Eager to escape offseason turmoil, Ole Miss ready to kick off 2017

Prior to SEC Media Days July 10-13, Olin will preview each of Texas A&M's conference opponents for the 2017 season. Follow the whole series here.

Another football season — even a repeat of last year’s 5-7 disappointment — will be a relief for Ole Miss. A self-imposed bowl ban will omit the Rebels from postseason play, so why worry about the won/loss record anyway?

The Rebels are just eager for the start of the season because that’s the end of a horrific offseason, in which many allegations were brought to light that could have a negative effect on seasons well beyond this one.

An NCAA investigation into improprieties ranging from illegal payments to grade manipulations figures to conclude in the not-too-distant future. Then, Ole Miss will know its future and whether coach Hugh Freeze, who has denied all knowledge of alleged violations, will be subject to any suspension.

Therefore, the upcoming season appears like a ray of light cutting through the dark clouds of the offseason. But the Rebs and Freeze could be heading into another storm.

The “Land Shark” defense that has been a source of pride in Oxford in recent years may be a lame shark. In 2016, the Rebels were among the nation’s worst against the run. There’s no real reason to believe they will be significantly improved this year. There are holes in the pass defense, too. The receiving corps lost three of its top four receivers from last season.

However, optimists believe there remains enough offensive fire power to compensate — at least to some degree —for the defensive issues. Sophomore quarterback Shea Patterson appears to be a budding star. Running back Jordan Wilkins could be the key to a much better rushing attack. The offensive line has more depth. Returning slot receiver Van Jefferson has been productive, though unspectacular.

Whether that will be enough for the Rebels to improve on last year’s five wins is subject to debate. But even a five-win season would be better than the offseason for Ole Miss.

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Ole Miss Rebels

2016 record: 5-7, 2-6 in the SEC West
Bowl result: None
Coach: Hugh Freeze (sixth year, 39-25)

Returning starters

• Offense (5): WR Van Jefferson, G Javon Patterson, T Sean Rawlings, G Jordan Simms, T Rod Taylor

• Defense (6): LB MeMarquis Gates, S Myles Hartsfield, D Marquis Haynes, CB Jalen Julius, DT Breeland Speaks, S Zedrick Woods

• Special teams (2): P Will Gleeson, K Gary Wunderlich

Strengths: Quarterback Shea Patterson showed great promise in three starts at the end of last season. He passed for 880 yards and three touchdowns to indicate he was as good as he was projected to be as a five-star recruit. Much was lost at receiver, but there’s enough talent remaining that the Rebels figure to be solid there. The offensive line has more experience and depth than it ever has under Coach Hugh Freeze. Defensively, the line should be formidable. DE Marquis Haynes is a relentless pass rusher, while Benito Jones and Breeland Speaks make up a strong set of defensive tackles.

Weaknesses: Ole Miss was absolutely abysmal in run defense in 2016. A big reason for that was lackluster linebackers. A lack of athleticism in the middle was a major problem, and there are no significant additions that look to change that. The safeties showed a tendency to give up big plays, too.

Top three players

• Shea Patterson, QB: He has a strong, accurate arm and — as Aggies know all too well — the ability to make plays off-schedule. He should be even better as a sophomore, too.

• Van Jefferson, WR: Jefferson doesn’t appear to be the big-play threat Ole Miss typically has at receiver. However, he’s experienced and is consistently productive from the slot. He’s the leading returning receiver with 49 catches for 543 yards last year.

• Marquis Haynes, DE: Though undersized at about 225 pounds, Haynes has posted 24.5 career sacks. That includes seven last season when he had 11 tackles for loss and forced three fumbles.

Emerging star: Jordan Wilkins was the best running back at the end of the 2015 season when he rushed for 379 yards. Then, he missed all of last season because of an administrative error on his academic record. Now, he’s back and expected to get much more work under new offensive coordinator Phil Longo, who aims to add a better running component to the Ole Miss offense.

Impact newcomer: Brenden Williams, a transfer from Northeast Mississippi Community College, figures to at least give the linebacker corps a boost — maybe even a considerable one. He averaged nearly 10 tackles per game as a JUCO freshman. Ole Miss has to get better play from its inside linebackers. Williams may be the guy to provide it.

Biggest losses: Three of the top four receivers from last season are gone. None will be more difficult to replace than All-American tight end Evan Engram, who was statistically the best in school history at his position. A four-time All-SEC pick, Engram completed his career with 162 catches for 2,320 yards and 15 touchdowns. He provided a matchup nightmare that Ole Miss won’t be able to duplicate. He was a first-round selection of the New York Giants in the NFL draft.

2017 schedule
Sept. 2 vs. South Alabama
Sept. 9 vs. Tennessee-Martin
Sept. 16 at Cal
Sept. 30 at Alabama
Oct. 7 at Auburn
Oct. 14 vs. Vanderbilt
Oct. 21 vs. LSU
Oct. 28 vs. Arkansas
Nov. 4 at Kentucky
Nov. 11 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
Nov. 18 vs. Texas A&M
Nov. 23 a Mississippi State