Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze (AP)
The weekend scrimmage did nothing to resolve the ongoing quarterback battle at Ole Miss, between sophomores Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade and junior Chad Kelly. Despite the lack of a clear winner, coach Hugh Freeze may be ready to make a decision sometime next week.
"No, I still have the gut feeling," Freeze told the media following Tuesday's practice. "I think that if this week confirms what I'm kind of feeling in my gut, probably next week we'll name who's going to start it."
That declaration did come with a caveat, however.
“That just means they’re going to start the game,” Freeze announced.
It is apparent that the Rebels plan on giving all three quarterbacks playing time during Ole Miss’ season opener on Sept. 5 against Tennessee-Martin.
While some schools around the SEC have announced their starting quarterbacks, Freeze is waiting to see how his players fare when it counts before making a decision.
“Ultimately how they do in the game is going to be the biggest test. It would be hard to ignore if someone goes in and goes three-for-three with three drives that result in points.”
Both Buchanan and Kincade saw time at quarterback for the Rebels last season; Kelly, the nephew of NFL Hall-of-Famer Jim Kelly, played at East Mississippi Community College last season after being kicked off Clemson in the spring for 2014 for "detrimental conduct."
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