Post by Trojan Warrior on Nov 14, 2013 17:33:46 GMT -6
From: @dewisetrojan
It's been awhile since I have done one of these, but Troy's odd schedule affected the normal mid-week plans.
With a return to a Saturday game, I reached out to Hugh Kellenberger of the Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Miss., to ask a few questions about the upcoming Troy-Ole Miss game, which kicks off at 11 a.m.
JW: What is the playing status of Jeff Scott? It seems like every week may be the week he reappears, but he has not quite yet.
HK: Yeah, it's been a bit of a moving target with Jeff Scott for several weeks now. Part of the reason is that we were originally told it was a thigh bruise, which seemed like a relatively minor injury. Apparently it was actually a bone spur on a nerve, which certainly sounds more serious. He practiced on Tuesday, and for the first time in weeks, Hugh Freeze expressed confidence Scott would be a part of the game plan.
JW: If Scott returns, what does he add to the Ole Miss offense? Is he an essential piece, or have the backups adequately filled in for him?
HK: They've adequately filled in for him to the point you wonder if Scott is the No. 1 back. Jaylen Walton is about the same size and certainly fast (he runs a 40 in the 4.3-4 range), and he's more willing to run between the tackles than Scott normally is. And I'Tavius Mathers is a bigger runner who hits the hole hard and has shown nice vision. Scott was recruited to be a change-of-pace back, and the upheaval in the program forced him into being the every-down back. I could see a situation where Ole Miss gets back to the former for the next three weeks.
JW: How big of a key has the offensive line been to the Rebels' three-game winning streak?
HK: It's certainly been important. They're doing a better job of opening up holes in the running game (though the flip side argument is the opposing defensive lines have not been nearly as good as Alabama's and Auburn's), and generally protecting Bo Wallace well. Ole Miss knew it had to replace the right guard going into the year, and then lost left guard Aaron Morris in game one. Plus it had to figure out what to do with Laremy Tunsil, who had to play as a true freshman, and still keep the previous left tackle, senior captain Emmanuel McCray, involved. There's a lot of guys rotating at guard, and McCray is playing some tackle and some tight end in an overload formation. It's worked out.
JW: Are both of the Nkemdiche brothers at full speed now? What kind of impact can they have on a game?
HK: I think Denzel Nkemdiche is back at full speed. Robert is probably a little slower than he was, but that's still plenty quick for a defensive tackle. Ole Miss wants those two to make big plays, which is what Denzel did last season. It'll be interesting to see if he really turns it loose as we get further away from his injuries. Robert is playing defensive tackle, which may be his eventual home. For right now, though, it uses his size and strength to his advantage while de-emphasizing the need for pass-rushing moves (which have been harder to come by).
JW: Ole Miss lost three in a row at one point this season. What were some reasons for the Rebels' struggles during that stretch, and can Troy exploit those?
HK: Well, Alabama is No. 1 in the country, Auburn is No. 7 and Texas A&M is No. 10. And two of the first three were on the road. Now, Ole Miss did not play well outside of the game against the Aggies. Dominant defensive lines that could hold up the line of scrimmage and let linebackers contain the edge stifled Ole Miss' running game, and Bo Wallace was not up to the task of winning the game with his arm. The losses were a good reminder that while Ole Miss had made substantial progress, it's probably at least two more recruiting cycles away from being able to say it has the necessary depth to compete week-in and week-out in the SEC West.
JW: What are your keys to the game Saturday?... (Full Article)
iconTroy3
It's been awhile since I have done one of these, but Troy's odd schedule affected the normal mid-week plans.
With a return to a Saturday game, I reached out to Hugh Kellenberger of the Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Miss., to ask a few questions about the upcoming Troy-Ole Miss game, which kicks off at 11 a.m.
JW: What is the playing status of Jeff Scott? It seems like every week may be the week he reappears, but he has not quite yet.
HK: Yeah, it's been a bit of a moving target with Jeff Scott for several weeks now. Part of the reason is that we were originally told it was a thigh bruise, which seemed like a relatively minor injury. Apparently it was actually a bone spur on a nerve, which certainly sounds more serious. He practiced on Tuesday, and for the first time in weeks, Hugh Freeze expressed confidence Scott would be a part of the game plan.
JW: If Scott returns, what does he add to the Ole Miss offense? Is he an essential piece, or have the backups adequately filled in for him?
HK: They've adequately filled in for him to the point you wonder if Scott is the No. 1 back. Jaylen Walton is about the same size and certainly fast (he runs a 40 in the 4.3-4 range), and he's more willing to run between the tackles than Scott normally is. And I'Tavius Mathers is a bigger runner who hits the hole hard and has shown nice vision. Scott was recruited to be a change-of-pace back, and the upheaval in the program forced him into being the every-down back. I could see a situation where Ole Miss gets back to the former for the next three weeks.
JW: How big of a key has the offensive line been to the Rebels' three-game winning streak?
HK: It's certainly been important. They're doing a better job of opening up holes in the running game (though the flip side argument is the opposing defensive lines have not been nearly as good as Alabama's and Auburn's), and generally protecting Bo Wallace well. Ole Miss knew it had to replace the right guard going into the year, and then lost left guard Aaron Morris in game one. Plus it had to figure out what to do with Laremy Tunsil, who had to play as a true freshman, and still keep the previous left tackle, senior captain Emmanuel McCray, involved. There's a lot of guys rotating at guard, and McCray is playing some tackle and some tight end in an overload formation. It's worked out.
JW: Are both of the Nkemdiche brothers at full speed now? What kind of impact can they have on a game?
HK: I think Denzel Nkemdiche is back at full speed. Robert is probably a little slower than he was, but that's still plenty quick for a defensive tackle. Ole Miss wants those two to make big plays, which is what Denzel did last season. It'll be interesting to see if he really turns it loose as we get further away from his injuries. Robert is playing defensive tackle, which may be his eventual home. For right now, though, it uses his size and strength to his advantage while de-emphasizing the need for pass-rushing moves (which have been harder to come by).
JW: Ole Miss lost three in a row at one point this season. What were some reasons for the Rebels' struggles during that stretch, and can Troy exploit those?
HK: Well, Alabama is No. 1 in the country, Auburn is No. 7 and Texas A&M is No. 10. And two of the first three were on the road. Now, Ole Miss did not play well outside of the game against the Aggies. Dominant defensive lines that could hold up the line of scrimmage and let linebackers contain the edge stifled Ole Miss' running game, and Bo Wallace was not up to the task of winning the game with his arm. The losses were a good reminder that while Ole Miss had made substantial progress, it's probably at least two more recruiting cycles away from being able to say it has the necessary depth to compete week-in and week-out in the SEC West.
JW: What are your keys to the game Saturday?... (Full Article)
iconTroy3