Ole Miss holding out RB Jerrion Ealy and WR Braylon Sanders, facing other roster issues

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Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin told media Monday that the Rebels (4-5) are "really struggling" with numbers heading into the matchup against Indiana (6-1).

Mississippi sophomore RB Jerrion Ealy and senior WR Braylon Sanders have both been held out of practice due to undisclosed injuries.

Ealy (5'8/180) and Sanders (6'0/190) were injured during the Rebels' regular season finale against LSU, and neither has returned to practice.

They're now in a race against time to get medically cleared, as Mississippi is scheduled to face Indiana in the Outback Bowl on Saturday.

HC Lane Kiffin said that, while he has no intention of pulling his team out of the game, there are issues throughout the roster when it comes to injuries and COVID-19 related absences. Mississippi may be able to play Saturday afternoon, but they won't have much margin for error when it comes to the team's depth.

"We've not talked about not playing," Kiffin said. "We just want to be a part of a bowl game after this long of not being in one. We've not even discussed that. I don't even know what our (COVID-19) numbers are because we're just going."

Kiffin didn't mention any players or position groups specifically when talking about COVID-19 cases but said the issues are more offensive than they are defense.

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