Coming off a 10-3 season and a 31-28 victory over Oklahoma Statein the Cotton Bowl last season, the University of MississippiRebels already are struggling to match last year’saccomplishments without Heisman trophy runner-up Eli Manning.
The Rebels already have lost their first two games of the 2004season and snuck past Vanderbilt last weekend.
Manning, who was drafted No. 1 by the New York Giants inApril’s NFL Draft, completed the 2003 season with 3,600 yardson 275-of-441 passing with 29 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Meanwhile Manning’s replacement, junior Micheal Spurlockalready has struggled with the starting job. Spurlock was taken outof the game in the third quarter of the Rebel’s 28-7 loss atAlabama two weeks ago.
“We just weren’t doing much,” coach DavidCutcliffe said following Mississippi’s loss to Alabama.”Micheal just didn’t get it done.”
Sophomore Ethan Flatt, Spurlock’s backup, filled in lastSaturday as the starting quarterback. It was Flatt’s firststart of his career.
Flatt completed 21-of-32 passes for 187 yards in theRebels’ overtime victory.
“For the most part he was accurate throwing theball,” Cutcliffe said following the Vanderbilt game. “Ithought he managed the game well.”
Aside from having to deal with replacing Manning, Cutcliffe alsois focusing on replacing the team’s leading wide receiverChris Collins, who graduated last year.
Collins finished the 2003 season with 77 receptions for 949yards, scoring seven touchdowns.
Two returning receivers, junior Mike Espy and senior MikeFlowers, will lead this year’s receiving corps. The twocombined for 1,085 yards, 69 receptions and four touchdowns lastseason.
Espy also will continue with his punt-returning duties afteraccumulating 369 total yards last season on 43 returns.
The offense also will be without last year’s leadingrusher Tremaine Turner, who finished the season with 809 yards on173 attempts and four touchdowns.
Junior Vashon Pearson has stepped in for Turner, rushing for 216yards on 43 carries and two touchdowns through three games thisseason.
The brighest spot on the Rebel squad is the special teams.
Returning kicker Jonathon Nichols, who earned the Lou Grozaaward last season, already has been chosen as a 2004 Playboypre-season All-American selection.
Nichols led the Rebels in 2003 in points scored, totalling 124points to set a new school record in points scored in oneseason.
It was Nichols who nailed a 35-yard field goal last Saturday toseal the win against Vanderbilt.
On the other side of the ball, the Ole Miss defense will bewithout seven starters from last season, including safety TravisBlanchard, who finished second on the team in tackles last seasonwith 72.
The Rebels also lost last season’s interception leader VonHutchins, who completed the 2003 season with four.
One bright spot in the Ole Miss secondary this season will bereturning free-safety Eric Oliver, who led the 2003 Rebel defensewith 104 tackles.
Leading the defensive line will be defensive tackle DanielBooth, the only returning starting lineman from last season.
Booth started 12-of-13 games last year and recorded aseason-high three tackles at Florida last season. Booth also provedhis worth in the Cotton Bowl, earning his first career sack againstOklahoma State.
Ole Miss will also be without its top linebacker from lastseason, Justin Wade, who finished last year with 62 totaltackles.
Along with Wade, linebacker L.P. Spence also is gone.
Currently leading the linebacking core this season are seniorsPatrick Willis and Rob Robertson, who have already combined for 43tackles in the Rebels’ first three games.