Chasing history against Alabama, Kelly repeats mistakes made against FSU
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Ole Miss was intent on a three-peat against Alabama, but the Rebels’ strong start slowly fell apart as the second half wore on.
For many fans, the Rebels’ 48-43 loss Saturday bears a sickening resemblance to the season opener against Florida State. Like Ole Miss’ loss to the Seminoles, turnovers and big plays were a big factor in the late swoon.
Quarterback Chad Kelly did as much as he could for the Rebels, throwing for 421 yards and 3 touchdowns with an interception — becoming the first QB with multiple 300-yard games against Nick Saban’s Tide — but his brightest moments were marred by some costly mistakes.
As he did against Florida State, Kelly led the Ole Miss offense on a 75-yard touchdown drive to begin the game. He was 3-of-4 on the drive for 47 yards and demonstrated how efficiently the Rebels can look offensively when he is in control.
If their opening drive was indicative of how effective the Rebels’ offense can be, then the second drive showed how quickly it can go cold. Ole Miss began the drive at the 10-yard line, but a false start penalty quickly moved it back to the 5. Three plays later, the Rebels were punting from their own 8-yard line.
That type of inconsistency has plagued Ole Miss on the big stage thus far in 2016. One thing is true, though. The Rebels’ offense goes the way Kelly goes.
He staked the Rebels to a 22-point lead against Florida State. Saturday, he helped give the Rebels a 21-point cushion against Alabama. Each time, his mistakes fueled the foe’s comeback.
Kelly is at his best when he is able to improvise on a play or throw it deep downfield. Often, those two go hand in hand. Although the senior is capable of negotiating a long drive, as evidenced by the team’s 75-yard march to start the game, Kelly often looks for the big play.
This gunslinger mentality gives Ole Miss an explosive offense and the ability to stay in any game. Similar to a cinderella team with great 3-point shooters going on a deep March Madness, the Rebels can hang with anyone as long as Kelly’s deep passes are falling.
Kelly’s first touchdown pass came on a beautiful 63-yard pass to Evan Engram, who was running wide open past the Alabama defense. Later in the game, he took another deep shot to the end zone, and A.J. Brown came down with the jump ball.
But, like any basketball team that lives and dies at the 3-point line, if the long plays aren’t working, Ole Miss is vulnerable. Once the Rebels neared the goal line, they struggled to punch it in.
Three times Ole Miss had the ball deep into Alabama territory, twice inside the 6, and each time it came away with only a field goal. Against a team of Alabama’s caliber, those possessions need to be touchdowns.
For the second time this season, however, it was the turnovers that ultimately doomed the Rebels.
“You’ve just got to take care of the ball,” Kelly said following his team’s loss to Florida State. Ole Miss again wasn’t able to do that in the second half, and it cost the Rebels dearly.
Leading 24-17, Ole Miss marched onto the field to begin its first drive of the second half. On second down at the 9-yard line, Kelly rolled to his left but was sacked and fumbled. Alabama recovered for a tying touchdown.
Later, another turnover appeared to seal the Rebels’ fate. On 3rd-and-9, Kelly had the ball stripped from his hand as he attempted a pass; it landed in the hands of Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, who returned it for a touchdown.
Two turnovers. Two touchdowns.
The blame doesn’t lie only with Kelly, who did everything he could to keep Ole Miss in the game. He threw three touchdowns, matching his effort against Alabama last season. He passed for a career-high 421 yards — the third-most Saban’s Bama defenses have allowed.
Ole Miss’ offense is tailored to its quarterback’s strengths. When he’s on, the Rebels are an offensive juggernaut.
It’s an offensive strategy that worked flawlessly against Florida State, until turnovers derailed Ole Miss’ first-half gem.
Unfortunately, the same problems manifested in perhaps the Rebels’ biggest game of the year.
Kelly has the arm to push Ole Miss’ offense to new heights, but the team goes as he goes. In the Rebels’ two biggest games, Kelly’s highs have not been enough to overcome the lows.
