So much for Ole Miss’ victory over No. 4 Florida providing the Rebels’ a permanent confidence booster, erasing four years of losing.
Ole Miss appeared to be playing like the same team that hit the field in Gainesville early after opening to a 14-3 lead Saturday against South Carolina. After Gamecock defensive end Nathan Pepper returned a Jevan Snead fumble 29 yards for a touchdown and a 17-14 South Carolina lead, Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt said any glimmer of confidence had disappeared from the Rebels’ eyes.
“This is why football is a great teacher, and it hurts sometimes; I saw that on the sidelines. After they ran in Jevan’s fumble I was the only cheerleader,” Nutt said Sunday at his weekly press conference. “It’s only one play. I saw it in my guys’ eyes that they didn’t see it that way. The only things I know to do are keep helping them and encouraging them and realize that it’s the next play. We went into halftime ahead, but it didn’t feel that way.”
Ole Miss took a 21-17 halftime lead but only managed three second-half points while South Carolina quarterback Chris Smelley completed 15-17 passes after halftime.
“The receivers and Smelley were hot as a firecracker, but we have to make some plays. We were misaligned a couple of times, especially on the post play (20-yard touchdown from Smelley Jason Barnes),” Nutt said. “We should have had somebody right there to knock the ball down. That one hurt.”
The Ole Miss defense has allowed an average of 323 yards passing the last two weeks, and ranks last in the SEC surrendering 228 yards per game. The Rebels are thin at cornerback, starters Cassius Vaughn and Marshay Green have been forced into extra action with freshman Marcus Temple out with a foot injury and a drop off in production from senior Dustin Mouzon. Nutt said the room for improvement is obvious.
“We want (corners) to play with your eyes and break on a ball and make a play,” Nutt said. “I want to get more out of Cassius Vaughn. He is better than what he is showing. The thing about Marshay (Green) is he’s a manufactured corner, but the one thing you like about him is he is a competitor. You look into his eyes, and his eyes are alive; He wants to do well.”
Ole Miss has a bye week before traveling to No. 2 Alabama on Oct. 19. Nutt said ball protection will be a key focus, particularly for wide receiver Dexter McCluster whose third quarter fumble at the Gamecock 6-yard line was the second in as many home games inside the opponent’s 10-yard line.
“You have to tell (McCluster), as fearless as he is, when he is in that crowd – especially when he’s in a crowd and already has the first down, to go down on that ball with both hands on it,” Nutt said. “With a small guy like that in this league, he is fighting for every inch he gets, and he leaves the ball in a vulnerable position, and we can’t have that.”
Nutt said he would stress fundamentals really hard during the off week, as the Rebels are scheduled to practice today, Wednesday and Thursday this week which would include redshirt freshmen in scrimmage work. The off week will also allow wide receiver Lionel Breaux, who is nursing a shoulder injury, and safety Johnny Brown, who has a slight concussion time off to become healthy.
