April 2, 2012

VIDEO: Freeze Post-Practice Comments

OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss practiced under the lights Monday before the sun rose midway through the early-morning session on the practice fields adjacent to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Starting at 5:30 a.m., first-year head coach Hugh Freeze toned down the usual fast pace of practice for more teaching opportunities during the session that lasted just under two hours.

“We slowed it down some today,” Freeze said. “I usually do two or three early mornings in the spring. It’s really a lot of teaching. We try to correct things and get a better understanding of what we’re doing. I thought (Barry) Brunetti had a good day for most of the day. The offensive line kind of faded at the end and the defensive line dominated the last few periods. I thought we got a lot out of today.”

Benefitting from the early hour was sophomore wide receiver Nickolas Brassell, who participated in his first practice of the spring. He has been held out of the afternoon practices due to his schoolwork.

“We love him. He’s one of my favorite kids,” Freeze said of the nearby Batesville native. “He has to get his academics in order. There’s no academic tutoring going on at 5:30 in the morning, so he could get out here and be a part (of practice). We’re doing everything we can to make sure he makes it (academically). He’s a special player, and he would make us a lot better.”

Junior running back Jeff Scott was held out of practice after showing up with a fever and other flu-like symptoms.

The Rebels resume spring drills Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. and Thursday at 5:30 a.m. Both practices are open to the public this week.

Use of cellular phones and cameras are prohibited for fans at practice, and fans must remain in the designated area. Fans are not allowed between the practice fields.

For an updated schedule of practice times and locations, please refer to the 2012 Spring Practice Schedule button located in the left side of the OleMissSports.com football home page. All information is tentative and subject to change.

Spring drills will culminate with the annual BancorpSouth Grove Bowl, Saturday, April 21 at 1 p.m. at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. CSS will televise the intra-squad scrimmage live.

Other events of Grove Bowl Week are the Rebels’ Choice Awards on Monday, April 16; the Chucky Mullins Award Banquet on Thursday, April 19; a free concert in The Grove with Gavin DeGraw and special guest Craig Morgan on Friday, April 20 and a weekend baseball series against Arkansas.