Making the Grade: How did Ole Miss fare in its road win at Tulane?

The first 30 minutes at Yulman Stadium on Saturday is something Ole Miss would like to forget, but the last 30 minutes is something that needs to have a pin by it to remember later this season.

Ole Miss trailed 17-7 after the first 24 minutes of the game but the final 36 minutes saw them go on a 30-3 run and beat the then-No. 24 Green Wave 37-20. It was a second half to be remembered by the Rebels after such a sluggish start in the New Orleans heat.

But as quarterback Jaxson Dart noted post game last year’s Ole Miss team might not have rallied back, though this year’s team showed something different coming out of the locker room at halftime.

With a bad first half mixed with a very good second half how will that cause the grades to shake out? Well before the page is turned and attention is squarely on next week’s home game against Georgia Tech lets take a look at how the folks at Pro Football Focus graded out the Rebels.

OFFENSE

RankPlayerOffensive
GradePassing
GradePass-Blocking
GradeRunning
GradeRun-Blocking
Grade1Tre Harris95.091.8 ——— ——— ———2Dayton Wade81.078.5 ——— ———77.63Jaxson Dart75.071.6 ———68.060.34Jordan Watkins69.365.9 ——— ———78.25JJ Pegues69.1 ——— ——— ———73.16Caleb Warren67.4 ———47.7 ———69.17Quincy McGee65.8 ———71.4 ———64.28Quinshon Judkins63.168.978.260.058.49Spencer Sanders61.060.6 ——— ———60.010Victor Curne60.6 ———62.9 ———64.5T-11Joshua Aka60.0 ——— ——— ———60.0T-11Preston Cushman60.0 ——— ——— ———60.0T-11Cedric Melton60.0 ——— ——— ———60.0T-11Eli Acker60.0 ——— ——— ———60.0T-11Reece McIntyre60.0 ——— ——— ———60.0T-11Jam Griffin60.0 ——— ——— ———59.417Matt Jones59.2 ——— ———59.6 ———18Michael Trigg58.359.0 ——— ———55.719Salathiel Hemphill57.4 ——— ——— ———56.820Ulysses Bentley IV57.156.5 ———54.373.021Jeremy James53.9 ———52.2 ———52.322Micah Pettus48.5 ———62.2 ———49.023Jalen Knox47.847.4 ——— ———59.024Kyirin Heath47.554.069.6 ———56.725Ayden Williams46.148.8 ——— ———60.026Jayden Williams45.6 ———0.0 ———60.0

The unique and nuanced style of grading PFF does strikes again as it rewards those players who do more with less.

Exhibit A: Tre Harris.

Ole Miss’ top receiver graded out with the best offense had two catches and a touchdown in the three-play scoring drive to open the game. But then Harris was out of the game after a left leg injury that has yet to be clarified in terms of a prognosis. Though Lane Kiffin replied, “It does not,” when asked if he felt the injury was long-term in nature.

The offensive line took its beatings in the grading, as it should after the lack of pass protection and no run game to speak of. Will be interesting to watch and see how that group might change its approach/scheme starting with the Yellow Jackets as Alabama looms.

DEFENSE

RankPlayerDefensive
GradeRun-Defense
GradeTackling
GradePass-Rush
GradeCoverage
Grade1Daijahn Anthony86.368.077.759.989.32Khari Coleman84.774.981.883.971.73Jamond Gordon78.777.476.464.2 ———4Deantre Prince77.576.566.456.276.05Isaac Ukwu74.375.078.765.963.76Stephon Wynn, Jr.72.674.270.257.4 ———7JJ Pegues72.170.174.966.8 ———8John Saunders, Jr.70.361.253.256.672.99Teja Young69.170.480.9 ———66.210Monty Montgomery67.570.377.659.762.711DeShawn Gaddie66.563.973.5 ———65.212Akelo Stone65.869.369.755.4 ———13Isheem Young63.460.5 ——— ———63.314Jared Ivey63.147.775.379.760.015Suntarine Perkins62.760.0 ———62.2 ———16Zamari Walton62.365.976.6 ———60.717Ashanti Cistrunk61.172.854.354.749.218Richard O’Bryant60.2 ——— ——— ———60.0T-19Cedric Johnson59.666.053.557.849.0T-19Ladarius Tennison59.6 ——— ———59.860.021Trey Washington58.869.185.2 ———54.822Zxavian Harris58.154.773.866.0 ———23Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste56.155.564.457.159.024Demarko Williams52.160.074.2 ———52.7

Below are the full snap counts for offense and defense.

OFFENSE

Micah Pettus – 63Quincy McGee – 63Caleb Warren – 63Jeremy James – 63Jaxson Dart – 62Jordan Watkins – 60Jalen Knox – 60Dayton Wade – 57Victor Curne – 57Quinshon Judkins – 53Michael Trigg – 42Kyirin Heath – 20Ulysses Bentley IV – 10Jayden Williams – 7Ayden Williams – 6Salathiel Hemphill – 3Tre Harris – 3JJ Pegues – 2Jam Griffin – 2Spencer Sanders – 2Joshua Aka – 1Preston Cushman – 1Matt Jones – 1Cedric Melton – 1Eli Acker – 1Reece McIntyre – 1

DEFENSE

John Saunders, Jr. – 76Deantre Prince – 75Cedric Johnson – 69Trey Washington – 68Zamari Walton – 66Daijahn Anthony – 65Isaac Ukwu – 65Jared Ivey – 46Khari Coleman – 43JJ Pegues – 42Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste – 42Monty Montgomery – 42Akelo Stone – 36Ashanti Cistrunk – 36Teja Young – 36Jamond Gordon – 25DeShawn Gaddie – 19Zxavian Harris – 18Isheem Young – 14Stephon Wynn, Jr. – 14Suntarine Perkins – 7Demarko Williams – 6Ladarius Tennison – 2Richard O’Bryant – 1

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