Tennessee fans might not have recognized Brent Schaeffer when their former quarterback reported for preseason football practice at Ole Miss last week. Schaeffer, who started the 2004 season opener at UT and transferred the following spring, was sporting dreadlocks.

Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron didn't have any trouble recognizing him. He probably has seen Schaeffer in his dreams the last five months.

He would have recognized him in a hockey mask.

Few SEC coaches have invested so much in a recruit. As soon as Orgeron signed Schaeffer, he announced him as his starting quarterback - even though Schaeffer wasn't academically eligible at the time.

When Schaeffer completed his academic work at the College of the Sequoias just in time for preseason camp, Orgeron probably was the happiest man in Mississippi.

Without Schaeffer, the Rebels might have been the worst of the SEC West. Within him, they might win the required six games to qualify for a bowl.

Now, Schaeffer must pass a fast-break course on the Ole Miss offense, taught by new offensive coordinator Dan Werner, who held the same job at the University of Miami last season.

"I'll be honest with you, I've never dealt with something like this before," Werner told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. "I don't know many coaches who have.

"We've just got to give it to him and see what he can do."

Most UT fans remember one thing Schaeffer can do. He can run. In fact, he can run so well UT gladly would have moved him to another position after he lost the starting quarterback job to another freshman, Erik Ainge, in the first half of the 2004 season.

"We need great play out of the quarterback position in the SEC," Orgeron said during SEC football media days. "I think he will be able to do that.

"He'll be able to make plays on his own. He'll be able to run the football when he's being pressured. That's what I like about him. He's going to fit well in our offense."

Orgeron hopes Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis will fit in just as well. Green-Ellis, a New Orleans native, rushed for 938 yards as a freshman at the University of Indiana in 2004.

"He proved that he can play in the Big Ten" Orgeron said. "He can play in big games. Expect him to have a good year."

Ole Miss has another proven running back in Mico McSwain, who set an Ole Miss freshman rushing record with 612 yards, including a 56-yard run against Tennessee.

"We may play Mico at wide receiver some," Orgeron said. "It depends how he adjusts to playing two positions."

Freshman Cordera Eason, rated the No. 1 tailback in the nation by Max Emfinger, also could help an Ole Miss rushing attack that ranked 116th nationally last season.

"We're awfully excited about Cordera," Orgeron said. "I feel like he's going to be a fantastic back."

Freshmen also should help Ole Miss at wide receiver, Marshay Green, who originally signed with the Rebels in 2005, didn't enroll until January. He could contribute at wide receiver as well as on punt returns.

Another new face in the Ole Miss offense is Art Kehoe, who was regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in the country during his 27 years at the University of Miami. His first Ole Miss line returns three starters, including 6-foot-5, 330-pound Michael Oher, who started at offensive guard last year as a true freshman but has been moved to left tackle.

All-American middle linebacker Patrick Willis is the star of the defense, which needs help elsewhere, particularly on the front four.

"It's going to be young (with three sophomore starters), but I think we're very talented," said Orgeron, who coached the defensive line on Southern Cal's national championship team in 2003.