Ole Miss Football: Four Season Stats That Stand Out

Sep 17, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) leads the offense onto the field during the second quarter of the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Alabama won 48-43. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

The Ole Miss Rebels have started the season 1-2 during the first three games of the year. A look at some the their stats can paint a clearer picture of the season.

The 2016 year has not started out the way Coach Hugh Freeze and the Ole Miss Rebels would have liked. After tough losses to Florida State and Alabama, the football team has not looked like the same team that finished 2015 with a Sugar Bowl victory. Injuries to key areas of the team has taken its toll. Although stats never tell the entire story, you can notice areas of concern and areas of strength.

Stats can also expose truths that are otherwise ignored. When we view the numbers you have to take into account that the Rebels faced two of the tougher teams in the nation. Also the one victory Ole Miss had came at the hands of a team that runs an unusual offense. The victory came against Wofford, who runs a triple option.

While looking at the stats for the season a few stood out to me. Yes, I know stats can lie. They can also tell the story to what is really happening on the field. So read into these stats what you will. Some of them are good, positive stats. However, some are not so much. Let’s look at a few of them.

Sep 10, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels tight end Evan Engram (17) before the game against the Wofford Terriers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Engram’s Monster Season

During a season of disappointments there has been one true bright spot. Evan Engram has been having himself quite a year. The Tight End from Powder Springs, Georgia came back for his senior year to help the Rebels achieve their goal of reaching the SEC Championship game. He has done everything on his end to help get them there.

Engram has proven to be a difficult matchup for most teams. He has become Kelly’s go-to target so far this season. He is too fast for a linebacker to cover and too big for most DBs.

Engram already owns nearly every Tight End record at Ole Miss. However, he is looking to make the number unreachable for anyone who comes after him. He is on pace to etch his name in the Ole Miss record books in many categories usually reserved for wide receivers. So far this year he is proving he’s also the premier Tight End in the SEC as well. Thank you for coming back, Evan.

Key Three-Game Stat: Engram has 20 catches for 302 yards and two touchdowns. Could be on his way to a 1000 yard season.

Sep 10, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Eugene Brazley (23) carries the ball against Mississippi Rebel against Wofford Terriers defensive lineman Chris Boudreaux (93) during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Crazy TD Numbers

One stat that also stands out is the touchdowns scored against the Rebels. Ole Miss is coming off of games where our defense has been pressed to their limits. Florida State exposed the lack of depth in our defensive back field when injuries arose.

However, when you look at the number it is not just the offensive touchdowns that did us in. We lost to Florida State by eleven points. But they made six field goals in that game. 18 points off of the special teams. The Rebel defense showed a bend don’t break mentality in that game against the Seminole. But the field goals killed us.

Alabama held on to a five point win. A win in which they got 14 defensive points and a punt return for a touchdown. Prevent either one of those from happening and the Rebels walk out with a win. So far teams have made a total of 10 field goals against us. We have only kicked and made four. But here is a stat that kind of shocked me given the situation with our defense.

Key Three-Game Stat: Our defense has only given up two passing touchdowns. Six rushing touchdowns.

Sep 5, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive end DeMarcus Walker (44) sacks Mississippi Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) and forces a fumble during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Florida State Seminoles defeated the Mississippi Rebels 45-34. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Lack of Turnovers

Aside from the injuries suffered by key members to the Ole Miss Rebels’ team, one key to the two losses have been the turnovers. Chad Kelly is responsible for six of the seven Rebel turnovers. He has thrown four interceptions and lost two fumbles. The only turnover not caused by Kelly was an interception thrown by Jason Pellerin.

However, the offensive turnovers are not the interesting stats. The interesting stat is the fact that the Ole Miss defense has not be able to force a higher number of turnovers. The hallmark of the Landshark defense has always been its ability to cause confusion and cause turnovers. More specifically, they have always had the ability to create interceptions. Ole Miss was used to having ball hawks like Cody Prewitt, Senquez Golson, and Trae Elston.

The lack of turnovers has added to the defense staying on the field much longer than they need to. Whether it due to a lack of consistent pressure by the defensive line or the DBs not locating the ball, the Rebels need to solve the turnover problem.

Key Three-Game Stat: The defense has only forced two turnovers. Zero interceptions.

Sep 17, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) reacts after being sacked near the end zone during the third quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Alabama won 48-43. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Kelly’s Numbers Are Good

When your team is 1-2 it is easy to only see the negatives of the season. But if you take into account that we faced two teams that were ranked in the top five in the nation in every poll, the Rebels are not terrible. The offense has scored points on both Florida State and Alabama.

They lost the two games they were underdogs in. But lost in the all the defeats and turnovers is the fact that Chad Kelly is putting up good numbers. I know he has had some untimely turnovers, but when compared to last year at this time he is putting up gaudy numbers.

In fact, interceptions is the only stat in which Kelly has gotten worse. Chad has put up good numbers against good defenses. Against the vaunted Alabama Crimson Tide Kelly put up 421 yards. So far this year Kelly has thrown for over 950 yards and 10 touchdowns. But the nature of a fan believes that even with those numbers, he could have gotten more. By the time the year is over Kelly should ranked third in passing yards in Ole Miss history. There will only be Eli Manning and Bo Wallace above him.

Key Three-Game Stat: Kelly is on pace to have 4130 yards and 43 touchdowns.