Ole Miss is dealing with the aftermath of a grim weekend that left two male students dead and prompted separate death investigations from local authorities.
University officials confirmed the deaths after emergency personnel responded to Stewart Hall following a call about a possible overdose. According to the county coroner, one of the students was 18 years old and found on campus, while the other was 20 and found off campus.
Law enforcement has recovered packaged kratom from a retail store at both death scenes, but officials have not said the substance was responsible in either case. Lafayette County Metro Narcotics addressed the speculation directly, saying, “We do not have confirmation indicating that kratom or any other substance was a contributing factor in either death.”
The agency added that the cases are being handled as “two separate death investigations.”
Vice Chancellor Shawnboda Mead also pushed back against the flood of rumors spreading online. In an email to the campus community, she wrote, “We encourage our community not to speculate about the circumstances or repeat information.”
Autopsy and toxicology results are still pending.
In the meantime, social media has been awash in unverified claims about additional overdoses at Ole Miss, sparking panic and confusion around Oxford. One post said, “🚨 Breaking: 5 kids have died from cychlorphine overdoses this weekend at Ole Miss in Laced Xanax bars.
Stay safe.” Another claimed, “🚨BREAKING- PARENTS, READ THIS!
🚨. Allegedly, Ole Miss is searching for more kids who didn’t show up to class today.
Reports are that there are student Overdose deaths at Clemson, LSU, Alabama, USouthCarolina and Ole Miss.”
That same post also included a message it said was sent out from UGA, which read: “🚨🚨🚨🚨As I am sure you guys are starting to hear, this weekend in Oxford there were 7 deaths from overdoses at least 5 of which were fraternity men. These deaths came from cyclorphine an opioid that is stronger then fentanyl that was disguised as a Xanax and potentially also cocaine.
I reached out to all of your chapter presidents but as we know to combat this we need leaders of all ages to be on the same page, strongly encourage your chapters against drug use. It is evident this new mixer has hit the SEC.
With a big weekend ahead, it is critical you all are proactive with your chapters regarding this issue, so getting in front of guys you know may partake in these risks is encouraged.”
Lafayette County Metro Narcotics said the deaths remain under investigation by local, state, and federal authorities.
In Other News...
Marylands Biggest Problem Isnt Fixed Yet Ahead Of UCLA
Maryland heads into its Big Ten opener with a familiar kind of urgency after Mike Locksley spent the week addressing what went wrong against Virginia Tech. The issues were spread across all three phases, from missed tackles on defense to an offensive line that struggled to hold up and special teams penalties that only made matters harder. With the roster still dealing with injuries at running back, the Terps have had to reshape the offense on the fly, leaning more heavily on short perimeter throws and RPO concepts to keep things moving.
UCLA brings a different sort of challenge into the matchup, one that can expose any team still searching for answers up front. Marylands ability to clean up the details will matter just as much as any schematic adjustment, especially against a Bruins rushing attack that figures to test the Terps discipline and tackling early. The concern for Locksley is clear enough: the fix has to show up soon, but there are still enough moving parts to make this one feel like a real measuring stick. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Specialist Has Turned An Unusual Obsession Into A Locker Room Edge
Philip Noyes has turned an offbeat hobby into part of his football identity at Maryland, and it has been a fascinating one to watch from the outside. The specialist has played more than 7,000 online chess games since 2021, a level of obsession that traces back to early childhood and to the influence of his Russian grandfather, then took another leap during the COVID-19 pandemic when online play and tournaments became part of his routine.
Now, that same chess brain has found a place in the Terrapins locker room, where Noyes can play blindfolded against teammates and still keep track of the board through pure visualization. He uses a teammate to relay the moves, a quirky setup that says plenty about how far his focus has come and why Maryland has a specialist with an unusual edge beyond the field. [Read more 🡒]
Sidney Stewart Is Becoming Marylands Pass Rush Centerpiece
Sidney Stewart has steadily turned himself into one of the most important parts of Marylands defense, giving the Terps a pass-rush presence that offenses have started to game plan around. Through the early part of the season, he has piled up 12 pressures and earned top-tier recognition from Pro Football Focus College, where he sits No. 9 among Power Four defenders in quarterback pressures.
The more attention he draws, the more the challenge shifts from producing a disruptive play here or there to doing it every week while teams try to account for him on every snap. Stewart has already shown the kind of varied impact Maryland wants from an edge rusher, with tackles, tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble, and the question now is how much more disruptive he can become as opponents keep adjusting to him. [Read more 🡒]