In their 34-27 loss to Texas, the Ole Miss Rebels offensive line was not at full strength.
Terez Davis, the starting right tackle, left late in the game with an injury. Although listed as a game-time decision, Davis couldn't play.
Right tackle Conner Howes flipped to the other side to replace Davis, and Tommy Kinsler IV subbed in at right tackle.
Ole Miss Rebels offensive lineman Terez Davis (90) against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Pete Golding addressed Terez Davis's status ahead of Saturday's matchup against the Auburn Tigers. Golding seemed optimistic in his Monday press conference.
He admitted that Ole Miss could have played Davis against Texas, but felt it was in his team's best interest to hold him out.
"Terez was a game-time decision," Golding admitted. [We] didn't feel like it was in his best interest and our best interest moving forward. [We] probably could have done it, but we didn't know what it [would] look like afterward, and it could have made things worse.
He added that the team is anticipating Davis's return this weekend.
"We feel like, you know, throughout this week that we'll get [Davis] back for this weekend.
Playing it safe certainly hurt Ole Miss against Texas, but it was a good decision for the rest of the season. As Kewan Lacy showed , rushing players back from injury for a big game is generally not a good decision. Lacy could be sidelined for a significant period of time after Texas, but Davis is healthy and ready to go against Auburn.
Hopefully, the handling of the Terez Davis injury teaches the Ole Miss staff the value of waiting until a player is fully healthy before bringing them back. Ole Miss should have a fully healthy Davis manning the left side of the line, which should bode well for offensive success against the Tigers. The rush yards and time in the pocket will tell the story.
Despite Davis's absence, the Ole Miss offensive line did not give up a single sack. It was not a perfect performance; Trinidad Chambliss evaded sacks and made several hurried throws.
The Ole Miss running game was also not at its peak on Saturday night. The Rebels rushed for 113 yards on 3.8 yards per carry. Several factors contributed to the poor rushing performance beyond Davis, but his absence certainly didn't help.
Pete Golding felt like the run game was hampered.
"We weren't really consistent in the run game, being able to move guys and create some holes," Golding said. "There were times that it looked really good and we created a couple [of] explosives, and there were times that we didn't."
Davis is a mountain of a man, standing at 6'4, and weighing 310 pounds. He moves lightly on his feet , which makes him an asset in both run blocking and pass protection.
Nothing against Tommy Kinsler, but his 6'6", 350-pound frame is not as mobile as Davis's. That negatively affected the rush game Saturday, but hopefully it gets fixed in Davis's return.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/olemiss as Pete Golding Expects Key Ole Miss Lineman Back for Auburn Game .
