First-year Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron has two highly recruited quarterbacks competing for the starting position this season.
Senior Michael Spurlock and sophomore Robert Lane have both been taking snaps since preseason practice, and both saw time in the Ole Miss opener against Memphis on Sept. 3.
“Michael [Spurlock] hasn’t solidified the starting position for me to say ‘He’s they guy we are going with no matter what,'” Orgeron said. “We don’t have that guy on our team right now. If Michael goes into the game and we’re not scoring points and he’s not running the offense like I want him too, I’ll put in Robert.”
Spurlock played for almost all of the Rebels’ 10-6 victory. The senior passed for 184 yards and one interception. In only four passing attempts, Lane threw one interception.
Spurlock had an even better game in Rebels’ 31-23 loss to Vanderbilt last weekend, with 257 yards passing and a touchdown, but left the game late with an injury.
Orgeron took the coaching job after spending seven years with the two-time national champion USC Trojans. While at USC, he coached defensive lines and brings his defensive coaching style to Ole Miss.
“We have a lot of games left to go,” Orgeron said. “[The Ole Miss defense] is very similar in terms of concept [to USC defense]. I think our linebackers are comparable. I am really pleased with our defensive backs. We have not been tested yet.”
Orgeron, who succeeded former coach David Cutcliffe after a 4-7 season, had mixed results in his first games.
The defense held the lead for the Rebels with an interception at the goal line late in the game.
Linebacker Patrick Willis posted a career high 15 tackles – 10 solo, 2 for loss of yards – and forced a fumble.
With a weak record from last season, the Rebels are not as favored to win many games, but Orgeron hopes he can change expectations soon.
“I want to build a championship program, and this is how we are going to get it done,” Orgeron said in his first news conference after taking the Ole Miss job. “We are going to teach our young men how to compete. We will compete in everything we do. I want us to give great effort.”
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