Rebels Offense Shines in First Fall Scrimmage

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

Ole Miss went inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Sunday for its first fall scrimmage a day after the team went to full pads.

The offense was firing on all cylinders against the defense. During the scrimmage, the offense ran a total of 19 series.

As the scrimmage started on the first play, quarterback Matt Corral connected with wide receiver Braylon Sanders down the seam.

Coach Lane Kiffin met with the media following the scrimmage to discuss the day and the first week of camp.

“I’m impressed with the first offense running and passing,” Kiffin said. “Not impressed with the defense. That always happens when you are scrimmaging yourself.”

Kiffin said after the scrimmage “one side does good” and then you wonder if we are good on one side and bad on the other side.

Kiffin and staff were able to play a lot of players in the scrimmage and look at the depth of positions. Kiffin added, “We played a lot of ones, twos and threes, got reps for new guys. Hopefully, we will learn some stuff from the film.”

The Rebels defense had “some poor tackling in the scrimmage after working on it (Saturday),” he said.  The coach added that the offense had a number of receivers who were banged up, not able to be tackled, so it was just the running backs.

“The ones, twos and threes between the linebackers and the secondary missed tackles,” Kiffin said.

The special teams unit of field goal kickers were prefect on the day.

“Both guys did a great job as they have all camp,” Kiffin said. “I don’t care if you’re on scholarship, a walk on or what you are, we’re going to play the best guy.”

Kinkead Dent and Luke Altymer both took snaps behind Corral in the scrimmage.

“Think they struggled at times because of what’s around them,” Kiffin said. “Both guys have done great things, and we need them to play really well.”

In the second half of the scrimmage, Kiffin said that the defense did a little bit better. “The second half was not tackles. … It was a very frustrating first quarter.”

After one week of fall camp, Kiffin said that the offense looked really good and the defense did not. “It’s good and bad” as a team that is competing against themselves, he said.