Eli gets needed support from running game

By By Austin Bishop / EMG Sports Director
Sept. 8, 2002
OXFORD Eli Manning is important to Ole Miss football.
Of that there is no question.
But, he cannot win football games by himself.
That is also a certainty.
That was proven again on Saturday afternoon, as Manning struggled early during Ole Miss' 38-16 win over the University of Memphis.
The youngest son of Ole Miss legend Archie Manning, hit on just two of his first nine passes and after three quarters of play was 10-for-26.
Admittedly, his teammates dropped more than a handful of sure completions, including two what would have gone for touchdowns.
But whatever the reason, the passing game just wasn't there.
In the second quarter the Rebels seemed to go away from the pass-a- all-costs game plan, and began to work to establish the running game.
Out of the limelight went Manning, into the focus ran Robert Williams and Ronald McClendon.
And boy did they ever run.
Williams finished the day with 107 yards on 17 carries, while McClendon had nine carries for 43 yards.
While the Ole Miss offense was having trouble pitching and catching, both Williams and McClendon said that didn't put any more pressure on them to perform.
"Not really," Williams said when asked if the burden was any heavier. "It's just team. If one falls off and slacks, then the other just has to pick it up."
McClendon said the early passing troubles sent him a message.
"I would call it accepting a challenge," the junior from Ponchatoula, La. said. "When everybody in the stadium and everybody on offense and defense knows that Eli is going to pass the ball it's a challenge for the running backs to step up and we did pretty good today."
In the end, Ole Miss had a balanced attack, passing for 174 yards and rushing for 214. But until the running game got in gear, the passing game just wasn't clicking like it should.
But when the running game began to draw Memphis' attention, the Tigers were doomed.
Manning ended the day 14-of-30 for 174 yards and three touchdown passes. He hit on all four of his fourth-quarter attempts for 42 yards and a touchdown.
In fact, only one of Ole Miss' five touchdowns came on the ground, that being a 2-yard run by Rick Razzano with 3:43 left in the third quarter.
But the run is what made the pass go and helped Ole Miss keep the ball for 10 more minutes of possession than the Tigers.
Three Ole Miss backs (Vashon Pearson had 41 yards on 10 carries) picked up more than 40 yards on the game, but Williams said the Rebels have more than just three weapons.
"All three of us did pretty good today and established the run and that's what it takes to win football games," he said. "But we really have more (quality backs) than that.
If you are looking for offensive balance, you have to search no further than one of Ole Miss' key possessions of the game.
After Steven Gostkowki kicked a 30-yard field goal to bring Memphis to within 24-16 with 8:50 to play in the game, the Rebels took the field with a need to pick up some yards, knock some time of the clock and put some points on the board.
They did all three.
Manning began the drive with a 13-yard completion to Doug Ziegler for a first down at Midfield.
Williams then ripped off three consecutive runs for a total of 16 yards. Vashon Pearson followed with two rushed, including one for a first down, and Manning sealed the deal with the consecutive completions to a trio of receivers, culminating in a 10-yard scoring strike to Pearson.
Ole Miss went up 31-16 and the game was over.
The Rebels will continue to set tons of passing records this year and next with Manning at the helm.
His touchdown passes on Saturday extended his school-record streak of consecutive games with at least one touchdown passes to 14.
He now has 35 for his career and is just eight behind the school record of 43 held by Romaro Miller.
All of that is great, and is needed.
But something else happened on Saturday.
Manning was held to the lowest yardage output of his career as a starter. But, it didn't matter. The Rebels still won and that is because of establishing the run.
That's something the Ole Miss players say can continue as the Rebels were deeper into their schedule.
"As long as the line is working like they are working we will have a good running game," Williams said.