Five biggest changes for Ole Miss in 2015
OXFORD – Ole Miss may return 16 starters, but there will still be several changes when the Rebels take the field this fall.
With just 20 days to go until the unofficial kickoff of the 2015 season at SEC Media Days, The Clarion-Ledger continues with its 10 football-geared previews looking ahead to Ole Miss' August camp and regular season.
Part two looks at the five biggest changes for the Rebels in 2015.
Getting back to going fast
"Tempo" was a buzzword throughout spring practice, as Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze tried to get back to his offensive roots of no-huddle, snap-the-ball-now style of play.
Freeze was known for his speed during his Arkansas State days. In 2011, the Red Wolves were ranked No. 9 in plays per game at 82.3. But Freeze's offenses have slowed each year he's been in Oxford.
Last year was the slowest. Ole Miss ranked 75th in the nation in plays per game with 72.5, according to teamrankings.com, which was down from the Rebels' 2013 average of 79.8.
Getting back to going fast could be a very good move for the Rebels. That's what the statistics say, at least, as the faster Freeze's teams go, the more productive they are.
Watch for the juco contributors on D
Recruiting accolades carry little weight once a prospect arrives on campus.
But during spring camp, Ole Miss juco signees Tony Bridges and D.J. Jones both showed the No. 1 rankings at their respective positions were at least warranted.
Both will likely start next season. Both will likely play pivotal roles in determining if the Rebels can sustain the defensive success it enjoyed last year.
Ole Miss lost two defensive tackles in Lavon Hooks and Bryon Bennett. Defensive coordinator Dave Wommack already said he expects Jones, an East Mississippi product, to take over Bennett's spot.
As for Bridges, he's tasked with helping the Rebels replace the loss of All-Americans Cody Prewitt and Senquez Golson in the secondary.
Bridges -- the former No. 1 overall defensive back out of Mississippi Gulf Coast -- was at times a little too aggressive this spring, which led to the offense connecting on some deep passes. But no one is denying his physicality and athleticism.
More productive running game, Ole Miss hopes
Simply put, Ole Miss needs its running game to improve next season – especially while breaking in a new quarterback.
The Rebels finished 75th in the country in rushing yards per game last year, but coaches seem optimistic the production from the position will improve this fall.
Not a lot changes personnel-wise. Senior Jaylen Walton returns as the starter. He put on a few pounds of muscle and Freeze said he had a "consistently solid" spring.
Sophomore Jordan Wilkins missed some time with a sprained MCL, but may be the one to watch this fall. He showed flashes of big-play ability late in camp and in the Grove Bowl.
Now, can one of the newcomers provide the missing wrinkle?
Redshirted juco signee Akeem Judd brings size and power at 6-foot, 220 pounds. Freshman Eric Swinney, who reported just a few weeks ago, is the other new face. The former four-star recruit is praised for his vision and burst.
Replacing Bo
The change at the quarterback position is an obvious one, but it's probably the most important one too.
The position could see a lot of change, or little, depending on who emerges as the guy.
We're talking about style here.
It appears juco signee Chad Kelly and sophomore Ryan Buchanan are the frontrunners. Both are very different players.
Buchanan is more akin to Bo Wallace in the sense that he's not going to wow with his athleticism, but is mobile enough to wiggle out of tough situations and pick up a few yards if needed.
Buchanan also probably isn't the kind of quarterback who's going to win a game single-handedly with his arm. There's not a lot of flash. But there's also not a lot of mistakes.
Kelly brings flash -- pushing the ball down field, threading tight windows and picking up chunks of yards with his speed. But it's a more high-risk, high-reward style.
Last hurrah (probably) for 2013 class
When Laquon Treadwell went down, when the season that started so promising began to slip away, some Ole Miss fans undoubtedly thought to themselves, "Next year."
In a way, there is no "next year" after this season.
At least, probably not for Ole Miss' historic 2013 signing class which reeled in four likely future NFL first-round picks entering their junior, and probably last, seasons in Oxford.
Led by Robert Nkemdiche and Tony Conner, the defense returns most of the pieces that led the nation in scoring a year ago.
Led by Treadwell, the wideout group is deep and talented.
Expectations are understandably high in Oxford. And this could be the Rebels best chance to meet them.
Contact Riley Blevins at rblevins@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @Riley_Blevins on Twitter.