National top-20 prospect Emerson impressed with Ole Miss' persistence
OXFORD | Greg Emerson arrived on the Ole Miss campus Saturday with a primary focus — to develop a relationship with the Rebels’ new defensive line coach.
Ole Miss hired former Alabama player and coach Freddie Roach to complete its staff after assistant Tray Scott left the Rebels for the same position at Georgia after several weeks.
The nation’s No. 20 prospect and No. 2 defensive tackle had known Scott to an extent, but his departure, or, for that matter, the departure of Chris Kiffin, has’t affected Emerson with the Rebels negatively.
“I’m most looking to spend some quality time with new defensive line coach and knowing they had that one that originally came but he left and went to Georgia. We had a good relationship but I plan on making a better relationship with this new defensive line coach.”
Ole Miss received its amended notice of allegations from the NCAA earlier in the week, but Emerson didn’t seem impacted to this point by the news. The Rebels are hoping the NCAA Committee on Infractions doesn’t lengthen its self-imposed bowl ban for 2017. The current prospects will sign in February 2018.
“Even with them being in trouble and all I don’t think that’s going to hold the program back because they push their kids to the limit — even in the lowest time,” Emerson said. “It is what it is at the end of the day. It’s nothing we can do about it. You just have to move on and let it brush off your shoulder.”
The Jackson, Tennessee, product has been on Ole Miss’ campus before, and the Rebels are trying to break into a current lead group of Alabama, Tennessee and Ohio State. He gave quick thoughts on those three programs.
Alabama: “With Alabama it’s how much the community is involved with the football program. On game days it’s crazy up there. We couldn’t even get a room. Had to get a room 30 miles away. Alabama is pretty interesting and the tradition. You can’t pass up that.”
Tennessee: “That’s the home state. Everything stood out to me at Tennessee. The coaches and the D-line transition is there and I plan to make a better relationship with him, too. I hope to see my boy Trey (Smith) up there, too. I guess you can call us (close friends).”
Ohio State: It was good for my first experience up north other than when I went to Michigan State. What can you expect out of an up north team? it was cold.”
Emerson visits Tennessee again next month and plans to cut his list to a top six in March. Ole Miss has recruited him since his sophomore year, and he’s been impressed with the Rebels’ persistence.
“They are determined to come get you,” Emerson said. “When they recruit their goal is to give an arm and a leg to just come get you. Even if you’re in Hawaii.”