Expectations high for Ole Miss’ Brown, others
ATLANTA — Auburn coach Gus Malzahn offered up the compliment from the podium almost unprompted.
The question coming from a reporter in the main media room at SEC Media Days was what difference Malzahn saw from Ole Miss in the second half of the Tigers’ 44-23 victory over the Rebels last season. It was the second half that Ole Miss head coach Matt Luke had earlier in the week identified as a turning point in his team’s season.
“They’re a talented team now,” Malzahn said. “I mean, they’ve got a lot of talent specifically on the offensive side of the football.”
Ole Miss’ receiving corps, with A.J. Brown front and center, has drawn national attention after a standout 2017 season. Brown, DaMarkus Lodge and D.K. Metcalf all return after finishing last year as top-15 receivers, in terms of production. Heading into this season, Brown is considered one, if not the, best receiver in the Southeastern Conference. On Thursday morning, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced that Brown had been named to the initial watch list for the 2018 Biletnikoff Award. He was also included on the Maxwell Award watch list this week.
“A.J. is very, very driven,” Luke said Tuesday at SEC Media Days. “He’s a tremendous player. He’s a tremendous competitor. And it’s been fun to really watch him push the other receivers and other receivers push and continue to develop.”
Brown is projected to be a top-10 NFL draft prospect. He led SEC receivers with 1,252 yards last season.
“He’s a very big guy,” said Mississippi State safety Mark McLaurin of what sets Brown apart. “You don’t find too many like him. He’s very physical and fast.”
Brown, at 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, set a new single-season receiving yards record in the Egg Bowl last year. He scored a 77-yard touchdown in that game, pulling down Jordan Ta’amu’s pass at the 40-yard line and sprinting up the sideline. Mississippi State defensive back Brandon Bryant got a hand on Brown just before he hit the end zone. But Brown barreled through, not acknowledging the contact.
“I’m looking for him to get one year better in this offense,” Luke said. “I think continuity is huge. I think that’s a big advantage we have coming back, is having the same coordinators on offense and defense, being able to keep that continuity and getting one year better.”
Offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s air raid offense allows each of his receivers to put up big numbers. Last season, Metcalf touched the ball the least of the big three, and he still logged 39 catches. Opponents could double-team one of them, but that would leave another wide open to make them pay for that decision. That’s another reason the Rebels want to keep developing their ground game. Luke drew a connection between the improvement in the Rebels running game last season and their offense “taking off.”
“In the spring we were able to work a lot on trying to stop the run and but also breaking in new running backs,” he said.