By Myra Bean

Ole Miss head football coach Houston Nutt said a simple sentence.

“Tig Barksdale’s not in school this semester due to medical problems.”

Rumors are rampant as to the cause of Darius “Tig” Barksdale’s medical situation, but efforts to reach Barksdale did not prevail.

Barksdale signed to play with Ole Miss in the spring while he was a student at Hargrave Military Academy.

He led South Panola to its fifth straight state championship in 2007, scoring four touchdowns. He received numerous accolades while a student and athlete at South Panola, but did not sign to play football during national day of signing citing he needed to work on his grades.

Barksdale only practiced a few days with Ole Miss before an as yet undetermined illness struck him.

He underwent a stress test and Ole Miss head athletic trainer Tim Mullins said it was not his heart.