OXFORD — With the season opener one week away, the University of Mississippi football team took the field inside Vaught-Hemingway for a two-plus hour dress rehearsal Saturday morning.
The rehearsal broke down all of the basics of pre-game, including dressing, getting taped and stretching in the lockerroom. The team worked from a standard gameday timing sheet and practiced lockerroom etiquette and fulfilling pre-game duties as well as substitutions and injury situations once on the field.
“There are a few things we still have to iron out, but the rehearsal was smooth for the most part,” said Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt. “It was good to work on substitutions, so if somebody goes down the next guy knows he is in the game. The one thing is everyone in the stadium can count to 11 and we are trying to make sure we have 11 on the field each time.”
Today, the Rebels will watch film before taking Monday off for class. Ole Miss will hit the practice field again on Tuesday to begin gearing up for BYU. Nutt said he was pleased with how the Rebels handled fall camp and is excited for the season opener.
“I think we have had a really good camp,” said the Rebels” fourth-year head man. “We need to get some of these guys that are injured back to full speed, but we are looking forward to game week. We have studied BYU all summer and we are ready. Now, it”s time to play ball.”
Ole Miss will open the season at 3:45 p.m. Saturday against BYU at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. ESPN will televise the game nationally.
n Alabama holds final practice indoors before game week: At Tuscaloosa, Ala., The University of Alabama football team practiced in full pads Saturday in the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility in its 24th session of preseason camp.
Alabama will have today off before entering its first game week of the 2011 season on Monday. Alabama will have five practices prior to its season opener at 11:21 a.m. Saturday against Kent State at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
“I was telling someone early what Sept. 3 meant to me,” junior snapper Carson Tinker said. “I have been looking forward to that day for a very long time. Every day, I have been working to get ready for the season, and it is here. I am ready. I cannot put into words how it feels. When I was doing my rehab and doing all the things I needed to do to get healthy, that is what I thought about; running out of that tunnel and playing football.”
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