Escape artist

• By PARRISH ALFORD
• Tupelo, Miss., Daily Journal
• Published: Nov 20, 2009 - Page: 1C

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OXFORD, Miss. — Dexter McCluster ran around and away from Tennessee defenders, leaving them grasping at air and confused.

But McCluster’s greatest escape act didn’t come on last Saturday’s perfect fall afternoon when he fueled a 42-17 Ole Miss win over the Volunteers with 282 rushing yards, 324 all-purpose yards.

No, his get-away was more impressive in July, when he walked away from a fiery, life-threatening car crash.

Teammate Greg Hardy was with him that day. Along with another friend, they had been to the mall to play video games and were passing through rural Pontotoc County east of Oxford on their way home. They collided with another vehicle, and their car immediately burst into flames.

McCluster’s immediate reaction was to find his phone and talk to the most important people in his life. He had been struggling to evaluate himself spiritually and shortly after the accident devoted his life to Christ. A video in which he describes the accident and his testimony appears at Youtube.com.

“You see in the movies how time slows down, and that’s exactly what happened. I had the chance to think about my loved ones, my parents, my daughter, everybody,” McCluster said. “I knew I wasn’t hurt, but I was just so shaken up. I’d never been in that situation.”

McCluster walked away unscathed, but Hardy aggravated a foot injury. Hardy, the Rebels’ sack leader, had season-ending surgery on his wrist last week, an unrelated injury.

“Dexter may have had a couple of bruises. He knew how fortunate he was to be alive,” Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said.

For McCluster, it was an inauspicious beginning to the Rebels’ season of promise. His season didn’t exactly pick up speed once play began.

Early on Nutt favored sophomore Brandon Bolden at tailback, a bigger, more powerful runner, saving McCluster, then lining up at wide receiver, as a big-play threat on screens, reverses and occasionally the Wild Rebel, Nutt’s name for the Wildcat formation.

The offense was inconsistent the first half of the season, and Nutt devised a new plan.

Hand the ball to McCluster.

In his past three SEC games the 5-9, 170-pound senior from Largo, Fla., has rushed for 591 yards. He is fifth in the SEC in rushing yards with 755, and he leads the league in yards per carry at 7.06.