Has new head coach Pete Golding accomplished what he wanted to this spring with his Ole Miss Rebels? The Rebels are coming off an historic, 13-2 season in which they advanced to the national semifinals of the College Football Playoffs.
Golding was hit with that question Tuesday following a spring practice, as the Rebels beging to wind things down.
“Yeah. I think so,” Golding answered. “Up to this point, it went really slow. I got the foundation on all three phases. This week we’re actually transitioning to what a game week looks like, trying to get them in those routines and understanding what it looks like. Also with the new coaches, getting a feel for what the game plan and schedule is.”
Ole Miss, ranked No. 9 in the ESPN spring preseason poll, opens its season versus No. 21 Louisville at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Sun., Sept. 6.
“Obviously, we’re game-planning each other, which I think is really important from self-scout moving forward into the summer,” Golding continued.
Golding is also keeping his team from springtime injuries.
“We’re simulating physicality…in isolated scenarios to try to stay injury-free the best that we can,” he said.
Pete Golding
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
So, what does a Pete Golding-led game week look like?
“We bring them in on Sundays instead of Mondays. Put the previous game to bed. Get a workout in and make sure we see from an injury standpoint exactly where we’re at. Monday is their day off…get the week started right academically and everything like that. It allows the coaches to build a gameplan on Monday. Then Tuesday we come back in and we work base downs, implement the short-yardage goal-line plan and special teams and the kicking game…kickoff and punt. Then we’ll come back on Wednesday with a thrid-down, red-zone emphasis and to clean up our base downs. We’ll go into our Thursdays, which is a complete mental sweat, meetings and walks, then come back Friday and play the game, as far as a fast Friday….then obviously you have your Friday night meetings then go into the game.
As far as this week, “The only thing we’re not going to do is play the game.”
IMPROVEMENTS
Is there a position group that has shown improvement this spring?
“I think there have been several,” said Golding. “Obviously, you’ve got so many new guys at so many new spots. The more that they play, the better they get, the more comfortable they get.
“I think the linebacker room has really come on. I think then (defensive) front and the pieces that we’ve added are really starting to understand it. I think the receivers room is really improving with every practice that we get…I think a lot of multiple groups have improved.”