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Ole Miss’ annual Grove Bowl spring game takes place on Saturday, April 8. Here is a main storyline and player to watch out for as the Rebels take the field.

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It will be nice for Ole Miss and its fans to be able to focus on what is happening on the field instead of off of it as the Rebels take the field on Saturday for the annual Grove Bowl. With NCAA allegations and a postseason ban being put in place, the offseason has not been kind to Hugh Freeze’s squad.

There is still reason for optimism in Oxford, though, and it starts with the young quarterback Shea Patterson, who came onto the scene after Chad Kelly suffered a season-ending injury. Now he is expected to take on a leadership role and be the main man for the offense.

Here are a couple of things to look out for from the Rebels on Saturday.

Grove Bowl Information

Date: Saturday, April 8
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Broadcast: SEC Network

Main Storyline

How much has the defense improved? Wesley McGriff is now the defensive coordinator, and he is trying to get the Rebels back to the days of being feared by offenses, especially on third downs. This will start with the secondary, who are still young and inexperienced.

The defensive backs will have their hands full against Patterson, who can whip the ball around. If they want to impress their new coordinator McGriff, who has served as a wake-up call to the group, they will need to play well on Saturday.

Player To Watch

RB Jordan Wilkins – Due to academic issues, Wilkins had to miss the 2016 season. Now, he could play a key part on an offense that has to replace a lot of talent; running back Akeem Judd, tight end Evan Engram, wide receiver Damore’ea Stringellow, and wide receiver Quincy Adeboyejo are all gone. If he starts to click with Patterson, this could be a good backfield.

MORE: SEC Football Predictions, Storylines For 2017 Season