How Can Ole Miss Get Jerrion Ealy Going? It Starts Up Front

Simply put, Jerrion Ealy has struggled to get going this season. The running game has to be better moving forward, and to Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, that starts with the offensive line.

Simply put, Jerrion Ealy has struggled to get going this season. 

The Ole Miss running back who was both an All-SEC running back and kick returner going into this season has totaled only 123 rushing yards through two games. 

Despite the passing offense and Matt Corral being dominant, averaging 381.5 passing yards per game, Ole Miss is still running the ball more than they're passing.

Through two games, Ole Miss has attempted 62 passes. They've run the ball 83 times. Yet, that run game simply hasn't been very good – averaging just 3.7 yards per carry. 

They have to be better moving forward. To Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, that starts with the offensive line. 

"We have to block better. It's hard to run when there's not big holes," Kiffin said. "We have to block better, and if we were running more efficiently, we would run more. If you follow through the years, we do what works. When we're throwing the ball really well, we throw more. We'd like to run more, but we have to be more efficient."

After center Eli Johnson opted out of the 2020 season and entered the transfer portal, Ole Miss had three returning starters from the 2019 offensive line back. Ben Brown is at center, Royce Newman at right tackle and Nick Broeker at left tackle.

However, the fluidity has been at guard. That's where a lot of the issues are happening. 

"They've been very up and down," Kiffin said. "The center and tackles have played well at times, but we've struggled at guard. We're going to have to play a lot better there." 

Through the first two games, redshirt freshman Jeremy James has been starting at right guard with fellow redshirt freshman Reese McIntyre at left guard. Jalen Cunningham and Caleb Warren have also seen time at those guard spots. 

Historically, Kiffin's teams have always been run first. Over the past three years at FAU, Kiffin's teams ran on 51.2%, 59.3% and 64.0% of their plays. 

Currently, Ole Miss is still at 55.0% running. But Kiffin full-hearted admitted that unless they sure up the run game, they're going to start throwing more. 

"The communication is something we have to get a lot better at. That's been a big point of emphasis this week," Broeker said. "It's understanding who we have to block in the second level and who we have to combo to.

"No matter what everyone says, running the ball is how you win football games. That's something we really need to be better at and establish moving forward."

It doesn't exactly get any easier. Though the opening two weeks of the SEC season, Alabama's defense is ranked No. 17 in the nation by SP+.

Their rush defense ranks No. 14 in yards per carry allowed (4th in the SEC) and they're surrendering just 2.9 yards per carry. Regardless, the Rebels need to find a way to get Jerrion Ealy and the run game going. 

More From The Grove Report:

Jonathan Mingo, Others Stepping Up Can Help Elijah Moore Be Even Better

Everything Lane Kiffin Said About His First Reunion with Nick Saban since 2016

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