Bo Wallace Leaves Rebels with 6 School Records

The battle between Good Bo and Bad Bo has been an ongoing story line for the Rebels since Bo Wallace joined the squad in 2012, and Rebel nation never knew whether we would see the Bo who can only throw completions or the Bo who can’t dig himself out of a panicked hole.

Bo Wallace made a number of impressive plays against Alabama to bring home a big win. / Photo by Amelia Camurati

Though Wallace ended the year on a low note with a beating in the Peach Bowl New Year’s Eve, he leaves Ole Miss with a legacy comparable to many Rebel greats and shattering a few of Eli Manning’s records along the way his senior year. He left the field for the final time with six school records:

1. Total plays: 1,544
2. Passing efficiency: 140.8
3. Completion percentage: 63 percent
4. Total offensive yards: 10,478
5. Yards per attempt: 8.04
6. 300-yard passing games: 11

Though he twice led the SEC in interceptions, he also led the Rebels to a nine-win season and three top-10 wins. Wallace had games this season where he completed 23 of 28 passes, and he had games where his completion percentage was less than half.

Wallace and Freeze hug before the Egg Bowl. / Photo by Chuck Barnes

Despite the up and down play of Wallace, he leaves Ole Miss with a legacy all his own, one that should be honored by Rebels for years to come. Wallace took home the Conerly Trophy honoring the top football player in the state in 2012. He was named BBVA Compass Bowl MVP to kick off 2013 and Music City Bowl MVP to end it. He racked up 62 passing touchdowns and 19 rushing to eclipse his 41 career interceptions in 39 games as a Rebel.

He came in when the program was in a definite decline and, along with a number of dedicated teammates on both sides of the ball, Wallace made a forgotten Mississippi school be in the forefront of college football news. Just a small-town boy from Pulaski, Tennessee, he battled with coach Hugh Freeze during his time as a redshirt freshman at Arkansas State to come out a stronger player and went on to push East Mississippi Community College to an undefeated season, but he never let the negative attention surrounding a hard loss deter him.

During his final game, the Rebels went into the half down 28-0, and Freeze said during his interview he would continue to play Wallace unless injured because of everything he has done for the program in his short three seasons. The Rebels at home and in the stands were screaming for a new man to take the snaps, but Freeze stood by his star and Wallace continued to fight. Now, Freeze is off to find a new quarterback, but he’ll always remember the young man he met at Arkansas State that he never gave up on.

Amelia Camurati is editor-in-chief of HottyToddy.com and can be reached at amelia.camurati@hottytoddy.com.