At SEC Media Days in July, Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt was bluntly truthful about his team.

“As we look forward to this year we lost a lot,” Nutt said. “We lost a lot.”

Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt is putting his faith in Oregon transfer quarterback Jeremiah Masoli.

Dexter McCluster, the only player in the entire Southeastern Conference with 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards last season, is gone.

Shay Hodge, the only Ole Miss receiver to ever eclipse 1,000 yards in a single season, is gone. 

Same goes for 2009 preseason Heisman candidate and starting quarterback Jevan Snead.

And those are just three of many.

So when quarterback Jeremiah Masoli became a proverbial free agent after being exiled from Oregon for a series of run-ins with local law enforcement, Oxford, Miss. became a rather convenient destination.

Masoli, who is eligible to play immediately because he is enrolled as a graduate student, utilized 2009 to lead Oregon to its first Rose Bowl since 1995, account for over 2,700 yards and 28 touchdowns last season and be regarded as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate.

Intially Nutt didn’t know if he could trust Masoli, and went to Athletic Director Pete Boone before giving Masoli a roster spot as a walk-on.

“You have an obligation to this organization and that’s what I felt,” Nutt said in a release. “I’ll have a contract with him. He understands it will be zero tolerance and he has to do what’s right.”

Masoli understands that this is his last chance and is doing everything he can to fit in. 

If he is not the starter, he will still see the field in Ole Miss’ Wild Rebel offense. 

And teams that can say their backup quarterback started in the Rose Bowl last January are few and far between.