NEWS & NOTES: Oct. 31

Mississippi (6-1 overall, 3-1 SEC) hosts Arkansas this week in a pivotal SEC West contest for the surprising Rebels.

Heading into this week's action, Auburn leads the SEC West (4-1 conference record), with coach David Cutcliffe's Rebels right behind. All other SEC West teams have at least three losses. Since Auburn handed Ole Miss its only loss of the season, the Rebels will likely have to win out in the conference and hope for some help along the way to take the SEC West.

	Ole Miss QB Eli Manning has thrown 17 touchdown passes and just two interceptions.

Fresh off an impressive 35-24 upset of LSU in a night game at Death Valley, Ole Miss is on a roll -- keyed by the outstanding play of third-year sophomore QB Eli Manning. Check out these numbers: Manning has thrown 17 TD passes and just two interceptions while completing 65 percent of his aerials and throwing for 1,904 yards.

The Manning-led offense is averaging 36.3 points per game this season, with the upgraded performance of the Rebel wideouts a key part of the equation. Leading the way has been super blue-chip sophomore Chris Collins. Athletically gifted at 6-foot-1 and 191 pounds, Collins has 37 receptions for a 14.1 yard average, with six TD receptions.

The Rebels' depth at wide receiver has improved tremendously since Cutcliffe took over in 1999. In addition to Collins, seniors Jamie Armstrong and Omar Rayford combine with highly regarded redshirt freshman Bill Flowers and Trey Fryfogle to give the Rebels a top-quality receiving corps.

But without question, the primary headliner is the gifted Collins. In the mold physically of the caliber of receiver Cutcliffe worked with while he was offensive coordinator at Tennessee, Collins has established himself as one of the key difference-makers in the SEC.

Collins suffered a sprained ankle during the LSU game that forced him to sit out the second half. He has missed some practice time this week, and his status for Saturday is questionable. The Rebels are off Nov. 10, so Collins has time to work his way back to full health for Georgia's visit to Ole Miss on Nov. 17.

An overlooked standout for the Rebels this season has been exceptional left tackle Terrence Metcalf (6-3¼ 317). He has just moved onto my Top 25 senior draft board after manhandling DEs in the SEC on a game-to-game basis. He hasn't allowed a sack since the '99 campaign and has been a starter since Day One of his freshman season in '97. Outside of a broken left ankle that forced him to miss the final eight games of the '98 season, Metcalf has been one of the elite offensive linemen in the talent-laden SEC.

Metcalf has the beneficial experience of starting at both left tackle and left guard, displaying the combination of awesome strength (he bench presses 500 pounds) and excellent feet NFL teams look for. He has been able to eliminate blind-side pressure against Manning. Metcalf could be the first guard taken in April's NFL draft.

'NOLES GLAD TO HAVE JACKSON BACK ON D
A big plus for Florida State has been the return from injury of junior DE Alonzo Jackson. After suffering a sprained knee against Wake Forest in late September, he was forced to sit out the Miami (Fla.) and Virginia games before getting back on the field this past week against Maryland.

Right away, Jackson provided a major lift to the Seminoles' defense, recording a sack and two QB hurries (plus four tackles). Without Jackson in the lineup, opposing offenses focused on containing DTs Darnell Dockett and Jeff Womble. So not only were the Seminoles not able to apply their usual outside pass pressure, but the inside push was also negated.

Remember, heading into the 2001 campaign the Seminoles were looking to make up for the graduation loss of DEs Jamal Reynolds, David Warren and Roland Seymour. The last thing they could afford was an injury to Jackson.

JAMMER JAMS OPPONENTS' AIR WAVES
In the Longhorns' win over Missouri last week, senior Texas CB Quentin Jammer proved once again why he is, without question, the top cover man in college football.

Matched up in one-on-one situations the entire afternoon with Missouri's highly skilled junior wideout, Justin Gage, Jammer limited the athletically gifted Gage (6-4, 202) to just two receptions for 14 yards.

Gage was thrown to eight times but with little success due to the presence of Jammer. After breaking up three passes against the Tigers, Jammer currently leads the nation with 17 pass breakups.

SOUTH CAROLINA APPRECIATES KALIMBA'S PRESENCE
While his stats aren't necessarily going to wow you, South Carolina senior DE Kalimba Edwards has freed up his teammates along the defensive front to do their damage.

With Edwards being double-teamed constantly, junior NT Langston Moore was able to come through with a stellar effort this past week against Tennessee. Moore (6-1, 292) recorded 10 tackles, including two stops behind the line of scrimmage, and a QB sack in the hard-fought loss to the Vols at Neyland Stadium.

Overall, the Gamecock defensive front seven recorded five sacks and eight tackles for loss. Edwards did his best to work through the interference, finishing with five tackles and one QB hurry.

SLEEPERS COULD SURPRISE COME DRAFT DAY
With all the focus on the top major-college standouts, this is a good time to begin featuring some "sleeper" types who figure to have a future in the NFL.

With running back a fairly suspect position this year in terms of overall talent and depth, you could see a steady elevation in the pro grade of Villanova's productive and versatile Brian Westbrook. At 5-8½ and 205 pounds, he may appear on paper to lack ideal size, but that's really not the case. Amazingly, he bench presses nearly 400 pounds, making him one of the stronger players, pound-for-pound in the country. There is no question that his package of skills will prove beneficial at the pro level.

Westbrook runs with purpose, can make defenders miss, shows above-average pass-receiving skills and has the ability to factor in as a punt or kickoff returner. He's also a threat to go the distance any time he touches the football, posting 40-yard times of sub 4.4.

Westbrook has been an all-purpose dynamo once again for the Wildcats, averaging nearly 6 yards per carry with 14 rushing TDs. He also has 38 receptions for a 13.1-yard average and four TD receptions. And how about his ability on special teams: an average of 18.2 yards per punt return and a whopping 37.9-yard average on nine kickoff returns (plus a TD). Even though he's doing his damage against Division I-AA competition, an all-around performer like Westbrook figures to garner a great deal of interest in the third-round area.

On defense, keep an eye on Hampton DE Greg Scott. Athletically gifted at 6-4 and 255 pounds, Scott has posted 40 times in the 4.65 range. He also bench-presses close to 400 pounds.

His top effort of the season came against Norfolk State on Oct. 13: one sack and nine tackles (seven solos, three behind the line of scrimmage). With a strong showing in the postseason all-star games and during the combine workouts, a top small-college prospect like Scott could be selected late in the draft's first day or early in the second day.