When Hugh Freeze was hired to be the next head coach at Ole Miss, he had just over a month to not only hold onto the current commitments, but also to convince others to join the mix. The biggest fish to land in that cycle was the state’s top play: defensive end from Aberdeen High School, Channing Ward.
Ward was one of the top defensive prospects in the country and had strong interest in Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn, LSU and Alabama. Many believed he would be a Bulldog as Dan Mullen had momentum in Starkville after a blowout Egg Bowl victory.