Sep 5, 2015; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) looks to pass the ball during the game against the Tennessee Martin Skyhawks at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The Rebels won 76 – 3.Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Ole Miss is dealing with a new set of quarterbacks and a reshuffle on the offensive line with its best lineman still unavailable.
Now the 17th-ranked Rebels have to deal with an opponent that’s expected to give them a stiffer test in part because it won’t be intimated by the surroundings.
Ole Miss (1-0) barely broke a sweat in its opening 76-3 win over Tennessee-Martin last week, but the Rebels are preparing to at least exert some energy on Saturday when Fresno State (1-0) makes the trip to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for a Mountain West Conference-Southeastern Conference tilt.
Much like the Rebels, Fresno State eased its way past an FCS opponent to open the season, beating Abilene Christian, 34-13, on Thursday. The Bulldogs are the heavy underdogs this week, but Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze got somewhat familiar with head coach Tim DeRuyter’s program when he was brought on as San Jose State’s offensive coordinator after the 2009 season.
It was brief — Freeze’s stay in California didn’t last two months before he was hired as the head coach at Arkansas State the following February — but Freeze said the Bulldogs will show up ready to play.
“From my short time in San Jose, one thing was evident to me from the kids at Fresno that play for coach DeRuyter, they love challenges,” Freeze said. “They love playing in environments against schools people would consider the bigger schools.”
“It will be a better test for us this Saturday to judge exactly where we are.”
It may give Freeze a better assessment of where his quarterback competition is, too. Junior college transfer Chad Kelly got the start against UT-Martin and accounted for three touchdowns, but third-year sophomores Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade rotated in as well with each throwing at least a touchdown pass.
“I thought all of us did really well from a quarterback perspective,” Kelly said. “I missed on a couple throws. There’s always room for improvement. I thought the offensive line protected well. I don’t think we gave up any sacks and not many negative plays if any. Wide receivers did a great job of getting open.”
Kelly has pulled ahead of the other two as of late and will start again “provided everything goes well this week,” Freeze said. But Freeze has said he likes specific aspects of each signal caller’s game and is comfortable playing all three for the time being.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if I had a package for all three, and they really zone in and work on that package that week,” Freeze said.
None of them are having their blind side protected by All-American tackle Laremy Tunsil, who was kept out of Saturday’s game as a precaution as the university works with the NCAA on an investigation into allegations of impermissible benefits during Tunsil’s recruitment made by his stepfather, Lindsey Miller.
Freeze said after Saturday’s game he wasn’t privy to any of the information regarding Tunsil’s eligibility and said he had “no idea” if Tunsil will play Saturday. He reiterated Monday that Tunsil’s status for this week is unknown.
NOTES, QUOTES
PLAYERS TO WATCH
–Though all three of Ole Miss’ quarterbacks are playing, Kelly has led the race since at least midway through fall camp and was solid in his first start as a Rebel. Kelly went 9-for-15 for 211 yards and two scores while running for another one. He missed the chance for a third scoring toss with a couple of overthrows, but he showed off his arm strength on both touchdown throws with bullets of more than 50 yards.
–Laremy Tunsil is a projected top-10 pick in next year’s NFL draft, but the All-American left tackle is sitting as a precaution as the school works with the NCAA on a pending investigation into allegations of impermissible benefits during his recruitment made by stepfather, Lindsey Miller. How long Tunsil will be out is unknown.
–WR Laquon Treadwell made his much-anticipated return to the field 10 months after breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle in a gruesome injury against Auburn back in November. Treadwell is working through some rust, but he finished with a team-high four catches for 44 yards.
–DT Robert Nkemdiche showed off the freakish athleticism in the season opener that will make him a hot commodity come May. Nkemdiche blocked a 23-yard field goal then switched over to offense for a play to catch a 31-yard touchdown. The 296-pound Nkemdiche, who snuck out of the backfield on the play, outraced everyone to the end zone the last 20 yards.
SERIES HISTORY: This is the third game of a two-for-one series and the second game between the teams in Oxford. Ole Miss won, 38-28, in the teams’ last meeting in 2011 in Fresno.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “I don’t think it scares you because all the guys here I know are well prepared, and they did a great job preparing for this week. I’m sure any of those guys can step in and do a great job, but not having Laremy definitely stinks.” — QB Chad Kelly, on the absence of LT Laremy Tunsil.
