# 2017 Ole Miss Rebels football team

The 2017 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Rebels played their home games at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by then-interim head coach Matt Luke. They finished the season 6–6, 3–5 in SEC play to finish in sixth place in the Western Division.
On February 22, 2017, the University of Mississippi self-imposed a one-year ban from post-season play on the Ole Miss football team for the 2017 season, due to alleged NCAA violations. On July 20, 2017, head coach Hugh Freeze resigned in the wake of allegations about repeated calls to a female escort service from his school-issued cell phone. He was given the ultimatum, either resign or be fired.

## Schedule

Ole Miss announced its 2017 football schedule on September 13, 2016. The 2017 schedule consists of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season. The Rebels will host SEC foes Arkansas, LSU, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt, and will travel to Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, and Mississippi State.
The Rebels will host three of the four non-conference opponents, Louisiana–Lafayette (ULL) and South Alabama which are both in the Sun Belt Conference and Tennessee-Martin (UT Martin) from the Ohio Valley Conference and will travel to Berkeley to play their first ever Pac-12 Conference opponent, the California Golden Bears.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 2 | 6:30 p.m. | South Alabama* | Vaught–Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS | ESPNU | W 47–27 | 62,532 |
| September 9 | 11:00 a.m. | UT Martin* | Vaught–Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS | SECN | W 45–23 | 60,476 |
| September 16 | 9:30 p.m. | at California* | California Memorial StadiumBerkeley, CA | ESPN | L 16–27 | 37,125 |
| September 30 | 8:00 p.m. | at No. 1 Alabama | Bryant–Denny StadiumTuscaloosa, AL (rivalry) | ESPN | L 3–66 | 101,821 |
| October 7 | 11:00 a.m. | at No. 12 Auburn | Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, AL (rivalry) | SECN | L 23–44 | 86,700 |
| October 14 | 2:30 p.m. | Vanderbilt | Vaught–Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS (rivalry) | SECN | W 57–35 | 60,157 |
| October 21 | 6:15 p.m. | No. 24 LSU | Vaught–Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS (Magnolia Bowl) | ESPN | L 24–40 | 64,067 |
| October 28 | 11:00 a.m. | Arkansas | Vaught–Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS (rivalry) | SECN | L 37–38 | 55,684 |
| November 4 | 3:00 p.m. | at Kentucky | Kroger FieldLexington, KY | SECN | W 37–34 | 55,665 |
| November 11 | 11:00 a.m. | Louisiana–Lafayette* | Vaught–Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS | SECN | W 50–22 | 51,618 |
| November 18 | 6:00 p.m. | Texas A&M | Vaught–Hemingway StadiumOxford, MS | ESPN2 | L 24–31 | 55,880 |
| November 23 | 6:30 p.m. | at No. 16 Mississippi State | Davis Wade StadiumStarkville, MS (Egg Bowl) | ESPN | W 31–28 | 59,345 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Roster
### Depth chart

Defense :
* FS
* Deontay Anderson
* C.J. Hampton
| WLB | MLB | SLB |
| DeMarquis Gates | Detric Bing-Dukes | Brenden Williams |
| ⋅ | Donta Evans | Breon Dixon |
* SS
* Zedrick Woods
* Armani Linton
* CB
* Jaylon Jones
* Cam Ordway
| DE | DT | DT | DE |
| Garrald McDowell | Benito Jones | Breeland Speaks | Marquis Haynes |
| Qaadir Sheppard | Austrian Robinson | Ross Donelly | Victor Evans |
* CB
* Myles Hartsfield
* Javien Hamilton
Offense :
* X-Receiver
* A. J. Brown
* DaMarkus Lodge
* WR
* Van Jefferson
* Tre Nixon
| LT | LG | C | RG | RT |
| Greg Little | Javon Patterson | Sean Rawlings | Jordan Sims | Alex Givens |
| Rod Taylor | Daronte Bouldin | Eli Johnson | Jack DeFoor | Bryce Matthews |
* TE
* Octavious Cooley
* Dawson Knox
* Z-Receiver
* DK Metcalf
* Markell Pack
* QB
* Shea Patterson
* Jason Pellerin
* Special teams
* PK Gary Wunderlich
* P Will Gleeson
* RB
* Jordan Wilkins
* D'Vaughn Pennamon

## Recruiting
### Recruits

The Rebels signed a total of 23 recruits.
US college sports recruiting information for 2017 recruits :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| D.D. Bowie WR | Morton, Mississippi | Morton HS | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Oct 24, 2015 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Ben Brown OT | Vicksburg, Mississippi | St. Aloysius HS | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 290 lb (130 kg) | Feb 23, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Alex Faniel QB | Richmond, Virginia | Glen Allen HS | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | Jun 2, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Josh Clarke LB | Jefferson, Louisiana | Riverdale HS | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | Jun 13, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| AJ Harris S | Madison, Alabama | Bob Jones HS | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | Jul 24, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Jamar Richardson CB | Aliceville, Alabama | Aliceville HS | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 167 lb (76 kg) | Jul 25, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Javien Hamilton CB | Bay Springs, Mississippi | Bay Springs HS/Jones County Junior College | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Aug 6, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Ryder Anderson DE | Katy, Texas | Katy HS | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 230 lb (100 kg) | Nov 28, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Brenden Williams LB | Fairfield, Alabama | Restoration Academy/Northeast Mississippi Community College | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | Dec 10, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Jordan Ta'amu QB | Roswell, New Mexico | New Mexico Military Institute | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | Dec 10, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Markel Winters DE | Tallahassee, Florida | Rickards HS/Jones County CC | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 260 lb (120 kg) | Dec 14, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Breon Dixon LB | Loganville, Georgia | Grayson HS | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 218 lb (99 kg) | Jan 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Isaiah Woullard RB | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | Presbyterian Christian School | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | Jan 31, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Chester Graves DE | Kansas City, Missouri | Park Hill HS | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Mohamed Sanogo LB | Plano, Texas | Plano West HS | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 239 lb (108 kg) | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Tony Gray OT | Loganville, Georgia | Grayson HS | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 290 lb (130 kg) | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| C.J. Miller S | Powder Springs, Georgia | McEachern HS | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 188 lb (85 kg) | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Braylon Sanders WR | Hogansville, Georgia | Callaway HS | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 186 lb (84 kg) | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Taekion Reed OT | Columbus, Mississippi | New Hope HS | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 295 lb (134 kg) | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Kam White DB | Clinton, Mississippi | Clinton HS | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| JaVonta Payton WR | Nashville, Tennessee | Hillsboro HS | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Sincere David DT | Jacksonville, Florida | Sandalwood HS | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 300 lb (140 kg) | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Zikerrion Baker LB | Mooringsport, Louisiana | Minden HS | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: |||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Ole Miss Football Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017. "2017 Ole Miss Football Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017. "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017. "2017 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017. |||||||

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

* Matt Luke, Interim Head Coach
* Phil Longo, Assistant Coach/offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
* Wesley McGriff, Assistant Coach/defensive coordinator
* Maurice Harris, Assistant Coach/recruiting coordinator For Offense/tight ends
* Jason Jones, Assistant Coach/co-defensive coordinator/secondary
* Jack Bicknell Jr., Assistant Coach/offensive line
* Derrick Nix, Assistant Coach/running backs
* Jacob Peeler, Assistant Coach/wide receivers
* Bradley Dale Peveto, Assistant Coach/linebackers and Special Teams
* Freddie Roach, Assistant Coach/defensive line

## Coaching staff changes

After the conclusion of the 2016 season, adjustments throughout the coaching staff were made. After defensive coordinator Dave Wommack announced his retirement from coaching, offensive coordinator Dan Werner was fired. The team would hire Wesley McGriff to replace Wommack as the defensive coordinator, Jacob Peeler to replace Grant Heard as the wide receivers coach, Tray Scott to replace Chris Kiffin as the defensive line coach, and Wesley McGriff (who took over as the defensive coordinator) to also coach the safeties, replacing safeties coach Corey Batoon. Also, assistant athletics director Barney Farrar was relieved of his duties.

## NCAA investigation

Following a lengthy investigation, the NCAA issued a Notice of Allegations against the Ole Miss football program in January 2016. The university announced that it had received an amended Notice of Allegations on February 22, 2017.
In total, the NCAA brought 21 distinct charges against the football program, individual coaches and athletic department officials, and boosters. These include fifteen Level I violations (the most serious).
Four of the eleven Level I violations occurred or involved coaches employed prior to Coach Hugh Freeze's tenure. The Level I offenses include:
* Two former coaches conspired with an ACT testing supervisor to manipulate tests so prospective players could qualify.
* Coaches arranged for a booster to provide "free housing, meals and transportation to then football prospective student-athletes" in connection with a program established to help prospects qualify under NCAA guidelines.
* A "huddle leader" who was also a booster under NCAA guidelines provided numerous impermissible benefits to three prospects in 2012 and 2013, including paying for several trips to Ole Miss, lodging, game tickets and concessions, merchandise, tutoring assistance, and ACT exam preparation.
* A booster gave a football player's family member $800.
* A booster provided at least three different prospects with free athletic merchandise.
* A hotel owner in Oxford provided impermissible lodging to various prospects and their friends and family members.
* Two boosters (Boosters 12 and 14) had several improper contacts with a prospect (Student-Athlete 39) and made multiple cash payments to him, totaling between $13,000 and $15,600. The NCAA alleges that an Ole Miss assistant athletic director "initiated and facilitated [Booster 12] and [Booster 14’s] recruiting contact and communication with [Student-Athlete 39], and knew at the time that [Booster 12] and [Booster 14] provided [Student-Athlete 39] with cash payments."
* This assistant athletic director intentionally misled the NCAA concerning these allegations.
* Hugh Freeze "violated NCAA head coach responsibility legislation as he is presumed responsible" for 16 violations "and did not rebut that presumption."
* "[B]etween May and June 2010 and from May 2012 through January 2016, the institution failed to exercise institutional control and monitor the conduct and administration of its athletics program."
Ole Miss announced several self-imposed penalties in May 2017, including a post-season ban in 2017, three years of probation, a reduction of 11 scholarships, and a variety of recruiting restrictions.
The NCAA Committee on Infractions hearing concluded on September 12, 2017.