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Ole Miss Plans to Use Strong Running Game in Matchup Against Cal
By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
Scottie Phillips dives into the end zone for an Ole Miss touchdown. Photo courtesy of Joshua McCoy Ole Miss Athletics.
The Ole Miss Rebels football team is swapping its air raid offense for a newly-developed running attack, and unlike previous years, it’s working.
Over the first three games of the season, the Rebels’ stable of running backs has gained 537 total yards. The stable is anchored by Scottie Phillips who has had 25 to 30 touches per game so far on the season.
“He is in good enough shape to carry the ball 20 or 30 times a contest,” offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez said.
Phillips has a total of 71 touches with 308 total yards and four touchdowns. He has averaged 4.3 yards per carry. As a group, the backs have gained an average of 3.9 yards per touch and found pay dirt five times.
Freshman Jerrion Ealy has the only other touchdown for the running backs that came against Southeastern Louisiana last Saturday. Ealy broke two monster gashes for 52 yards from scrimmage, then followed it up with a 30-yard dash to the end zone. He is averaging 6.1 yards per carry with 17 touches on the year.
A challenge for the Rebels’ coaching staff will be to make sure that Ealy, Snoop Conner and Isaiah Woullard get touches as well.
“We have four guys that we feel comfortable with. Scottie is the veteran and is playing good football for us,” Rodriguez said.
On the season, Conner has gained 92 total yards on 18 touches with 5.1 yards per dash.
Coming into the Cal game, the Rebels will have to use a good mixture of the running game and the passing game.
“There is no question that Matt (Corral) has the ability to pass the ball. We are going to have to do both,” he said.
Ole Miss will take the gridiron against the Cal Golden Bears Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. on ESPNU.
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | W, 63-51 |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | W, 73-66 |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | W, 77-65 |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | W, 74-64 |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | L, 81-84 |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | L, 62-63 |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | L, 83-75 |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | W, 72-69 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | L, 92-82 |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | W, 98-84 |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |