New QB era begins for Ole Miss

By By Will Bardwell / sports writer
April 15, 2004
I remember the first time I saw Eli Manning throw a pass. It was at the Ole Miss spring game back in 2000. Manning, who was just coming off his redshirt season, led one team against starting quarterback Romaro Miller's team in the final intra-squad scrimmage of spring practice.
Miller was and still is underrated by a lot of Ole Miss fans, but even so, he never put much zip on the ball. His best characteristic was his mobility, but his accuracy and arm strength were above average at best.
Miller was entering his third season as starting quarterback, so for a long time, he was all anyone was used to.
Then comes this tall, still slightly-skinny Manning kid out on to the field. Everyone was excited, of course, but no one really knew what to expect.
I don't remember who caught Manning's first pass in that spring game, but whoever it was probably rates it as one of the most horrifying moments of his life. The ball came off Manning's hand like it was fired out of a bazooka. It struck the receiver right in the gut. I figured he was dead.
My jaw hit the floor, and not for the last time that day. Manning did it again and again. The fans were stunned. Over the next three seasons, they quite understandably became spoiled as Manning got better and better.
For the first time in five years, the fans at the Ole Miss spring game will watch a game without Manning, who of course turned out to be the most prolific quarterback in school history. Micheal Spurlock, who has been little more than the answer to a trivia question for three years as Manning's back-up, will get the chance to show the Rebel faithful what he's learned.
Like it was with Manning four years ago, most people don't know what to expect from Spurlock on Saturday. I'm no different.
But I've got a feeling fans will walk away impressed, just as they were with Manning's debut performance.
Spurlock fills the most noticeable void on the team after last year's 10-3 season, but it's by no means the only hole. The defensive line, linebackers, secondary, running backs and wide receivers all lost important pieces of their puzzles. Even so, no one could deny that Spurlock has the most reasons of anyone to feel pressure.
But he's not stressed out at all. Far from it. The kid is excited out of his mind, and he has every reason to be.
The only guy who ever believed Spurlock would start for Ole Miss was Spurlock himself. When the Rebels signed highly-touted quarterback Robert Lane last spring, most people myself included figured he would redshirt and then take the reins from Manning as a four-year starter.
Meanwhile, Spurlock worked his butt off in practice and pored over the playbook religiously. He learned everything he could from Manning, and when Lane didn't develop as quickly as everyone thought, guess who was ready? Spurlock.
Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe and Spurlock are the first two people to admit that the unheralded junior isn't totally ready yet. Neither was Manning the first time he took a live-action snap, which came against Tulane in 2000. Manning unexpectedly entered the game in relief of Miller in the first quarter, and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium erupted with cheers.
For a few seconds, at least. Manning looked terrible. Miller finished the game after Manning was an unimpressive 1-of-5 for four yards. It was hardly a sign of things to come. I later joked that Manning's best move was his handoff.
Manning made other appearances that year, but the most memorable was in the Music City Bowl. Ole Miss was getting blown out by West Virginia when Manning entered in the fourth quarter. The Rebels still lost the game 49-38, but only after Manning gave the Mountaineers the scare of their lives by throwing three fourth-quarter touchdowns on 12-of-20 passing for 167 yards.
The point is that even a great quarterback like Manning needed time to learn and develop. Despite his natural ability and deep knowledge of Cutcliffe's offensive system, Spurlock has virtually no game experience. Until he gets that, he's going to make mistakes.
Some of those mistakes could come Saturday in the spring game. Others will come in the season opener against Memphis, and even afterward. But Rebel fans should not be quick to jump off Spurlock's bandwagon. He's arguably the best all-around athlete on the team, and while his 5-foot-11 height will impede him, his natural playmaking ability is going to gave him chances that Manning never had. He's got Manning's arm strength, Miller's mobility and a heart bigger than his own chest.
All Spurlock needs is time and a chance. That's all he's ever needed.