A 'pretty healthy' Ole Miss releases first availability report ahead of CFP opener

Ole Miss is less than 72 hours away from playing in the College Football Playoff and will do so with a roster that is as close to 100 percent as could be expected in late December.

Wednesday brought about the first CFP player availability report of the week and it confirmed what Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding has been saying for the last week.

The Rebels are in good shape when it comes to injuries. This is good news with the defense getting defensive back Antonio Kite back in the mix. He did not play in three of the last four games to close out the regular season due to a hamstring injury.

Kite did play against Florida, recording four tackles but did not look close to 100 percent. He did not play two weeks later against Mississippi State, giving him over a month of rest once the game kicks off on Saturday.

Hours before the report was released Golding held a Zoom availability with the media and reaffirmed his team is good to go.

“We’re pretty healthy,” Golding said on Wednesday. “We’re probably as healthy as we’ve been up to this point. We’ve been a little banged up in the back (on defense) end, especially corner. We’re expecting Kite to be available for this game. He wasn’t the last couple games, which is a big piece for us. And then we’ll have all our pieces on offense, as well. So everybody that we’ve counted to, kind of up going up to this point, will be available.”

Kite is listed as ‘Questionable’ in Wednesday’s report as is tight end Hayden Bradley.

Along with getting a good update on Kite, Golding’s statement about the offense means starting tight end Dae’Quan Wright will be available after dealing with a shoulder injury the back half of the season. Wright did not miss a game in the regular season but his numbers dropped over the final six games.

Wright is listed as ‘Probable’ along with fellow tight end Trace Bruckler

Below is the full player availability reports for both Ole Miss and Tulane

OLE MISS

• Cedrick Beavers – OUT
• Raymond Collins – OUT
• John Wayne Oliver – OUT
• Antonio Kite – QUESTIONABLE
• Hayden Bradley – QUESTIONABLE
• Dae’Quan Wright – PROBABLE
• Trace Bruckler – PROBABLE

TULANE

• Dickson Agu (LB) – OUT
• LeRon Husbands (TE) – OUT
• Gerrod Henderson (DE) – OUT
• Jayden Lewis (DB) – OUT
• Cooper Helmke (K) – OUT
• Jack Tchienchou (S) – PROBABLE
• Kadin Semonza (QB) – PROBABLE
• Josh Sims (CB) – PROBABLE
• Michael Igbinoghene (SPR) – PROBABLE
• Dorion Jackson (DB) – PROBABLE
• Tristen Fortenberry (OL) – PROBABLE
• Mitch Hodnett (OL) – PROBABLE
• Derrick Graham (OL) – PROBABLE
• Antwaun Parham (WR) – PROBABLE