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The University of Mississippi boasts a long and colorful football history, which includes the formation of the first football team in the state, as well as one of the winningest programs in the history of collegiate football, ranking 31st all-time.

In its 114-year history, the Ole Miss football program has claimed three national championships (1959, 1960 and 1962), six Southeastern Conference titles (1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963), and one SEC Western Division title (2003), produced 43 first-team All-Americans and numerous All-SEC selections, appeared in 31 bowl games, and sent over 200 players into the professional ranks.

Beginnings

The beginnings of the program can be traced all the way back to 1890, when Dr. A.L. Bondurant, who would later serve as dean of the Graduate School, urged Ole Miss students to help in the formation of an Athletic Association in the interests of football, baseball and tennis. Such a group became a reality a short while later, and in 1893, a football team was organized, with Bondurant serving as the manager-coach. That first squad set a precedent that was to become an Ole Miss tradition, winning four of five games during that maiden season, including a 56-0 victory over Southwest Baptist University of Jackson, Tenn., in the inaugural game on Nov. 11, 1893.

The next year, 1894, Bondurant passed on his coaching duties. Ole Miss Football, a book published in 1980 by Sports Yearbook Company of Oxford, MS, says J.W.S. Rhea was the first coach at Ole Miss having been hired part-time by Bondurant and having led the 1894 team to a 6-1 record. The annual Ole Miss media guide lists C.D. Clark as the coach of the 1894 team and further says about him, Although it has never been documented, it is thought that C.D. Clark of Tufts was the first paid football coach at Ole Miss. His name appears as manager of the team as shown in the Ole Miss Magazine dated November 1894. The College Football Data Warehouse also lists Clark as the coach for the 1894 team.

No team

There was not an Ole Miss football team in 1897 and 1943. In 1897, this was due to a yellow fever epidemic. In 1943, football was abolished at all Mississippi state-supported institutions by the state college Board of Trustees due to World War II.

Success under Vaught

John Vaught, a line coach under Drew and a former All-American at TCU, remained in Oxford as head coach in 1947 and led the Ole Miss program to national prominence over the next 24 years.

In his first season at the helm in 1947, the Rebels posted a 9-2 record and won the first of six SEC crowns (1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, 1963). That 1947 season also saw Ole Miss great Charlie Conerly become the first Rebel player to be a contender for the Heisman Trophy, placing fourth in the voting for the prestigious honor. Vaught’s first year proved to be a sign of good things to come for Ole Miss. During his 24-year tenure, the Rebels would have only one losing campaign.

Vaught’s squads, however, didn’t stop at just winning league titles, as the Rebels claimed three national championships in 1959, 1960 and 1962. Ole Miss won the 1959 Dunkel System national crown, the 1960 Football Writers Association of America, Dunkel System, and Williamson System national championships and the 1962 Litkenhous Ratings national title. Vaught’s 1959 squad, which was honored as the “SEC Team of the Decade,” was ranked the third best collegiate football team from 1956 to 1995, according to the Jeff Sagarin Ratings released in January of 1996.

The Rebels were also among the winningest programs in the country under Vaught during the 1950s and 1960s. From 1950-59, Ole Miss posted an 80-21-5 record (.778 winning percentage). The 77.8 winning percentage was third to only Oklahoma and Miami (OH) during that decade. In the 1960s, Vaught guided the Rebels to a 77-25-6 record and a 74.0 winning percentage, which was the ninth best during that decade. The Rebels 1962 season under Vaught is, to this day, the only undefeated season in Ole Miss history. The Rebels ended that season 10 and 0 and as national champions.

Under Vaught’s guidance, Ole Miss made Hemingway Stadium (later named Vaught-Hemingway Stadium) one of the toughest places in the nation for opposing teams to play. In his 24 seasons at the helm, Vaught’s teams compiled an impressive 57-6-2 record in Oxford for an astounding 89.2 winning percentage. From 1952-1964, the Rebels put together an incredible 34-game home field unbeaten streak (33-0-1), including 21-straight victories from 1952-59.

In the 1950s and 1960s under Vaught, Ole Miss was a fixture in the national polls. The Rebels were ranked atop the Associated Press poll for three weeks during the 1960 season and one week during the 1961 campaign. In 1964, Ole Miss was ranked preseason No. 1 in the Associated Press poll. Vaught also made going to postseason play the norm rather than the exception for the Rebel football program. Ole Miss played in 15 consecutive bowl games from 1957-71 which, at that time, was a national record. In all, Vaught led Ole Miss to 18 bowl game appearances, posting a 10-8 record in those contests. For his efforts, Vaught was named SEC Coach of the Year six times (1947, 1948, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962).

During his time at the helm, Vaught coached some of the best players ever to wear the Red & Blue. In 24 seasons, Vaught produced 26 All-America first teamers. He also coached four players who finished in the top five in the Heisman Trophy voting. Along with Conerly in 1947, Charlie Flowers (5th in 1959), Jake Gibbs (3rd in 1960) and Archie Manning (4th in 1969, 3rd in 1970) were in the running for college football’s top honor. Failing health forced Vaught to resign his position in 1970 and the reins of the Ole Miss football program were turned over to Billy Kinard.

Post-Vaught years

Kinard became the first Ole Miss alumnus to head up the football program, while Frank “Bruiser” Kinard, an offensive line coach under Vaught since 1948, was named to replace Smith as athletic director that same year.

The Rebels went 16-9 under Billy Kinard, including a 10-2 record and a 41-18 Peach Bowl victory over Georgia Tech in his first year in 1971. Kinard’s 10 victories are tied for fourth most by a first-year head coach in NCAA Division I history.

Kinard coached the Rebels through the 1972 campaign and the third contest of the 1973 season, before startling developments following the Sept. 22, 1973, game with Memphis State saw both Kinards replaced by Vaught. Vaught returned to the field to guide the Rebels through the remainder of the 1973 season while also taking on the responsibility of athletic director.

Following the 1973 football campaign, Vaught resigned once again as head coach, but remained on as athletic director. His final record with the Rebels was an amazing 190-61-12. The 190 victories still rank Vaught among the top 25 winningest coaches in NCAA Division I history, and he is the fourth-winningest coach in SEC history behind Bear Bryant’s (Alabama) 323 wins, Lou Holtz’s (South Carolina) 238 wins and Vince Dooley’s (Georgia) 201 victories. In 1979, Vaught was inducted in the National College Football Hall of Fame.

Ken Cooper, an assistant under Kinard since 1971, was named head coach on Jan. 17, 1974, and took Ole Miss through the 1977 season. Cooper compiled a 21-23 record during his four years at the helm, and his tenure is probably best remembered for one hot and humid day in September 1977. In one of the most memorable games in Rebel football history, Ole Miss upset Notre Dame, 20-13 in Mississippi Memorial Stadium on Sept. 17, 1977, in Jackson. That loss was the Irish’s lone setback of the 1977 campaign, as Notre Dame finished the season with an 11-1 record and claimed the national title.

Following the 1977 season, Steve Sloan was hired as the new Rebel boss and began his five-year stint in 1978. Sloan posted a 20-34 record from 1978-82.

Billy Brewer

After stepping outside the Ole Miss family football tree the previous nine seasons, Ole Miss looked for a familiar face to lead the football program, and the Rebels found that person when Billy Brewer returned to Oxford to take over as head coach in December of 1982.

In only his first season in 1983, Brewer put the Ole Miss program on the road back to national prominence. Brewer guided the Rebels to their first winning regular season since 1977 with a 6-5 mark. The Rebels also received their first bowl game invitation since 1971 and met Air Force in the Independence Bowl. Ole Miss dropped a 9-3 decision to the Falcons and finished with a 6-6 record.

Brewer followed his first season with 10 more at the helm of the Rebel program. During his tenure, he led the Rebels to five more winning seasons and four additional bowls, including Ole Miss’ 1990 New Year’s Day Gator Bowl appearance. The Jan. 1 bowl game was the program’s first since 1969. He was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1986 (8-3-1 record) and 1990 (9-3 record), and the 1986 season saw the Rebels return to the national rankings for the first time in over a decade. In his 11 seasons, Brewer also led Ole Miss to eight Egg Bowl victories over rival Mississippi State.

Brewer coached 11 years (1983-93) and compiled a 67-56-3 record, making him (at the time) the second winningest Ole Miss football coach behind Vaught. Brewer was dismissed just prior to the 1994 season, and Ole Miss defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn took over as interim coach, directing the Rebels to a 4-7 record under difficult circumstances.

Tommy Tuberville

In the mid-1990s, Ole Miss football was somewhat down, but not out, and it needed a boost of energy to revitalize the program. On Dec. 2, 1994, Tommy Tuberville was selected as the coach in charge of getting the Rebels on the right track.

After serving as an assistant coach on the collegiate level for nine seasons (eight at Miami and one at Texas A&M), Tuberville began creating excitement in his first season in 1995, finishing the campaign with a 6-5 record and a Egg Bowl victory over Mississippi State.

That excitement grew to a fever pitch in 1997, when Ole Miss recorded its best season since 1992 with an 8-4 record, a thrilling 15-14 Egg Bowl victory over Mississippi State and a Motor City Bowl win over Marshall. The bowl appearance was the program’s first since 1992, and the Rebels earned a final national ranking of No. 22 in both polls.

The revitalized Ole Miss program continued its winning ways in 1998 but suffered a setback after the Egg Bowl when Tuberville, despite repeated assurances that he would not leave, agreed to become the head coach at SEC West rival Auburn University.

David Cutcliffe

David Cutcliffe took over as head coach on Dec. 2, 1998. Cutcliffe, who came to Ole Miss from his offensive coordinator post at Tennessee, took over the reins just 29 days before the Rebels’ Sanford Independence Bowl date versus Texas Tech. Despite the short preparation time for the game, Cutcliffe led the Rebels to a 35-18 victory over the Red Raiders, quite arguably the biggest upset of the 1998 bowl season.

Cutcliffe, who is recognized as one of the top offensive minds in collegiate football, brought with him to Oxford a high-powered offensive style that had Rebel fans waiting with anticipation for each season to start.

In the time from 1997-2003, the Rebels played in six bowl games, tied with Arkansas for the most bowl appearances among SEC Western Division schools during that span. The only SEC teams that made bowl appearances all seven years were Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, all Eastern Division squads.

In 2003 Cutcliffe guided the Rebels, who many picked to finish fifth in the SEC’s Western Division, to a 10-3 overall mark and a share of the SEC West title with eventual BCS National Champion LSU. Following their 31-28 victory over Oklahoma State in the SBC Cotton Bowl Classic, the Rebels ended the 2003 campaign with a No. 13 national ranking. It was Ole Miss’ first New Year’s bowl since the 1991 Gator Bowl against Michigan.

Cutcliffe preceded his 2003 campaign with four winning seasons in 1999 (8-4), 2000 (7-5), 2001 (7-4) and 2002 (7-6) becoming the first Rebel mentor since Harry Mehre (1938-41) to post winning marks in his first five years. Cutcliffe also directed Ole Miss to four bowl appearances in his first five seasons, and is the only head coach in Ole Miss history to do so. Despite his 44-29 record, five straight winning seasons, and guiding the team to its first 10 win season in over 30 years, Cutcliffe was fired by Ole Miss's Athletic Director Pete Boone after his sixth season,in December 2004, after the team posted a disappointing 4-7 record.

Ed Orgeron

Ed Orgeron, regarded as one of college football’s premier defensive line coaches and recruiters, was named the 35th head football coach in the history of the University of Mississippi on December 16, 2004. Orgeron, who took control of the Ole Miss program after serving the previous seven seasons as defensive line coach at the University of Southern California, played a key role in Pete Carroll’s Trojan championship in 2004. He also served as USC’s recruiting coordinator from 2001-2004 and was named assistant head coach in 2003. Orgeron was named the 2004 National Recruiter of the Year by The Sporting News and Rivals.com.

Orgeron’s talent as a recruiter has created a buzz among Rebel fans and drew national attention when Ole Miss’ 2006 signing class ranked as high as fifteenth in the rankings, but that ranking included several high-profile players that did not qualify by NCAA rules. His 2007 recruiting class was also listed among the best in college football (#31 according to scout.com). However, his recruiting success has not translated to on the field performance. As of November 20, 2007, Ole Miss was last in the SEC in scoring offense, turnover margin, rushing offense, rushing defense, punt returns, opponent first downs, red-zone offense, opponent third-down conversions, field goal percentage, time of possession and kickoff coverage.

In 2007, 20 Ole Miss football players were placed on indefinite probation by the University for having stolen pillows and clock radios from hotels in which the team had stayed in. All 20 players paid for the stolen items and therefore no NCAA rules were broken, according to the NCAA. Coach Orgeron stated that the incident would be dealt with internally and that no one would miss the season finale against arch-rival Mississippi State, because none of the 20 players had been a discipline problem before. For the same reason, that being no previous discipline issues, the school refused to release the names of the players.

The 2007 season was a historic one for Ole Miss. The Rebels went winless in the SEC for the first time since 1982 - 25 years. The Rebels, under Orgeron, ended the season at 3-9 (0-8 in SEC play).

The 2007 season culminated with the firing of Orgeron on November 24, 2007.

Houston Nutt

On November 27, 2007, Houston Nutt was hired as the new head football coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. Nutt's hiring made him the 36th head football coach at Ole Miss.

The next day, November 28, 2007, just five weeks after having defeated Ole Miss as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, Nutt was officially introduced as the new Ole Miss head football coach at a press conference. 1500 cheering fans packed the Gertrude Castellow Ford Center for Performing Arts on the Ole Miss campus as Nutt was introduced, while 500 more fans who couldn't get a seat stood outside. During the press conference, Nutt stated, "One thing I love about Ole Miss is the tradition," naming past players such as Archie Manning, Jake Gibbs, Frank "Bruiser" Kinard, Deuce McAllister and Eli Manning. "It's about tradition. That's the reason I am here. I feel like this place can be successful. I feel like this place can win. I can’t wait to tell our players this afternoon. That’s how you spell fun. The way you spell fun is “W-I-N.” That’s what it is all about."

Six of Nutt's assistant coaches at Arkansas, joined him at Ole Miss. They were Offensive coordinator David Lee, Tight ends/special teams coach James Shibest, Running game coordinator Mike Markuson, Defensive line coach Tracy Rocker, Recruiting coordinator and Safeties coach Chris Vaughn and High School Relations director Clifton Ealy. Nutt hired Tyrone Nix to be his new defensive coordinator. Nix was defensive coordinator at South Carolina when Nutt hired him. Before his time at South Carolina, Nix spent 10 years at Southern Mississippi.

Team of the Century

1883-1992

Bowl games

Ole Miss has participated in 31 bowl games making the Rebels tied 17th nationally in bowl appearances. Ole Miss is tied 10th nationally for bowl game wins.

• Bluebonnet Bowl - 1964, 1966
• Cotton Bowl - 1956, 1962, 2003
• Delta Bowl - 1948
• Gator Bowl - 1958, 1971, 1991
• Independence Bowl - 1983, 1986, 1998, 1999, 2002
• Liberty Bowl - 1965, 1968, 1989, 1992
• Motor City Bowl - 1997
• Music City Bowl - 2000
• Orange Bowl - 1936
• Peach Bowl - 1971
• Sugar Bowl - 1953, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1970
• Sun Bowl - 1967

(W) = Won (L) = Lost

Halls of fame

Ole Miss has ten former players and coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame.

• 1951 Frank M. "Bruiser" Kinard
• 1965 Charles "Charlie" Conerly
• 1974 Barney Poole
• 1979 John Vaught
• 1984 Doug Kenna
• 1987 Thad “Pie” Vann
• 1989 Archie Manning
• 1991 Parker Hall
• 1995 Jake Gibbs
• 1997 Charlie Flowers

Ole Miss has two former players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

• 1970 Frank M. "Bruiser" Kinard
• 2007 Gene Hickerson

Ole Miss has three former players in the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame.

• 1955 Frank M. "Bruiser" Kinard
• 1959 Charles "Charlie" Conerly
• 1966 Barney Poole

Ole Miss has one former player in the National Quarterback Club Hall of Fame.

• 2004 Archie Manning

First round draft picks

Ole Miss has had seventeen players drafted in professional football first round drafts.

• 1939 - drafted #3 - Parker Hall - Cleveland Rams
• 1942 - drafted #8 - Merle Hapes - New York Giants
• 1954 - drafted #10 - Ed Beatty - Los Angeles Rams
• 1961 - drafted #10 - Bobby Crespino - Cleveland Browns
• 1963 - drafted #3 - Jim Dunaway - Minnesota Vikings
• 1966 - drafted #11 - Stan Hindman - San Francisco 49ers
• 1966 - drafted #? - Mike Dennis - Buffalo Bills (AFL)
• 1971 - drafted #2 - Archie Manning - New Orleans Saints
• 1985 - drafted #18 - Freddie Joe Nunn - St. Louis Cardinals
• 1990 - drafted #18 - Tony Bennett - Green Bay Packers
• 1991 - drafted #20 - Kelvin Pritchett - Dallas Cowboys
• 1994 - drafted #20 - Tim Bowens - Miami Dolphins
• 1998 - drafted #29 - John Avery - Miami Dolphins
• 2001 - drafted #23 - Deuce McAllister - New Orleans Saints
• 2004 - drafted #1 - Eli Manning - San Diego Chargers
• 2005 - drafted #26 - Chris Spencer - Seattle Seahawks
• 2007 - drafted #11 - Patrick Willis - San Francisco 49ers

Songs and cheers

Songs

The school's fight song is Forward Rebels:

Forward Rebels, march to fame,
Hit that line and win this game,
We know that you're fighting through,
For your colors, red and blue,
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

Rebels you're the Southland's pride,
Take that ball and hit your stride,
Don't stop 'til the vict'ry's won for your Ole Miss,
FIGHT FIGHT FOR YOUR OLE MISS!

The song, Dixie is an un-official fight song still popular with a large number of fans and alumni, and although not played as often as in the past, it is still performed by the Ole Miss "Pride of the South" Marching Band during the pre-game celebations in the Grove and at least once during home games.

A modification of Dixie called Dixie Fanfare is also played by the Ole Miss "Pride of the South" Marching Band.

A modification of the Elvis Presley song An American Trilogy, now known as From Dixie with Love, is also played during football games, both home and away. Students and fans often refer to it as Slow Dixie. The song was officially dedicated to Ole Miss fans when it was played before the Ole Miss versus LSU football game in 2003, which is to date the largest crowd at a football game ever in the State of Mississippi.

Cheers

The school cheer is entitled Hotty Toddy:

Are you ready?
Hell yeah! Damn Right!
Hotty Toddy, Gosh almighty
Who the hell are we, Hey!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam
OLE MISS BY DAMN!

Confederate symbols

Since 1983, the administration has distanced itself from Confederate symbols, including barring faculty from displaying any Confederate imagery in their offices. In 1997, the university student senate passed a resolution requesting fans not to display the Confederate battle flag at university athletic events. Using this action as encouragement, the university then banned sticks under the guise of fan safety, to discourage fans from displaying the Confederate flag at football games and other athletic events. This controversy began when head coach Tommy Tuberville complained that the battle flag had hampered his attempts to recruit a few top-notch black athletes.

A couple of coaches prior to Tuberville expressed concerns about the difficulty of recruiting top-notch black athletes.

In 1972, Ole Miss' first black football player, Ben Williams, was signed and began playing. The defensive tackle, recruited out of a small school in the Delta region of Mississippi, eventually claimed All-SEC honors and had a long and successful NFL career following his stint at Ole Miss.

More recently, the school's mascot, Colonel Reb, was discontinued from official participation in athletic events by the school because it portrayed a pre-Civil War plantation owner. The school solicited ideas to replace Colonel Reb, but after an exceedingly lackluster response, decided to go without a mascot, and remains the only SEC school without at least one mascot. The Colonel Reb mascot still makes appearances in The Grove, Ole Miss' tailgating area, before home games. The Colonel Reb logo is still licensed by Ole Miss for use on merchandise and can still be found adorning hats, shirts, jackets and numerous other items for sale at various retail outlets.

External links

• Official Website of University of Mississippi Athletics

References

1. College Football Data Warehouse: Mississippi Rankings
2. CFDW: Mississippi Yearly Results
3. College Football Data Warehouse: Mississippi Undefeated and Untied Seasons
4. USA Today: Orgeron introduced as football coach at Ole Miss
5. CBS Sports: Ole Miss gives details of 'embarrassing' thefts by 20 players
6. ESPN:Nutt agrees with Ole Miss hours after resignation
7. Ole Miss Athletics: Rebels Find New Leader in Houston Nutt
8. Ole Miss Athletics: Houston Nutt Introductory Press Conference
9. The Clarion-Ledger: UM football: Nutt to go it alone in recruiting
10. The ClarionLedger: Nix new defensive coordinator at Ole Miss
11. Listen to Dixie as played by the Ole Miss "The Pride of The South" Marching Band
12. Listen to Dixie Fanfare as played by the Ole Miss "The Pride of The South" Marching Band
13. Listen to From Dixie with Love as played by the Ole Miss "The Pride Of The South" Marching Band

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