By Angie Ledbetter

Ole Miss Media Day was held Friday with first year head coach Hugh Freeze addressing the media in a press conference followed by interviews with key players and coaches in the indoor practice facility.

On hand for interviews was former South Panola standout Nick Parker, a running back. All Saturday practices are open to the public and began Saturday. Times and locations for future practices will be announced at a later date.

Freeze opened the press conference saying the last couple of weeks had been filled with a lot of new first things for him.

“I had SEC media day, car wash at ESPN and all those things were great experiences for me,” Freeze said.

“We’ve gone through some orientation stuff to get it out of the way.  I’m really looking forward to getting started on the field and seeing what kind of retention we have from the spring ball for the kids that are returning and also see what we think about Paul Jackson’s job with our young men through the off season. I think we’re going to see some benefits from that.”

Freeze said they were stressing to the players, attitude and effort.

“We have nightly meetings throughout fall camp in regards to personal accountability,” Freeze said. “I think when we start accepting accountability for our actions, not only off the field, but on the field in the way we prepare ourselves for practice and the effort, energy and passion that we bring to the practice field, I think you’ll start seeing this program turn around pretty fast.”

Freeze spoke about Parker saying, “He has slimmed down quite a bit and that’s a position that we’re very concerned depth wise.”

Temario Strong and Channing Ward are awaiting clearance from the NCAA. Strong retook the ACT making a higher score not revealed to the NCAA who  red flagged it, according to Freeze.

“I wish I could expedite that process but I do feel like our people that are working with us in our compliance office and here are pushing as hard as they can but they work on their own time table,” he said. “But, we do have everything in. I was hoping to hear today on Temario but haven’t yet. We knew Ward’s would take a little longer because he just finished the course work that he had to finish this past Tuesday. I can’t see how it wouldn’t go our way.”

Issac Gross reported and has been working out with the team.

In a release from Ole Miss Tuesday:
Strong Cleared As Ole Miss Practices In Pads
 
OXFORD, Miss. – It was a big Tuesday for the Ole Miss football program, as the team worked in full pads for the first time this preseason and learned afterward that Temario Strong has been admitted and cleared to join the team.
 
A freshman defensive lineman from Batesville, Miss., Strong is expected to arrive on campus this evening. The South Panola High School product was a two-time selection to The Clarion-Ledger All-State Team.