Engram: Rebels getting 'a little ticked off'

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OXFORD | The monotony of August takes its toll eventually.

The promise of actual games and opponents is present, but after weeks of hitting teammates and seeing the same faces across the line all too often, things finally start to snap.

For Ole Miss and tight end Evan Engram, that point came within the last week.

"It always comes, especially when it gets a little hot," Engram said. "I think this past week is the hottest week, and we felt like we were still in camp even though we were game planning. The heat adds the pissed off factor to it.

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"Everybody was starting the game plan and getting a little ticked off, a couple of scuffles here and there at practice, trash talk within our guys and having fun with it."

Engram and the No. 11 Rebels head to Orlando, Florida, Sunday for a Labor Day date date with No. 4 Florida State in the Camping World Kickoff. The Powder Springs, Georgia, native is Ole Miss' career leader in receiving yards (1,394) and catches (97) by a tight end.

He had 38 receptions each of the last two seasons, but his yards per catch dropped five yards last season (12.2) from his sophomore year (17.4). The longest catch in 2015 was 36 yards -- compared to 83 yards in 2014.

With another season to try to cement his career status and get Ole Miss back to a New Year's Six bowl, patience hasn't been easy.

"We’ve waited the whole offseason and tried to visualize that night, what atmosphere will be, the field, what uniform I’ll be wearing, everything to a T, I’m just so ready," Engram said. "Camp has been fun, high energy but as it gets closer and closer it’s heightened with the locker room and team."

And that sometimes leads to healthy extracurricular actions between teammates.

"Definitely we’re ready to see some different color helmets and different color uniforms," Engram said. "Jaw at them a little bit."