🏈 Alabama was distraction, Ole Miss admits. Rebel says Tide not as good as in past

[BAMANEWSBOT]

No matter how hard it tried, reminders of the game after next were everywhere for Ole Miss. Before facing Alabama with the nation watching, it had to beat Memphis on basic cable.

Rebel coach Hugh Freeze expressed his relief after beating the Tigers 24-3 in a sloppy game Saturday night.

"With about 40 seconds or so left, I grabbed (offensive line coach) Matt Luke and I said I'm so glad this is over," Freeze said in his postgame news conference. "And everyone can do whatever talking they want to do because it was certainly distracting at times."

Rebel safety Cody Prewitt was ready to move on to see No. 3 Alabama. Last year he expected a "throw down" before Alabama beat Ole Miss 25-0. He sees something different this fall,according to FoxSports.com.

"We understand that we haven't played a team that's going to be as good as 'Bama,"Prewitt told FoxSports.com. "But we don't really think 'Bama is as good as they have been. And we're better than we have been. We're looking forward to getting to the game plan and really nailing down all the tweaks and stuff that we're going to have to put into 'Bama."

Linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche told reporters he watched the Alabama-Florida game and was impressed.

"With (Lane Kiffin) there's a little more to it," Nkemdiche said. "It's not really power, power, power football like downhill ball. They like to air it out. They like to get the ball to Amari Cooper. They've got great backs. They're balanced. They're a very balanced offense so that's what we're going to prepare for."

More than anything, Ole Miss was happy to get past a Memphis team that trailed just 7-3 after three quarters Saturday night.

"I think it was a distraction because, I mean, sometimes it can be human nature," sixth-year Rebel linebacker and Decatur native Deterrian Shackelford said. "But as you see, Memphis was a very good team and we have to make sure we come out prepared. It's a team game, so we have to come out and prepare well."

Continue reading...

 

[TerryP]

"And everyone can do whatever talking they want to do because it was certainly distracting at times." — Hugh Freeze

The talk of this weekend was distracting the team from focusing on Memphis. I believe that; wholeheartedly.

However, it's important to note where this "distraction" started.

Setting aside the talk before last years game for a second. And, let's also set aside the result of last years game.

The Ole Miss staff, since Nov/Dec of last year, have been very vocal about their belief that Bama is sitting up perfectly to be taken down, and they are not only capable but about to do so. Just to make sure you understand this, the Ole Miss staff has been pushing that storyline since around Thanksgiving of last season.

Should it come as a surprise they were thinking ahead? No. They've created this distraction.

As to the players comments: If it's coming from a players coach, should it be a surprise it's coming from players as well?

 

[c5vetman]

seems immature to me...

 

[riz]

Fish ain't gonna be biting, Hugh. Let's get it on.

 

[planomateo]

I didn't read Prewitt's comments as bulletin board material or locker room material.

 

[jdpas29]

The game is in our offense against their defense. I think their defense is probably the best we will see during the season. 30 points wins.

 

[bcracker]

Alabama has been haunting Freeze's nightmares for several years. It amazes me how many folk hang their egos on whether or not they beat Alabama.

 

[UAgrad93]

Whether anyone read Prewitt's comments as bulletin board material or not, the comments should've been kept to himself. I guess what I am saying is that a Sr and team captain should be more like his coach and talk up and praise their upcoming opponent. But then again, it is Hugh Freeze we are talking about as the HC. I think, that while Prewitt may think his comments weren't out of line, it's better NOT to pour gasoline on a fire for a team that still has a PISSED OFF ATTITUDE with how last year ended.

 

[Bamabww]

I've always hated awbarn and the viles and merely disliked or was indifferent to ole miss. But the ole miss fans around here are sure trying their best to move their team into the hate column. @TerryP is right, they have been beating their drum against us for almost a year now. I have really been looking forward to this game. Hotty toddy my ass.

 

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Alabama players laugh off Ole Miss comment, at least publicly


Even though the University of Alabama football team was off last Saturday and a number of players left town, just about every one of them quickly heard about the comment through social media.

Even those who didn’t have been repeatedly told it by now:

“We understand that we haven’t played a team that’s going to be as good as ’Bama,” Ole Miss safety Cody Prewitt said. “But we don’t really think ’Bama is as good as they have been, and we’re better than we have been. We’re looking forward to getting to the game plan and really nailing down all the tweaks and stuff that we’re going to have to put into ’Bama.”

Prewitt made the comment to Fox Sports after Saturday’s 24-3 unimpressive win against Memphis that caused the Rebels to drop out of the top 10 in the latest Associated Press Poll.

Although it makes Alabama fans openly wonder if the Rebels learned anything from last year’s game, the No. 3 Crimson Tide didn’t respond in kind on Monday.

“We don’t do a lot of talking because Coach (Nick) Saban doesn’t condone that,” junior safety Landon Collins said. “We keep our mouth shut as much as possible. There’s maybe two words and then we’re back to getting our mind right and paying attention to the next play.

“I had a lot of fans tweet at me and mention me on Twitter. I read it and stuff like that, but that’s how he felt. We’re definitely going to give them our best game and see who comes out with the W.”

Senior linebacker Trey DePriest said he just “laughs” at such comments, whether they’re bulletin-board material or happen on the field.

“Personally, I don’t do the trash-talking stuff, I never have,” he said. “Even in high school I never talked trash. Of course, it’s going to happen. They are right up the road in Mississippi. They are going to talk. Me, personally, though, I don’t do it.”

Last year Ole Miss visited Tuscaloosa two weeks after Alabama won 49-42 shootout at Texas A&M, when during the days leading up to the game quarterback Bo Wallace was quoted byAL.com as saying: “We have better players on the outside than A&M does,” and “I think we can put points on them.”

Wallace later said that his quotes were taken out of context, and he was trying to compliment his receivers and offense, but they still made their way into the Crimson Tide locker room and weight room.

“It played a big role,” former defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan said at the time about what Alabama took as disrespect.

“They had been talking a lot of smack through the week, so we kind of took that into our preparation and went hard during practice,” safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix added. “It showed.”

C.J. Mosley was also motivated by what he thought was a late hit by an Ole Miss lineman. The linebacker was credited with seven tackles, knocked down a fourth-down pass in the red zone, and combined with defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan for a safety.

The final score: Alabama 25, Ole Miss 0.

“They totally took it to us,” Rebels coach Hugh Freeze said after the 2013 game. “We did not have answers to the stuff they were doing defensively.”