Three Observations From Ole Miss Season-Opening Win Over Troy
The Ole Miss Rebels picked up a win in their season opener on Saturday, knocking off the Troy Trojans 28-10.
The Rebels had what head coach Lane Kiffin called a "tale of two games," excelling in the first half and seeming flat in the second. Still, a win is a win, and here are three observations from the game in Oxford on Saturday.
1. This running back room has a chance to be special.
The Rebels ran for 266 yards on Saturday, the bulk of which came from TCU transfer Zach Evans who had 130 on 20 carries. Evans did not find the end zone on the day, but Ulysses Bentley IV and Quinshon Judkins did.
All three backs were effective on Saturday, and with the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position in Oxford, that could go a long way in making this team successful in 2022. Evans is a monster for sure, but the other backs behind him are just as capable of having big seasons as well.
2. The quarterback battle is still undecided, but Jaxson Dart wasn't "bad" on Saturday.
The passing game wasn't explosive for the Rebels against the Trojans, and sophomore quarterback Jaxson Dart missed some throws he should have made. Still, he went 18-for-27 for 154 yards and a score along with a bad-looking interception in the end zone.
It was decided entering this week that Dart would start Week 1 for the Rebels, and Luke Altmyer would start Week 2 while both see playing time. That plan is still in place according to Lane Kiffin when Ole Miss plays host to the Central Arkansas Bears next week.
Regardless of who wins the quarterback battle, there was always going to be a step down from what Matt Corral was last season. That is likely where some of the fan angst is coming from after yesterday. They're used to seeing an explosive passing game with very few (if any) bad decisions.
I will, however, point out that Matt Corral was not always the best version of himself early in his career. Both Dart and Altmyer are only 19 years old, and there will be growing pains for both. That's to be expected, but fans shouldn't be disheartened by that. Not yet, anyway.
Dart was fine on Saturday. He looked like a young quarterback with a lot of upside. If he can sharpen his skills as the season moves on, he may end up with the job, but Altmyer has a chance to prove himself next week. We'll see where it ends up.
3. The Rebel defense bent some in the second half, but overall, this unit looks capable after one week.
Troy is not a bad program. Sure, it's in the Sun Belt and don't have the same level of talent as SEC schools, but it's not a bad program.
That being said, Ole Miss' defense looked pretty solid on Saturday. It gave up 346 total yards, and some of the play got sloppy in the second half (on both sides, mind you), but there were flashes of a unit that could be productive this season. Khari Colemen had a massive day, racking up seven tackles, five TFLs and two sacks. There was also the huge hit from JJ Pegues on Trojan quarterback Gunnar Watson that was almost targeting but wasn't.
It wasn't a perfect day for the "Landshark D," but it's Week 1, and I think there's some potential there.
BONUS: Pump the brakes.
Again, a win is a win. There are things that didn't look great for the Rebels on Saturday, and the quarterback controversy is going to be the driving focus for the next week or more. But it's worth noting that a large portion of the Rebels' starters were not in Oxford a season ago and are still "meshing" together into a cohesive unit.
The sky isn't falling, especially not after a win. It was sloppy at times, but that's to be expected early this season. If you're a Rebel fan who is freaking out after yesterday, take a breath and relax.
You can follow John Macon on Twitter at @JMakeGillespie.
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