Spring Practice Preview

A look at Ole Miss football: position-by-position.

Seph Anderson, Sportswriter to The South, focuses his sports writing and photography skills on covering timely Ole Miss and SEC news, among all things sports across the South.

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Senior RB Jeff Scott will be met with challengers this spring.
Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Spring practice begins in Oxford on March 17, and Rebel coaches, players and fans can’t wait.

Hugh Freeze returns all but three starters in 2013 on a team that went 7-6 last season. Remember, this very same team posted seasons of 2-10 in 2011 and 4-8 in 2010 under former coach Houston Nutt.

Hopes are high around the Ole Miss program entering spring ball, as they should be.

Prior to the arrival of freshmen in ESPN’s No. 5 recruiting class this summer, spring practice should provide Ole Miss coaches with the perfect opportunity to evaluate both returning and rising talent.

Let’s take a position-by-position look at the Rebel program this spring.

Quarterbacks

Photo by Kevin Bain/Ole Miss Communications

It’ll be an interesting spring at quarterback, with starter Bo Wallace recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

So, who runs the show this spring?

The only options on the table are senior Barry Brunetti or sophomore Maikhail Miller. However, assuming Wallace returns healthy this summer, neither Brunetti or Miller figure to be under center much in 2013. Nevertheless, these are the two Rebels that will split snaps this spring. You go with what you’ve got.

While Brunetti, a transfer from West Virginia, never really panned out at quarterback, he’ll likely find his way into the mix offensively at various positions within Hugh Freeze’s complex offensive scheme by fall.

Miller only saw action in two games last season, completing two passes on six attempts. The No. 20 overall quarterback by ESPN out of high school, Miller provides a more bruising option than Ole Miss has seen in some time. The 6’2”, 240-pound sophomore will likely end up the top reserve behind Wallace. However, at his size Miller can still give Ole Miss a different option in short yardage situations.

The development of Miller this spring should be interesting, as should seeing where Brunetti may also fit into things on offense.