Spencer, Spurlock linked again

By By Will Bardwell / staff writer
Sept. 3, 2004
OXFORD Chris Spencer remembers the first time he heard about Micheal Spurlock.
He was a senior at Madison Central High School and one of the nation's top offensive linemen in 2000 when his school prepared for a game against Gentry High School.
It was Spurlock. Blazing speed, a rifle arm and solid instincts made him one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the state.
Madison Central rolled to victory over Spurlock and Gentry, but when the game ended, the win was the last thing on Spencer's mind.
He was already thinking about the future.
Spencer got his wish. He and Spurlock both signed with Ole Miss in 2001, along with Doug Buckles, Mike Espy, Vashon Pearson and a host of other players who now find themselves thrust into the spotlight after time in supporting roles.
It was head coach David Cutcliffe's third signing class at Ole Miss, and in the midst of building the Rebels program, Cutcliffe was able to redshirt and protect several of those signees. Spurlock, a junior, has played in only two games and thrown just eight passes. Even Spencer, who has earned preseason all-conference honors from several college football magazines, has been dropped into several positions on the offensive line and has started only six games.
Ready or not, though, their time has come. On Saturday, Spencer will go full-time as Ole Miss' center, and Spurlock will stand behind him in the unenviable role as the replacement for Eli Manning the most prolific quarterback in school history.
It is a moment Spurlock has been waiting for since he first came to Oxford three years ago.
Spurlock is everything Manning was not, but he says he doesn't worry about comparisons to his predecessor. Like Manning, Spurlock is a drop-back passer. He is shorter 5-foot-11 and more mobile than Manning ever was. His arm is as strong as Manning's, although Spurlock's accuracy was a problem at times during spring drills.
Spurlock's mobility is one of his strengths, but it also poses an extra concern for Spencer and the Rebels' other linemen. For the three years they spent protecting Manning, linemen rarely had to worry about the quarterback scooting outside the pocket.
It will become a regular occurrence with Spurlock.
But that is an adjustment Spencer said he's happy to make.