Ole Miss DT Nkemdiche cleared at Auburn

Robert Nkemdiche has practiced all week and is “ready to go” for Auburn on Saturday. (USATSI)

Ole Miss star defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, who suffered a concussion in the Rebels’ loss to Memphis two weeks ago and missed the Texas A&M game last week, is “ready to go” for the Auburn game on Saturday, according to coach Hugh Freeze.

“Rob’s been acclimated, he’s just got to be symptom-free, which he is right now,” Freeze said on Wednesday. “Everything looks good with him … Rob’s cleared to go. As long as he doesn’t have any more symptoms, he’s looked good both days of practice. He’s ready to go.”

Nkemdiche was thought to be cleared to play last Friday before he woke up on Saturday with concussion symptoms again and had to sit out the game. While a reoccurrence of symptoms could prompt him to sit out Saturday, he has practiced all week with the team and not had any setbacks to this point.

Safety Tony Conner could also return to the lineup for the Rebels after he suffered a torn meniscus against Alabama. Conner took some reps in practice and his status for Saturday will be re-evaluated later this week.

“[With Tony], it is just how is he progressing? He’s been out a while. I think he got 12 snaps yesterday,” Freeze said on Wednesday. “I don’t know how many today, but we’ll kind of see how he goes throughout the week and how much swelling there is and all the things the docs have to look at to judge him. He is day-to-day.”

Getting Nkemdiche and Conner back would be a nice boost for the Rebels defense. While the unit has not been the dominant force most expected it to be this season, they did look much improved last week against Texas A&M and will want to build on that performance.

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