2017 Ole Miss Rebels football team

2017 Ole Miss Rebels football
2017 Ole Miss Rebels football
Conference	Southeastern Conference
	Western Division
Record	6–6 (3–5 SEC)
Head coach	Matt Luke (1st season);
Offensive coordinator	Phil Longo (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Air raid
Defensive coordinator	Wesley McGriff (1st season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Jason Jones (5th season)
Base defense	Multiple
Home stadium	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium
	Seasons ← 2016 2018 →

The 2017 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Rebels played their home games at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by then-interim head coach Matt Luke. They finished the season 6–6, 3–5 in SEC play to finish in sixth place in the Western Division.

2017 Southeastern Conference football standings
v t e
Team	W		L	W		L
East Division
No. 2 Georgia x$^	7	–	1	13	–	2
South Carolina	5	–	3	9	–	4
Kentucky	4	–	4	7	–	6
Missouri	4	–	4	7	–	6
Florida	3	–	5	4	–	7
Vanderbilt	1	–	7	5	–	7
Tennessee	0	–	8	4	–	8
West Division
No. 10 Auburn xy	7	–	1	10	–	4
No. 1 Alabama x#^	7	–	1	13	–	1
No. 18 LSU	6	–	2	9	–	4
No. 19 Mississippi State	4	–	4	9	–	4
Texas A&M	4	–	4	7	–	6
Ole Miss*	3	–	5	6	–	6
Arkansas	1	–	7	4	–	8
Championship: Georgia 28, Auburn 7
# – College Football Playoff champion ^ – College Football Playoff participant $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant * Ole Miss ineligible for postseason due to NCAA sanctions Rankings from AP Poll

On February 22, 2017, the University of Mississippi self-imposed a one-year ban from post-season play on the Ole Miss football team for the 2017 season, due to alleged NCAA violations.^[1] On July 20, 2017, head coach Hugh Freeze resigned in the wake of allegations about repeated calls to a female escort service from his school-issued cell phone. He was given the ultimatum, either resign or be fired.

Schedule

Ole Miss announced its 2017 football schedule on September 13, 2016. The 2017 schedule consists of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season. The Rebels will host SEC foes Arkansas, LSU, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt, and will travel to Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, and Mississippi State.^[2]

The Rebels will host three of the four non-conference opponents, Louisiana–Lafayette (ULL) and South Alabama which are both in the Sun Belt Conference and Tennessee-Martin (UT Martin) from the Ohio Valley Conference and will travel to Berkeley to play their first ever Pac-12 Conference opponent, theCalifornia Golden Bears.

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 2	6:30 p.m.	South Alabama*	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS	ESPNU	W 47–27	62,532
September 9	11:00 a.m.	UT Martin*	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS	SECN	W 45–23	60,476
September 16	9:30 p.m.	at California*	California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA	ESPN	L 16–27	37,125
September 30	8:00 p.m.	at No. 1 Alabama	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)	ESPN	L 3–66	101,821
October 7	11:00 a.m.	at No. 12 Auburn	Jordan–Hare Stadium Auburn, AL (rivalry)	SECN	L 23–44	86,700
October 14	2:30 p.m.	Vanderbilt	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS (rivalry)	SECN	W 57–35	60,157
October 21	6:15 p.m.	No. 24 LSU	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS (Magnolia Bowl)	ESPN	L 24–40	64,067
October 28	11:00 a.m.	Arkansas	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS (rivalry)	SECN	L 37–38	55,684
November 4	3:00 p.m.	at Kentucky	Kroger Field Lexington, KY	SECN	W 37–34	55,665
November 11	11:00 a.m.	Louisiana–Lafayette*	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS	SECN	W 50–22	51,618
November 18	6:00 p.m.	Texas A&M	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS	ESPN2	L 24–31	55,880
November 23	6:30 p.m.	at No. 16 Mississippi State	Davis Wade Stadium Starkville, MS (Egg Bowl)	ESPN	W 31–28	59,345
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

^[3]

Roster

2017 Ole Miss Rebels Football

Wide receiver

1 A. J. Brown – SO-1L
4 Tre Nixon – FR
5 Demarkus Lodge – JR-2L
11 Markell Pack – SR-3L
12 Van Jefferson – SO-1L
14 DK Metcalf – SO-1L
27 Cale Luke – SR-2L
80 Josh Ricketts – FR-HS
81 Trey Bledsoe – SR-3L
82 Jared Farlow – FR-HS
85 Alex Weber – JR-2L
86 Walker Rynd – FR
88 Garrett Styles – FR-HS

Center & Long Snapper

57 Chadwick Lamar – JR-2L
58 Mike Taylor – SO-Sq
61 Eli Johnson – FR

Offensive lineman

50 Sean Rawlings – JR-2L
52 Michael Howard – SO-1L
54 Jack DeFoor – FR
54 Sam Johnson – SO-Sq
67 Alex Givens – SO-1L
68 Chandler Tuitt – FR
70 Jordan Sims – JR-2L
71 Bryce Mathews – FR
72 Royce Newman – FR
73 Rod Taylor – SR-3L
74 Greg Little – SO-1L
76 Daronte Bouldin – SR-3L
79 Javon Patterson – JR-2L

Tight end

15 Octavious Cooley – SO-1L
16 Jacob Mathis – FR
43 Ty Quick – SR-3L
83 Gabe Angel – freshman
84 Nick Haynes – freshman
85 Dawson Knox – SO-1L

Quarterback

7 Jason Pellerin – SO-1L
13 Grant Restmeyer – FR
16 Graham Lindman – JR-JC
20 Shea Patterson – SO-1L

Tailback

21 Keshun Wells – SO-JC
22 Jordan Wilkins – SR-2L
26 Eugene Brazley – SR-3L
24 Eric Swinney – SO-1L
25 D.K. Buford – JR-2L
28 D'Vaughn Pennamon – SO-1L

Defensive tackle

9 Breeland Speaks – JR-2L
52 Austrian Robinson – SO-1L
90 Ross Donelly – JR-2L
95 Benito Jones – SO-1L
96 Jordan Hebert – JR-2L
99 Herbert Moore – SR-3L

Defensive end

14 Victor Evans – JR-2L
19 Markel Winters – JR-JC
34 Shawn Curtis – SO-1L
38 Marquis Haynes – senior
84 Ty Reyes – FR
89 Ryder Anderson – FR-HS
97 Qaadir Sheppard – SO-1L
98 Charles Wiley – FR

Punter

94 Will Gleeson – SR-3L
96 Mac Brown- FR

Defensive back

2 Deontay Anderson- SO-1L
4 C.J. Hampton – SR-3L
5 Ken Webster – SR-3L
7 Jalen Julius – SO-1L
15 Myles Hartsfield – SO-1L
20 Jarrion Street – SO-1L
21 Javien Hamilton – JR-JC
23 Breon Dixon – FR-HS
25 Montrell Custis – SO-1L
26 C. J. Moore – JR-2L
28 Cam Ordway – JR-2L
29 Armani Linton – SO-1L
30 A. J. Moore – SR-3L
31 Jaylon Jones – SO-1L
32 Jerry Johnson – SO-JC
36 Zedrick Woods – JR-2L
37 Art Mitchell – SO-HS
39 Kweisi Fountain – SR-SQ.

Linebacker

3 DeMarquis Gates – SR-3L
17 Willie Hibbler – SO-1L
22 Ray Ray Smith – SR-3L
24 Tayler Polk – SR-3L
35 Donta Evans – FR
41 Brenden Williams – SO-JC
43 Detric Bing-Dukes- JR-2L
44 Alex Ashlock – SR-3L
48 Jack Raborn – JR-2L
80 Elliot Markuson – SR-3L

Place kicker

92 Luke Logan – FR
95 Isaac Way – FR
97 Gary Wunderlich – SR-3L

Sources: [1]

Depth chart

WLB	MLB	SLB
DeMarquis Gates	Detric Bing-Dukes	Brenden Williams
⋅	Donta Evans	Breon Dixon

SS
Zedrick Woods
Armani Linton

CB
Jaylon Jones
Cam Ordway

DE	DT	DT	DE
Garrald McDowell	Benito Jones	Breeland Speaks	Marquis Haynes
Qaadir Sheppard	Austrian Robinson	Ross Donelly	Victor Evans

CB
Myles Hartsfield
Javien Hamilton

Offense

^[4]

X-Receiver
A. J. Brown
DaMarkus Lodge

WR
Van Jefferson
Tre Nixon

LT	LG	C	RG	RT
Greg Little	Javon Patterson	Sean Rawlings	Jordan Sims	Alex Givens
Rod Taylor	Daronte Bouldin	Eli Johnson	Jack DeFoor	Bryce Matthews

TE
Octavious Cooley
Dawson Knox

Z-Receiver
DK Metcalf
Markell Pack

QB
Shea Patterson
Jason Pellerin

Special teams
PK Gary Wunderlich
P Will Gleeson

RB
Jordan Wilkins
D'Vaughn Pennamon

Recruiting

Recruits

The Rebels signed a total of 23 recruits.

US college sports recruiting information for 2017 recruits
Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
D.D. Bowie WR	Morton, Mississippi	Morton HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	Oct 24, 2015
D.D. Bowie WR	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Ben Brown OT	Vicksburg, Mississippi	St. Aloysius HS	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	290 lb (130 kg)	Feb 23, 2016
Ben Brown OT	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Alex Faniel QB	Richmond, Virginia	Glen Allen HS	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	225 lb (102 kg)	Jun 2, 2016
Alex Faniel QB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Josh Clarke LB	Jefferson, Louisiana	Riverdale HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	225 lb (102 kg)	Jun 13, 2016
Josh Clarke LB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
AJ Harris S	Madison, Alabama	Bob Jones HS	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Jul 24, 2016
AJ Harris S	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Jamar Richardson CB	Aliceville, Alabama	Aliceville HS	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	167 lb (76 kg)	Jul 25, 2016
Jamar Richardson CB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ESPN:
Javien Hamilton CB	Bay Springs, Mississippi	Bay Springs HS/Jones County Junior College	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	Aug 6, 2016
Javien Hamilton CB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Ryder Anderson DE	Katy, Texas	Katy HS	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	230 lb (100 kg)	Nov 28, 2016
Ryder Anderson DE	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Brenden Williams LB	Fairfield, Alabama	Restoration Academy/Northeast Mississippi Community College	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	225 lb (102 kg)	Dec 10, 2016
Brenden Williams LB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ESPN:
Jordan Ta'amu QB	Roswell, New Mexico	New Mexico Military Institute	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	Dec 10, 2016
Jordan Ta'amu QB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Markel Winters DE	Tallahassee, Florida	Rickards HS/Jones County CC	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	260 lb (120 kg)	Dec 14, 2016
Markel Winters DE	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Breon Dixon LB	Loganville, Georgia	Grayson HS	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	218 lb (99 kg)	Jan 1, 2017
Breon Dixon LB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Isaiah Woullard RB	Hattiesburg, Mississippi	Presbyterian Christian School	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	Jan 31, 2017
Isaiah Woullard RB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A
Chester Graves DE	Kansas City, Missouri	Park Hill HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	Feb 1, 2017
Chester Graves DE	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Mohamed Sanogo LB	Plano, Texas	Plano West HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	239 lb (108 kg)	Feb 1, 2017
Mohamed Sanogo LB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Tony Gray OT	Loganville, Georgia	Grayson HS	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	290 lb (130 kg)	Feb 1, 2017
Tony Gray OT	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
C.J. Miller S	Powder Springs, Georgia	McEachern HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	188 lb (85 kg)	Feb 1, 2017
C.J. Miller S	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Braylon Sanders WR	Hogansville, Georgia	Callaway HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	186 lb (84 kg)	Feb 1, 2017
Braylon Sanders WR	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Taekion Reed OT	Columbus, Mississippi	New Hope HS	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	295 lb (134 kg)	Feb 1, 2017
Taekion Reed OT	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Kam White DB	Clinton, Mississippi	Clinton HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	203 lb (92 kg)	Feb 1, 2017
Kam White DB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
JaVonta Payton WR	Nashville, Tennessee	Hillsboro HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	Feb 1, 2017
JaVonta Payton WR	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN:
Sincere David DT	Jacksonville, Florida	Sandalwood HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	300 lb (140 kg)	Feb 1, 2017
Sincere David DT	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A
Zikerrion Baker LB	Mooringsport, Louisiana	Minden HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	210 lb (95 kg)	Feb 1, 2017
Zikerrion Baker LB	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A
Overall recruiting rankings:
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Ole Miss Football Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017. "2017 Ole Miss Football Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017. "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017. "2017 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017.

Personnel

Coaching staff

Matt Luke, Interim Head Coach
Phil Longo, Assistant Coach/offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Wesley McGriff, Assistant Coach/defensive coordinator
Maurice Harris, Assistant Coach/recruiting coordinator For Offense/tight ends
Jason Jones, Assistant Coach/co-defensive coordinator/secondary
Jack Bicknell Jr., Assistant Coach/offensive line
Derrick Nix, Assistant Coach/running backs
Jacob Peeler, Assistant Coach/wide receivers
Bradley Dale Peveto, Assistant Coach/linebackers and Special Teams
Freddie Roach, Assistant Coach/defensive line^[5]

Coaching staff changes

After the conclusion of the 2016 season, adjustments throughout the coaching staff were made. After defensive coordinator Dave Wommack announced his retirement from coaching,^[6] offensive coordinator Dan Werner was fired.^[7] The team would hire Wesley McGriff to replace Wommack as the defensive coordinator, Jacob Peeler to replace Grant Heard as the wide receivers coach, Tray Scott to replace Chris Kiffin as the defensive line coach, and Wesley McGriff (who took over as the defensive coordinator) to also coach the safeties, replacing safeties coach Corey Batoon. Also, assistant athletics director Barney Farrar was relieved of his duties.^[8]

NCAA investigation

Following a lengthy investigation, the NCAA issued a Notice of Allegations against the Ole Miss football program in January 2016. The university announced that it had received an amended Notice of Allegations on February 22, 2017.

In total, the NCAA brought 21 distinct charges against the football program, individual coaches and athletic department officials, and boosters. These include fifteen Level I violations (the most serious).^[9]

Four of the eleven Level I violations occurred or involved coaches employed prior to Coach Hugh Freeze's tenure. The Level I offenses include:

Two former coaches conspired with an ACT testing supervisor to manipulate tests so prospective players could qualify.^[10]
Coaches arranged for a booster to provide "free housing, meals and transportation to then football prospective student-athletes" in connection with a program established to help prospects qualify under NCAA guidelines.^[11]
A "huddle leader" who was also a booster under NCAA guidelines provided numerous impermissible benefits to three prospects in 2012 and 2013, including paying for several trips to Ole Miss, lodging, game tickets and concessions, merchandise, tutoring assistance, and ACT exam preparation.^[11]
A booster gave a football player's family member $800.^[11]
A booster provided at least three different prospects with free athletic merchandise.^[11]
A hotel owner in Oxford provided impermissible lodging to various prospects and their friends and family members.^[12]^[11]
Two boosters (Boosters 12 and 14) had several improper contacts with a prospect (Student-Athlete 39) and made multiple cash payments to him, totaling between $13,000 and $15,600. The NCAA alleges that an Ole Miss assistant athletic director "initiated and facilitated [Booster 12] and [Booster 14’s] recruiting contact and communication with [Student-Athlete 39], and knew at the time that [Booster 12] and [Booster 14] provided [Student-Athlete 39] with cash payments."^[11]
This assistant athletic director intentionally misled the NCAA concerning these allegations.^[11]
Hugh Freeze "violated NCAA head coach responsibility legislation as he is presumed responsible" for 16 violations "and did not rebut that presumption."^[11]
"[B]etween May and June 2010 and from May 2012 through January 2016, the institution failed to exercise institutional control and monitor the conduct and administration of its athletics program."^[11]

Ole Miss announced several self-imposed penalties in May 2017, including a post-season ban in 2017, three years of probation, a reduction of 11 scholarships, and a variety of recruiting restrictions.^[9]^[13]

The NCAA Committee on Infractions hearing concluded on September 12, 2017.^[14]

References

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

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