In Mississippi’s win over Liberty last Saturday, John Rhys Plumlee had his best game at receiver since making the transition late last season in preparation for the Rebels’ Outback Bowl win over Indiana.

Plumlee caught 7 passes for 110 yards against the Flames, the 1st 100-yard game of his career and the 1st time he caught more than 2 passes since the Outback Bowl. Ole Miss used him in some motion, jet sweep actions and got him open over the middle of the field in slant and crossing routes. The name of the game is to get Plumlee open in space and let his feet do the rest of the work.

While Plumlee is still very much a work i n progress as he learns the intricacies of the position, he has shown a base level of competence and adaptability that could give Ole Miss a real offensive weapon if he continues to progress. The speed is real and what makes him such an enticing project. His hands are good enough for now, but they need to continue to improve, and he still has a long way to go with route running. But, again, he was more than good enough on Saturday and provided a spark that Ole Miss desperately needed.

“This year has been kind of a learning curve,” Plumlee said. “I try to get better every week in something, (like) watching the ball all the way into my hands. Because at first, I had a tendency not to track it all the way in, trying to make a guy miss who was 10 yards down the field. You have to watch it all the way in.”

As Ole Miss heads into a showdown with Texas A&M on Saturday night, the Rebels are slowly getting healthier on offense — if you read the tea leaves of the little information Lane Kiffin gives about injuries. It would be optimal if injured receivers Jonathan Mingo, Dontario Drummond and Braylon Sanders suit up and play. But that seems a little ambitious. Two of the 3 would be a tremendous boost. Sanders played in a limited capacity last week, and Drummond’s injury at Auburn on Oct. 30 didn’t seem to be a long-term issue. But banking on all of them to play is relying on the unknown, and the Rebels would greatly benefit from Plumlee being a factor again.

Plumlee provides presence in the slot even if the route tree is limited. His speed makes up for a lot of shortcomings. And as good as this Texas A&M front has been in stopping the run — not to mention how Ole Miss has struggled running the last 2 weeks — generating yardage via the short and intermediate passing game is going to be important. That’s right in Plumlee’s wheelhouse, and if Kiffin and Jeff Lebby can continue to find creative ways to get him the ball without asking him to do things he isn’t yet comfortable doing, then he will have a better chance to make an impact. It’s also not lost on him how banged up the receiving corps has been and the important role he could play in this game.

“You hate to see your guys down,” Plumlee said. “You hate to see Braylon, Drummond and Mingo — your go-to guys — get hurt like that, but it kind of opens up opportunities for everybody. Now, if they’re coming back this week, I have no idea. But I know those guys, and I know their work ethic, and I know they’re working hard in the training room to do all they can to get back, for sure.”

Plumlee is still working to become a consistent, SEC-caliber receiver. He has played the position for only a short time. Game reps build confidence, and confidence leads to growth. If Ole Miss is going to beat the Aggies on Saturday night, it is going to need someone to step up as a pass catcher. As thin as the cupboard is due to injuries, Plumlee has an opportunity to fill a vital role.