Rebel_Rx
All American
Posts: 3,273
Joined: Apr 2002
Reputation: 3
I Root For:
Location:
|
2002 Ole Miss Football Preview
With 51 lettermen returning from last year's 7-4 team and fan interest the highest in over 30 years, David Cutcliffe's fourth Rebel squad has its eyes set on repaying that support with a banner 2002 campaign.
Although the Rebs had their bowl streak snapped at four straight last fall (which was the longest streak in the SEC W at the time btw), Ole Miss fans responded by purchasing season tickets in record numbers. Even the spring football game attendance mark was shattered when 27,215 showed up to break a record that had stood for 25 years.
The latest expansion at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has pushed capacity to 60,580, the largest on-campus football stadium in the state of Mississippi.
The top priority during spring football drills was to install the 4-2-5 defensive system brought in by new defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach.
"One of the most successful things about spring practice was the fact that our defensive staff got the new defense across well to our players," Cutcliffe said. "Not only did we get in the new defense, we executed about 95 percent of the package. We had people in better positions with the opportunity to make plays. We don't have all the answers, but I thought we tackled better than anytime since we've been here. Our four-man rush was better and we have a nice pressure package."
Heading into spring drills, Cutcliffe, who has led Ole Miss to a 23-13 record and two bowl games in his first three years at the helm, had pointed out that it was obvious the defense had to find ways to defend the run better. "With a conference as tough as this one (SEC) and the quarterbacks we see, we must put better pressure on the quarterback after having only 13 sacks a year ago," he said.
|
|
07-17-2002 09:24 AM |
|
WazzuCoug82
1st String
Posts: 1,430
Joined: Jul 2002
Reputation: 0
I Root For:
Location:
|
great preview and enjoyed reading it..
|
|
07-24-2002 09:14 PM |
|