The Ole Miss coaching staff has been garnering national recognition after guiding the 2014 Rebels to nine wins and a berth in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, one of the inaugural “New Year’s Six” bowls.
Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics
Defensive coordinator Dave Wommack and cornerbacks coach Jason Jones have been honored by FootballScoop as the National Defensive Backs Coaches of the Year.
Head coach Hugh Freeze has been named a finalist for the Bear Bryant Award and Dodd Trophy, which both honor the national coach of the year. He was also a semifinalist for the Maxwell Football Club coach of the year. The Dodd Trophy went to Alabama’s Nick Saban, while Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen won the Maxwell award. The Bear Bryant Award winner will be revealed at a ceremony in Houston, Texas, on Jan. 14.
Wommack, who coached the Rebels’ safeties this year in addition to his defensive coordinator duties, and Jones, who oversees cornerbacks and huskies, helped direct an Ole Miss unit that led the nation in scoring defense (16.0 points per game). The Rebels intercepted 22 passes (tied for fifth-most in the nation) and surrendered 12 touchdown passes (tied for sixth-fewest in the nation).
Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics
Under Wommack and Jones’ tutelage, cornerback Senquez Golson became the latest first team All-American and the first consensus first team All-American at Ole Miss since Michael Oher in 2008. Golson led the SEC and was second in the nation with 10 interceptions, which tied the school single-season record that had stood since 1949. Free safety Cody Prewitt became a two-time All-American when he was named second team by several outlets this year. Those two seniors were also named All-SEC, along with sophomore huskie Tony Conner.
All told, Ole Miss had its most wins in a season since 2009, earned a berth in the first ever “New Year’s Six” bowl, finished the regular season with a top-10 national ranking for the first time since 1963, and secured regular-season wins over fellow “New Year’s Six” teams Alabama, Mississippi State and Boise State.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports Information
