OXFORD, Miss. (AP) Hugh Freeze is entering his third season as Mississippi's head coach, and he's optimistic the program is ready to compete in the Southeastern Conference's Western Division.

But a string of off-the-field incidents have put a damper on anything the Rebels are trying to accomplish on the field.

Four players have been arrested in separate incidents since Ole Miss won the Music City Bowl against Georgia Tech in December. Freeze said on Tuesday before the team's first spring practice that he takes his players' mistakes "very personal."