Spring Football in Oxford

OXFORD----A record spring football Red-Blue crowd applauded at game's end following a 40-14 Red victory over the Blues at Vaught-Hemingway,marking the debut of Houston Nutt as the new gridiron coach at Ole Miss.
History of the Glory Days was labeled in the South end zone, banners of the championship days of John Howard Vaught and his star-studded staff composed of All-Americans like Bruiser Kinard and Johnny Cain and All Pro Buster Poole. Juinie Hovious, an all SEC back, and J>W> (Wobble) Davidson the master freshman coach, who decided who could and who could not cut the mustard.
Roland Dale, Ray Poole, Billy Mustin and Eddie Crawford joined the staff later. Vaught's inaugural season, 1947, featured one of the best passing combos in college football history, Single wing tailback Chunkin': Charlie Conerly and George Barney Poole. The Rebels won the SEC and only played in the inaugural Delta Bowl because Everett Pidgeon's Memphis Coca Cola Company was a major sponsor.
The Sugar Bowl wanted this team but Ole Miss promised to play in Memphis even before the season started and declined the chance to go to the Crescent City because the University had given its word to play in Big Shelby.
In 1948 Ole Miss went 8-1 and stayed home, losing only to Tulane, a power at that time. Ole Miss thought they had earned the right to play SMU and Doak Walker and Kyle Rote but Oregon, featuring Norm Van Brocklin was invited instead. Farley Salmon and Barney Poole sparked that uninvited team. The 1948 Rebs will be saluted at the May 15 All-American Football Foundation Mid-South Banquet of Champions at the Hollywood Resort Hotel in Tunica. Salmon will receive a special salute and Barney will be remembered with other teammates that evening.
In the 2008 spring game Ole Miss unveiled the red shirt quarterback Javan Snead, who is all wool and a yard wide to the delight of the 28,311 on hand, including All-America Charlie Flowers, Dr. Shed Hill Roberson, and Ed Wilburn Hooker of Wild Bunch renown. Warren (Beaux ) Ball was in Oxford for the Noble family reunion and missed the pre-game party in the Grove, featuring Eli Manning and Patrick Willis, latest Rebs to explode on the Pro Football scene.
It was reported that several years ago Beaux Ball was talking to teammate Chancellor Robert Khayat, when several people came by to congratulate the Chancellor on landing Phil Beta Kappa for the University of Mississippi. Finally, they said, Bo questioned Khayat and wanted to know why everyone was excited about Ole Miss landing another Fraternity.
Snead was the field general Ed Orgeron recruited after he left the University of Texas and was heavily counted on to help Big Ed turn the program around. Completing 20 of 26 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns, Snead would help any program improve. Ole Miss also displayed a replacement for Ben Jarvis Green Ellis in Cordera A Eason, who scored two touchdowns and gained 101 yards rushing.
Dexter McCluster also shone brightly snaring passes for 106 yards and gaining 35 yrds rushing, scoring a touchdown.
Houston Nutt is a proven winner on a national level. His Arkansas team beat national champion LSU, you recall.
The Rebels did not add a banner in the South end zone for FORTY years, until Eli Manning led Ole Miss to a western division title. Ole Miss still has not played in the championship game in Atlanta. The field generals who led Ole Miss to championships were Conerly, the triple threat, who was also a superb defender as well, Herman Sidney (Eagle) Day, Raymond Brown, Bobby Ray Franklin, Jake Gibbs, Doug Elmore, and Glynn Griffing.
Younger fans think Ole Miss winning football started with Archie Manning. As good as he was he never led Ole Miss to a SEC championship.
Now Jevan Snead hopes to join the SEC and national championship category by putting the 2008 Rebels in the South End zone as a blue ribbon winner.
Snead still has three years eligibility. Barring an injury I think he will accomplish the mission.
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