Ole Miss Football: Ole Miss Players Are On a Short Leash This Season

Ole Miss football is under the media magnifying glass. The world is watching. Therefore, the players are on a short leash when it comes to disciplinary actions.

The Ole Miss Rebels have lived this past week under the intense scrutiny of the national media. Even though most of the coverage has been done poorly without any real research, it has none the less been fervid. However because of the attention, the Ole Miss football players will be on a short leash this season.

It was reported by Antonio Morales of the Clarion-Ledger that one of Ole Miss’ 2017 signees was arrested for burglary. Tae-Kion Reed, the defensive tackle from New Hope, is accused of attempting to break into a home. If you remember, Reed gained 15 minutes of fame by tossing the Mississippi State hat off the table during his signing day announcement.

Here’s the video from Robby Donoho of WCBI:

Let me first say this. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. So this article is not written to cast aspersions on this young man. However, this provides a great time to discuss how scrutinized the Ole Miss players will be this year. The spotlight is bright and the players must be ready to adjust. The leash will be tight.

Stay Out of Trouble

I don’t condone any illegal activity by any player or incoming recruit. I am especially hard on those who commit violence toward women. Fans tend to become a tad bit hypocritical about acts of illegal activity by members of their team. However, the same act is just as egregious at one school as it is at another.

Therefore with the light shining on Ole Miss, the players need to be vigilant to stay out of trouble. This is not the time to “forget” to pay for charcoal. Nor is it the time to run on the field in the middle of high school football games. It is not the time to drive while intoxicated. Nor is it a time to be caught with a video of themselves wearing a bong mask. Players have to be smart about the choices they are making.

Beware of the Short Leash

Normally when there is a heighten level of scrutiny in any situation, the need to over-police or to apply harsher penalties become a focal point. It gives the appearance to the outside world that the governing entity is still in control. It happens in all aspects of life and no doubt will happen with the Ole Miss football team.

Ole Miss Rebels Football

The program will be less likely to take a chance a kid would finds himself in serious legal problem with the authorities. The more serious the accusation, the more strict and exact the punishment will be. We can stop comparing the punishment of upcoming Ole Miss violators to the punishment given by Mississippi State to Jeffery Simmons. We all know that the one game suspension was a joke and a travesty.

So now what would have normally been a loss of a half in a game may now turn into a full game or two game suspension. The team will probably less likely take a chance on a kid that gets into some trouble. This is evident by the fact that Ole Miss has reportedly released Reed from his NLI.

However, the one thing going for him is the fact that he may not have qualified in the first place. Which means he was most likely going to spend a year or two in Junior College. Either way, the Rebels made a decisive statement regarding him once they have received enough facts. It wasn’t a good one for him.

Consequences

Rebel players don’t have to look far to see the consequences of some bad choices. Chad Kelly is not invited to this year’s NFL Combine due to things that have happened in his past. Now we can discuss whether this is fair or not but it won’t change the fact that he is not there. He is perceived by many as a bad egg. It is hard to shake that stigma when it has be anointed on you. It will have an effect on his draft position.

However with that example hovering over the Ole Miss football program, current players and signees must understand that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Their future is in their hand and wrapped up in every decision they make. It is imperative that they make the right ones.

This season the leash will be tighter than ever. There is no room for lenience. Every mistake is magnified. Each social media post is dissected. This is not the year for missteps. One mistake will send you home for good.