When quarterback Eli Manning announced he was returning to Ole Miss for his senior year, Ole Miss fans collectively sighed in relief.
“I was considering leaving,” Manning said in a Jan. 16 press conference. “It took a lot of time and thought, but when it came down to it, it is all about do you want to go or want to stay? I wanted to stay.”
The New Orleans native took the Rebels to a 7-6 record in 2002 despite being named the No. 1 quarterback by Lindy’s and No. 3 by The Sporting News. The Associated Press named him a second team All-Southeastern Conference selection in 2002 after he threw for 3,401 yards.
Manning, who has his own Web site, has earned the praise of Ole Miss fans by putting his name on the Rebels’ record books in 24 categories including most 300-yard games in a season and total passing yards. He finished second in the SEC in passing yards per game with 261.6.
“Anytime you have a veteran quarterback coming back with that type of ability it is certainly a good feeling,” Ole Miss coach David Cutcliffe said after Manning revealed his plans to stay at Ole Miss for his senior season.
LSU coach Nick Saban is not yet sure how the Tigers will stop the Rebels’ passing game.
“We have some young players in secondary,” Saban said. “Hopefully we will be able to figure that out by the time we play Ole Miss.”
However, the Rebels proved a team cannot rely solely on the passing game. Manning said improving the running game will be a goal for the team, which gets 73.7 percent of its total offense from passing.
“Hopefully we will establish a running game offensively and throw the ball well,” Manning said in an Aug. 25 press conference. “We need to get some first downs and not have a lot of third and long situations.”
Ronald McClendon, senior running back for the Rebels, will try to ignite the Ole Miss running game. He finished the 2002 season as the team’s leading rusher with 402 yards on 96 carries and three touchdowns. Senior Tremaine Turner also will look to help improve the running back situation. Turner, who started four games as running back in 2002, finished with 300 yards on 79 carries.
The Rebels are battling several injuries including those of starting tight end Eric Rice and wide receiver Bill Flowers, who spent the spring recuperating from toe surgery. Flowers also has been out of practice because of a shoulder injury.
“I think we have had an unusually high number of injuries and a lot of people out,” said Cutcliffe.
Eric Oliver returns as starting defensive back for the Rebels. Last season he led the team in tackles with 129 (80 unassisted). Oliver has been named 2003 preseason All-SEC by Southeastern Football Saturdays and is ranked as the No. 7 safety in the SEC by The Sporting News.
The Rebel coaches are hoping defensive lineman McKinley Boykin can return after missing spring practice due to back problems. Boykin played in all regular season games for Ole Miss and was named to the 2002 Coaches All-SEC All-Freshman team. He had four tackles in his first game as a Rebel.
“He looks 100 percent to me,” said Cutcliffe. “He is playing like he is 100 percent. He is ready to play and he has had an excellent camp.”