When Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt suspended running back Jeff Scott on Tuesday for his team's matchup with No. 1 LSU on Saturday, he didn't just lose his leading rusher and one of his top receiving threats.
He lost the focal point of the Southeastern Conference's No. 1 punt return team.
"Of course, that's a big blow," Nutt said Wednesday in the weekly SEC coaches teleconference.
Scott has taken eight punts for 138 yards and a touchdown, averaging 17.2 yards per return. Ole Miss as a team has two punt return touchdowns and averages 22.6 yards per return.
LSU is ranked No. 1 in the SEC on the other side of the ball in punt situations, allowing only seven yards on 12 returns for an average of .58 yards per return.
Scott catching punts would have made for one of the more interesting storylines in an otherwise lopsided statistical match-up. Senior gunner Ron Brooks complimented the opponent's return team, regardless of who's catching the punts.
"Their returners are really shifty and quick guys, so we've got to make sure we take care of our assignments, cover all our lanes, wrap them up and not give them any running room," Brooks said.
Freshman wide receiver Nickolas Brassell scored Ole Miss' other return touchdown, but Scott actually played a part in that sequence as well. He initially caught the punt and ran towards the right sideline, then he tossed it to Brassell on a reverse, who followed his blockers 84 yards to the end zone.
"We're making sure that we just get our base things landed before we start worrying about any tricks and things like that," Brooks said. "We're always going to keep alert for tricks coming from those guys, though."
Nutt said Brassell lost playing time in last week's 27-7 loss to Louisiana Tech because he missed a meeting. He also said he would like to get Brassell more involved, but he didn't say how.
Nutt did say sophomore wide receiver Philander Moore would be one player taking on return duties in Saturday's game. Moore transferred from Blinn Community College in January, where he earned First Team National Junior College Athletic Association All-American return specialist honors by accumulating 811 total return yards and six total return touchdowns.
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Contact Alex Cassara at acassara@lsureveille.com
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