Last season, Ole Miss was a prime example of even the best plans can go awry.
In its opener, point guard Daeshun Ruffin, the school’s first McDonald’s All-American, broke his hand and missed seven weeks. Then, Robert Allen blew out his knee during a victory over nearby Memphis. And around the time Ruffin was cleared to come back, leading scorer Jarkel Joiner underwent a back procedure that cost him three weeks. And finally, Ruffin tore his ACL against LSU in February.
Coach Kermit Davis has gradually upgraded the talent in Oxford, but it’s of little use when it can’t play.