Published August 28, 2011 - 6:31am
NEW: Discuss this topic in the Google+ community for SEC fans.
With all the quarterback and program controversy at Ole Miss, one thing is for certain – Brandon Bolden will be the main and steady force to lead the Ole Miss offense in the running game this year. From early on in the 2010 regular season, Bolden’s performance was excellent – against Fresno State, he had 243 all purpose yards and scored three touchdowns.
In his freshman season, he ran for 542 yards and 5 touchdowns and, during his sophomore campaign, Bolden ran for 614 yards and four touchdowns.
However, last season was his breakout season. In 2010, Bolden ran for 976 yards and 14 touchdowns, while averaging a little over 80 yards per game.
Bolden is also an asset in the passing game. In his freshman season, he caught 10 passes for 107 yards and one touchdown. In his sophomore season, he doubled his receptions, catching 20 passes for 209 yards and one touchdown. However, his best season was once again his junior season, as he caught 32 passes for 344 yards scoring three touchdowns.
Although Bolden’s rushing and receiving numbers are impressive, what really makes him a threat is the number of times he gets to the end zone. In 2010, Bolden tied school records for total touchdowns (17) and rushing touchdowns (14).
Heading into his senior season, Bolden is currently second in school history in rushing touchdowns and touchdowns scored.
This year for the Rebels, the offensive line is stacked heavy with linemen anchored by offensive tackles Bradley Sowell and Bobbie Massie.
Bolden’s backups – Jeff Scott and Enrique Davis – will play important roles in the Ole Miss running game, and both will be crucial to help keep Bolden fresh.
With transfer quarterback Barry Brunetti getting the start for Ole Miss against BYU, the passing game is extremely questionable at this point. The Rebels will lean on Bolden early and often.
I look for Bolden to put up big numbers in 2011 as he did last year, yet continue to get little attention because of the mediocre performance of the team on which he plays. A 1,000 yard season is very doable, and the number touchdowns should be very high as well.
This senior running back will be one of the bright spots of the Ole Miss season – expect Brandon Bolden to close his career on a high note.
