Luke Altmyer Sees First SEC Action, Completes Every Attempt vs. Auburn

There are no moral victories in the SEC, but strides can still be made by position group and certainly by an individual player.

For the Ole Miss offense, which never really sustained rhythm against Auburn on the road Saturday night, there were bright spots amid the fan frustration. Lane Kiffin praised walk-on pass catchers who stepped up with the receiver corps depleted.

"Credit to Jahcour Pearson and Casey Kelly," Kiffin said. "These are two walk-on kids who are doing a really great job out there. Both of them had seven catches and 200 yards between the two of them."

A few of their grabs did not come from Matt Corral, though, as freshman and Starkville (Miss.) native Luke Altmyer had to step up for the Heisman contender after seemingly injuring his left ankle late in the first quarter while trying to avoid pressure.

Kiffin, offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, let him rip it as soon as he stepped into a hostile SEC West environment down 11 on a 2nd and 11 from the Rebel 24. The game plan did not appear to change.

On Altmyer's first snap, an RPO play with solid run action, he stepped up in the pocket and avoided the first wave of opposition before absorbing a big hit from Tiger safety Smoke Monday. On 3rd and 13, they drew up a safe swing screen to Jerrion Ealy and despite it being on time from the young passer, Auburn was in a position for a big loss.

Altmyer's first completion as a collegiate athlete went for negative 7-yards. It would go up from there.

After punting and the Auburn offensive series, resulting in one of the few three-and-outs forced by the Ole Miss defense, Corral was taken to the locker room on a cart.

Altmyer would trot back out for his first full series. A touch pass to Dontario Drummond resulted in 3 yards before a good decision to hand to Henry Parrish on the next RPO call, going for a first down. Next was a play-action pass, in which the offensive line held up, and the freshman didn't force anything before tucking and running for 8 yards.

As the Rebels would drive, it appeared to be a balanced approach. Two straight runs followed Altmyer's. He then hit John Rhys Plumlee on a quick stop route at the first down marker to move into plus territory. The first bit of Ole Miss tempo under the freshman came on the next play, where he was a bit high to his intended target, again at the sticks. Luckily for the completion percentage, Pearson caught the ricochet.

The final attempt Altmyer would spin came on the next snap, a simple play-action frontside delay to the tight end. Showing some athleticism and urgency through the play fakes and delivering a catchable ball on the run, Kelly had enough time to turn upfield for a first down. Late feel in the pocket on the next play, against an outside blitz, a sack was made.

A timeout was called and Corral came back in on the next snap to continue the comeback bid.

Altmyer finished 5-for-5 for 18 yards to go along with the 8-yard rush.

The effort and numbers would not matter in the loss, but some time in between possessions with Kiffin and Lebby in his ear along with more solid execution can't be a bad thing moving forward for a quarterback room with little Rebel experience in it behind its Heisman candidate.

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