Coach Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss football are back on campus getting ready for the season so OHT is looking at the Top 6 Rebels on offense.
Ole Miss football fans have been looking forward to seeing what the Lane Kiffin era will bring to Oxford in 2020. When the Lane Train rolled into Oxford there was a renewed energy among players and fans which was needed after what we’ve seen over the past few seasons. It’s never been easy being a Ole Miss fan but bringing in Lane Kiffin is expected to make it easier.
Yes, having coach Kiffin in Oxford is awesome for the fans and especially the players. Kiffin is a great offensive coach and knows how to get the most from his players both individually and as a team. That’s great news. The best thing though is the fact that Kiffin is getting a roster which is loaded with talent. OHT looks at some of the best on each side of the ball and we begin on the offensive side.
Ben Brown, OL
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Ben Brown knows a good bit about playing up front. Brown, a junior who comes from a long line of Rebels, has proven to be a solid big man up front for the Rebels offensive line. Red-shirted for the 2017 season, Brown has started 24 games over the course of the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
In 2018 Brown started all 12 games at right guard and was one of only three freshman in the nation to do so. Brown had 10 knockdown blocks throughout the season as well and was named to the 2018 SEC All-Freshman team for his performance.
In 2019 Brown was a key piece in the success of the No.1 rushing offense in the SEC and allowed only one sack in 389 pass blocks. Brown was recently selected to Athlon Magazine 2020 Preseason All-SEC third team. Brown will be an essential part of the success Ole Miss football will find this season.
Snoop Conner, RB
Ole Miss football found a great running-back when they picked up sophomore Snoop Conner as part of the 2019 recruiting class. Conner reported and enrolled early and in spring practice he proved he could be a true bruising running-back on the collegiate level. As a true freshman Conner was a huge part of the No.1 rushing offense in the SEC.
In 2019 Conner played in all 12 games and gained 512 yards on 81 carries scoring 5 TDs. Conner’s averaged 6.3 yards per carry which was the third highest on the Rebels offense and averaged 42.7 yards per game. Conner also had 6 receptions for 60 yards on the season and averaged 10.0 yards per game. Not bad for a true freshman. Conner will surely get more touches in 2020 and the numbers will increase. Expect great things from Snoop Conner this fall.
Matt Corral, QB
Last season we watched as former head coach Matt Luke was in a quandary over the quarterback situation in Oxford. Matt Corral was expected to be the starter and was for the first four games of the season giving way to John Rhys Plumlee. With a new head coach in Lane Kiffin we can’t be sure who may start the season when the Rebels face Baylor. What we do know is the Rebels have options. Matt Corral is one of those options.
In 2019 Corral, a red-shirt freshman, appeared in 10 games and was the leading passer for the Rebels. Corral completed 105 passes of 178 attempts for 1,362 yards and 6 TDs with just 3 INTs. Corral has proven himself to be a very accurate passer. Corral also rushed for 254 yards on 57 carries with 1 TD. Not knowing which direction coach Kiffin may choose to go leaves us with questions but it doesn’t diminish what Matt Corral means to the Rebels offense.
Elijah Moore, WR
Junior wide receiver Elijah Moore may be a controversial subject among some Ole Miss football fans because of his antics late in the 2019 Egg Bowl but there is no denying his talent. Moore was highly touted coming out of high school and the Rebels were fortunate to get his commitment and later his letter of intent. Moore wasted no time becoming a key part of the Rebels passing game.
In the 2018 season Moore, a true freshman, was third in receiving with 36 receptions for 398 yards and 2 TDs. Moore followed it up with an outstanding 2019 season leading the Rebels in receiving. Moore had 67 receptions for 850 yards and 6 TDs which garnered Moore with being named to the Athlon All-SEC Third Team. Moore has now been selected to the Athlon 2020 All-SEC Fourth Team. We can be sure he will be an asset again in 2020 for Kiffin and the Rebels.
Jerrion Ealy, RB
Sophomore Jerrion Ealy was a huge factor in the 2019 Ole Miss football season. Ealy finished the season as the second leading rusher for the Rebels with 722 yards rushing on 104 attempts with 6 TDs averaging 6.9 yards per carry. Three of his rushes were for 50 or more yards. Ealy also had 20 receptions for 172 yards and 1 TD. Ealy finished his true freshman season with a laundry list of accolades.
- True Freshman All-American (247Sports)
- Freshman All-American Second Team (Athletic)
- Freshman All-American Honorable Mention (Pro Football Focus)
- All-SEC First Team (Athlon Phil Steele)
- All-SEC Second Team (Coaches)
- SEC All-SEC All-Freshman Team
Jerrion Ealy was a valuable resource for the Rebels offense as a running back but was also an awesome asset for special teams for the Rebels in 2019. Ealy’s speed and elusiveness was apparent on special teams as he showed he could produce. Ealy led the SEC with a kick return average of 24.4 yards per return and his first career TD came on a 94 yard kickoff return.
Ealy registered a PFF elusive rating of 145.1, the second-highest by any freshman in the country. This was good enough for Ealy to garner Athlon Magazine’s Preseason All-SEC First Team honors as an all-purpose player who averaged 100.9 yards per game. We can be certain Jerrion Ealy will be a very important part of coach Lane Kiffin’s game plan.
John Rhys Plumlee, QB
As stated earlier we really can’t be sure who Lane Kiffin will select as his starting QB. We can’t even really be sure if Kiffin will consider opting for a dual QB system. What we do know is it must be nice to have the talent which he has to choose from. Besides Matt Corral coach Kiffin has the benefit of John Rhys Plumlee who started for the Rebels the last eight games of the 2019 season. Plumlee was able to produce in the air but mainly he was deadly for opposing defenses when he tucked the ball and ran.
With 4.4 forty speed and amazing agility Plumlee was able to rack up 1,023 yards on 154 carries with 12 TDs. The 2019 season performance was enough to set new records for Ole Miss football as the most yards in Rebels rushing yardage for a freshman and also total TDs (16). Plumlee also completed 79 passes of 150 attempts for 910 yards and 4 TDs. There was little surprise when Plumlee racked up the post season accolades.
- 2019 True Freshman All-America (247Sports)
- 2019 Freshman All-America Second Team (Athletic)
We know Plumlee can be a valuable asset for Lane Kiffin and the Rebels offense should Kiffin decide for him to be the starter. Plumlee has worked hard through the off-season to solidify his position as the starter for the Rebels in 2020.
Every Ole Miss football fan is looking forward to seeing our Rebels in action come September 6 when they travel to face Baylor in Houston in the season opener. These are just a few of the Rebels who a successful season will depend on. It will take solid coaching and the entirety of the Ole Miss roster to get what we want and expect. Good luck to all of our Rebels in 2020. Please be sure to follow OHT on Facebook and Twitter for the latest Rebels news and updates as we inch toward the season opener and beyond. Always remember, Hotty Toddy!