Ole Miss will be getting a chance to practice and train with a little more breathing room soon. The university approved plans to spend $2.4 million to expand the practice field and replace another lost with the construction of a parking garage.
The Associated Press reported Thursday the university board approved the project to use athletic foundation funds to pay for the project. The plan will expand one 60-yard practice field to a full-length field. The addition of treatment equipment for irrigation and floodlights will be included in the cost of the project. Ole Miss had two 60-yard practice fields in addition to a full-field. One of the shorter fields will be the site for a new parking garage.
Ole Miss is clearly a program that appears to be on the rise. Since Hugh Freeze took control of the program the Rebels have generated plenty of buzz with young talent and have become a bit of a trendy pick for the upcoming season. Nobody expects Ole Miss to knock off Auburn or Alabama just yet in the SEC West, but the commitment to improve the football program is pretty obvious and the vision is clear. In order to build a top-caliber program, Ole Miss has to improve the practice facilities and football environment. Providing a better practice field is certainly a good part of that equation for a winning formula.