Sept. 21, 2012

FRIDAY FLASHBACK rewinds to some of the memorable Ole Miss games from this week's all-time series. This week features the Rebels' 32-28 comeback win over Tulane in New Orleans in 1989.

Rebels are proving they perform gutsy in the clutch

By Rick Cleveland
The Clarion-Ledger

October 22, 1989

NEW ORLEANS – Call it The Incredible Escape.

The Ole Miss Rebels stole out of Louisiana Superdome late Saturday night with a 32-28 victory, leaving disbelieving Tulane players and fans to wonder: Whodunit? And, how’d it happen so fast?

As for whodunit, credit little Pat Coleman for the fourth-quarter wake-up call that snapped the Rebels out of what had seemed a game-long funk. Coleman’s late-game heroics included a 38-yard kickoff return, a 43-yard touchdown reception, a 47-yard punt return and two huge catches on the Rebels’ magnificent winning TD drive.

Not bad for a guy who looks most sports writers squarely in the chest.

While you’re at it, credit quarterback John Darnell and tight end Rich Gebbia for a game-winning 24-yard touchdown pass that came with all of 4 seconds to spare. Gebbia’s TD was the first of his Rebel career and may be remembered as the catch that saved a wonderful season. We shall see. For now, the Rebels are 5-2, their best start since 1971 – a few years and coaches ago.

While new for Gebbia, last-minute, game-winning touchdown passes are getting to be old hat for Darnell. Darnell, the Southeastern Conference’s total offense leader, beat Georgia a week ago with 31 seconds left and threw for another 296 yards and three touchdowns against Tulane.

Note to all those who cover the SEC: When you start picking All-Conference teams, please consider Darnell. Just check his numbers, which get better and better. Currently, there is no other choice. Ole Miss needed all three of his touchdown passes and all 296 of the yards on this night. One fewer of either would have meant defeat.

Coaches are forever warning: Beware of a team that has had two weeks to prepare for a team that’s coming off a big victory. Knowledgeable Ole Miss fans don’t need to be warned; they know the Rebels often play their worst the week after playing their best.

All things considered, we should have known what the Rebels were in for here. Trouble.

Here was Tulane, coming in with two weeks to prepare since a 30-21 defeat to USM. Here was Ole Miss coming off a stirring, 17-13 conquest of Georgia.

This is the same Ole Miss team that followed a stunning upset at Florida with a shakier-than-shaky home victory over Division I-AA Arkansas State. Similar let-downs have happened time and again through the years.

If we’ve heard Billy Brewer say it once, we’ve heard him say it a zillion times, a zillion different ways: “We’re not good enough to win against anybody just going through the motions.”

Ole Miss, at its best, can beat Florida and Georgia. Ole Miss, at its worst, can lose to anyone.

The Rebels were far closer to their worst than their best against Tulane. As Brewer put it, “We didn’t have the mental edge out there tonight; that was obvious.”

Early, the Rebels squandered excellent scoring opportunities with a fumble and a crucial penalty. They were down 7-0 when they should have been up 14-0.

Besides themselves, the Rebels had to overcome the splendid play of Tulane quarterback Deron Smith, who passed for two touchdowns and ran for two touchdowns.

Smith directed the Green Wave 73 yards in 13 plays for what appeared a game-winning touchdown drive with 1:06 remaining. Smith’s 10-yard pass to James Toney gave the Green Wave a 28-25 lead.

But as Brewer would say, this Ole Miss team has a “special” quality about it. The Rebels don’t give up.

In a game of so many big plays, one might be forgotten. During the last drive, Ole Miss faced fourth down and 3 to go at the Tulane 44. Only 25 second remained. With the Wave looking for a pass, the Rebels ran a trap play. Randy Baldwin got the first down with half a foot to spare.

It was a gutsy call, one that would have been discussed and cussed for days had it failed. In a game that produced nearly 800 yards of offense, those were the biggest 3.