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.

Roster 2017 Ole Miss Rebels FootballWide receiver 1 A. J. Brown – SO-1L 4 Tre Nixon – FR 5 DaMarkus Lodge – JR-2L 11 Markell Pack – SR-3L 12 Van Jefferson – SO-1L 14 DK Metcalf – SO-1L 27 Cale Luke – SR-2L 80 Josh Ricketts – FR-HS 81 Trey Bledsoe – SR-3L 82 Jared Farlow – FR-HS 85 Alex Weber – JR-2L 86 Walker Rynd – FR 88 Garrett Styles – FR-HS

Center & Long Snapper 57 Chadwick Lamar – JR-2L 58 Mike Taylor – SO-Sq 61 Eli Johnson – FR

Offensive lineman 50 Sean Rawlings – JR-2L 52 Michael Howard – SO-1L 54 Jack DeFoor – FR 54 Sam Johnson – SO-Sq 67 Alex Givens – SO-1L 68 Chandler Tuitt – FR 70 Jordan Sims – JR-2L 71 Bryce Mathews – FR 72 Royce Newman – FR 73 Rod Taylor – SR-3L 74 Greg Little – SO-1L 76 Daronte Bouldin – SR-3L 79 Javon Patterson – JR-2L

Tight end 15 Octavious Cooley – SO-1L 16 Jacob Mathis – FR 43 Ty Quick – SR-3L 83 Gabe Angel – freshman 84 Nick Haynes – freshman 85 Dawson Knox – SO-1L Quarterback

7 Jason Pellerin – SO-1L 13 Grant Restmeyer – FR 16 Graham Lindman – JR-JC 20 Shea Patterson – SO-1L

Tailback 21 Keshun Wells – SO-JC 22 Jordan Wilkins – SR-2L 26 Eugene Brazley – SR-3L 24 Eric Swinney – SO-1L 25 D.K. Buford – JR-2L 28 D'Vaughn Pennamon – SO-1L

Defensive tackle 9 Breeland Speaks – JR-2L 52 Austrian Robinson – SO-1L 90 Ross Donelly – JR-2L 95 Benito Jones – SO-1L 96 Jordan Hebert – JR-2L 99 Herbert Moore – SR-3L

Defensive end 14 Victor Evans – JR-2L 19 Markel Winters – JR-JC 34 Shawn Curtis – SO-1L 38 Marquis Haynes – senior 84 Ty Reyes – FR 89 Ryder Anderson – FR-HS 97 Qaadir Sheppard – SO-1L 98 Charles Wiley – FR

Punter 94 Will Gleeson – SR-3L 96 Mac Brown- FR Defensive back 2 Deontay Anderson- SO-1L 4 C.J. Hampton – SR-3L 5 Ken Webster – SR-3L 7 Jalen Julius – SO-1L 15 Myles Hartsfield – SO-1L 20 Jarrion Street – SO-1L 21 Javien Hamilton – JR-JC 23 Breon Dixon – FR-HS 25 Montrell Custis – SO-1L 26 C. J. Moore – JR-2L 28 Cam Ordway – JR-2L 29 Armani Linton – SO-1L 30 A. J. Moore – SR-3L 31 Jaylon Jones – SO-1L 32 Jerry Johnson – SO-JC 36 Zedrick Woods – JR-2L 37 Art Mitchell – SO-HS 39 Kweisi Fountain – SR-SQ.

Linebacker 3 DeMarquis Gates – SR-3L 17 Willie Hibbler – SO-1L 22 Ray Ray Smith – SR-3L 24 Tayler Polk – SR-3L 35 Donta Evans – FR 41 Brenden Williams – SO-JC 43 Detric Bing-Dukes- JR-2L 44 Alex Ashlock – SR-3L 48 Jack Raborn – JR-2L 80 Elliot Markuson – SR-3L

Place kicker 92 Luke Logan – FR 95 Isaac Way – FR 97 Gary Wunderlich – SR-3LSources:

Depth chart

Recruiting

Recruits

The Rebels signed a total of 23 recruits.

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.

Game summaries South Alabama

Statistics USAMISS First downs 25 23 Total yards 374 531 Rushing yards 170 102 Passing yards 204 429 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 31:51 28:09 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Cole Garvin 19/31, 204 yards, TD Rushing Tra Minter 12 rushes, 83 yards Receiving Samory Collier 4 receptions, 43 yardsOle Miss Passing Shea Patterson 28/35, 429 yards, 4 TD Rushing D'Vaughn Pennamon 7 rushes, 34 yards, TD Receiving A. J. Brown 8 receptions, 233 yards, 2 TD

UT Martin

Statistics UTMMISS First downs 14 24 Total yards 334 543 Rushing yards 219 54 Passing yards 115 489 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 37:07 22:53 Team Category Player StatisticsUT Martin Passing Troy Cook 9/15, 92 yards, INT Rushing LaDarius Galloway 24 rushes, 188 yards, TD Receiving Jaylon Moore 3 receptions, 42 yardsOle Miss Passing Shea Patterson 32/43, 489 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Jordan Wilkins 9 rushes, 36 yards, TD Receiving A. J. Brown 8 receptions, 156 yards, 2 TD

At California

Statistics MISSCAL First downs 19 25 Total yards 416 399 Rushing yards 53 163 Passing yards 363 236 Turnovers 3 2 Time of possession 27:07 32:53 Team Category Player StatisticsOle Miss Passing Shea Patterson 26/44, 363 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Jordan Wilkins 11 rushes, 38 yards Receiving DK Metcalf 3 receptions, 125 yards, TDCalifornia Passing Ross Bowers 24/47, 236 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Patrick Laird 22 rushes, 78 yards, TD Receiving Kanawai Noa 6 receptions, 81 yards

At No. 1 Alabama

Statistics MISSALA First downs 11 26 Total yards 253 613 Rushing yards 88 365 Passing yards 165 248 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 23:23 36:37 Team Category Player StatisticsOle Miss Passing Shea Patterson 14/29, 165 yards, 2 INT Rushing Jordan Wilkins 12 rushes, 101 yards Receiving DaMarkus Lodge 2 receptions, 72 yardsAlabama Passing Jalen Hurts 12/19, 197 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jalen Hurts 10 rushes, 101 yards, TD Receiving Cam Sims 1 reception, 60 yards

At No. 12 Auburn

Statistics MISSAUB First downs 23 25 Total yards 429 561 Rushing yards 83 326 Passing yards 346 235 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 27:52 32:08 Team Category Player StatisticsOle Miss Passing Shea Patterson 34/51, 346 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jordan Wilkins 13 rushes, 65 yards, TD Receiving A. J. Brown 10 receptions, 109 yardsAuburn Passing Jarrett Stidham 14/21, 235 yards, 2 TD Rushing Kerryon Johnson 28 rushes, 204 yards, 3 TD Receiving Ryan Davis 2 receptions, 75 yards, TD

Vanderbilt

Statistics VANMISS First downs 21 27 Total yards 417 603 Rushing yards 188 252 Passing yards 229 351 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 31:49 28:11 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Kyle Shurmur 13/29, 174 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Ralph Webb 23 rushes, 163 yards, 2 TD Receiving Trent Sherfield 3 receptions, 65 yards, TDOle Miss Passing Shea Patterson 22/35, 351 yards, 4 TD Rushing Jordan Wilkins 18 rushes, 113 yards, TD Receiving A. J. Brown 8 receptions, 174 yards, 2 TD

No. 24 LSU

Statistics LSUMISS First downs 26 21 Total yards 593 347 Rushing yards 393 153 Passing yards 200 194 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 37:40 22:20 Team Category Player StatisticsLSU Passing Danny Etling 9/13, 200 yards, 2 TD Rushing Derrius Guice 22 rushes, 276 yards, TD Receiving Darrel Williams 4 receptions, 105 yardsOle Miss Passing Shea Patterson 10/23, 116 yards, 3 INT Rushing Jordan Wilkins 13 rushes, 86 yards, TD Receiving Dawson Knox 5 receptions, 72 yards

Arkansas

Statistics ARKMISS First downs 27 22 Total yards 449 566 Rushing yards 260 198 Passing yards 189 368 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 40:27 19:33 Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas Passing Cole Kelley 19/30, 189 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing T. J. Hammonds 11 rushes, 84 yards Receiving Deon Stewart 4 receptions, 49 yards, TDOle Miss Passing Jordan Ta'amu 20/30, 368 yards, INT Rushing Jordan Wilkins 16 rushes, 118 yards, TD Receiving DK Metcalf 4 receptions, 107 yards

At Kentucky