Coach Freeze, Ole Miss Rebels Prepare to Face the Aggies

Photo by Kevin Bain / Ole Miss Communications

The Ole Miss Rebels return home this weekend to face the Texas A&M Aggies. This past weekend the Memphis Tigers got the best of the Rebels in the Liberty Bowl by a score of 37-24.

“A disappointing Saturday for sure on a lot of fronts. Our staff hurts for the Ole Miss family. I understand when you love a place and want to give a great joy through the job you’re assigned, it is difficult. It’s disappointing. It’s testing at times,” said Coach Hugh Freeze. “We’ll show great resolve and leadership and move forward. We’ll shut out the negativity and remain true to our core values. Our theme this year is, ‘Take a stand,’ and this is a great teaching moment for our young men in their lives, for our coaching staff, and for everyone in this building to rally together and continue to work extremely hard. We are facing a lot of adversity in a lot of different ways, whether it is injuries or tough opponents.”

“Disappointments are a part of life, and this is a great teaching time. We’ve got five great opportunities left. That’s 300 minutes. Yesterday’s team meeting circled upon those and how those minutes should look, what we should do prepping for those minutes, how we should focus, how we prepare and how we control what we can control. I’m optimistic and confident that our young men are going to play with great passion for those last 300 minutes that we have and prepare daily for those.” Freeze said.

Coach Freeze and the Ole Miss Rebels are looking forward to this weekend’s opponent: Texas A&M.

“Kevin (Sumlin) has done a really nice job there, and their defense is playing at a much higher level. They are going to be a really good test for us,” said Freeze. “It’s nice that we have them at home. I know our people will be excited to get a night game here. Another SEC game, and our kids will feel the support of the great Rebel fans.”

Many Ole Miss football players have been injured thus far in this season.

Freeze said, “Our injuries continue to be an injury for us. Robert Nkemdiche will go through concussion protocol as will Trae Elston and Will Gleeson. Robert Conyers is unfortunately done for the year with an ACL tear. We have several others that will be day-to-day. That is an issue that we seem to have our fair share with this year. You have to keep on with the players you have. As far as Robert (Nkemdiche), you just don’t know. I know he loves to play the game. I am not in charge of protocols but I know he loves the game and wants to play. We have to make sure he is safe and ready to play. Ultimately, the doctors will have to clear them.”

Coach Freeze ranks Laquon Treadwell amongst his best receivers.

“Laquon is as good a receiver as any that I have coached. I was a receivers’ coach here and I had Mike Wallace, Shay Hodge and Dexter McCluster. They were all great players. Donte Moncrief was the best we had until that point. Laquon Treadwell is just as good as Moncrief if not better. Treadwell is strong and physical. He is very talented. He is one of the best that I have coached.”

Ole Miss Rebels’ home game against the Texas A&M Aggies is scheduled at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

Adam Brown is the Sports Editor for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.