With: BC-FBC–Mississippi-Glance
AP Photo MSOXF101, LAWH601
By CHRIS TALBOTT
Associated Press Writer
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) -With quarterback Jevan Snead and defensive end Greg Hardy leading a rejuvenated Mississippi program the Rebels look to contend for the SEC title.
However, coach Houston Nutt must first tackle a weight loss problem as his squad prepares for one of the most anticipated Rebel seasons.
“The problem that I have is about 600 pounds,” Nutt said. “I got 600 pounds – two first-team all-Americans – we’re missing.”
marca Sanford.
The loss of so much talent to the NFL has done nothing to diminish the expectations building around Oxford. But with Snead and Hardy leading back in Nutt’s second season, all anyone can talk about is the possibility of going to Atlanta in December for a shot at the title.
The Rebels, winless two years ago and picked to finish last again q year ago, stunned many by going 9-4 with an impressive Cotton Bowl victory over Texas Tech in their first year under Nutt. They won six straight to finish the season, and fans see no reason why they just can’t keep rolling.
“I think that’s one of the things that’s helping us work hard,” Snead said. “We know the expectations are high. We work hard every year, but we’ve definitely got our eye on the prize this year and just working as hard as we can to get to those expectations and our goals.”
The favorable schedule, with home games against Alabama, LSU and Tennessee and two Football Championship Subdivision opponents, stokes the chatter. And the more fans talk about the good things, the less they think about the looming holes that could scuttle a championship run.
layed in an SEC game. So it’s fragile.”
There are few worries about Jerry’s replacements – defensive tackle Ted Laurent and Jerrell Powe. The bigger question is at left offensive tackle, where Nutt looks to untested Bradley Sowell or incoming freshman Bobbie Massie to replace Oher. And with offseason legal troubles ending one recruit’s tenure (Jamar Hornsby) and putting another’s in question (Darius Barksdale), the secondary lacks depth.
If the Rebels can work through that relatively short list of problems, though, they could live up to the buzz.
Snead passed for 2,762 yards and 26 touchdowns in Nutt’s conventional offense and double threat Dexter McCluster led the “Wild Rebel” formation out of the shotgun. As many as five running backs are vying for a spot high on the depth chart with Brandon Bolden and Cordera Eason vying to start. Leading receiver Shay Hodge returns, too.
The line again leads the way on defense and should be a disruptive factor a season after tying for the national lead in tackles for loss.
If Hardy can recover from a nagging foot injury that cost him several games last season and kept him out of spring drills, any flaws left by departures in the linebacking corps and the secondary will be diminished.
owe. All those guys are putting in the work that makes our job easier. They’re the ones who are applying the pressure on the quarterback and stuffing the run. Those guys get all the credit for what happens in the back end with us.”
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