BLOG — Outside of a walk-through practice Friday in their downtown Birmingham, Ala., hotel, the Ole Miss Rebels have concluded their work for Saturday’s BBVA Compass Bowl matchup against the Pittsburgh Panthers.Ole Miss practiced for an hour and a half this morning at Birmingham Southern University, the team’s second in as many days since arriving from Oxford on Tuesday. Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze seemed out of things to talk about after the practice, even joking that quarterback Bo Wallace’s shoulder, the subject of almost every post-practice interview session, was about “5 percent” better than it was Wednesday.
“He did look like he had a little more zip (on the ball). The radar gun, he had a little more miles-per-hour,” Freeze said with a laugh. ” He did look better today. It’s a little warmer today too. The sun is at least in my eyes.”
Freeze added that he felt like all his players were just ready to play the game at Birmingham’s Legion Field in a game that can be seen on ESPN at noon.
“We had seven practices before practice and seven after Christmas. It’s time to play,” Freeze said.
Feed Moncrief
Freeze was asked his opinion on how sophomore wide receiver Donte Moncrief has handled his sudden rise to stardom as the subject of a song that has become a YouTube sensation thanks to his performance in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State.
“I think fine. I don’t see really much change in him. It’s kind of funny how all of that took off,” Freeze said. “Of course if he didn’t play well, (the song and video) would have been a flop. With him playing well in that game, it kind of caught on at the same time. It’s been kind of a source of excitement for us around here.”
For more on the Rebels’ final practice and a what a win over Pitt would mean for this senior class, see Friday’s Sports Section. (January 3, 2013)
