Somehow this isn’t surprising given the public personas of Hugh Freeze and James Franklin.  One reached out to the other this week in an effort to be an over-the-top nice guy.  The other responded coolly, like a boxer before at a pre-bought weigh-in.

Ole Miss’ Freeze made the unusual-for-everybody-else gesture of calling Vandy’s Franklin earlier this week to make sure the Commodores’ coach had everything he needed for his first trip to Oxford this weekend.  For any Commodore fans wondering if Freeze was trying some sort of reverse-jinx, mind trick on their coach… he wasn’t.  He says he’s made such calls before.  And in the case of Franklin, Vandy’s coach was very kind in reaching out to him when Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace’s sister was having surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center a month ago.

According to Freeze:

“I think it’s possible to be very competitive and still be courteous.  If I have a relationship with visiting coaches that are coming to our place, that’s not uncommon for me to do that.  I’ve done it this year with Clint Conque (Central Arkansas), Mack Brown (Texas), and Gene Chizik.  I didn’t talk with (Chizik) on the phone, I texted him.

James was very kind early in the year when we had an incident with Bo Wallace’s sister.  We’re going to want to beat them extremely bad Saturday night and he’ll feel the same, but I still think it’s possible to do it and still be very courteous to each other.”

Franklin’s response when asked about the call: “It was a very nice gesture, but… there’s really no reason for people to make those calls.”  Well, aside from just being nice.

Wallace’s sister underwent surgery at VU last month after suffering a broken neck in a car wreck.

Two SEC quarterbacks who got off to hot starts this season are expected to be on the field this weekend… despite shoulder injuries.

According to The Jackson Clarion-Ledger, Ole Miss head coach Huge Freeze said yesterday that juco transfer Bo Wallace will “try to go.”  Wallace missed practice Tuesday after hurting his shoulder against Tulane on Saturday.  But his performance during yesterday’s practice session was enough to convince Freeze that his signal-caller’s ready for action:

“No doubt.  No question after today…

It didn’t appear that his arm strength was full but he say he was pain-free and he threw it around and did fine.”

Congratulations, Mr. Wallace, you get to face Alabama’s defense.

Meanwhile, up the road in Lexington, Wildcat QB Maxwell Smith also looks to be a go for Saturday.  The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that Smith and head coach Joker Phillips have two different descriptions for Smith’s arm woes.  Phillips says it’s “a sprained acromioclavicular joint” while Smith says is “a separated shoulder.”  But according to Phillips:

“Max will be ready to play.  We held him out throwing (Wednesday).  He’ll end up practicing Tuesday, Thursday.”

A UK spokesman said Smith’s status is expected “to be a day-to-day thing the remainder of the season, based on how much contact he has, the severity, the extend and that kind of thing.”  He added that Smith’s injury can heal on its own without surgery.

Congratulations, Mr. Smith, you get to face South Carolina’s defense.

Say, you don’t think the pass rushers for Bama and Carolina will try to get a little rough with Misters Wallace and Smith this weekend do you?

Nah.

For the record, South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw will also be playing with a hairline fracture in his shoulder blade, though his status was not believed to be a question following his scintillating 20-of-21 passing performance against Missouri last week.

So much for Bo Wallace beating out Barry Brunetti for the starting job.  Oh, sure, he’ll start for the Rebels against Central Arkansas in their opener, but after that… Hugh Freeze says all bets are off:

“To me it’s still ‘co’ (starters).  Bo will take the first series and we’ll see how he will do, but Barry will get his chances, too.  To me it is about who can move our football team and produce over the first couple of weeks…

I think it’s a good thing if you’re looking over your shoulder.  A lot of people don’t.  I think they better know they have to compete and they have to produce.  I want them focused on what their job is and do your job and do it well.  If you do that, you don’t have to worry about a whole lot.”

Not against Central Arkansas, anyway.

Ole Miss quarterback candidate Bo Wallace can take a punch.  At least that’s what the photo at left and a since-removed YouTube video seemed to show yesterday afternoon.

Over the weekend, Wallace — a juco transfer who’s competing with Barry Brunetti for the Rebels’ signal-caller duties this spring — reportedly got into a dust-up with a few UM frat boys.  The video showed Wallace take a punch before being surrounded by a larger group of men.  Wallace never appeared on tape to have tossed any haymakers himself.

According to The Jackson Clarion-Ledger, that’s the story Wallace has told head coach Hugh Freeze and for that reason the quarterback will not face any kind of punishment from the team.

He will however have this photo of himself getting punched in the face kicked around the internet for a day or two.  For comparison’s sake, here’s a nice headshot of Wallace when he’s not locked in a fracas.

Signed So Far:

Cody Core, WR

Quintavius Burdette, RB

I’Tavius Mathers, RB

Jaylen Walton, RB

Ben Still, OL

Channing Ward, DL

John Youngblood, DL

Robert Conyers, OL

Darone Bailey, OL

Pierce Burton, OL

Dehendret Collins, DB

Bo Wallace, QB