Ole Miss Football
T
his fall will likely give Ole Miss fans a lot of things to celebrate. The Rebs are definitely going to win a few games, will almost certainly be in the discussion for SEC West contention, and there might even be some postseason accolades won by the team and its players. One of the nation’s best collegiate defenses bolstered by a newly healthy and highlyskilled offense will keep the red and blue competitive in every game. But what might be the most simultaneously exciting and difficult celebration this fall will be that of the career of the most transformative group of athletes Ole Miss has seen in at least a decade, if not ever. The 2015-2016 Ole Miss Rebel football season will almost certainly see the final collegiate action of several members of the famous 2013 recruiting class. That class, which finished National Signing Day ranked as high as No. 5 in the country, featured three players ranked as the top high school prospect at their respective positions – Laremy Tunsil at offensive tackle, Laquon Treadwell at wide receiver, and Robert Nkemdiche at defensive end – as well another very highly rated standout in safety Tony Conner. To boot, Robert Nkemdiche was rated as the top prospect of that high school class regardless of position. The 2013 crop of Rebels also included a much underrated Evan Engram, who quickly emerged as one of college football’s best tight ends. After just two years of play, that quintet has amassed dozens of All-Conference and All-American accolades among them and have found their way on virtually everyone’s mock boards for the 2016 NFL Draft. It’s almost a foregone conclu-
sion that Tunsil, Treadwell, Nkemdiche, and Conner are first round selections waiting to happen, with Engram having the chance to play his way into such a position with a big junior season. It is therefore also a foregone conclusion that the class of 2013 stars who brought Ole Miss football back to a position of national relevance will take their opportunity to go pro in 2016 and not rejoin the Rebel program for their senior seasons. And just as their performances over the last two years have been invaluable to the Rebels’ recent successes, their contributions to this season are a part of what has pundits and fans alike excited for this Ole Miss football team. Arguably though, their biggest contributions to the program may not be realized this season. While their playmaking abilities should be readily apparent from the opening kickoff to the final whistle of every game the Rebels play, the stars of the 2013 class will have an effect that is felt for years to come. Through their successes on the field - whether they be sacks, pancake blocks, or touchdown receptions – they have demonstrated that highquality football can belong in Oxford, Mississippi, and that the Ole Miss Rebels can field a team that is competitive in the Southeastern Conference. This, similar to the impact Eli Manning made on the program, will bring in new fans and opportunities to grow Ole Miss as a university and nationallyrecognized athletics brand. The 2013 class, and Robert Nkemdiche’s top overall high school recruiting ranking in particular, also demonstrates that elite football talent can succeed at Ole Miss. Indeed, Robert Nkemdiche himself could be described as one of the Rebels’ best recruiters, as his
Follow Bob on Twitter @RedCupRebellion
relationships with other high school stars helped put together the 2013 class, and his quick rise to stardom proved that Ole Miss is a place where superstar athletes can thrive in preparation for their professional careers. The change they have brought about becomes much more apparent when one considers that this extremely talented group was signed after a 7-6 campaign that followed a record-setting abysmal 2-10 season. The gravity of their accomplishments and their impact on the future is clear; they transformed Ole Miss football for the better, and perhaps irreversibly so. Indeed, just as their successes have led to increased athletics donations and eventual facilities upgrades, the accolades of the 2013 class have already begun to pay off on the recruiting trail. Just as they exit for the 2016 draft, the stars of the 2013 class will be replaced by a 2016 recruiting class that could feasibly wind up as one that is both deeper and more highly ranked overall than the 2013 crop. That class will be led by top high school quarterback Shea Patterson who, like Nkemdiche, has himself turned into an excellent recruiter. Patterson’s mere presence on the list of Ole Miss commits has helped steer top receivers, linemen, defensive backs, and halfbacks to join him in Oxford, meaning that another top flight class, just three years removed from the Rebels’ last, is not out of the question. That also means that, in 2019, when the incoming 2016 class is ready to move on to the NFL, I will have to rehash this same story over again. Hopefully then we will have just as much athletic success to celebrate as we do right now, if not much, much more. - RN
REBEL NATION MAGAZINE - 49
50 - REBEL NATION MAGAZINE