Ole Miss, Pete Golding still gathering information in Carius Curne's 'legal matter' following arrest

The Ole Miss offense tackle position is one of that still has question marks around it and this weekend’s events with a key transfer Carius Curne compounded that, some.

On Saturday Curne was arrested by Arkansas State Police at 5:11 p.m. CT on charges of fleeing, reckless driving, speeding, improper lane change, possession of schedule VI substance (LT 4 oz). and possession of drug paraphernalia – misdemeanor. He was booked into the Crittenden County Jail and released at 6:50 p.m. CT.

The arrest was nearly six hours after Meet the Rebels ended where Curne was inside the IPF taking part in the festivities and signing along with the rest of the offensive linemen. It is still not known what happened to lead to Curne’s arrest and subsequent charges.

Monday was the penultimate day for media availability as Ole Miss wraps up its Spring practices on Thursday. Head coach Pete Golding took the podium for the final time before we see him in Tampa for SEC Media Days in just under three months time.

Golding was asked about Curne’s arrest where things stand with him.

“Obviously, it’s a legal matter. We’re still gathering information,” Golding said on Monday. “So really can’t speak on that right now. But, we’ll let the legal process run its course and see what happens.”

As Ole Miss Spirit‘s Ben Garrett reported on Sunday, this was not an isolated incident for Curne who has had a “troubling pattern” since arriving in Oxford in January.

Later during Golding’s press conference he was asked about leaders within the team that help him try and keep players from straying into trouble when he is not around them 24/7.

Though not speaking directly about Curne or his current legal situation, Golding did provide a little insight into what is expected of him by the players.

“I think we got a lot of really good leaders in the locker room. I think we got a lot of really good kids, you know what I’m saying? They have really good intentions,” Golding said. “But at the end of the day, they are still young, and there’s a lot of times that people in this room like myself make decisions that we wish we wouldn’t have.

“I think it’s really about understanding what do you have to lose. Some of these people that we associate with don’t and so I think there’s that self-discipline piece, and that’s hard. That they read how good they are. …I think we got a nucleus of guys that have a goal and really know that they want to increase their value. Really know they want to try to compete for a championship and they know they don’t get to do all that. You do all that sh*t, you’re not going in the first round. You know?”

Curne’s status is still with Ole Miss, at the moment, but the offensive tackle situation still cloudy.

Transfer Tommy Kinsler out of Miami was currently working with Curnes at tackle, but both missed time during the Spring due to injury.

Returners Terez Davis, Connor Howes and John Wayne Oliver are competing at right tackle. Oliver, banged up himself, has been limited. Davis, a one-time Maryland transfer, is with the first team.

There is nothing warm and fuzzy about the position at the moment, which Golding acknowledged in a position that still very much in progress. There has been a musical chair aspect with rotating players around, ensuring they all match up against good talent on the other side of the ball.

“I think it continues to need work for sure, but I think (John) Garrison’s done a good job,” Golding said. “We’ve looked at a lot of different spots. …I think the new guys Enoch and Tommy and all those guys are doing a good job. Like I said last week, they flashed. Where they can play winning football in the SEC. It’s just doing it on a more consistent basis. I think Terez had had a really solid spring and that’s why we brought him back and he’s got to continue to develop and, from a leadership standpoint, bring those guys with him.”