University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Yearbook (Oxford, MS)

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FOOTBALL MAKING HIS DEBUT, qu arterback Micheal Spurlock, a junior from Indianola, Miss., attempts a pass in the first game of the season against Memphis The game ended in a loss, 21-13. Spurlock connected on ll-of-31 attempts for 182 yards in his first career start for the Rebels. ATTEMPTING AN INTERCEPTION, No. 9 Travis Johnson and No. 38 Eric Oliver, both defensive backs, contribute to the overtime viaory of 26-23 toVanderbilt. 55,824 fans attended the second home game of the season at Vaught- Hemingway Stadium. (continued Jroin page 369) with University of Miami defensive coordinator Randy Shannon and San Francisco 49er ' s head coach Dennis Ericicson. In the end, the only offer made was to Southern Cal defensive line coach Ed Orgeron, who was announced as the new coach Dec. 16,2004. He was not the ideal candidate Hooiie jokingly outlined the day the search began, but Orgeron brought with him two-straight national championship rings won at USC in 2003 and 2004, an established recruiting record, inc luding recruiter of the year honors, and a fire and enthusiasm many thought the f|uiet CJutdiffe lacked. On his hire, Orgeron said thai one goal of his iJTOgram at Ole Miss would be to go lo the Sugar Bowl, a feat which in ludes winning the ,Sl-(; ( hampionship. It is a lofty goal for a learn removed from a 4-7 i ' . ' i-b Southeastern CJont(Tcnce) record of a year ago. The seasrjn that led to the demise of a coach began in a dismal way. For the second- straight season, the Rebels battled icgion.il rival Mcm|)his, and for the second-straight lime, they lost lo a tough I iger team. All the ho[)e and excitement thai lloaled into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium lijr ihe season and home npcni-i r|iii( kK dell. tied as the mm h- FIGHTING THE INDIANS, No. 97, Cody Ridgeway punts the ball in the homecoming 28-21 victory over Arkansas State. This was Ole Miss ' eighth straight homecoming win. DEFENSIVE BACK Charles Clark, No. 20, of Green Cove Springs, Fla., attacks a Gamecock to block a pass in the 31-28 victory over South Carolina. The game was won when Bill Flowers snagged a 29- yard touchdown pass with 1 ;05 remaining on the clock. hyped quarterback Micheal Spurlock proved inefFective as the ofTensi c struggled to only 13 points in the 20-13 loss to the Tigers. Memphis physically beat the Rebel defense, running the ball wilh DeAngelo Williams more than 30 limes for more than 100 yards. The defense put u]) a valiant eflort, but wilh little rest aflorded by the offense, Memphis and Williams only got stronger as the game progressed. The next week, the struggling but optimistic Rebels traveled to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for its first conference shov clo n of the season against , labama. Any hope that S])urlock s hrst game struggles were behind him tiuickly vanished as the Rebels olli ' iise again barely exisied until the third (luarler when sojjhonKjre C]uarlerback F lhan I ' latl replaced ihe struggling starter and led the Rebels to their only scoring drive of the 28-7 roul by the ( liimsnii ' Fide-. Back home, the next week against N ' andcibill v,is not pielty, l)iil il was .i win. For this game, I ' lall officially replaced S|)urlock at the- hc-lm of the oll ' ense. and for a time-, relieved the team of mm li of a (.MJ dis|)iiie, inoxing the offense- lo two louchdovvn drives and three field goals in the- ic-ams 26-23 overtime victory over the ' Dores. The victory was short-lived •IS the Rebels next traveled to yoming to take on the Clowboys of the Mountain West. Short of air and v ide-recei er Bill Flowers, the Rebs rolled out of Wyoming with a 37-32 loss that leigniled the f[uarterback controversy. Flail, starling his second game, threw four interceptions and fumbled away anolher one to the Pokes all while the defense gave up numerous big pla s, including a hallback pass On his hire, Orgeron said that one goal of his program at Ole Miss would be to go to the Sugar Bowl; a feat that includes winning the SEC championship. I()r a tone hdown .i pl.u that landed Wyoming on national television as a candidate for game c hanging play of the year awards. As ihc- Rebels descended liom America ' s highc-st elevated l()otb.ill sladiiiin so did iheir spirits. 370 I The Ole Miss 2005

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00 ♦ ' A LINING UP FOR THE HUDOLEf ;ii itic liofni ' tortilfKj yiitne af).)in ' l Arkanvi ' , Sirfi ' -, pidyers pprfotmed to j packed stodium, winning 28-21. er « ,7 , ,) BEN BEITZEL ' i lf cl III ihc next ii|)pcirtunily. fnuiin til rlican i nKi-sUT. From Rebel ii-cl aiic , That is hnw lai ' li ■Miss HracI liintbal Davicl CaiuliHr Irll in 1 aiciular year. Inllnwing a Cotton Bowl win hat sparked a recruiting drive, a ire iii under the administration (I (Mend his ef)ntract and ignited the Rehel to do was lose. He lost his stai ' tin Heisman-trophy- winning C|uarterl)a( k to the first pii k in the f XFL. ailing with tliree others. He lost pla ers til suspensions. He lost faith in his r|uarterl)aek. He lost the most names e er as a head loaih. And then he lost his jub Dei. 1. 2IHI4. si. yrars alter his hire. I apiireeiaie the opportunity Dr. Robert Khayat ga e me six years ago, a teary-eyed Cutclifie saic piiblie address in Oxlinxl. . lot of ' Sf l? happened, and I ha -e a lot of great m( to relixe as a result of that, lough lime last tough people do. For the administration, the task of finding a rephu ement for 2003 ' s SEC Coach of the ' S ' ear nroxed touiih. I ' he da - Athletic Director Fete Boone handed Cutelilfc his wallving papers, he said he hoped to find a coach by the weekend. I ' hat idealism turned into a twTj-wcek-lrjng search that sent Boone and Khayat Iking across the L ' niied States in a pri ate jet and meetint! with loordinators and head coaches in both the colleeiate and NFL ranics. They met Athiftics I 369

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The lack of excitement shown through the next week - in a lack-luster homecoming game against Arkansas State. For the game, the perennial rollover team put up a strong fight, leading at the half before Ole Miss secured a 14 point lead, before winning 28-2 1 . Entering the heart of SEC play at South Carolina, the team needed a spark, and it found it in an odd coaching decision. Beginning the game in Columbia, S.C., Flatt ran onto the field for the team ' s first possession. For the next play, Spurlock was under center. Then on third down it was redshirt freshman Robert Lane who took the snap. It was unexpected. It was unconventional. And it worked. The move sparked an offense that struggled with stagnation leading to a heroic 31-28 road win, won on the arm and hands of Flatt and Flowers, who connected on a fourth down touchdown pass in the corner of the endzone, giving the Rebels the lead. With the momentum of the conference win, the Rebels prepared to face Tennessee, Cutcliffe ' s former team, at home. Momentum FIGHTING FOR THE PASS, No. 81 Rob Robertson, a linebacker from Centreville, Miss,, attempts to complete a pass in the 28-21 victory over Arkansas State. and spunk were not enough to overcome the talented Vols as the Rebels fell 21-17. The loss began a four-game skid for the Rebels that ended any hopes of a winning season or a return trip to a bowl game. Two weeks later, the Rebs hosted highly ranked Auburn, falling 34- 1 4. A tough first half gave way to a blowout as the Tigers showed their superiority in the rout. After another off week, the Rebels, still in bowl contention, did not even show up at Arkansas. The offense only managed three points while the defense gave up 35 in a game that never appeared to be close. The next week, the Rebs limped in and out of Baton Rouge, La. Though fighting harder than they did in Fayetteville, Ark., the slow- moving offense and a tired defense could not muster the energy match the Bayou Bengals, losing 27-24. Salvaging some respect for a season drowned in disappointment and mediocritv; the Rebels retained the Egg Bowl trophy, blowing out a Mississippi State team in a game that only mattered in Mississippi. Hoisting the trophy above their heads, the players smiled, and for one final time, Cutcliffe gave a post game speech to a winning Rebel team. Like he would walk out the door the next week, Cutcliffe walked off the field with his head held high. It was supposed to be a season that continued the success of the year before. Instead, it was a step back. Now it is Orgeron ' s charge to get them back to that level. And hopefully the next. Athletics I 371