The University of Mississippi has emerged as an unexpected power in college football this season under Coach Hugh Freeze, whose road map to the upper reaches of the Southeastern Conference has made him one of the university’s most popular figures since various members of the Manning family roamed the tree-lined streets of Oxford.

The No. 3 Rebels (7-0), who play Saturday at No. 24 Louisiana State (6-2), are rolling behind a stifling defense and an up-tempo offense, styles of play that Freeze developed as a high school coach.

And not only on the football field.

From 1992 to 2004, Freeze coached girls’ basketball at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis. Known for pressuring opponents into sweat-soaked piles of exhaustion (and this might sound familiar to anyone who has watched Ole Miss play defense), the Lady Saints reached seven straight state championship games, winning four. Freeze’s overall record in 12 seasons with the team was 305-63. As the head football coach for 10 seasons, Freeze led Briarcrest to two state titles and a 99-23 record.

“It definitely stretched me,” said Freeze, 45, who might be the only man in charge of a Football Bowl Subdivision program with coaching experience in women’s basketball. “I didn’t really know anything about the game of basketball. So I had to get out there and learn the X’s and O’s. But you still have to find ways to motivate and teach.”