This time of year, most college football coaches usually fret about attrition on its roster.

Hugh Freeze might have his emotions heading into the other direction this year.

Sure, the Rebels have lost Issac Gross in the preseason with a neck injury and last week lost Robert Conyers to a torn ACL.

But Ole Miss could be getting some players back for the stretch run, and it definitely will get one star back. OL Laremy Tunsil will start this week against Texas A&M after missing the first seven games of the season while the NCAA completed an investigation of possible rules violations.

With the return of Tunsil, Ole Miss not only gets the boost of having possibly the best left tackle in the country, it also gets its offensive line back playing in natural positions.

“We’ll move Fahn Cooper back to right (tackle), and that will give us Laremy Tunsil at left (tackle),” Freeze said in his weekly press conference. “Justin Bell will go to center now, along with Ben Still. Rod Taylor and Jordan Sims at right guard, then Aaron Morris and Javon Patterson at left guard with  Christian Morris at left tackle. Hopefully we will be able to stay healthy with those guys. We are very optimistic in getting that crew back together.”

Getting an All-America-type lineman like Tunsil back is one thing the celebrate, but a second benefit is he has not suffered through seven weeks of the brutality of playing in the SEC trenches for two months.

There are still offensive aches and pains, but several of the injured Rebels are coming back. Running back Jaylen Walton, tight end Evan Engram and wide receiver Damore’ea Stringfellow all returned to action last week.

Defensively, Gross, C.J. Johnson and Tony Connor have all missed time. Against Memphis, Robert Nkemdiche went down with a concussion, as did punter Will Gleeson and defensive back Trae Elston. Johnson returns Saturday after a meniscus repair. Elston has been cleared to return this week, and the others will be evaluated again Thursday.

The sooner the better for the Rebels. There are five games left on the schedule and all are important. Ole Miss starts the stretch by hosting Texas A&M this week then the Rebels go to Auburn. Arkansas visits Oxford before the Rebs take a week’s breather.

LSU comes to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Nov. 21 and if the Tigers take care of Alabama before that date and Ole Miss can navigate the tough slate, that game might decide all the marbles. The season ends with a game that will not be easy, the Egg Bowl at Mississippi State on Senior Night.

Before Ole Miss can even think about the Bulldogs or LSU, it must face the Aggies Saturday night. That is where the quest begins.

“We are going to see Saturday night if the heart is there,” Freeze said. “I’m sure we will do what we have done every week and prepare them to have that.”

Ole Miss will use that heart to attempt to do something it has not done in half a century – win an SEC title.

Should the Rebels fall short of that goal, there is no doubt they will have a direct effect on which team gets to the title game.