5 a.m. Meetings? Matt Corral, Rebel QBs Taking Work Ethic to the Next Level

Matt Corral and the Ole Miss quarterbacks thought they were working hard last year. They've realized how much more they need to do this offseason and are taking the steps to make the leap.

Matt Corral and the Ole Miss quarterbacks thought they were working hard last year.

It took some offseason self-evaluation to realize that there was much more they could have done. If you don't like where you're at, maybe look in the mirror a bit. 

"It wasn't working and I wasn't successful last year. Well, why?" Corral said. "That's what I asked myself. Why wasn't this working and what did I do wrong? It all came down to my work ethic."

Corral, a redshirt freshman at the time, started the first four games of 2019. He would eventually share time with true freshman John Rhys Plumlee and by the end of the season, the gig was nearly entirely in Plumlee's hands. 

Entering 2020, it's a true two man battle for the Ole Miss starting quarterback role, as explained by Lane Kiffin on Monday. 

"I knew where I went wrong last year," Corral said. "I thought I was working hard last year. I thought I was. Doing what we had to do, we were supposed to do the extra stuff. We're the quarterbacks, we're supposed to do the extra stuff. We're supposed to be the last one to leave. We're supposed to be the first one in."

Now, Corral and the rest of the Ole Miss quarterbacks are working not because they feel like they have to, but because they feel like they want and need too. 

Corral and Plumlee organized some self-run meetings for the quarterback room that take place before practice. The QB room has been in the facilities around 5:30 a.m. each morning, tearing through tape of both themselves and opponents. 

"With this new offense there's a lot that's on our plate," Plumlee said. "As a quarterback, you kind of want to know everyone's role, everyone's job. So we decided to take it upon ourselves to come in a little bit earlier and watch some film."

Lane Kiffin and Co. have not ruled out the possibility of starting the year with a two quarterback system.

They don't want to rush the decision of naming a starter, saying that sometimes the decision makes itself clear in days and other times it may take a few weeks into the season. In their eyes, making the right call is more important than making a decision quickly.

Regardless of who the signal caller is for Ole Miss in 2020, it seems like it won't be for a lack of effort this time around. 

"I think was a unit, we've done a hell of a job this year," Corral said. "By far, this is the hardest I've ever worked since I was trying to earn a scholarship."

More From The Grove Report:

Which Receiver, Outside of Elijah Moore, Is Stepping Up For Ole Miss?

Lane Kiffin Thinks Big Ten, Pac-12 Players Should Transfer Without Penalty

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