There has been improvement on several fronts for Ole Miss since a 66-35 loss to Texas, one of those being the offensive line.
This group was forever the question mark through the first set of spring drills with Hugh Freeze, then into camp. Freeze mentioned time and again that the offensive line would be the last group to “get it,” to fully understand the tempo offense and to be able to adapt to its pace.
Ole Miss OL coach Matt Luke
There are dots on the timeline that allow you to go back and chart progress. This group turned a corner later in camp, and the offense became more competitive against the defense. On Monday, quarterback Bo Wallace told us he wasn’t too keen sitting in the pocket in practice early on. “It was kind of hard to sit back there in spring practice, but now I’m real comfortable back there with them,” Wallace said.
More recently, the Rebels’ pass protection has improved from 16 sacks allowed over the first five games — five sacks each by Texas and Alabama — to six sacks allowed over the last three games.
That’s a combination of player improvement and Freeze’s own attention to having Wallace get the ball out of his hand as quickly as possible.
“What we’ve tried to do is get the ball out a little quicker. Coach (Matt) Luke has done a great job of them maturing some and getting better in their one on ones. It’s a combination of those two things.”
Those two things will get a big challenge this week from Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones, who leads the SEC with 1.42 sacks per game.
Denham Springs, La., native, Mississippian since 1989 with a stop in Meridian before arriving in Tupelo. Daily Journal beat writer since 1996, covering Ole Miss since 2002. Proud Northeast Louisiana alum. Follow me on Twitter @parrishalford and listen to Kory Keys and myself daily with The Ole Miss Beat on Rebel Sports Radio.
