Following a 23-7 victory over Vanderbilt in Nashville, Mississippi quarterback Jevan Snead provided a simplified version of the offensive game plan.
“It was the plan to throw the ball a lot, coming in,” he said. “I really enjoyed it, and I like getting some rhythm when I’m able to throw the ball around.”
Snead found his rhythm early and often.
The Texas product opened the first half with 188 yards and two touchdowns through the air, as the No. 21 Rebels jumped to a 17-0 advantage at intermission. Snead finished 19-34 for 237 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Two of his touchdowns went to Shay Hodge. The senior led all receivers with 122 yards on eight receptions. In fact, he nearly doubled the output of the Vanderbilt passing attack as quarterback Larry Smith finished with just 69 yards passing.
“It just worked into the overall game plan,” Mississippi offensive coordinator Kent Austin said about the chemistry between Snead and Hodge. “Jevan got off a couple good runs for us at the end of the game as well.”
Though Snead may have gained 35 rushing yards on five carries, many of which came on the contest’s final drive, tailback Brandon Bolden supplied most of the damage on the ground throughout the night. The Louisiana native led all rushers with 89 yards on 16 touches. Also, Bolden was Mississippi’s second leading receiver with three catches for 22 yards and a touchdown.
After the game, head coach Houston Nutt assessed the overall attack.
“I was proud of our offense in the first half, and I thought we executed our game plan,” he said.
Specifically regarding the trio of Snead, Hodge and Bolden, Nutt was unequivocal in his praise.
“Jevan Snead was on fire right out of the gates, and Shay Hodge made some great catches for us,” Nutt said. “Brandon Bolden was a warrior for us tonight.”
Yet Snead began to cool off in the second half as the Commodore defense buckled down.
After the second quarter, which included two touchdowns from Snead to Hodge and Bolden, the Mississippi offense struggled to continue at its pace. Snead was picked off by Casey Hayward, and Myron Lewis on poor throws in the second half.
Nutt, however, did not lose faith in his quarterback.
“Both Jevan and I know that he is a better player than his performance in the second half," Nutt said. "I think he would be the first to tell you that we can’t have some of those mistakes that he made in the second half.
“We were executing the offense very well to start, but then we started forcing things, and he needs to either drop it off to the back or throw it away.”
Nonetheless, Snead still delivered. His third quarter touchdown to Hodge widened the Mississippi advantage by a tally of 23-0, to effectively put the game out of reach.
“I think, as an offensive unit, we leave here with momentum. This will be a great film to watch to see how we can play when we do things right,” Snead said.
With a date at home against No. 3 Alabama looming next Saturday in Oxford, the Rebels will have to be doing things right.
