Ole Miss wants more from rushing attack

OXFORD, MISS. — The arrival of new Mississippi offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez bred excitement for what the Rebels running game could accomplish.

Ole Miss boasts a deep and diverse backfield that returns Scottie Phillips and also includes freshmen Snoop Conner and Jerrion Ealy. Phillips rushed for 928 yards last season. Ealy is a former fivestar recruit.

But optimism quickly faded to concern in the team’s season-opening, 15-10 loss at Memphis. The Rebels averaged just 2.4 yards per rush on 33 attempts. Ole Miss had minus-1 yards rushing and 42 yards of total offense at halftime. The offensive line struggled to block Memphis’ front seven, particularly in the first half.

Ole Miss knows it needs better production from its rushing attack Saturday when it hosts Arkansas (1-0) in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

Ole Miss’ first 10 rushes netted one yard. There was little space for Phillips to run. A young and inexperienced offensive line was overwhelmed by the Tigers defensive front. The Rebels were regularly in long-yardage situations that prevented Ole Miss from being creative in the running game.

Rodriguez’s scheme hinges heavily on misdirection. There was no time for that Saturday.

“We saw a lot of minus yards on first down, and it prevents you from doing that,” head coach Matt Luke said. “When you’re behind schedule, it’s hard to get into a rhythm. In the second half when we were on schedule, you saw more of it. Staying ahead of the chains lets you open up the playbooks a bit more.”

The poor first-half performance was ultimately too much for Ole Miss to overcome, but the Rebels found more consistent success on the ground in the second half. The Rebels averaged 4.2 yards per rush in the second half. Phillips ended up with 62 yards on 19 carries.

Arkansas must try to slow down that Ole Miss running game without the services of defensive end Dorian Gerald. Arkansas coach Chad Morris said Gerald will miss the rest of the season after straining an artery in his neck last week during a 20-13 victory over Portland State.