We knew already Ole Miss had suspended Denzel Nkemdiche from the team while a legal issue is sorted out. Now we know that suspension will carry over to the season opener for the Rebels against Boise State.
As spring practice opened in Oxford, Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze addressed Nkemdiche’s status with the team. Nkemdiche will sit out the first game of the season against Boise State.
"(Nkemdiche) will not be with us this spring,” Freeze confirmed. “He is still suspended from the team... He will be suspended at least for the first game next year. I’m hoping he can really learn from the mistakes that have been made and get back to being who he can be. He’s a good kid. It’s never fun when your kids make mistakes.”
Freeze also confirmed Serderius Bryant is also suspended from the team but will continue to practice. Freeze said Bryant will have some community service to do to help regain his position with the team moving forward, and part of that includes giving up time on his spring break to perform some mission work. The second team All-SEC linebacker was arrested for disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace at the same time as Nkemdiche. For now, Freeze has not determined if Bryant will miss the season opener as well, but he left the door open for that as a realistic possibility.
“He has a lot of things he has to do to be in good standing before the first ball game,” Freeze said about Bryant. “It could involve some being suspended, also, depending on how the rest of his stuff goes.”