Ole Miss vs Arkansas: 5 Things We Learned From the Loss

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Oct 15, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Ole Miss Rebels kick returner Carlos Davis (23) returns a kick in the second quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /

Special Teams Continues to Haunt the Rebels

When was the last time that Ole Miss scored off of a punt or a kick return? The answer came from Dylan Edwards of OleMissSports.com on Twitter last night.

Walton against Texas in 2012
— Dylan Edwards (@DylanEdwards77) October 15, 2016

That is four years without a special teams touchdown for the Rebels. How is that acceptable to anyone? Ole Miss had a kick returned for a touchdown early in the game, but it was called back due to Davis slightly stepping out-of-bounds.

After that, the Razorbacks kicked the ball away from Davis multiple times. He appeared to be ready to break another long one later in the game, but tripped over his own feet.

This has been the story all season.

Gary Wunderlich, the Ole Miss place kicker, was perfect on extra points coming into the game, yet he clanked one-off the uprights in the first quarter to miss his first career extra point.

Will Gleeson’s first punt of the game was a horrible shank that took a great Ole Miss roll to get to the Arkansas 18 yard line.

So what is wrong with the special teams unit for the Rebels? Is it coaching, or talent?

Carlos Davis is another player on the long list of kids who were supposed to be the next great special teams return man for the Rebels, yet he continues to be unimpressive.

Jalen Julius is the next victim to that list. Kailo Moore was one of the first on that list as well.

Can Ole Miss please start coaching special teams? Do we just not take that aspect of the game seriously? Corey Batoon was brought in to do two things, coach the special teams and recruit the west coast of the country. He has yet to do either one.

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