Last week marked the start of Ole Miss Rebels journey leading to the 2010 football conference games. The activities in the camp are visible to outsiders from a distance and no remote communication devices are allowed. The team starts off with some days of warm-up practices. On Thursday, August 12, they wear their full equipment. Some new developments have happened.

Former Offense Coordinator Kent Austin left in the early part of this year to fill his post as head coach of Cornell University. In his stead, Coach Houston Nutt has hired Dave Rader, a person with coaching extensive coaching experience. He is now both co-offensive coordinator and coach of the quarterbacks.

Rader had become a businessman by the time Coach Nutt approached him. This will be his fourth time to involve himself in the Southeastern Conference. He has a 9 year track record as assistant coach and he has also 12 years of experience as head coach. The last time he was employed in football was in Alabama as a staff member of then coach Mike Shula. Rader attended Tulsa University. For a time he played as quarterback with their team. He graduated as a mechanical engineer from the same school. In 1999 he was made a member of the Independence Bowl Hall of Fame. He is now 52.

It came as a surprise to everyone when, just before fall camp opened, it was announced that “Tig” Barksdale, the 2007 Mr. Football, had been terminated from the team. Earlier, Barksdale had been arrested for DUI and driving without a license. Then, last spring he committed a “violation of team rules” and was suspended. This time around, no reason was given for his dismissal other than that he was pressed to see to some personal issues.

A lot of people among the some 400 guests watching the opening were there to see Jeremiah Masoli, a former star football player of Oregon. A total of six awards were received by him while there, among them the 2008 Holiday Bowl Most Valuable Player, the College Football Performance Awards of 2009 for Elite Nation and QB Performer and the College Football Awards of 2009 for Midseason Favorite. He was with that team until 2009.

After having received 5 of his awards in 2009, Masoli went on to commit a series of demeanor’s in the following year. In January, 2010 he was charged with second-degree burglary and consequently suspended from the team for the entire year. When, in June, he followed up with drug and traffic related offenses, he left the team management no choice but to terminate him.

Coach Nutt has made it clear that under no circumstances is he going to tolerate any misbehavior from Masoli. However, if he keeps out of trouble while with the Rebels and gives a performance equal to his 2009 achievement with Oregon, he can continue playing with the Rebels for the entire season.

The fact that coach Nutt accepted Masoli may mean that he intends his players to learn something from Masoli before the guy graduates. The guy’s days with the Rebels are numbered since he only has one more season of play left to him.

Three junior players are being groomed for important positions in the lineup. They are Damien Jackson, Randall Mackey and Wayne Dorsey.

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Author Bio: Freddie Brister is a retired football coach who writes for SportsFanTreasures.com. Check out his Ole Miss Rebels Watch or his UCLA Belt or his Stanford Grill Cover

Category: Sports
Keywords: 2007 Mr. Football,Most Valuable Player,College Football