Hugh Freeze explains running just 4 plays in second half against Texas A&M
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Despite how well he played in Ole Miss’s win against then-No. 8 Texas A&M, Shea Patterson still had a bit of trouble in that game.
After the first half, the true freshman quarterback making his first start told coach Hugh Freeze there was too much of the playbook for him to digest. That’s why Freeze simplified the offense to basically four plays in the second half, he said during Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference.
“Saying ‘four plays’ is a bit deceptive because each play has options, its combination plays,” said Freeze, who clarified that each call usually have three options based on the defense’s alignment.
Patterson flourished in thanks to the simplified system, leading his team to 23 fourth-quarter points and engineering the game-winning drive. He completed 25 of 42 passes for 338 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a hostile College Station environment.
“He did not surprise me,” Freeze said. “I’ve known him for so long. I knew he had that ‘it’ factor, but I was not sure how he would handle Kyle Field and the different looks they give you. But as the game went on, he got more and more comfortable. It was special.”
Freeze decided to burn Patterson’s redshirt with three games left in the regular season after Chad Kelly suffered a season-ending injury.
The coach said it wasn’t a difficult decision or one he thinks he’ll regret down the line.
“Once I knew Shea and his parents were OK with it, it was not a hard decision,” Freeze said. “I am not big on planning three years from now, but I know right now we have a shot at winning three football games.
“Who knows what will happen three years from now? I may not be here, he may not be here.”
Patterson will make his second start when the Rebels (5-5, 2-4) travel to Vanderbilt (4-6, 1-5) at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Marcus covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
