Rebs preach renewed focus after Peach Bowl struggles
OXFORD | Chad Kelly kept the mission statement fairly succinct on Monday, laying out the Rebels' intentions as preparation began for the 2016 Allstate Sugar Bowl -- the second straight access bowl appearance for Ole Miss.
A year removed from an embarrassing 42-3 loss to TCU in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, the Rebels (9-3) are making sure to keep the game first from now until Jan. 1 at 7:30 p.m.
"We have to stay focused throughout and that starts right now, to the time we go for Christmas break and the time we get back and go to the bowl game," Kelly said. "You have to keep focused and understand why we are there. We are going to win the Sugar Bowl -- not to go around and play around.
"You have to (balance things). It's not a vacation. It's to go down there and win this game. It's a football, and this means everything to this university and our players and coaches."
The Rebels will meet 10-2 Oklahoma State in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. It's a Big XII opponent for the second straight year, and while injuries and potential absences have piled up again, the Rebels' focus and attitude are factors they can control in the bowl game.
Ole Miss will be without defensive lineman Fadol Brown and safety Tony Conner, due to season-ending surgeries. That's in addition to an earlier injury to Robert Conyers, the absence of Denzel Nkemdiche and the up-in-the-air availability of Robert Nkemdiche.
Last season, the Rebels played the bowl without Laquon Treadwell and Vince Sanders. Then, Laremy Tunsil was injured early, and quarterback Bo Wallace was limited due to his shoulder issues.
However, that wasn't all the Rebels lacked.
"Possibly (distracted)," Justin Bell said of last year. "That's how I felt, but it's as a team and doesn't speak for everybody. You had people out there focused, but that doesn't speak for everybody. As a team I thought we were a little distracted.It's a bitter taste in our mouth. We didn't have that hunger or bitter taste going into the bowl last season."
Ole Miss is the only bowl game the night of Jan. 1, and head coach Hugh Freeze spoke to his team Monday about the importance of focus and keeping football first amid the distractions.
"He basically kept it real with us," Treadwell said. "He told us he won't allow us to not work hard and not prepare well. Do all the little things right. He sent the message to the team that to be great you have to do it on and off the field, and we're not going to party. We'll enjoy the bowl, but we're not going to do the other things. We're going to win the game."
Ole Miss is 2-1 in bowl games under Freeze, winning the 2013 Compass Bowl and the 2013 Music City Bowl prior to the Peach Bowl loss. The Rebels report to New Orleans on Dec. 26.
"It's a whole new team, new DNA and a new bowl game," Kelly said. "We want to go out with a bang and start the offseason out right. We're putting in the work that we have to do in order to win this game."