2002 SEC Football Previews

 
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    OLE MISS "REBELS"

    QUICK FACTS

    Location: Oxford, Miss.
    Founded: 1848
    Enrollment: 14,429
    Stadium: Vaught-Hemingway (60,580)
    Chancellor: Dr. Robert C. Khayat (Ole Miss, '61)
    Faculty Representative: Dr. Robert Weems (Ole Miss, '66)
    Athletics Director: Pete Boone
    Head Football Coach: David Cutcliffe (Alabama, '76)
    Off. / Def. Systems: Multiple-Pro / Multiple 4-3
    All-Time Record: 566-419-35 (.572)
    SEC Championships: 6 (1947, 54, 55, 60, 62, 63)
    Bowl App. / Record: 29 / 17-12 (.586)

    2001 IN REVIEW

    2001 Record: 7-4 (.636) (4-2 H, 3-2 A)
    SEC Record/Finish: 4-4 (2-2 H, 2-2 A) / T3rd Western
    Bowl: None
    National Ranking: Not Ranked
    Home Attendance: 274,439 (45,740)

    SEC/NCAA Statistical Rankings
    Total Offense: 4th / 37th (415.0)
    Rushing Offense: 8th / 68th (144.3)
    Passing Offense: 4th / 23rd (270.7)
    Scoring Offense: 2nd / 11th (35.5)
    Total Defense: 8th / 60th (375.5)
    Rushing Defense: 12th / 105th (214.2)
    Pass Efficiency Defense: 2nd / 30th (109.3)
    Scoring Defense: 10th / 76th (28.2)


    2001 RESULTS
    (7-4 Overall -- 4-4 SEC) 

    Sept. 1		MURRAY STATE			46,310	 W	49-14
Sept. 8		at Auburn (JP)			86,063	 L	21-27
Sept. 29	at Kentucky			60,814	 W	42-31
Oct. 6		at Arkansas State		22,368	 W	35-17
Oct. 13		ALABAMA (JP)			47,110	 W	27-24
Oct. 20		MIDDLE TENNESSEE		46,886	 W	45-17
Oct. 27		at LSU (ESPN2)			91,941	 W	35-24
Nov. 3		ARKANSAS (ESPN2)		47,464	 L	56-58 (7ot)
Nov. 17		GEORGIA (JP)			47,457	 L	15-35
Nov. 22		at Mississippi State (ESPN)	51,112	 L	28-36
Dec. 1		VANDERBILT (JP)			39,212	 W	38-27


    2001 STATISTICAL LEADERS 

    RUSHING    	G    	ATT  	 YDS  	AVG  	 PG	TD	
J. Gunn		11	200	 870	4.3	 79.1	 9
C. Stackhouse	11	 75	 330	4.4	 30.0	 5
* R. Williams 	 7	 42	 200	4.8	 28.6	 1
Ole Miss	11	422	1587	3.8	144.3	23
Opponents	11	472	2356	5.0	214.2	27	
 
PASSING		G    	ATT  	CMP  	INT  	PCT  	YDS	TD
* E. Manning	11	408	259	 9	63.5	2948	31
* D. Morris	 3	  8	  3	 0	37.5	  32	 0
Ole Miss	11	417	263	 9	63.1	2978	31
Opponents	11	275	136	12	49.5	1774	12

RECEIVING	G	REC	 YDS	AVG	 RPG	TD	
* C. Collins	11	 54	 692	12.8	 4.9	 6
J. Armstrong	11	 40	 470	11.8	 3.6	 2
* J. Armstead	11	 32	 413	12.9	 2.9	 5
* B. Flowers	11	 28	 315	11.2	 2.5	 4
Ole Miss	11	263	2978	11.3	23.9	31
Opponents	11	136	1774	13.0	12.4	12

PUNTING		NO   	YDS  	AVG  	LP	BLK
* C. Ridgeway	48	1861	38.8	75	0
Ole Miss	48	1861	38.8	75	0
Opponents	56	2212	39.5	61	1

KO RETURNS	NO   	YDS  	AVG  	TD   	LP
* J. Armstead	19	524	27.6	1	93
Ole Miss	33	805	24.4	1	93
Opponents	43	944	22.0	0	38

PUNT RETURNS	NO   	YDS  	AVG  	TD   	LP
* J. Armstead	22	196	8.9	0	40
Ole Miss	26	214	8.2	0	40
Opponents	22	310	14.1	1	81

TACKLES		TOTAL		TFL	SACKS	INT	FC-FR
* E. Strong	105 (52-53)	6 (-13)	2 (-8)	0	1-1
K. Jackson	 89 (29-60)	4 (-12)	2 (-9)	0	0-1
* V. Hutchins	 88 (54-34)	1 (-4)	0	1	0-0
* L. Goethie	 85 (43-42)	2 (-9)	0	1	1-2
* M. Grier	 82 (58-24)	3 (-8)	0	2	1-0
    * - Returning Player

    TEAM INFORMATION

    LETTERMEN
    Returning: 53 (21 Offense, 28 Defense, 4 Specialists)
    Lost: 23 (12 Offense, 10 Defense, 1 Specialist)

    STARTERS RETURNING -- 17
    Offense (7):
    SE Chris Collins (6-2, 190, Jr.)
    LG Doug Buckles (6-5, 290, So.)
    C Ben Claxton (6-3, 288, Sr.)
    RG Marcus Johnson (6-6, 320, So.)
    RT Belton Johnson (6-5, 290, Sr.)
    TE Doug Zeigler (6-4, 254, Sr.)
    QB Eli Manning (6-4, 212, Jr.)
    Defense (7):
    LE Charlie Anderson (6-4, 225, Jr.)
    WLB L.P. Spence (5-10, 195, Jr.)
    RE Cory Robinson (6-4, 255, So.)
    SLB Eddie Strong (6-4, 245, Sr.)
    MLB Lanier Goethie (6-0, 223, Sr.)
    SS Matt Grier (6-1, 190, Sr.)
    FS Von Hutchins (5-11, 184, Jr.)
    Specialists (3):
    PK Jonathan Nichols (6-0, 180, So.)
    P/H Cody Ridgeway (6-1 1/2, 180, So.)
    SN A.J. Kiamie (6-3 1/2, 270, Sr.)

    STARTERS LOST -- 9
    Offense (4):
    LT Terrence Metcalf (6-4, 315, Sr.)
    RB Joe Gunn (5-10 1/2, 207, Sr.)
    FB Charles Stackhouse (6-3, 240, Sr.)
    W Jamie Armstrong (6-1, 188, Sr.)
    Defense (5):
    LT Anthony Sims (6-3, 268, Sr.)
    WLB L.P. Spence (5-10, 195, Sr.)
    LCB Justin Coleman (5-11, 175, Sr.)
    RCB Syniker Taylor (6-0 1/2, 219, Sr.)
    DT Kenny Jackson (6-3, 309, Sr.)
    Specialists (0)

    NOTE: Specialists include kicker, punter, holder, snapper, punt returner and kickoff returner if they are not already listed at another offensive or defensive position.

    2002 SCHEDULE 

    Aug. 31		LOUISIANA MONROE	OXFORD
Sept. 7		MEMPHIS			OXFORD
Sept. 14	at Texas Tech		Lubbock
Sept. 21	VANDERBILT		OXFORD
Oct. 5		FLORIDA			OXFORD
Oct. 12		ARKANSAS STATE		OXFORD
Oct. 19		at Alabama		Tuscaloosa
Oct. 26		at Arkansas		Fayetteville
Nov. 2		AUBURN			OXFORD
Nov. 9		at Georgia		Athens
Nov. 23		at LSU			Baton Rouge
Nov. 28		MISSISSIPPI STATE	OXFORD

    COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE

    Alma Mater: Alabama (1976)
    Coaching Experience: Banks High School Assistant Coach (1976-79); Banks High School Head Coach (1980-81); Tennessee Assistant Coach (1982-92); Tennessee Offensive Coordinator (1993-98); Ole Miss Head Coach (1998-Present).

    CUTCLIFFE YEAR-BY-YEAR 

    Year	School		Conf.	Pct.	 All	 Pct.	Bowl
1998	Ole Miss	0-0	.000	 1-0	1.000	Independence
1999	Ole Miss	4-4	.500	 8-4	 .667	Independence
2000	Ole Miss	4-4	.500	 7-5	 .583	Music City
2001	Ole Miss	4-4	.500	 7-4	 .636	
TOTALS			12-12	.500	23-13	 .639
Ole Miss Record		12-12	.500	23-13	 .639
Bowl Record				 2-1    (.667)

    REBEL ASSISTANT COACHES

    Matt Luke (Ole Miss, 1990) - Asst. Offensive Line/Tight Ends
    Chuck Driesbach (Villanova, 1985) - Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
    Marion Hobby (Tennessee, 1989) - Defensive Ends
    John Latina (Virginia Tech, 1979) - Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
    T.D. Woods (Tennessee, 1990) - Receivers
    Mike MacIntyre (Georgia Tech, 1989) - Defensive Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
    Ron Middleton (Auburn, 1985) - Running Backs/Special Teams
    Rick Petri (Missouri-Rolla, 1976) - Defensive Tackles
    Kurt Roper (Rice, 1995) - Quarterbacks

    TOP RETURNEES

    QB ELI MANNING * 6-4, 212, Jr., New Orleans, La.
    Named second-team Verizon Academic All-America ... Set or tied 17 Ole Miss school records in 2001 ... Finished fourth in the SEC and 20th in the nation in passing efficiency (144.8 rating) ... Last season, completed 259 of 408 passes for 2,948 yards with 31 TDs (all school records) and nine interceptions ... Threw for more than 200 yards in all 11 games last season ... Threw for five TDs in season opener against Murray State and six TDs in seven OT game against Arkansas.

    SLB EDDIE STRONG * 6-4, 245, Sr., Batesville, Miss.
    Named second-team All-SEC by the league's coaches in 2001 ... Led the Rebels in total tackles last season with 105 (52 solos) ... Also had six for losses (-13), including two sacks (-8), four pass deflections, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble ... Had six games with double figure tackles including a season-high 14 in games against Arkansas and Miss. State.

    SE CHRIS COLLINS * 6-2, 190, Jr., Gloster, Miss.
    Caught team-best 54 passes for 692 yards and six TDs last season ... Placed in SEC's top 10 in each category ... Tied school mark with four career 100+ receiving yardage games, all last season ... Had eight catches for 110 yards against Alabama, six catches for 110 yards against Miss. State, six catches for 100 yards against Murray State and seven catches for 119 yards against Kentucky.