shay hodge article

[Rebeldrummer]

By Yancy Porter
Mississippi Scout
Date: Oct 20, 2005

Shay Hodge (WR, Morton, MS) - One of Ole Miss' quickest commitments, if not the quickest, was in town for the Ole Miss/Alabama game.We called to see how his visit and season are going.


The following information was revealed during our interview with Shay Hodge:

How is Morton' season going? "It is OK. We are 4 - 3. We lost three games in the final seconds. They were tough losses, but we just have to keep battling, which I know we will."

You played QB your entire career until this season? "Yes sir."

How has the transition gone? "It has gone very good because I have always wanted to play WR ever since I was in the 9th grade. I could throw, so they played me at QB, but I have always wanted to play WR. The transition has been easier than I thought. As a QB, you know what a WR needs to do in his routes, so I pretty much knew everything before hand."

What are your stats for the season? "I have 24 catches for 535 yards and 11 TD's."

What most have you improved on this year? "My attitude. Other than that, I do not know. I say my attitude because when I use to get down, I got mad, but I do not do that anymore. Instead of getting mad, it just makes me more determined."

Speak about the rumors of you quitting your football team before your season started because you had decided you wanted to play basketball instead. "Man, I have no idea where that rumor came from. I never quit our team nor was I thinking about quitting."

Your emphasis will be football on the next level? "Yes sir."

When was the last time you were in contact with someone from the Ole Miss staff? "I went to the game on Saturday. I talked to them there."

How did your visit go? "Great, just being around their coaches, players, my friends, and the game was great. I love it up there."

Did you set up your official visit? "Not yet, but I will do that pretty soon. My mom could not come with me this weekend, or this would have been my official visit. I wanted her to be with me, so I am going to come back in probably early December."

Who did accompany you on your visit? "A couple of my friends and my assistant coach."

Will you take anymore official visits, besides your visit to Ole Miss? "I am going to try to."

Which colleges are contacting you by way of phone? "Tennessee, Tulane, Alabama, and that is about it right now. Texas has called a couple of times recently. Oh yea, USM calls a lot too."

Are all of those for football? "No sir, Tennessee, Texas, and Tulane call me for basketball. Alabama and USM are calling me for football."

Out of those colleges; which ones would you like to visit? "Alabama and Tennessee. Really, just them two. If another one comes up, I will. I am going to just visit, just to see how their campuses are. I know I am going to Ole Miss, but it would be cool to see some other places."

Shay carries a 2.7 GPA and a 17 on the ACT.


http://mississippi.scout.com/2/455374.html

( should I be offended tha Iwasn't mentionded as I am frineds with his Coache and rode up there with them , nor was the coaches brother :D :confused:

[Rebeldrummer]

By Chuck Rounsaville

Date: Oct 20, 2005

The Rebels completed their full-speed preparations for Saturday's SEC shootout with Kentucky with an hour-and-a-half practice in shoulder pads and helmets. Coach Ed Orgeron was pleased with the week's results.

The Rebels capped their full-speed practice for the Kentucky Wildcats - who are invading Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday at 1 p.m. - with an hour-and-a-half shells (shoulder pads and helmets) practice that emphasized all the plays and sets in the gameplan, Kentucky's looks on offense and defense, situations and working against the clock with last-minute scenarios.

"We finalized all our gameplan installation and started fine-tuning things today. It was a good Thursday practice," said Ole Miss Coach Ed Orgeron. "The guys got after it this week. I think we are in good shape physically and good shape mentally for the game."

The coaching staff continued schooling Robert Lane on his transition to fullback. It's an "experiment" that is working, according to Coach O.

"That move is going very well. He's doing a really good job. He adds another dimension to our offense and is another guy who can make plays. We intend to get him the ball and see what he can do. We are excited about him and how he can help us," Orgeron continued.

Orgeron said the "concerns" about the Kentucky game are the same ones he expressed Monday and the Rebs have been working on those facets of the Wildcats' game.

"They spread their offense out and like to runs screens and draws. We have worked hard on their screen and draw games this week," he noted. "On defense, I really respect Mike Archer, their defensive coordinator. We have prepared for a little bit of everything. Their whole staff is experienced and we expect them to have some surprises in store for us."

Random Notes:

* TB Brandon Jacobs was not at practice today. We were told he is back in the hospital with some more bad "luck." Brandon was bitten on the arm by a spider and it swelled his arm up enough for him to have to seek extensive medical attention. There is no word on how long he will be out or hospitalized, but he is expected to make a full recovery.

* All the players - LEO Corvelli Haynes, WLB Kelvin Robinson, DT Jeremy Garrett, MLB Patrick Willis - who were in Blue jerseys earlier this week, were in regular jerseys today. Certainly that does not indicate they are healthy, but it does mean they can play some against the Wildcats. . . . Today, Haynes and Chris Bowers split snaps at LEO, K-Rob ran all snaps with the number one defense, Willis ran all No. 1 snaps at MLB and Garrett was back with the number two defense at DT alongside frosh Peria Jerry, the other backup DT.

* Junior WR Milton Collins was not at practice for the second day in a row. We understand he is having some personal problems. He is, however, still on the team. We verified that through Coach O.

* WR Burnell Wallace was not at practice today. No reason was given, but nothing is "wrong." He will be at the walk-through tomorrow.

* LG Thomas Eckers missed yesterday's practice due to class, but he was back today and was splitting time with Andrew Wicker, who appears to be over his shoulder injury that sidelined him last week, with the number one offense.

* Rob Park had another productive day punting - kicking seven times into a breeze for a 42.5 per punt average.

* In team drills, with a 25-second clock, the Rebs had no delay of game problems. Here is the breakdown: (Ones) Spurlock incomplete to Espy. . . Spurlock to Biddle 25. . . Spurlock keeper 12. . . Screen to McSwain 12. . . (Twos) Ethan Flatt to Matt Pierce 22. . . Flatt to Robert Hough 7. . . Incomplete. . . Flatt to Robert Lane 9. . .(Ones) Spurlock to Hough 7. . . QB sack McKinley Boykin. . . Spurlock to Hough 6. . . QB sack Patrick Willis. . . (Twos) Flatt to Carlos Suggs 6. . . Flatt to Lane 3 (Dontae Reed). . . (Ones) Spurlock incomplete. . . Spurlock to Espy 6. . . Incomplete. . . Spurlock to Antonio Turner 5. . . Spurlock to Hill 4. . . Pass broken up (Willis). . . QB sack Corvelli Haynes. . . (Twos) Flatt to Biddle 16. . . Flatt to Suggs 12. . . (Ones: 40 seconds from the 50, no timeouts, field goal to win the game) Spurlock to Espy 12. . . Spurlock to Espy 10. . . Spurlock to Turner 6. . . Will Moseley's 40-yard field goal blocked by Jayme Mitchell.

* At the end of practice, the entire team and coaching staff gathered tightly around the PKs as they attempted game-winning field goals with a stiff crosswind. Coaches were blowing whistles in their ears and players were doing everything but touching the PK and Park, the holder. . . Moseley made the first one from 32 yards. Robert Bass missed from 32. Matt Hinkle missed from 47. Then Moseley missed twice before hitting, all three from 47 yards out.

* The Rebs will have their walk-through tomorrow before heading to Tupelo to spend the night. We will not have a practice report tomorrow.

http://mississippi.scout.com/2/455461.html

[BeeDee]

Crap. Kicking game still sounds bad. I hope it doesn't come back this week to hurt us like it did last week.

[Rebeldrummer]

Still was bad