Story by SportsTalk Mississippi Ole Miss Beat Reporter Brian Scott Rippee
Matt Corral was at practice for the team period portions of practice on Wednesday, head coach Matt Luke said.
The redshirt freshman quarterback’s presence was primarily for game-planning purposes as the Rebels prepare for a road game at Alabama on Saturday.
“He didn’t do much,” Luke said. “It was good to have Matt out there for game-planning purposes and handling crowd noise and things like that. Hopefully, he will be able to do more tomorrow.”
True freshman John Rhys Plumlee took most of the reps with the first-team offense for the second consecutive day. Plumlee replaced Corral in the fourth quarter of the Rebels’ home loss to Cal after Corral took a shot to the ribs. He went 7-of-7, helped finish off a 10-play scoring drive started by Corral and then marched Ole Miss down the field in the final two minutes, only to come up a yard short of a potential game-tying score as the time expired.
Even if Corral is healthy, both Luke and offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez left the possibility open that both Corral and Plumlee would take snaps. Fellow true freshman Grant Tisdale was thought to be the back-up before Plumlee’s insertion into the game last Saturday, and his chances of taking game-snaps this weekend remains unclear.
Rodriguez said after Saturday’s loss that Plumlee — a dual-threat quarterback with plus athleticism — was primarily put into the game because Rodriguez wanted to call a designed quarterback running play, thinking Corral would only be out for a play or two.
The rest, of course, is history as Plumlee ignited a stagnant offense.
Luke said Corral has thrown some this week, but not during the team portions of practice.
“I think he is getting better,” Luke said. “I think he is still in a lot of pain, but I think day-to-day he is getting better.”
–Sophomore linebacker Jacquez Jones talked about replacing Mohamed Sanogo, the linebacking corps play over the season’s first month and more.
— Sam Williams discussed returning to his home state to play against the Crimson Tide, the adjustment process from junior college to the SEC and more.
