Bleacher Report - Articles by Derek Stephens

Ole Miss-Alabama: Jevan Snead's Performance Crucial to Rebels in SEC Clash

Derek Stephens — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:59:21 -0400

As the No. 20 Ole Miss Rebels prepare for their toughest test of the year, one of the keys for success obviously lies with the play of quarterback Jevan Snead.

Snead, who was the talk of plenty a preseason Heisman discussion, had his best game Saturday, passing for 237 yards and three touchdowns against Vanderbilt. But Snead also threw three interceptions.

So, what's with all the inconsistency?

A lot of it may have to do with offensive line protection. After losing Michael Oher, Ole Miss had to replace the All-American, which has been tough to say the least. The team has gone with Bradley Sowell, but he has struggled so far.

To his credit, however, Sowell's has improved drastically since the South Carolina game (that or no Eric Norwood, of course).

Snead also does not seem very comfortable in the pocket at times. When the play breaks down and receivers aren't open, Snead gets fidgety and, at times, makes some bad decisions such as forcing the ball into coverage or taking a sack.

Considering all that, what does Snead need to do to lead the Rebs over the Tide on Saturday?

If you recall, the quarterback played pretty lights-out at the end of last season. However, he wasn't putting up many 300- to 400-yard days or throwing four or five touchdown passes per game.

He was just playing his role and limiting mistakes.

Snead began the season poorly in 2008, throwing 10 interceptions in his first six games. During the six-game winning streak to end the season, however, Snead only threw three interceptions.

Snead has the playmakers to not have to put the team on his back.

Senior Shay Hodge is coming off the best game of his career with eight receptions for 122 yards receiving and two touchdowns versus Vanderbilt. After the '07 Alabama controversial play to end the game, you know Hodge wants to have another breakout game.

Dexter McCluster has the ability to turn a short underneath route into a 30-yard reception and freshman Pat Patterson has improved each week.

Add a healthy Gerald Harris, who caught two touchdowns in the Cotton Bowl and is a great pass protector, and Snead has no reason to put the team on his back.

When Ole Miss defeated Florida last year in the Swamp, Snead's completion percentage was under 50 percent (9 of 20) and he ended the day with just 185 yards, 86 of those on one play to Hodge. Snead threw only one interception.

The key is for Snead to make the easy throws, not forcing the ball due to Saban's blitzing scheme, and to score in the redzone.

Snead has to be consistent.

For 60 minutes.

So, Where Do The Rebels Go From Here?

Derek Stephens — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:21:08 -0400

It was time to step up.

It was time to say, “We're #4 for a reason.”

And then, Thursday happened.

Ole Miss had the chance last night to step up and show the world they were a legit elite football team. Houston Nutt had a chance to get the critics off his back and show he can win the games he's supposed to win.

And then, the nightmare came true.

Ole Miss could only muster three first half points, and the offensive line looked terrible. Dexter McCluster only touched the football once in the first half. Snead had a completion percentage just over 30 percent. Bradley Sowell had a night to forget. The Rebels come out of a timeout in a crucial late game situation and have 12 men on the field.

The defense was quite possibly the only bright spot of the game for the Rebs, besides McCluster virtually putting the team on his back with a late rally from the Rebs.

So, the question remains, where do the Rebels go from here? They dropped out of the top 20 in the AP poll, landing at 21, and dropped to 18 in the coaches poll.

I think the first thing the Rebels do is reconfigure the offensive line. Ole Miss landed mammoth right tackle Bobbie Massie on signing day and haven't used him much yet. I think it's time to throw him in the fire. Maybe he'll get burned, but at this point, I think the Rebels don't really have a choice. Something has to give. Can the offensive line honestly look much worse than Thursday night? I don't think so.

Ole Miss also needs to put more emphasis on Dexter McCluster at running back. McCluster ran very effectively at the running back position late in the fourth quarter. He showed his elusiveness and primetime ability, but it was a little too late.

Can the dual-threat handle the workload seems to be the only question with that proposed adjustment.

Jevan Snead needs to slow down and just play his role.

Granted, he gets a bit of a pass because the offensive line for the Rebs couldn't give Snead any time to get the pass away. But that's never really been a problem with Snead, considering he had one of the top offensive tackles in the country protecting his blind side last year.

I've heard plenty of people throughout the day say, "The Rebels need to forget about Columbia and South Carolina."

To be honest, I truly disagree with that.

The players need to remember this for the whole season. Did Florida forget about Ole Miss? No. They used that game as motivation for the rest of the season.

When they're running sprints at practice, going through plays, working out, whatever it be, they need to remember they better be prepared to play every time they hit the field.

The coaches need to remember this game too. When they're preparing for the next SEC opponent, they need to figure out ways to get the ball in Dexter McCluster's hand earlier. They need to find ways to make the offense more effective and give Snead in a position to make some plays.

For the Rebels, where to go from here, is back to the basics.

The basics that gave them a position to upset Florida in the Swamp, beat LSU in Tiger Stadium, and beat Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl.

Granted, some of those players aren't at Oxford anymore, but a lot of them are.

Snead, McCluster, Bolden, Hodge, Hardy, Green, Lockett, Trahan, Walker, Lewis. Do I need to list more? Okay, Eason, Jerry, Vaughn, Laurent, Armour, Scott, Powe.

To truly fulfill you're slogan of “Unsatisfied”, you can't lay down when the pressure is on. You have to step up.

SEC Primetime Showdown: No. 4 Ole Miss vs. South Carolina Preview

Derek Stephens — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:43:50 -0400

The No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels (2-0) open up their SEC season against South Carolina (2-1, 0-1 SEC) on Thursday night during the primetime slot on ESPN.

Although South Carolina is unranked, many sources believe this will be a very close game. Vegas lines are currently at -3.5 (in favor of Ole Miss) and Scouts, Inc. has South Carolina winning 28-27.

Keys to Victory

So, how does Ole Miss pull through in a packed out environment at Columbia?

Well, first off, and foremost, the Rebels need to protect the football. In last year's loss against South Carolina, Ole Miss committed three turnovers and Dexter McCluster fumbled at the opposing six-yard line midway through the third quarter at a very crucial time for the Rebs that potentially could've put them up 28-17.

Another way Ole Miss can help their cause is productive offense, long drives that wear down the opposing defense. Ellis Johnson has hinted earlier this week that his defense may not be close to 100 percent. Even though Snead completed 65 percent of his passes and threw for over 240 yards over South Carolina last season, the Rebels need to get things started with Brandon Bolden early to set the tone and set up the play action for Snead to work with.

Defensively, I believe for the Rebels to compete to their fullest, the linebackers need to be very physical and show better form tackling. It'll be interesting to see how the secondary does for Ole Miss, finally seeing a productive SEC quality quarterback under center. The defensive line for Ole Miss is considered to be one of the top groups in the country led by juniors Jerrell Powe and Kentrell Lockett, with the addition of All-American Greg Hardy and Lawon Scott. The Rebels will have to get pressure to South Carolina gunslinger Stephen Garcia to aid the secondary and keep the South Carolina defense rattled.

On a short note, special teams needs to sharpen up as well. Justin Sparks had two very poor punts, one being 11 yards and the other 17, against Southeastern Louisiana. Houston Nutt said in the news conference that Sparks is the guy...for now. Also, dangerous punt returner Marshay Green muffed two punt returns against SELA, which he credits to not being fully focused. Ole Miss can not make those type of mistakes to win against South Carolina.

Moving Jean-Louis to Fullback?

Without starting fullback Andy Hartmann, the Rebels have gone to some unique lengths to replace him while he is out for the next two weeks.

Asked in a conference, Houston Nutt said, "Right now, Dan Hoffman, Derrick Davis, and Mark Jean-Louis. Those are the three guys we'll go with."

Houston Nutt also pointed out Jean-Louis's physical play as an indicator to put him at fullback.

"He's physical and he's tough. If he gets a head of steam, he can swallow some guys up. He's a big guy. He likes to hit people so that's a good advantage for us."

Mark Jean-Louis, at 6'2" 315 lbs., has been an offensive lineman for Ole Miss for the past four years. The question is whether Ole Miss plans to use him in regular sets or could he be used in a goalline situation similar to what Terrance Cody does for Alabama in the wishbone.

Asked if he had ever used a 315-lb. fullback, Houston Nutt responded, "No never have. We are thin. After Andy Hartmann, you are almost manufacturing fullbacks. You have to have a guy that is very physical. A tough guy that is going to run around, hit you and loves contact. He had a very good camp backing up Daverin Geralds and playing right guard."

'The Super Rebel' debut?

There has been speculation throughout the Ole Miss fanbase that Kent Austin may have added a new wrinkle to the already successful 'Wild Rebel' offense to add more speed. Two games down, still a no show. However, if Nutt and Austin were to bring it out, would they really do it against Memphis or SELA?

Also, could the 'Super Rebel' be a different formation, rather than the Single Wing the Wild Rebel operates from?

Jevan Snead during the offseason, when asked about a 'Super Rebel', made some interesting comments.

"I believe I'm not in the game anymore. I'm not sure, I think that's what I heard. We did a little bit of that in the spring."

Additional Game Notes

—Game will be aired by ESPN, gametime 6:30 p.m. (CT).

—Announcers: Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Craig James (analyst), Jesse Palmer (analyst), and Erin Andrews (sideline reporter).

—Ole Miss claims a 4-3 lead all-time in Columbia.

—Ole Miss currently has the top scoring offense in the SEC and third in the nation at 48.5 ppg.

—The last time Ole Miss started 3-0 was 1989.

Prediction

Ole Miss not only needs another win, but they need a good showing in front of the nation on primetime to back up their No. 4 ranking.

South Carolina also needs a desperate win, and haven't defeated a top five team since 1981, being 1-31 overall against them.

Ole Miss, as stated earlier, will need the offensive line and Brandon Bolden to physically wear the depleted South Carolina defense. The offensive line will also need to pick up multiple blitzing packages delivered by South Carolina defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson.

As for the defense, it'll be interesting to see how Garcia reacts towards pressure. His efficiency rates takes a huge hit. Ole Miss will be able to get at least the most pressure South Carolina has seen, considering Greg Hardy will be back from nursing an ankle injury suffered against Memphis.

However, if the Rebs fail to pressure Garcia and let him have time to throw the ball, Ole Miss could be in for a bad night just like last year's 300-plus yard performance by Chris Smelley last year.

South Carolina should be able to hang around with Ole Miss for two or three quarters, considering the teams on paper and limited mistakes by either team, but then it is assumed Ole Miss's depth and better talent starts to show out. For Ole Miss, it's time to distinguish themselves as a contender or a pretender.

Final Prediction: (4) Ole Miss 31-South Carolina 20

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Featured Columnist. Please comment on the story below and he'll be glad to answer your questions or comment as well. To reach Derek, please send him a message through your Bleacher Report account.

Five Burning Answers Regarding the Ole Miss Rebels

Derek Stephens — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:13:38 -0400

If you recall, earlier this week I published an article, Five Burning Questions Regarding the Ole Miss Rebels. As the season progresses, I feel there are five real questions for the Ole Miss team that could deeply affect the rest of their season.

Now, I share my thoughts on the questions that Ole Miss fans and college football fans wonder about the Rebs.

5) Will Greg Hardy Get Healthy?

Derek says: I've followed Greg Hardy ever since Ole Miss signed him. The guy can absolutely play and will be a millionaire next year, however, the injury bug seems to get him every year.

He came out of his shell and had a breakout year his sophomore year, had a stress fracture last year, and got injured during the Memphis game three weeks ago.

However, Houston Nutt said this week that Hardy is expected to play against South Carolina. Asked about it, Greg Hardy said that he was good, but didn't 'feel Greg Hardy yet'. I think that Hardy will eventually get healthy, but won't be close to 100% until the Alabama game.

4) Are the receivers as good as once believed?

Derek says: There's no doubting Shay Hodge or Dexter McCluster's ability to be quality receivers. What people doubt, however, is Markeith Summers and Lionel Breaux to be big time receivers for the Rebs. Breaux and Summers both had drops during the Southeastern Louisiana game this week.

However, the group looks to be getting better with the progression of HS All-American Pat Patterson, who caught four receptions for over 70 yards and a touchdown. At this point, I don't think you can say whether or not the receivers are as advertised.

If I had to guess, I'd say yes, basically because of what I saw at the end of the season during the LSU game and the quickness I see from Breaux rarely this year. Summers also caught a TD against Memphis, so I think it's too early to tell. One thing is for sure, we'll learn quick on Thursday.

3) Is the secondary a weakness?

Derek says: Honestly, this is an easy answer for me. I could end up eating my words after Thursday, but after two games, it's not the secondary that's really the weakness. The weakness, if one at this point, seems to be at linebacker.

The defensive line is doing a great job of setting the linebackers up for plays, but tackling has been sub par. As for the secondary, has it actually faced someone yet?

No, but Marshay Green and Cassius Vaughn look just as physical as they were against Graham Harrel's passing attack in January and Johnny Brown looks like a great SS to replace Jamarca Samford. My answer for now: No, linebackers are the concern.

2) How will the offensive line look against SEC competition?

Derek says: They will definitely have to look better. They looked better against Southeastern Louisiana, but it was Southeastern Louisiana. There were times against Memphis it looked as though they would collapse.

If they do that against South Carolina, Snead will have no time to throw the ball downfield, which will hurt the Rebel's chances tremendously. I think the offensive line clings to the development of Bobbie Massie.

He hasn't gained much playing time yet, but Ole Miss is counting on him depth wise to play soon. I think the Ole Miss offensive line won't be horrible, but at this point won't be near as solid as the end of 2008 with Michael Oher.

1) Will Jevan Snead stay consistent?

Derek says: Arguably, nobody was as hot as Jevan Snead to end the year last year: 16 touchdowns, 3 interceptions to end the year during the Rebel's six game win streak. He was named a top five returning quarterback by ESPN and Kirk Herbstreit. He's also still currently No. 2 on Mel Kiper's Top QBs for the 2010 NFL Draft. He fueled the doubters back up when he threw two interceptions against Memphis.

If you recall, Snead started out with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. My opinion is that it'll take a couple games for Snead to get adjusted to working without Mike Wallace. Wallace was a crucial part at the end of 2008 of spreading the field for Snead. Pat Patterson is the guy the coaching staff want to fill that role.

Patterson did a good job against Southeastern Louisiana, but again the reoccurring them, it's Southeastern Louisiana. I think once Snead gets his timing down with Patterson, Breaux, and Summers, he'll quit relying on just Hodge and McCluster and will start to keep the secondary guessing.

Five Burning Questions Regarding The Ole Miss Rebels

Derek Stephens — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:29:11 -0400

As we are now two weeks in the college football season, the Ole Miss Rebels are obviously in uncharted waters.

They've started 2-0 for the first time since 2002, and are currently ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll, behind Florida, Texas, and Alabama.

One question everyone has asked: Are they among the elite teams in the nation?

Well, here are five questions that will factor into that answer.

5) Will Greg Hardy get healthy?

Let's just face it, Greg Hardy is a monster. The preseason All-American defensive end was injured throughout the majority of last season with a stress fracture in his foot. This year, Hardy remains a concern after a chop block by Duke Calhoun against Memphis injured the senior standout. When it's third and long for the Rebels in a crucial situation this season, they'll need Hardy more than ever.

4) Are the receivers as good as once believed?

Shay Hodge is legit, there's no doubt about that. Dexter McCluster is a complete gamebreaker. The question is: Who fills the void left by Mike Wallace last season? Jevan Snead hasn't looked his sharpest, but he did make some great throws to Lionel Breaux and Markeith Summers and numerous were dropped against Southeastern Louisiana. As for a positive, newcomer five star freshman Pat Patterson made his debut Saturday, earning four receptions for 79 yards and one touchdown.

The Rebels will need Pat Patterson to step up within the upcoming weeks to give Snead plenty of receivers to rely on, and not allowing opposing defenses to lock on to Hodge and McCluster.

3) Is the secondary a weakness?

Last year, Ole Miss was dead last in the SEC in only one category: pass defense. Plenty of that is credited to plenty of players being shifted from offense to defense, but after only seeing the secondary against Memphis and Southeastern Louisiana, exactly how much has it improved? Can Marshay Green be that lockdown corner that Houston Nutt has envisioned him on being? Will Johnny Brown produce and stay healthy to maintain a spot where the Rebels are very thin?

2) How will the offensive line look against SEC competition?

After losing Michael Oher to the NFL Draft, Houston Nutt and several Ole Miss fan's concern has been the offensive tackle position. So far, Bradley Sowell has graded out fairly impressive. With one of the biggest offensive line's in the SEC, with all starters weighing in on 300 pounds, can the Rebels control the line of scrimmage and dictate the pace of the game with the running game?

1) Will Jevan Snead stay consistent?

The junior quarterback from Stephenville, Texas hasn't done great, but has still been able to get the job done fairly well. So far, he's completed 56 percent of his passes and thrown five touchdowns to two interceptions. However, the Rebels are going to need more accuracy and consistency from the gunslinger to compete for the SEC West title. Maybe it's the vanilla offense over the past two games, but whatever the reason, the team's success relies mostly on the success of Jevan Snead.

Derek Stephens is the Featured Columnist for Ole Miss. Please leave your thoughts on the article below and Derek will gladly reply. If you want to contact Derek, please use the inbox.

The Cupcakes Are Over for the Rebs

Derek Stephens — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:56:56 -0400

It's been fun, but it's time.

The coaches are ready, the players are ready, and the fans are ready.

They've beaten down Memphis and Southeastern Louisiana, woohoo.

Despite being 2-0 and gaining a No. 4 ranking, the Ole Miss Rebels are ready to see where they stand among legitimate opponents.

They won't have to wait long.

Ole Miss gets four days rest and will head to Columbia, SC to face their first SEC opponent of the year, the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Gamecocks (2-1) are also one of those teams in the year a person seems to not be able to get a good read on.

One game their defense looks very salty, and then the next their offense looks on fire.

The question for the Rebels is simple. Are they 'for real'?

Riding an eight-win streak into Columbia, Ole Miss should know not to downplay South Carolina, considering the Gamecocks spoiled the Rebel's after-party from the Florida game last season.

Not only will the Rebels have to travel for their first SEC game, the Rebels will have a short week of preparation.

The Rebels will more than likely be without DE Greg Hardy and FB Andy Hartmann and could be without FS Kendrick Lewis.

Houston Nutt said he was concerned about several players, but declined to specify.

The question for the Rebels lies with the passing game and the secondary. Jevan Snead had some receivers drop multiple passes this week, but at times looked rusty. Could it be the effects of limited practice due to the swine flu? That's a question that will be answered on Thursday.

As for the secondary, the Rebels have obviously improved since last year's matchup between the Gamecocks, but exactly how much?

One thing is for sure, we will find out all the answers on Thursday.

No.8 Ole Miss Starts Slow, Tame Tigers 45-14

Derek Stephens — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:12:28 -0400

Ole Miss had three first half turnovers, but bounced back in the fourth quarter by scoring 28 points and defeated the Memphis Tigers 45-14 in front of 45,207 at the Liberty Bowl.

The win was the Rebel's seventh in a row, dating back to the 2008 season win over Arkansas.

The Rebels got going early with a Joshua Shene 27 yard field goal and a Brandon Bolden one yard TD run, and it looked as though Ole Miss was going to take control early, but on the next offensive drive for Ole Miss, Jevan Snead threw an interception inside Rebel territory to Deante Lamar.

Jevan Snead showed early jitters, starting out five of 12 with two INT, but bounced back in the second half, completing seven of 10 and two touchdowns, one to Markeith Summers and the other to Dexter McCluster. Snead ended the day with 175 passing yards.

"Another thing you have to love about Jevan is that when things don't go just right, he doesn't put his head down," Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said. "You don't have to be concerned about that. He's a winner, and the guy really came back and played well."

Dexter McCluster continued his dual-threat success, having 115 total yards, including two touchdowns. McCluster gained 50.

The Rebel's defense seemed sluggish at times, but finished very strong. Fon Ingram regained the Rebel's confidence by scoring on a pick-six interception with less than a minute to go before halftime to put the Rebels up 17-7.

"It was just being in the right place at the right time," Ingram said. "He threw it right to me, and when I caught it I knew it was six."

They also kept Arkelon Hall in check. Hall completed 15 of 30 passes for 115 yards and two interceptions.

Duke Calhoun lead the receivers with five receptions for 53 yards.

The Tiger's ground game produced some success, as Curtis Steele rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns and Wisconsin transfer Lance Smith rushed for 63.

The Tigers offense ended with 284 yards of total offense, produced three turnovers, and were 0 for 2 in fourth down conversions and four of 16 in third down conversions.

The Rebels take a week off next week before they face Southeastern Louisiana on September 19.

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. Contact him on his bulletin board or inbox. Please leave your comments to the story below.

The Story of Brandon Bolden: Proving the Doubters Wrong

Derek Stephens — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:31:44 -0400

Brandon Bolden was just your average high school football recruit, so said the experts.

The 5'11", 220-pound athlete from Scotlandville, LA, the grandson of former Kansas City Chief running back Frank Pitts, was rated three stars by Rivals.com and Scout.com.

During the summer before his senior year, Bolden camped at Auburn, LSU, Alabama, and Ole Miss. At the time, LSU and Auburn appeared to be his favorites. LSU looked to be where Bolden would end up, considering Baton Rouge was 20 minutes from Scotlandville.

Toward the end of the summer, as the Alabama coaching staff saw Bolden up close, Nick Saban saw potential. He offered on the spot. Ole Miss followed, but LSU never reportedly offered, nor did Auburn.

Bolden added plenty of other offers, which included Baylor, Southern Miss, Tulane, and Vanderbilt.

During his senior year at his local high school (Scotlandville Magnet), Bolden racked up 866 yards on 112 carries, adding 12 touchdowns in eight games. He also caught 26 receptions for 260 yards.

As Bolden's recruiting was winding down in November, Bolden narrowed his final two to Alabama and Ole Miss. The Louisiana back was torn between the two.

Then, it appeared Alabama might have an edge.

Ed Orgeron, coming off of a 3-9 season, was abruptly fired on Nov. 24, 2007.

However, the Ole Miss athletic department moved fast to bring a new head coach to Oxford. After Houston Nutt had resigned in Arkansas, the next day he was announced as the next Ole Miss head coach.

Bolden, at the Ole Miss camp, developed a good relationship with running backs coach Frank Wilson.

The bad news—Nutt decided to not retain Wilson to his current staff.

So what did this mean for Bolden?

As Houston Nutt scanned film to weed through Ed Orgeron's 2008 class, he saw Brandon Bolden's film and obviously liked what he saw. He told Bolden his offer was still valid at Ole Miss.

To make sure this is where he wanted to go, Bolden visited with his teammates Dallas Thomas and Prentiss Waggner days after Christmas.

Frank Wilson, however, wasn't going to give up. He accepted a job at Southern Miss and was coming strong for what he saw in Bolden. Bolden decided he would visit Ole Miss again and then Southern Miss during the final weeks of January and then make a decision.

As Bolden visited Ole Miss on Jan. 18, 2008, Enrique Davis, the No. 1 prep school player in the country and a five-star rated RB by Rivals.com, flew in to Oxford from Virginia after he decommitted from Auburn considering their new spread offense.

In the end, it didn't faze Bolden. Bolden committed to Ole Miss during the visit and told Frank Wilson he would cancel his visit to USM. Bolden was headed to Oxford.

Bolden, however, had some competition. A week after his commitment, Army All-American running back Devin Thomas committed to Houston Nutt and the Rebels, and on signing day, Enrique Davis shocked many by choosing Ole Miss over Auburn and Oregon.

The running back class for Ole Miss ended up at fourth in the nation according to Rivals.com. Add former four-star upcoming junior Cordera Eason to the mix, and the competition was stiff for the Rebs.

As Bolden graduated, he headed to Oxford to start summer sessions. Was a redshirt to come? Nutt had already stated he needed depth in the backfield, considering BenJarvus Green-Ellis's departure. In all likelihood, Nutt explained, all running backs signed might not receive a redshirt.

As summer sessions went on and workouts started, word got out to the public that Bolden was outshining other running backs in workouts.

As the first game arrived, Bolden was ready. At the end of the day of Ole Miss' convincing 41-24 opening victory over Memphis, Bolden was the leading rusher with 76 yards on eight carries and one touchdown.

From that point on, Ole Miss looked to see a star rise. Against Florida, he proved he was worthy, rushing for 55 yards on 13 carries. Against LSU, he didn't get many carries, but he did earn a touchdown in front of his hometown crowd in a 31-13 stomping victory over the Tigers.

It wasn't until the Cotton Bowl, however, that he broke out.

Bolden earned his first 100-yard game versus Texas Tech on 11 carries and added a convincing 17-yard touchdown run, what was probably the sealer, putting the Rebs up 38-21. He also added his career-long run of 44 yards in the Cotton Bowl as well.

Bolden received at least eight carries in eight games at a stacked running back position and ended up third in the total rushing department, behind Eason and Dexter McCluster, and scored a touchdown in five games. He also became a receiving target, adding 107 yards receiving with 10 receptions.

Coming into spring practice for the upcoming 2009 season, to-be sophomore Brandon Bolden sits at No. 1 on the depth chart. During the spring game, Bolden added 50 yards on only four carries and a touchdown to lead the Blue team ahead.

Bolden looks as a sophomore to be the No. 1 running back for a team that is a probable top 10 preseason team. Hard work really does pay off.

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com. You can ask questions below or reach him on his bulletin board. Be sure to check out his new blog, OleMissAthletics.net, for your up-to-date Ole Miss athletic updates.

Top Five Reasons Why Ole Miss Could Land a BCS Berth

Derek Stephens — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:12:34 -0400

You've heard the hype.

The preseason buzz for Ole Miss is evident through the national media's attention on a team that is two years removed from a winless SEC season.

Even ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit has made a trip to Oxford for an interview with Jevan Snead and to scope out the campus for a possible College Gameday location.

So, why so much hype? Here are five reasons why you could be seeing Ole Miss in a BCS bowl in January.

5. The Strong Finish in 2008

No team was hotter at the end of the season than the Rebs. Since the October 18 narrow 24-20 loss to Alabama, Ole Miss ran off six straight games.

Many critics questioned the strength of the late schedule, but after the Rebel's convincing 47-34 victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl, and seeing LSU destroy Georgia Tech 38-3—a team in which Ole Miss blew out at Tiger Stadium 31-13—it was evident how hot Ole Miss was.

4. Fearless Defensive Line

Even losing All-American Peria Jerry doesn't slow this group down. Of course it hurts, but the Rebels still have Greg Hardy, Marcus Tillman, Kentrell Lockett, Lawon Scott, Ted Laurent, Emmanuel Stephens, and Jerrell Powe to anchor the "Landsharks."

Throw in enrolled freshman and Army All-American Craig Drummond, who chose Ole Miss over teams like Illinois and Ohio State, and the defensive line for the Rebs is one of the best in the country.

3. Seasoned QB Jevan Snead

Jevan Snead, the rising junior from Stephenville, Texas, really turned things around after early season struggles. After starting the season with 10 TDs and 10 INTs through the first seven games of the season, Snead finished the season during the six-game winning streak, with 16 TDs and three INTs.

He has currently been the topic of multiple preseason Heisman discussions and is unarguably the best returning quarterback in the SEC West.

2. Favorable Schedule

Although many believe this could hurt the Rebels in the long run, the fact that Ole Miss plays Memphis, Northern Arizona, UAB, and Southeastern Louisiana could help the Rebels stay in the preseason top 10 and get in a BCS bowl game.

It will put more pressure on the Rebels on the conference schedule, but with a favorable schedule, which includes Alabama and LSU at home, and avoiding Georgia and Florida in the East, could benefit the Rebs in their effort to clinch their first SEC championship game berth and a chance to earn a BCS bowl game.

1. Seventeen Starters Returning

Ed Orgeron was pitiful as an SEC head coach and a motivator, but he did get some decent talent into Oxford.

The Rebels need to fill some holes in the offensive line, but with Snead, ATH Dexter McCluster, and flourishing sophomore RB Brandon Bolden, the Rebels will be a force on the offensive side of the ball due to talent returning.

On the defensive side, Peria Jerry has to be replaced, but the former five star Jerrell Powe has dropped nearly 30 pounds and looks to fill the role.

The Rebels, with at least 14 seniors projected to start, have the ability to make a run in 2009. Having the talent coming back is the most definite strength the Rebels have. Keeping their starters healthy is crucial, due to the lack of depth compared to the rest of the SEC teams.

If the Rebels can stay healthy, you could see the Rebels in early January playing in the Sugar Bowl or possibly even the BCS Champio... we'll see about that.

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com. He can be reached on his bulletin board. Be sure to check out his new site, OleMissAthletics.net, for up-to-date stories on everything Ole Miss.

Ole Miss Rebels Spring Report

Derek Stephens — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:11:46 -0400

It's football time once again.

As BleacherReport.com's community leader for Ole Miss sports, we will get some in-depth looks at a potential top 10 preseason team in Ole Miss. After dismantling Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl 47-34, expectations are high in Oxford.

Can Jevan Snead lead Ole Miss to an SEC title and possibly a national title contender? How will Ole Miss hold up with the losses of Michael Oher and Peria Jerry? Can Ole Miss surge through the first of their schedule, a part that haunted the Rebels in 2008, and continue their run that they ended the season with?

We will answer all those questions this year, but today here's a spring practice report.

Quarterbacks

Jevan Snead has continued where he left off after the Cotton Bowl, but some has criticized that he is struggling a bit. Of course he has struggled, Ole Miss has one of the best returning defenses in the country.

Is everyone forgetting the Cotton Bowl? After spotting Texas Tech 14 points, we went on to dominate their ‘unstoppable spread offense’ the whole game. Jevan will be fine.

Nathan Stanley has impressed, but will it be enough to overtake senior Billy Tapp’s position? Experience or future? I think Stanley eventually takes Tapp’s position as the backup, but I think Tapp gets a chance to start on Saturday. Tapp has plenty of experience, but for obvious reasons, Nathan Stanley is the future of the program it looks like.

Runningbacks

Cordera Eason and Brandon Bolden seem to be the favorites here for the starting position. Bolden showed out in the Cotton Bowl vs. Texas Tech, rushing for 101 yards on 11 carries and 1 TD. Eason will be the senior, but it is believed that Bolden could wrap up the starting spot.

After Eason and Bolden, there might be a surprise brewing. Devin Thomas, a former Army All-American, looks to grab the #3 RB spot after being left out of the loop last season. It could be all speculation at this point, but sources say that Thomas has really turned some heads during the spring and have caused coaches to reorder the depth chart.

After that, Enrique Davis and Andre Sterling seem to be battling for #4 and #5. It's a bid surprising that the former five star recruit Davis could fall so low on the depth chart, but he has to show that he can compete in the SEC game in and game out. Consistency is the key, and Davis could show something in the spring game to skyrocket the depth chart.

Dexter McCluster will be a key as a rusher, but a majority of the time, not out of the backfield. One of Ole Miss's main components, the 'Wild Rebel', will make it's return with McCluster returning for the 'QB' position, so to say. Last season, McCluster racked up 655 yards and 6 TDs, keeping opponent's defenses at bay.

Wide Receivers

Wide receivers seem to be a definite strength coming into the spring. Dexter McCluster and Shay Hodge obviously lead the way, but players such as Lionel Breaux, Markeith Summers, and Andrew Harris have really turned the corner in their development and look to be prominent players next fall.

Everyone that is an Ole Miss fan has probably heard of Melvin Harris, a 6'7 220lb. receiver who redshirted last fall. The red zone threat is sidelined for the spring with a foot injury but looks to get some quality minutes in the fall.

Incoming freshman Terrell Grant, Ja-mes Logan, and Montez Phillips may not be on campus yet, but if all qualify, they will definitely be the future of the program in the receiver department.

The coaching staff has also explained that incoming freshman Pat Patterson will be thrown into the rotation immediately and should receive plenty of playing time this fall.

Pat Patterson could ultimately be a factor in the SEC, such as Juilio Jones was for Alabama as a freshman wide receiver.

Offensive Line

After losing possibly the best offensive tackle in college football in Michael Oher, the offensive line is showing a bit of concern during the spring. Rishaw Johnson should get some strong looks at guard, considering his size, potential, and abilities.

As the spring rolls on, many Ole Miss fans linger to see the day Bobbie Massie makes it to the Ole Miss campus. The mammoth 6'8 335lb. prep school offensive lineman chose Ole Miss over Alabama on signing day, and should be a force at offensive tackle from day one. Can he start from day one?

It probably depends on the development of Bradley Sowell. At times, sources say Sowell can make strides, but he definitely shows some inconsistency that should not happen. Either way, Massie needs to get to Oxford quick in the summer and compete right away.

At least Ole Miss gets one Jerry back. John Jerry, the brother of departing Peria, returns to the offensive line as, more than likely, a first-team All-SEC pick and a possible All-American. Jerry really needs to anchor the offensive line and show some leadership, as staff has commented he has done throughout the spring.

Defensive Line

The defensive line comes in as a definite strength. Losing Peria Jerry hurt, hurt a lot, but there is so much depth here. Kentrell Lockett, Greg Hardy, Ted Laurent, Jerrell Powe, Marcus Tillman, Lawon Scott, Emmanuel Stephens, Craig Drummond, the list goes on and on. Greg Hardy has missed spring practice, but trainers say he should be 100 percent by fall practice.

Incoming freshman Craig Drummond, an Army All-American, is enrolled on campus and participating in spring drills. The possibility of quality playing time as a freshman is slim, but Drummond can add some depth to quite possibly one of the best defensive lines in the NCAA.

As for their performance this spring, the 'Landsharks' have put continuous pressure on Snead, Stanley, and Tapp. For Ole Miss to make a run in 2009, the defensive line has to be dominant.

Linebackers

The linebackers, from the coaching staff’s eyes, may have improved from last season, even though losing future pros Ashlee Palmer and Tony Fein. Patrick Trahan has evolved into the clear best LB of the group.

Add in Allen Walker and Jonathan Cornell and this group seems to have it’s clear favorite of starters. Can Patrick Trahan be half as good as another former Reb named Patrick who played LB? Reb fans can only hope.

After redshirting his freshman season, Jason Jones has gotten rave reviews from his coaching staff and his peers and looks to be the quality backup man aside Lamar Brumfield for the linebacker corps.

Secondary

At the secondary, Ole Miss looks to be improved but not out of the water yet. Losing James Scott to dismissal really took the secondary back, but they do have good experience and did improve over the course of the season last year.

The staff is hoping to see Marshay Green work hard on covering fade routes, as during some parts of the ‘08 season it became evident of the team’s picking on his size. Jeremy McGee looks to have improved a bundle.

It’s imperative for Ole Miss to get either Jamar Hornsby or Darius Barksdale in from the ‘09 class for immediate help. Johnny Brown will be okay, but there needs to be some depth there in case he goes down. Kendrick Lewis, from spring practice reports, seems to be keeping up where he left off from 2008.

Cassius Vaughn, after a terrific performance in the Cotton Bowl, looks to have locked up a starting position at corner. The 5'10 185lb. senior had an interception in the postseason bowl game to go along with 2 others and has the size to lock down receivers for the Rebs next fall.

Overall

As most have seen or heard, the 2009 Ole Miss Rebels football team has some definite hype and expectations. For the spring, the Rebels clearly have the look of a top 10 team. Solid athletes across the board, 17 starters returning, and a seasoned quarterback at the helm.

Head coach Houston Nutt has stressed consistency throughout spring practice, telling his players that the same people picking them to win the SEC West was the same people picking them last the previous season.

The main holes on the team seem to definitely be the offensive line and, at times, the secondary. It's not so much that the Rebs lacks in talent at the offensive line, but experience on the offensive line seems to leave a void for some players to step up. If the Rebs can fill Michael Oher's spot, they'll be okay.

The strengths are obviously on the offensive side of the ball and the defensive line. Giving a quality SEC quarterback an array of receivers to work with can be deadly. Sophomore Brandon Bolden looks poised to break out, and the Wild-Rebel will again be key for the Rebel's offense to keep defenses off-balance.

The defensive line needs to keep up where they left off, after producing a school record 11 sacks in the Egg Bowl and getting to Graham Harrell time and time again in the Cotton Bowl. Losing Peria Jerry is a tough loss, but the Rebs seem to have the talent with Jerrell Powe, Ted Laurent, and Lawon Scott to find a quality replacement.

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com. He can be reached at his bulletin board. Be sure to check out his personal blog, OleMissAthletics.net, as he covers all Ole Miss sports.

Key Cotton Bowl Matchup: Can the Landsharks Get to Graham Harrell?

Derek Stephens — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:36:52 -0500

Houston Nutt and No. 20 Ole Miss will face off against the No. 7 Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1) on Jan. 2 at 1 p.m. CT in Dallas in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.

Since the matchup was announced on Dec. 7 on the Bowl Selection Show, many fans have labeled this game as a top non-BCS, even overall, intriguing matchup.

The key matchup can be argued, but many believe the key to the game for each team is the wide split offensive line of Texas Tech versus the fierce Ole Miss defensive line, who, with two projected first round draft picks, have been labeled "Landsharks" for their aggressive approach.

Statistics don't lie as well. Ole Miss currently ranks fifth in the NCAA in sacks per game (3.08), and Texas Tech currently is tied at sixth in the NCAA in sacks per game allowed (0.92).

Ole Miss defensive lineman Kentrell Lockett, who has 11 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks this year for the Rebels, has tons of respect for the offensive lineman for the Red Raiders.

"Just watching them on TV, they're pretty much like celebrities," Lockett said Sunday during a Cotton Bowl news conference. "With their offensive line, each of them having nicknames, it's like those guys are celebrities. Now we're on a stage with them."

Along with Lockett on the defensive line, Ole Miss boasts two future NFL prospects, Peria Jerry and Greg Hardy, who both have been projected in the first round of the NFL Draft in 2009, although Hardy could opt to stay in school as an underclassman.

Hardy and Jerry have combined for 14.5 sacks despite missing five games and have helped Ole Miss currently rank first in the NCAA in tackles for loss.

"They're pretty big guys and, for their size, they're really quick," Red Raider guard Brandon Carter said. "They're good with their hands and they look pretty strong. I think the best thing about them is that they play really hard, and there's no better credit than to tell someone that they play hard.

"We have our eyes on everybody, but yeah, those two guys are really good and we're preparing for those guys."

Texas Tech's offensive linemen have been known for their success against the pass rush by using wide splits. Peria Jerry commented this week that he expects the offensive line of Texas Tech to narrow the splits when "they see how quick some of the guys are."

Graham Harrell, one of the nation's best QBs, had nothing but praise for his offensive line's production. "They've got a great defensive line," Harrell said. "But we have one of the best offensive lines in the country. They've done a great job the whole season and the past few seasons protecting me. It'll be a great matchup."

Texas Tech's OL coach Matt Moore said this week that he compares Ole Miss's defensive line to the likes of Oklahoma and Texas, although he claims that he thinks Ole Miss's line has more depth than Texas.

I would take that in high regard, as Oklahoma used their tough defensive line to get to Graham Harrell on their way to a rout, and Texas lost on a last-second play to Texas Tech 39-33.

Ole Miss's defensive line will face a challenge, as Texas Tech offensive linemen Rylan Reed, Brandon Carter, and Louis Vasquez each receive some form of all-America recognition this year.

So, how will the matchup, in the end, affect the game? If Ole Miss can limit time for Graham Harrell to pass, as we've seen against Oklahoma, it can really affect the Red Raiders's creativity offensively.

If, however, the front four for Ole Miss allows Graham Harrell extended time to throw the ball downfield, it's safe to assume who will be the winner, as Ole Miss ranks 11th in the SEC in passing defense, giving up over 209 yards per contest.

Lockett, as mentioned earlier, commented when asked what the matchup will be like, "It's going to be a battle, period."

Derek Stephens is the Community Leader for Ole Miss. He can be reached on his Bulletin Board or by commenting in the comment box below. Please leave any feedback, suggestions, questions, etc.

Special thanks goes to Parrish Alford from the Daily Journal, Aaron Dickens from Rivals.com, and Don Williams from the Lubbock Journal, for their quotes from the players.

Ole Miss Vs. Texas Tech in Cotton Bowl

Derek Stephens — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:53:08 -0500

As the bowl selection show was shown across the country with almost every avid college football fan tuned in, Ole Miss fans found out they would not be headed to Orlando to face Michigan State.

Instead, the No. 20 Rebels will be headed to Dallas, TX to face the No. 8 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Cotton Bowl played on January 2nd at 1:00 p.m.

Many people argue Ole Miss and their fans should be more excited to play Texas Tech rather than a Big 10 team such as Michigan State.

After Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State, Houston Nutt seemed very excited about the opportunity to play in Dallas.

"I've been to the Cotton Bowl three times. The work that Chairman Rick Baker and their staff do is unbelievable. They are so thorough, detailed, and committed to the players, their families, from the luncheon to the banquet and to all the activities, it's just a very good place."

Ole Miss comes in as, many would say, one of the most under-looked teams in the country.

Nutt preached to the public he would have to change the mindset at Ole Miss to get them back to respectability and competitiveness on a constant basis at the beginning of the season.

A win over Florida helped the players to believe, but the next week Ole Miss took a step back after losing to South Carolina at home to put them at 3-3 for the year.

After narrowly losing to Alabama 24-20 on October 18th to put them at 3-4, many Ole Miss fans wondered how long the building steps would take for Ole Miss to start getting 'real wins' instead of 'moral victories.'

Since that date, Ole Miss started their winning streak by defeating Arkansas, and then started their 'November to Remember,' defeating Auburn, Louisiana-Monroe, LSU, and Mississippi State, including two shutouts.

Sophomore QB Jevan Snead's performance seems to be a key indicator of the Rebels's performance during their five game winning streak.

After the Alabama game (Ole Miss's last loss), Jevan Snead had 10 TDs and 10 INTs for the season. During the five game winning streak, Jevan Snead has thrown 13 TDs to only 2 INTs.

The defense and the turnover battle have also been key stats to the Rebel's success over the past month. Before the winning streak, Ole Miss had allowed a little over 227 passing yards/game and 111 rushing yards/game. The Rebels had also lost the turnover battle at minus seven during that seven game span.

During the last five games, Ole Miss is allowing an impressive 185 passing yards/game and 47 rushing yards/game. Additionally, the Rebels have won the turnover battle at plus six during the last five games.

Texas Tech fans likely feel disappointed to be in the Cotton Bowl with Ole Miss, as they were eyeing a national championship berth until November 22nd after being hammered by Oklahoma 65-21.

The next week, the Red Raiders narrowly defeated Baylor, 35-28, a game in which Graham Harrell had nine breaks in two fingers on his non-throwing hand, and Michael Crabtree was also injured with a minor ankle sprain.

Both are expected to be ready to go for the Cotton Bowl.

So, what does this match-up really look like?

The game will more than likely come down to the Ole Miss pass rush to get pressure on Graham Harrell. This will really test the nation's perception on what really is better, the Big 12 offenses or the SEC defenses.

Ole Miss doesn't get the publicity as an upper-tier talented SEC team, but the Rebels have two probable first-round draft picks on the defensive line with Peria Jerry and Greg Hardy.

Ole Miss and Tyrone Nix need to draw up a gameplan to limit Harrell's time in the pocket, a gameplan similar to what Oklahoma used to produce three sacks and numerous pressures on Harrell.

This game has all the makings for a great bowl game classic and a great match-up for the SEC and Big 12 to showcase their teams against each other to somewhat prove the conference arguments this year.

Not only that, but this game will be a great game for the Cotton Bowl stadium to go out on as the Cotton Bowl will move to the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in 2010.

Derek Stephens is the Community Leader for Ole Miss. He can be reached by his bulletin board on his profile or you can leave a comment below in the comment box.

Why Ole Miss Deserves the Capital One Bowl over Georgia

Derek Stephens — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 09:43:52 -0500

Ole Miss may be peaking at the right time.

Ole Miss sits 8-4, after yesterday's whipping of their archrival Mississippi State 45-0, in front of Capital One representatives, who came away impressed.

They are currently ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press poll, but after yesterday look to move up into possibly the top 20 in both polls.

So, you ask, why should the Capital One Bowl select the Ole Miss Rebels, a team not even thought to be in contention until the past weeks, into the Capital One Bowl to meet, more than likely, the Ohio State Buckeyes?

Allow me to state my case.

SECSports.com states that once the BCS bowls select their SEC teams (which more than likely will be Florida and Alabama), the Capital One Bowl now selects and selects a team with the next best record or a team within one win of that next team.

Ole Miss faced tough challenges Saturday to even become to this point. They needed help from Clemson to defeat South Carolina so that they wouldn't become 8-4 (within one game of Georgia and a win over Ole Miss) and for, most notably, Georgia Tech to defeat Georgia to pull Ole Miss within one game and to become eligible for the Capital One Bowl.

Needless to say, the stars aligned for Ole Miss to have a chance at Orlando.

The Capital One Bowl now has a big decision to make. Do you go with the big name that's lost two out of its last four games, or do you go with the underdog Ole Miss, who hasn't reached a bowl since 2003, but has reeled off five straight wins.

In my opinion, Ole Miss deserves the Capital One Bowl for several reasons:

First, Ole Miss is one of the hottest teams in the country. They have blown out their last three opponents (ULM, LSU, and Mississippi State) by a combined 135-13. Ole Miss has grown up over the past five weeks and has proven that they are no pushover as they once have been.

Once 3-4, Ole Miss has won five straight over Arkansas, Auburn, ULM, LSU, and Mississippi State. Georgia has two out of their last four, most notably to Florida, 49-10.

Speaking of Florida, when you take a look at their 10-1 current record, the 1 represents Ole Miss's win in Gainesville over Florida. Ole Miss's four losses have combined by a total of 19 points.

Georgia has lost their three games by a combined 53 points. Ole Miss defeated Florida and was on a last minute drive to defeat Alabama, games Georgia didn't even come close to winning.

Now, if we're to talk about fan support, you could assume that Ole Miss would sell out the Capital One and invade Orlando. Ole Miss has had a +5 win difference from last year and love to travel, as in 2003, they filled up the Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma State rather easily.

Georgia, the preseason No. 1 team, will be very disappointed on following their national title hopes and will unlikely be excited about playing in a non-BCS bowl game.

If we're talking about a team that comes in with confidence, why can't you go with Ole Miss? They have an explosive team led on offense with Texas transfer QB, sophomore Jevan Snead, senior WR Mike Wallace, and do-it-all Wild Rebel QB Dexter McCluster, and All-American OT Michael Oher.

You could argue that the front four for Ole Miss is one of, if not the, best in the country. They contain two future projected first rounders in Greg Hardy and Peria Jerry.

They produced a school record 11 sacks against Mississippi State yesterday and -51 rushing yards (no that's not a typo, that's a negative) and kept LSU monster back Charles Scott to 10 yards on 10 carries.

Overall, if we're talking about who's going to play the better game, due to confidence, recent play to finish the season, and talent, I think at this point you have to point to Ole Miss.

Although Ole Miss lost to Vanderbilt and South Carolina, they needed time to grow up and get the train rolling and have proven they are an SEC contender and at this point in the season, better than Georgia.

A couple of different scenarios going Ole Miss's way (Sam Swank missing GW FG, Dexter McCluster doesn't fumble in the red zone vs. South Carolina), and we'd be talking about Ole Miss at 10-2.

This team, in my eyes, as I've watched all of their home games, has really grown up over the past couple weeks and has shown they're ready for the big stage. If we're talking about teams, and not names, Ole Miss has got to be in Orlando in January.

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com. Please leave feedback or comments below in the comment box.

Bowling Scenarios: Where Will Ole Miss Land?

Derek Stephens — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:28:34 -0500

It's getting toward that time of year again. Bowl season.

If you're an Ole Miss fan like myself, Christmas came early last Saturday, as we witnessed the Rebels claim a 59-0 smackdown of Louisiana Monroe. As much as the Rebels needed a total blowout, Christmas came early because it allowed Ole Miss to make its first bowl game since 2003.

Now, the question all over the Ole Miss message boards, Mississippi coffee shops around the state, and around the high schools of optimistic young fans is, "What bowl game will the Rebels go to?"

Well, never fear. I have a basic breakdown on how I see the bowl game shaping out for Ole Miss this season, and what to look for in the next 10 days of the regular season.

Before I do that, let's first take a look at the SEC bowl tie-ins order of selection, according to SECSports.com:

The Southeastern Conference has agreements to send nine of its member institutions to postseason bowl games following the 2008 season. The winner of the SEC Championship Game will automatically participate in the Bowl Championship Series comprised of the Sugar, Rose, Orange and Fiesta Bowls.

The Capital One (2nd), will then make its pick following the BCS selections. The bowl must select the team with the next best overall record or a team within one win of the team with the next best overall record.

The Outback, Chick-fil-A and AT&T Cotton Bowls will work with the conference office to determine picks 3-5. The Cotton Bowl has the first preference of teams from the Western Division and the Outback Bowl has first preference of teams from the Eastern Division. The Cotton or Outback Bowl can select teams outside of its divisional preference, but must not select them before the opposite bowl selects from its divisional preference. The Chick-fil-A Bowl has the selection of preference following the Cotton and Outback Bowls.

In selections 6-7, the AutoZone Liberty and Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowls will make their selections, not in any specific order, but in consultation with the SEC Office. The Bowls will rank available qualified teams in order of preference. If there are no similarities in the order of selection, the bowls will be granted its selection. If the bowls rank the same teams in preference, the team involved in the process would get its preference of which bowl to participate.

The Petro Sun Independence Bowl will receive the eighth selection and the Papajohns.com Bowl will have the ninth selection of available SEC teams.

OK, in other words: Ole Miss' possible destinations include (all possible) the Outback Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Chick-fil-A Bowl, Music City Bowl, and the Liberty Bowl.

Let's look at the possibilities, according to how Ole Miss will finish the season:

If Ole Miss beats LSU and Mississippi State

This one is probably pretty easy. If Ole Miss defeats LSU and MSU, that would put the Rebs at 8-4 (5-3 in the SEC) and second in the West; in my opinion, that would bump them up to the Cotton Bowl. The chance at Tampa for the Outback Bowl is if the Cotton Bowl doesn't claim Ole Miss as its preference in the West and Georgia loses to Georgia Tech and, possibly, South Carolina loses to Clemson.

Likely Destination: Cotton Bowl (Outside Chance: Outback Bowl)

click page 2 below to continue the article

If Ole Miss beats LSU and loses to Mississippi State

The most unlikely of scenarios is this one. The Rebels would be at 7-5 (4-4 in the SEC) and third in the West. The loss to Mississippi State would ring into bowl selection committee member's minds and that would turn off all the mid-tier bowls, so, in my opinion, that puts the bowl who publicly wants Ole Miss the most, the Liberty Bowl, as the frontrunner.

Likely Destination: Liberty Bowl (Outside Chance: Music City Bowl)

If Ole Miss loses to LSU and beats Mississippi State

Many experts are already predicting this is how Ole Miss will end the season, and, if so, it'll be hard to predict where the Rebels will land. It would still put them at 7-5 (4-4 in the SEC) and third in the West.

The likely destinations would be the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Music City Bowl, or the Liberty Bowl. I published this article yesterday with the thought that the Rebels would be in the Music City, but based upon what I've heard from Chick-fil-A representatives on their Selection Blog, as long as Ole Miss plays LSU close and defeats Mississippi State, they are the contendor for the Chick-fil-A Bowl for the SEC over Vanderbilt.

Likely Destination: Chick-fil-A Bowl (Outside Chance: Music City Bowl, Liberty Bowl)

If Ole Miss loses to LSU and Mississippi State

This is the most cut-and-dry one of them all. If the Rebels finish the season 0-2, they will be a lock for the Liberty Bowl. Sources close to the Liberty Bowl selection committee tell me that the Liberty Bowl has had its eyes on the Rebels and want them very badly. The Chick-fil-A Bowl and Music City Bowl won't take a 6-6 team that ended the season 0-2, so that leaves the Liberty Bowl for the Rebels.

Likely Destination: Liberty Bowl (Outside Chance: none)

Overall

The Rebels' destination depends on, obviously, how they finish the season. By beating LSU and Mississippi State, Ole Miss would be 8-4 and riding a five-game winning streak, which, in my opinion, should be a lock for the Cotton Bowl.

With a one loss in there, you could be looking at the Liberty anyway, but I'm going to go if the Rebs have one loss, they'll be headed to Atlanta, given the Rebs don't get blown out this weekend and defeat Miss. St.

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com. Comment below with your questions and comments, please.

Ole Miss and LSU: Rivalry Renewed

Derek Stephens — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 07:48:45 -0500

This Saturday, Ole Miss will be traveling to Baton Rouge, LA, not for just bragging rights, but for sole possession of second place in the SEC West and a likely Cotton Bowl berth.

The LSU vs. Ole Miss rivalry has flown under the radar for the past decade, but it is indeed one of the most heated rivalries in the nation.

Nobody thinks of the Ole Miss vs. LSU rivalry as a national rivalry. Nobody besides LSU and Ole Miss fans remembers or tells the story of the Billy Cannon's run on Halloween 1959 that defeated Ole Miss. Nobody remembers three weeks later from that date where Ole Miss fought the Tigers in a rematch and defeated LSU 21-0 to claim their second of three current national titles.

The most recent national spotlight this rivalry had was in 2003, Eli Manning's senior year, when LSU and Ole Miss faced off in front of a CBS national audience and still a current Vaught Hemingway Stadium record of 62,552 fans.

You could argue this is where Ole Miss and LSU parted ways. LSU barely escaped with a 17-14 win and on their way to the SEC title, a national title as well. Ole Miss did make the Cotton Bowl, though, and defeated, ironically, Les Miles's Oklahoma State 31-28.

From then on, Ole Miss would go into a down period as they went 14-32 over the next four seasons ('04-'07). LSU went 43-9 over those next four seasons as well.

With the past five years, some people have forgotten really what the LSU vs. Ole Miss rivalry means. I'm guessing this week everyone wakes up and realizes that this has been a competitive rivalry although the differential records of both teams through the past five years.

If I were to go down the street and ask a random person what Ole Miss's record was at Tiger Stadium since 1990, I really wonder what they'd say. I'm sure I would hear a lot of 0'fers.

Since 1990, Ole Miss is 4-5 in arguably the nation's toughest stadium to play in college football. The reason people probably cannot understand how that is possible is probably over the past three times at Baton Rouge, Ole Miss was defeated.

People still believe this hasn't been a rivalry over the past decade though. Over those three losses at Tiger Stadium (2002, 2004, 2006), the scores have been 14-13, 27-24, and 23-20.

This rivalry has always had the thrill of close defeats, but just because LSU has over the past six seasons defeated Ole Miss and Ole Miss has had a series of down years ('04-'07), people forget that this is just as a hated rivalry as teams such as Texas vs. Oklahoma or Ohio State vs. Michigan.

Well, insert 2008.

Student governments for both LSU and Ole Miss both agreed that the rivalry needed some kind of token, some kind of trophy, so both agreed that LSU/Ole Miss game will annually be called the Magnolia Bowl.

Elizabeth Yerger, Director of Student Services for the Ole Miss Student Body, said about the rivalry, "Both schools believe that the Magnolia Bowl will bring out the livelihood, excitement, and traditions for not only the teams and fans, but for media outlets and football lovers around the country as well."

For the game itself, Ole Miss comes in riding a three game winning streak and claiming it's first bowl eligibility since, you guessed it, 2003. LSU, however, is on a down year in terms of their recent year's success, and barely defeating Troy when down at one point by 28 points either is a large defeat in some LSU fans eyes or a loss in itself.

Both find themself at different roads. Obviously, LSU feels a bit disappointed after starting the season 4-0, the Tigers are 3-3, started off by a 51-21 beat-down courtesy of the Florida Gators.

Ole Miss, after starting the season 3-4, have reeled off three straight wins versus Arkansas, Auburn, and most recently, a 59-0 win over Louisiana Monroe.

Will this be another turning point? Will LSU once again gain another close win on Ole Miss in Baton Rouge or will Ole Miss finally get the monkey off their back and get that program-hungry win?

Only one good ol' Saturday in November will tell.

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com. Feel free to leave any comments or suggestions in the comment box below.

3-4 Deceiving for Ole Miss Vs. Arkansas

Derek Stephens — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:39:00 -0400

Three wins and four losses.

Two different roads.

That's the point I'm trying to prove today. Although Arkansas and Ole Miss have identical records, as an Ole Miss fan, I'm kind of puzzled as to why Arkansas fans argue that this somehow makes these two teams "even" coming into Saturday's matchup.

Am I saying Ole Miss will heavily beat the Razorbacks Saturday? No. But to say that Arkansas is even to Ole Miss at this point is pushing it.

Let's take a look at the stats:

Arkansas

Pro-Argument

- A 25-22 win over Auburn at Auburn recently

- A hefty schedule with Texas, Florida, and Alabama

- A near win versus Kentucky at Kentucky

Con-Argument

- Two out of three wins were against Western Illinois and Louisiana Monroe by a combined five points and required fourth quarter comebacks

- Blowouts in the games vs. Florida, Texas, and Alabama (Opponents: 139, Arkansas: 31)

- Auburn game not as big of an upset as thought (Auburn 4-3)

Ole Miss

Pro-Argument

- Defeated Florida 31-30 in the Swamp

- Lost four games by a combined 19 points

- Haven't been blown out all season

Con-Argument

- Two out of three wins versus Memphis and Samford

- A loss is a loss

- Have not won the games they've been favored in (South Carolina, Vanderbilt)

Overall

Both sides make valid points, but Ole Miss, at this point in the season, has proven that they are the better team. Arkansas has had their chance to prove themselves and at least salvage some of their losses, but has been blown out against top ranked opponents.

Ole Miss walked into the Swamp and defeated Florida, was a FG away from beating Wake Forest, and gave Alabama all they wanted at Bryant-Denny. Granted, Arkansas has played Texas, but it's needless to say that most believe Ole Miss wouldn't get beat 52-10 versus the Longhorns.

Wacky Week Five: How the SEC Looks Now

Derek Stephens — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:47:37 -0400

Ole Miss goes into the Swamp and escapes with a 31-30 win over Florida, Alabama slams Georgia in the first half 31-0 and holds on for the victory, and Auburn holds off Tennessee 14-12.

Mississippi State plays LSU closer than the experts thought, South Carolina breezes by UAB, Arkansas gets destroyed by Texas, Kentucky smokes in-state foe Western Kentucky, and Vanderbilt stays in Nashville, content another week with their first national ranking since 1984.

What a week in the SEC. Many people have no clue of how this conference still shakes up in quite possibly one of the equal strong years for the strongest conference.

My Thoughts on the SEC

1. Alabama

The "blackout" was a "knockout" to the preseason national title favorite as Alabama destroyed Georgia in the first half and held them off in the second to win 41-30. They've also moved up to No. 2 in the AP poll. They now have Kentucky next, a BYE week, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Arkansas State before heading to Death Valley to take on LSU.

Alabama and LSU could both easily be undefeated heading into Nov. 8, but one of them is likely to get upset with the competitiveness in the SEC week in and week out, and the fact that LSU plays a now-underrated Georgia.

2. LSU

LSU was expected to blow the Bulldogs out, but that wasn't the case as Mississippi State finally got their offense going. LSU is off for another week and then travels to the Swamp to take on Florida in a game that everyone knows the Gators want, as LSU narrowly knocked off the Gators last year.

3. Georgia

I almost put Auburn here, but their offense doesn't impress me at all, although their defense is stout. My opinion was that the Georgia players worried too much about their wardrobe rather than the actual game itself—not to take anything away from the Tide.

Georgia is off before they host Tennessee and a tough Vanderbilt team before heading to Death Valley against LSU. One thing is for sure: I think it's safe to say the black jerseys are going to be put back in the locker to gather some dust.

4. Auburn

Auburn put another nail in the coffin for Phil Fulmer's job security, as the Auburn Tigers defense held Tennessee and won 14-12. Auburn's offense was nothing short of below average, only gaining 226 total yards and going just 6/18 on third down conversions. Auburn hosts Vanderbilt in a game that could decide a lot in the SEC East and West.

5. Florida

Last year, 30 points were enough. This year, 30 points left them stuffed: Tim Tebow got stuffed on the 32-yard line as Ole Miss pulled the biggest upset on Saturday, knocking off Florida in the Swamp. Florida committed three turnovers and was outplayed and outcoached in the second half against Ole Miss.

Luckily, Florida has a cakewalk this season as they travel to Fayetteville before hosting LSU at home.

6. Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt survives another week in the top 25 as they had the week off. Vanderbilt faces a tough test that really decides if the 'Dores are "for real" as they host Auburn in a game, as stated previously, with huge implications as far as the East and West turns out.

7. Ole Miss

I'm logical, but give the Rebs credit: They showed heart and determination in the clutch as they defeated the Gators this Saturday and got the SEC winless streak monkey off their back. Ole Miss is eight points away from being 5-0 or a FG and a fumble in the end zone, but the Rebels continue to get better every week.

Ole Miss can move up in the rankings if they show consistency against South Carolina and post back-to-back SEC wins, which is doable considering from what I've seen from the Gamecocks this year. Ole Miss needs to move on from the Florida game and build on that win to get into a decent bowl game.

8. Kentucky

Okay, Rich Brooks, if you want some respect from others, please do not schedule Norfolk State, Middle Tennessee, and Western Kentucky in your non-conference schedule. Yes, you're 4-0, but you've played nobody, with the possible exception of Louisville. Time will tell.

Don't worry though—you're met with prime time SEC football as you travel to the now-SEC favorite Alabama Crimson Tide. If you defeat the Tide, I'll be the first to say, "Hey, I was wrong!" Until then, I withhold judgment and highly doubt I will be eating crow on Saturday.

9. South Carolina

South Carolina is sitting at 3-2, which is not comforting Gamecock fans as they expected much better after a disappointing 6-6 no-bowl season last year. Spurrier better get things turned around quick as he heads to Oxford to take on the Rebels. He'll be facing his former defensive coordinator, Tyrone Nix, as Nix tries to show Spurrier it wasn't coaching that was the problem last year, but injuries.

South Carolina's defense looks decent, but they face a good test this weekend. A win here will quiet the negativity in Columbia for at least another week.

10. Tennessee

Tennessee, as I expected in the preseason, is in for a down season after winning the East last year. After getting thumped by Florida last week, 30-6, the Vols played their heart out against Auburn, but the offense struggled. Crompton is not nearly as good as previously advertised, throwing for two TDs and four INTs in four games thus far.

Tennessee gets a cupcake week, hosting Northern Illinois, before heading to Athens to take on Georgia.

11. Mississippi State

Clap. Clap. Clap. Hey, give the Bulldogs some credit—nobody expected them to go into Death Valley and lose 34-24. Putting up 24 points was a major accomplishment in my opinion, as they've only earned 23 points in their other three games vs. FBS opponents combined.

The offensive production definitely has to get better, as they only accomplished 285 total yards and 13 first downs, but this is almost a moral victory in itself. The 24 points obviously still don't take away the fact that the vast majority of Bulldog fans want offensive coordinator Woody McCorvey out.

MSU gets a much-needed BYE this week and then hosts Vanderbilt.

12. Arkansas

Arkansas, this may be the worst team I've ever seen from the Hogs. I'm not going to lay it on you since you all are obviously depleted, but every Arkansas fan I encounter tells me how it's going to turn around due to Petrino implementing the spread.

Look, nobody's doubting the Arkansas offense will get better. My concern for the Hogs is their atrocious defense. Texas made Arkansas' defense look like a powderpuff JV team. Arkansas will definitely get it turned around next season and get to a bowl game in '09 if their defense gets it turned around.

Mallett will be the real deal, and just as Ole Miss fans waited for Jevan Snead to see the field after the transfer, Arkansas fans are literally counting down the days until Nov. 28, when this nightmare season for them is over.

Upset Special: Ole Miss over (4) Florida, 31-30

Derek Stephens — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:38:22 -0400

When I said the key of the game for the Ole Miss Rebels was to blitz Tim Tebow, I found it very ironic on 4th-and-1, trailing by one, Tim Tebow is stuffed by the Ole Miss blitz to seal the upset and shock around the world for Ole Miss and Houston Nutt.

This game not gives Ole Miss its first win in the SEC, but it snaps the the nine-game winless streak in the SEC for the Rebs.

I've been preaching that Ole Miss is a whole different team this season after three years of nothing under Ed Orgeron, but even I was questioning my Rebels after last week's six-turnover meltdown letdown.

Snead tossed another INT early on, but eventually ran for one and threw for two more to help the Rebels win their first SEC game since the end of 2006 against Mississippi State.

Ole Miss started off first with a Jevan Snead TD run, but Florida ended the half with 17 unanswered points to give the Gators a 17-7 edge.

Ole Miss then capitalized on two key fumbles for the Gators and turned those into 10 points to tie, with a 33-yard field goal by Joshua Shene and a 18-yard screen pass to Cordera Eason, courtesy of Jevan Snead.

Then, with :52 seconds to go in the third quarter, Dexter McCluster put on the jets for a 40-yard TD run out of the Wild-Rebel offense to make the score 24-17.

Florida responded with a one-yard TD run by Tim Tebow to make the score 24-all, but Ole Miss answered right back with an 85-yard TD pass to Shay Hodge.

Tim Tebow led another heroic drive, with less than four minutes left, he led the Gators to the end zone to tie...

No, not to tie. The key of the game for the Rebels was on the extra point as Kentrell Lockett leaped in the backfield to block the extra point wide right.

Ole Miss tried to run out the clock, but was forced to a three-and-out as Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin led the way down field. They were forced with a 4th-and-1 on the 32 yard line and elected to go for field position over the FG, but Tim Tebow was denied on the QB draw to seal the win for the Rebels.

Ole Miss improves to 3-2 (1-1 in the SEC), and Florida falls to 3-1 (1-1 in the SEC).

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com

Three Reasons for Ole Miss's Decline After Promising Start

Derek Stephens — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:54:07 -0400

After the Week Two loss against Wake Forest, many Ole Miss fans were devastated, but they knew their Rebels were the real deal.

Now the crystal ball doesn't look as clear as it did over two weeks ago, as Ole Miss sits 2-2 going into Florida on Saturday.

There are many reasons for the way Ole Miss has performed since Wake Forest, but here are some main reasons why Ole Miss fans aren't as optimistic as once before.

The Play of Jevan Snead

As the ol' saying goes, stats don't lie. Look at Jevan Snead's stats after two weeks, and it looked like Ole Miss was getting an early Christmas present.

Nobody is saying that Jevan Snead won't be a productive QB for Ole Miss this season, but it is evident he has to step his game up in SEC play.

First two games (vs. Memphis, at Wake Forest): 30 of 53, 438 yards, six TDs, one INT

Last two games (vs. Samford, vs. Vanderbilt): 25 of 49, 406 yards, zero TDs, six INTs

Something that should jump out to you is that the completion percentages and yards are comparable. Thus, the only problem is the interceptions.

This preseason I pointed out that Jevan Snead's job this season wasn't to do it all for the Rebels, but to just do his role and avoid mistakes.

I would say the first two games he executed very well in his role, but in the last two, I assume he might've felt pressure after the big performance he had against Wake Forest and tried to do it all, which has resulted in his recent decline.

Most logical Ole Miss and college football fans know that Jevan Snead is going to be a good QB for Ole Miss and a definite improvement on QB play since the Eli Era, but he has to avoid the big mistakes to be a great QB for Ole Miss

Turnovers

No knock on Vanderbilt, as they definitely earned their ranking and proved to be a better team than Ole Miss on Saturday, but any team that gives up six turnovers is going to lose.

Vanderbilt did a great job of forcing Ole Miss into turnovers, but the way the Rebels performed, it showed that they didn't put their best effort into every play to avoid turnovers.

An ESPN announcer once said, "At the end of the day, you show me who had the most rushing yards and who had the least turnovers, and I'll show you the winner"—a very wise statement. Turnovers cost you ball games every single time.

Here's a look at Ole Miss's turnover ratio week-to-week.

vs. Memphis

Ole Miss: 0; Memphis: 2

at Wake Forest

Ole Miss: 3; Wake Forest: 1

vs. Samford

Ole Miss: 2; Samford: 0

vs. Vanderbilt

Ole Miss: 6; Vanderbilt: 2

Ole Miss's Turnovers: 11; Opponent's Turnovers: 5

Turnovers will kill you every time, as shown. Ole Miss wasn't going to get beat by Samford unless they committed about a dozen turnovers, but if you give up at least two turnovers to almost anybody in the SEC, or if you give up three turnovers to an ACC contender, you're going to get beat. Simple as that.

The Mindset of the Team

As painful as it is for me to say, Ole Miss hasn't won an SEC game since the closing game every year for Ole Miss, Mississippi State, in 2006. That's nine games without an SEC win, but if you look at my past article explaining Ole Miss at a crossroads, you realize Ole Miss hasn't been the doormat in hardly any of these games.

The problem isn't performing good enough to win. The problem seems to be finishing and closing the door on teams (such as Vanderbilt on Saturday). It seems as though the players don't believe they can win, as if a curse is on them.

Ole Miss has to break that barrier to start becoming competitive in the SEC. That starts with a win. This weekend would be a signature moment for the Ole Miss program, but no Ole Miss fans are counting on a win in Gainesville, though Ole Miss did knock off the Gators the last time—but the Rebels also went 10-3 that year.

Ole Miss then has South Carolina and Alabama. I've said since the Vanderbilt defeat Saturday that at all costs Ole Miss must either upset Florida in the Swamp or beat South Carolina in Oxford, and South Carolina would be your best bet.

Where do the Rebels stand? Like many other Rebel fans will tell you, the conception changes from week-to-week. One thing is for sure: Ole Miss has to win an SEC game—soon.

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com. If you wish to contact Derek, click here to access his bulletin board to leave a message.

After Vanderbilt, Ole Miss Stands at a Crossroads

Derek Stephens — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:34:01 -0400

If you told me that Ole Miss would commit six—I repeat six—turnovers against Vanderbilt, I would be thinking of a score of something like 42-14. But 23-17?

When Ole Miss was winning, 10-0, with 4:54 left in the first quarter, a part of me was thinking our team is ready to make a statement and blow this game out. Then, that little voice inside my head said, “Slow down, Derek, not so fast.”

It didn’t take long for the voice inside my head to become the voice of reason, as Jevan Snead threw the first of his four interceptions for a pick-six, as Ryan Hamilton took it to the house the series after.

The key of the game came with less than three minutes to go—Dexter McCluster took the snap in the Wild Rebels zone, made it to the 1-yard line (which would’ve given Ole Miss the go-ahead score) and coughed up the ball, which rolled into the end zone and was recovered by a Commodore for a touchback, eventually sealing the win.

Needless to say, the SEC curse for Ole Miss continues as it lost its ninth straight SEC game. The worst part is, during the nine game losing streak in the SEC, the average margin of loss is 14 points.

If you eliminate last year’s 36-point loss against Houston Nutt-coached Arkansas and the Georgia blowout, the other seven games have been lost by a combined 63 points, averaging a nine-point loss.

That includes a six-point loss to Florida, three-point loss to Alabama, a three-point loss to Mississippi State, and, now, a six-point loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday.

It’s deflating as a fan to see your team, week in and week out, come so close to victory and, somehow, whether it be luck/skill/execution/(insert any word here) by the other team or coaching/team execution/turnovers/(insert any word here), every time your team loses.

Ole Miss is at a crossroads, it looks like. At 2-2, a bowl game is still manageable, but it sure won't be easy. It’s not as if Ole Miss lost to a horrible team tonight, as Vanderbilt will likely enter the top 25.

Ole Miss’ schedule doesn’t get any easier, though. Next, it must travel to arguably the hardest place to win in college football—the Swamp—to take on the undefeated and top-five ranked Florida Gators. If Ole Miss performs like it did tonight, Florida will put 50 up on the scoreboard.

This may just be an postgame rant, but I would rather see Florida blow out the Rebels than see Ole Miss play the Gators close and lose another heartbreaker.

Florida, in my opinion, besides USC, looks like the most complete football team in the nation right now. Although Ole Miss has won two out of the last three and actually leads the series vs. the Gators, Florida looks like an overmatched opponent for the Rebels right now.

Let’s assume this is another loss for the Rebels. They sit at 2-3. The games against South Carolina, Arkansas, UL-Monroe, and Mississippi State are all crucial for a bowl game. Can the Rebels do it? Sure. Is it likely? Ask me in two weeks.

What's the Outlook for Ole Miss' Season Through Three Games?

Derek Stephens — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:14:22 -0400

Through three games, Ole Miss has had some progress and a little setback, but overall, the Rebels have looked completely different from last year's squad. The question that still remains is, "Can Ole Miss go to a bowl game in 2008?"

It all starts with coaching. Houston Nutt has preached during his tenure in Oxford so far that he wants to "change the mindset" within the players. He wants the players to believe they can be contenders in the SEC West. He wants them to believe they can make it to a bowl game not in the next couple of years, but this year.

At 2-1, that goal is certainly possible, but a crucial game against Vanderbilt looms for the Rebels.

Houston Nutt has not only changed the mindset—he's also brought in, in my opinion, a superb coaching staff.

Kent Austin, the offensive coordinator, has already proven the doubters wrong about how much control he'll have over the offense. Many people laughed at Houston Nutt when he said, "We're going to pass the ball at Ole Miss." After three games and 81 pass attempts, I don't hear as many laughs as I used to.

As far as offensive leadership goes, you can't look any further than sophomore QB Jevan Snead. Many Ole Miss fans were hesitant to make a prediction about him (see: Brent Schaeffer saga), but his performance on the road against Wake Forest taught everyone, including Ole Miss fans, that Jevan Snead is "for real."

Although last week he threw two picks against Samford, he's still a great SEC QB. If you were at the game (which I was), what you saw was slight mechanics issues and miscommunication between Jevan and his receivers.

The running game has had its bright spots in the Wild Rebel formation with Dexter McCluster, a small speedy back, at QB. It completely threw Memphis off guard all night, but Wake Forest seemed to be at least prepared for it.

The Rebel coaches must've not wanted to bring out too much of the playbook against Samford, as it was only run a couple of times.

The running game has also had its downside, as almost lining up in the I-Form or other jumbo sets didn't work too well against Wake Forest. Houston Nutt said that he was looking for a leader to show up and said after the Samford game that he believed that player to be junior Cordera Eason.

Against the SEC, I believe you will see Cordera take the majority of the carries, with Brandon Bolden right there with him and Enrique Davis slightly below both of them. They must be able to consistently get five to six yards a carry to open up the passing game.

Opening up the run game through the pass has worked so far, but don't expect it to work every time.

What would be the concerns for Ole Miss not making a bowl game?

I believe the main concern for the Rebel team right now is its defense. Although they've shown bright spots, they still haven't proven they can absolutely stop the spread.

However, there has been a puzzle piece missing that makes its debut this weekend: Greg Hardy, an All-SEC performer and the fourth best DL in the nation according to Rivals, returns to the defensive line for Ole Miss.

Call it just one player, but anybody that has seen this kid play knows he is a freak of nature (see: Alabama vs. Ole Miss 2007). He is going to provide the team a much-needed boost on the defensive front.

Speaking of the defensive line, for the first time Peria Jerry (also All-SEC) is said to be 100 percent coming into the Vanderbilt game. With those two on the field, according to the coaches, it makes for a totally different Ole Miss team on defense.

The linebackers definitely need to have a better showing, being one of the more inconsistent corps on the defensive side. They have to start filling the gaps during the run to take away consistent five- to six-yard gains by the opposition.

The secondary is definitely a weak spot for the Rebels, as they have moved starting WR Marshay Green and slot receiver and UCLA transfer Jeremy McGee to the corners. Kendrick Lewis has been the surprise of the bunch at safety, but he definitely needs to work on finishing on blitzes.

Jamarca Samford has been the most consistent and overall best player in the secondary thus far, and the Rebels need his leadership for the remainder of the season to compete in a bowl game.

Overall, the Rebels are far ahead of schedule in my opinion. Nobody expected them to put up 103 points through three games. Nobody expected them to take Wake Forest, an ACC contender, to the wire on the road. Nobody expected Brandon Bolden and Dexter McCluster to be able to run the Wild Rebel efficiently.

Looking at the schedule, I believe Ole Miss is looking like a 6-6 or 7-5 team for the season. Games against Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana-Monroe, Mississippi State, and possibly Auburn (if Auburn's offense doesn't get any better) all look winnable. Also, games against Alabama, LSU, and Florida have all been statistically close over the years.

I think it's been proven that Ole Miss definitely has the athletes to win games against the SEC, but the main thing they need is to learn how to finish, something Houston Nutt and his staff have emphasized since last November.

I can't stress how important Saturday's game against Vanderbilt is for the Rebels.

It'll either get the monkey off Ole Miss's back after the 0-8 showing last year and build confidence for the rest of the SEC season, or it'll be another setback for the Rebels, who are looking to make a bowl game for the first time since 2003.

The Most Underrated SEC Game of the Week: Vanderbilt vs. Ole Miss

Derek Stephens — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:25:44 -0400

One of the best matchup weekends for the SEC is coming up this Saturday.

LSU and Auburn will duel it out for a game that could decide the SEC West. Florida and Tennessee gather for their annual meeting that is sure to be a good game.

Then, you have Alabama travelling to Fayetteville to take on an Arkansas squad who is looking to prove themselves. On top of all that, Georgia travels out to Arizona to take on the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Finally, you have Vanderbilt vs. Ole Miss.

Huh?

Yeah, I said it.

Last year the Rebels traveled to Nashville and the result of the Vanderbilt game led a downward spiral that left the Rebel fans without an SEC win for the first time since 1982.

Vanderbilt comes in to Oxford at 3-0 after beating Miami (OH), previously ranked South Carolina, and Rice. Could this be the year Vanderbilt finally gets their first winning season and make their first bowl game since 1982?

They've proven to be a sleeper pick thus far, at least to get out of the cellar of the SEC East. Whatever secret powers those new look jerseys have for Vanderbilt, they sure have worked the first fourth of the season.

They are led on offense by the dual-threat Chris Nickson, who is 24 of 45 for 252 yards passing with two TDs and 0 INTs. On the ground, Nickson has already racked up 268 yards on 49 carries and five TDs. Nickson leads the team in both categories.

For Ole Miss, they come in to their first conference game of the year after losing eight straight conference games last year. Thus far, they have looked plenty different from the team of a year ago.

The Rebs come in with a record of 2-1 after defeating Memphis and Samford and being narrowly defeated by the nationally ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Jevan Snead comes in leading a decent Rebel offense that's scored a little over 34 points a game this season, a number Ole Miss's offense only reached once last year over Northwestern State. Jevan Snead is 43 of 77 for 660 yards passing with six TDs and three INTs. Two of those INTs came last Saturday vs. Samford where Snead and receivers were confused on assignments.

The Rebels rushing attack tends to be a three-man workhorse thus far as junior Cordera Eason and freshmen Brandon Bolden and Enrique Davis have shared the load to combine for 333 yards on 73 carries (4.5 YPC).

Dexter McCluster has also put in 71 yards on the ground out of the "Wild-Rebel" set.

On defense, both squads have had their improvements and setbacks.

For Ole Miss, the defense is in desperate need for help as All-SEC defensive end Greg Hardy is set to make his season debut after sustaining a foot injury in preseason practice.

Hardy led the SEC in sacks and ranked sixth nationally as a sophomore last season, only playing partially thoughout the season.

For Vanderbilt, their defense lived up to the hype against South Carolina, as the Gamecocks outgained Vanderbilt 325-225 but could only boast 17 points.

Keys to the Game for Each Team

Ole Miss

Contain Chris Nickson

With Chris Nickson, Ole Miss is faced with a hard weapon to stop. Here, you have a guy who can throw the ball decently, but can move well on his feet, and with the spread offense Vanderbilt has put in, it will be a challenge for the Ole Miss defense to keep up.

Defensive Coordinator, Tyrone Nix will have to have a QB spy on Nickson at almost all times to contain him. With Greg Hardy making his comeback and Peria Jerry seeming 100 percent, the defensive line now arguably becomes the No. 2 defensive line in the SEC, second to LSU, if not as good.

Running Game

Ole Miss hasn't exactly ran over teams on the ground although they average over 115 yards a game. Everyone knows Houston Nutt has brought in plenty of talent at RB to at least help the passing game out.

Ole Miss needs for a true leader to step up as a runner, whether it be Cordera Eason, Brandon Bolden, or Enrique Davis. The three headed monster has worked thus far fairly well, but you have to expect a leader will step in and get the majority of the carries.

Vanderbilt

Put Pressure on Jevan Snead

As proved in the Wake Forest game, if you give Jevan Snead time to throw the ball, he will pick you apart. Sometimes, he'll pick you apart even if you blitz. If Vanderbilt is to beat Ole Miss, they must be able to put enough pressure on Jevan Snead to get him rattled, which will take a lot.

Passing Game

Vanderbilt has to be able to pass early and often against Ole Miss. The weakest position for Ole Miss is without a doubt, cornerback, and Nickson has to be able to hook up with his players downfield.

With Greg Hardy now coming back for the Ole Miss game, one of the best pass rushers in the nation, it will now become a challenge for Vanderbilt, but it is imperative for Vandy to be able to pass for over 250 yards as Ole Miss has their full defensive line back to protect the run.

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com

SEC Community Leaders Power Rankings: My Ballot

Derek Stephens — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:57:00 -0400

Every week, the SEC Community Leaders release SEC Power Rankings.

Here are the Week Three rankings: SEC Football Community Leader Week Three Rankings

I voted early at first to not let the general public to see individual votes, but after some debate about it, I've decided to share my vote with the Bleacher Report community, like it or not.

My Ballot for Week 3

1. Florida

This Week: W 26-3 vs. Miami

Commentary: I have had Georgia ahead of Florida until this week, but Georgia's early cupcake schedule made me jump to Florida at No. 1 until Georgia plays a team worth noting. Florida struggled early, but like most good teams, they finished strong.

2. Georgia

This Week: W 56-17 vs. Central Michigan

Commentary: Okay, Georgia fans, don't get mad, but I think Florida's W over Miami is more impressive than your dismantling of Central Michigan, despite them having a pretty decent QB. If you guys can go 3-0 in the next three weeks against South Carolina, Arizona State, and Alabama, you are no doubt the No. 1 team. Until then, I give the nod to Florida.

3. Auburn

This Week: W 27-13 vs. Southern Miss

Commentary: All right, so they played a CUSA Southern Miss team. But, Southern Miss fans expected this to be their week to get nationally exposed. If not for two turnovers in the red zone early for Auburn, it could've been a lot worse. Southern Miss is a pretty good program, though. I expect them to fare better than their fellow in-state team, Mississippi State, as Auburn travels to Starkville this Saturday.

4. LSU

This Week: PPD vs. Troy

Commentary: LSU fans had to postpone their future beatdown of Troy, but it does give them a week of rest until they play...oh wait, North Texas. No. 3 and No. 4 will be decided on Sept. 20 as the Tigers travel to the Plains.

5. Alabama

This Week: W 20-6 vs. Tulane

Commentary: Alabama didn't have the offensive showing they had against Clemson, as they only scored 20 points and one offensive touchdown. Unless Western Kentucky or Arkansas can knock off the Tide, they will be 4-0 going into Athens.

6. Ole Miss

This Week: L 28-30 vs. Wake Forest

Commentary: Call me out since I'm a fan, but the Rebels really looked sharp against a BCS favorite at this point. Ole Miss actually has a QB these days, as Jevan Snead put up four TDs against Wake Forest's veteran defense. If they can get by Vandy in two weeks, they'll be 3-1 going into the Swamp.

7. Tennessee

This Week: BYE

Commentary: The heartbreaker still looms in the Vols' minds, I'm sure, but they still have a chance to show they're a solid team. Phil can cool his seat off by beating UAB and then knocking off Florida at home in two weeks.

8. Vanderbilt

This Week: W 24-17 vs. South Carolina

Commentary: The 'Dores are for real, and if I hadn't rushed to cast my ballot, I would've put them ahead of Tennessee because they are proven. Steve Spurrier said, "There are no Vanderbilt's in the NFL" after taking the Redskins job. Nope, there are not, but there are in the SEC East and that's all it took on Thursday night.

9. Kentucky

This Week: W 38-3 vs. Norfolk State

Commentary: Well, Kentucky fans are probably pretty mad I put them at No. 9, but I looked at the Kentucky schedule, and what a cupcake! Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky are next. Their SEC schedule bodes well for them, too, as they have South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas at home.

10. South Carolina

This Week: L 17-24 vs. Vanderbilt

Commentary: I like South Carolina, I really do, but I have a feeling Spurrier is in over his head in this one. Their defense looks at least decent, but their offense is struggling. They can bounce back big, and I mean big, with a huge win over Georgia this Saturday.

11. Mississippi State

This Week: W 34-10 vs. Southeastern Louisiana

Commentary: Mississippi State bounce back after being "Dooleyed" by Louisiana Tech over FCS Southeastern Louisiana. They have their annual "Bulldog Bash" this weekend, and if they can pull another upset over Auburn, they will be right back in the thick of things. Until then, I will hold my judgment because of that offense.

12. Arkansas

This Week: W 28-27 vs. Louisiana Monroe

Commentary: Okay, Arkansas fans, you're 2-0. The downside, you defeated FCS Western Illinois and Louisiana Monroe by a combined five points. I'm hearing from all the Arkansas fans that Casey Dick is the real deal, but I won't believe it until I see it. Casey's next challenge: Saturday vs. the Texas Longhorns. If Casey Dick impresses in this game, then he becomes in discussion. Until then, please hush it. I've had those thoughts, too, but did Brent Schaeffer ever become great?

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com

Hey, Wake Forest Football Fans: You Have a Team!

Derek Stephens — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:08:10 -0400

As many saw, last week I made a claim, one that I questioned and thought I might regret.

I wrote: UPSET ALERT: Three Reasons Why Ole Miss Will Beat Wake Forest

After watching the Ole Miss-Wake Forest game on Saturday, I still don't regret making the prediction that Ole Miss would upset the Deacons, even though I was wrong.

I was wrong by eight seconds, when Sam Swank, the most proficient kicker in the NCAA, kicked Wake Forest to a 30-28 victory and Jevan Snead's last-minute heroics came up just short.

For those saying that it was just an average ACC team beating a lower-tier SEC team, we didn't watch the same game.

Ole Miss and Wake Forest made some mistakes, but both looked very sharp. I really think Wake Forest will go on to win the ACC and a BCS Bowl. Nothing was supposed to go against Wake Forest in my article, although some Deacons fans thought I was sending jabs their way by saying Ole Miss has a chance to score 38 points on them.

I think after the game, Wake Forest fans realize I was just optimistic about the Ole Miss offense, and rightfully so.

The defense for Ole Miss definitely has some tuning up to do, but you have to give the Wake Forest offense credit. The Ole Miss defense went up against one of the best spread offenses in the country.

The Deacons have a great quarterback who is very experienced, solid receivers, and a great sophomore rusher in Josh Adams. Giving up 30 points isn't good, but it is definitely justified by the team they played.

The offense for Ole Miss showed every part of what I had been saying since the preseason. It had its glimpses of greatness, but also had its glimpses of setback.

The Wild Rebel was rolling throughout the game early, but in the early second half, when Dexter McCluster tried to force the ball throwing it downfield, it was picked off. The coaching staff backed off the Wild Rebel much after that.

About Snead's only mistake was also in the second half, when he tried to lay the ball out to speedy Mike Wallace and it was picked by Kevin Patterson. Snead ended the day with 253 yards, four touchdowns and one interception by completing 20-of-31 passes.

One thing I will say about Wake Forest is that its players, coaches, and fans seem to be all first class. I've heard about Jim Grobe's system of winning and I truly believe he is one of the best coaches in the NCAA. He truly doesn't believe in the "star ratings" and takes kids with character and discipline and makes them redshirt for experience, which leads to a veteran team, year in and year out.

I can truly say good luck to Wake Forest for the rest of the season.

Upset Alert: Three Reasons Why Ole Miss Will Beat Wake Forest

Derek Stephens — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 05:52:38 -0400

There comes a time in a journalist's writing career (or should I say hobby) where he or she goes out on a limb and makes a prediction he questions.

For me, that time is now.

However, I truly believe if there is a big upset this weekend, Ole Miss has as good a chance to knock off Wake Forest as any other team this weekend.

Don't get me wrong. I believe Wake Forest has a great team, but I believe that Ole Miss has been slightly underrated by many people because of their results last year.

Here are three reasons Ole Miss has a good shot of upsetting Wake Forest.

1) Rain favors the running game

People said when back-to-back 1,000 yard rusher BenJarvus Green-Ellis graduated that the running game would suffer. They failed to realize Houston Nutt pulled in a top five RB class in the class of 2008, according to Rivals.com. Brandon Bolden, Enrique Davis, and Devin Thomas all saw the field Saturday.

As Hurricane Hanna makes its way to the Carolina shore, the chances of the game being wet become more and more likely.

Ole Miss rushed for 216 yards last week against Memphis last week. Although it's CUSA Memphis, the score has always been close with the Tigers, even when Ole Miss had good success. This year, however, the game was out of reach after the first quarter.

Ole Miss also used the Wild Rebel to success (the formation Darren McFadden used at Arkansas) as Dexter McCluster rushed for a 32-yard TD and Brandon Bolden pulled a trick play and threw a 37-yard pass to QB Jevan Snead out wide.

2) The stadium will not be a factor

Ole Miss will be traveling to Gainesville, Baton Rouge, Fayetteville, and Tuscaloosa this year. What do all those have in common that differs from Winston-Salem? A big-time college atmosphere.

Most of the kids on this team are used to going to hostile environments and playing in front of crowds over 80,000.

Even last week, Ole Miss debuted at home in Vaught Hemingway Stadium (which is around middle tier as far as seating goes in the SEC) and packed over 56,000 seats.

BB&T Field at Groves Stadium holds a little more than half of that at 31,500.

3) Jevan Snead doesn't make mistakes

When you look at his stats from Saturday, nothing wows you.

That's okay for Ole Miss fans though.

Ole Miss fans expect a lot out of Jevan Snead, but they also understand that this was his second career start (one being at Texas). He has a gunslinger arm and was 10 of 22 last week for 185 yards, two TDs, and zero INTs.

Being an eyewitness at the game, the majority of the passes Snead didn't complete were long balls that were a little overthrown. Ole Miss fans are okay with that too, because it seemed every QB since Eli tried to put the ball right on the money and ended up underthrowing it for a pick.

OVERALL

If Ole Miss' defense can hold Riley Skinner with their spread, I believe Ole Miss can and will shock everyone and beat Wake Forest Saturday afternoon. They have an abundance of talent brought in by a great recruiter, coach Ed Orgeron, that a great gameday coach, Houston Nutt, has inherited.

Nobody thought the Wild Rebel would have success against anyone at Ole Miss. However, Dexter McCluster runs it to perfection in a different style from what McFadden did at Arkansas.

Ole Miss fans have been talking about this game since the end of last season as the "great indicator" on how much success they will have this year. The fans, players, and coaching staff know how much this win would go as far as team confidence, recruiting, and chances at something they haven't accomplished since 2003—a bowl game.

Predicted Score: Ole Miss 38, Wake Forest 34

Will Ole Miss vs. Arkansas Be The Next Great College Football Rivalry?

Derek Stephens — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:15:13 -0400

When you think of great college football rivalries, what comes to mind?

Probably first Ohio State vs. Michigan, Okahoma vs. Texas, USC vs. UCLA, etc.

This is the media's perception, and a lot of the fan's perception, of great college football rivalries.

What really sparks great college football rivalries initially? Controversy.

After Houston Nutt darted a border over to Mississippi to be the head coach for the Ole Miss Rebels, Arkansas fans haven't been happier, but for some reason the bitterness of his departing to another SEC school is evident by action.

I have written several Houston Nutt articles, one basically begging Arkansas fans to comment (see Houston...We Don't Have a Problem), but lately my articles have pertained to the state of the Ole Miss football team.

Whether it be Arkansas fans still bitter over my article or their desire to comment on their old coach's new team, there never seems to be any shortage of comments from Arkansas fans.

Don't believe this will be the next great college rivalry? Check a lot of the Arkansas boards. You'll find on most of them a season kickoff countdown and another countdown. I saw one the other day that stated: Houston, You Have a Problem!

Obviously, below that text was a countdown until October 25th, marking Houston Nutt's return to Fayetteville.

What would be more classic than to see Arkansas and Ole Miss come into the game, both around four or five wins at the time, needing the win for a shot at a bowl game in '08?

It may not mean more to Ole Miss fans, but don't get them wrong—they're pretty protective of their new coach. You'll see many fans pulling out stats from past Arkansas teams to back their belief that Houston Nutt can pull off something great in Oxford and maybe get them to Atlanta for the first time.

Many people are already declaring it "The Nutt Bowl", you get the picture why.

So my question is, what fuels a rivalry? I listed controversy. I would say another would be history. The history of Ole Miss and Arkansas is definitely there, of course.

They both play in the SEC West and play each other each year. If you didn't know, in 2001, Ole Miss and Arkansas went to 7 OTs, with the Razorbacks and overtime expert Houston Nutt pulling out the W late, and I mean late.

So, we now have controversy and history. What else defines a rivalry?

I guess the final thing that would define a great rivalry would be the fans. Who else can decide? Arkansas fans, whether you like them or not, are about as passionate about their football as any fans I have seen. Who else would have the nerve to fly a plane over their stadium carrying a banner that said "Ain't Nuttin' Better than 0-3 in the SEC".

Again, whether you agree or not, that takes guts. It might've been why the leave at Arkansas for Houston Nutt was mutual.

In a recent interview with FOXSportsNet during Ole Miss's Season Preview broadcast, Houston Nutt said, "When you defeat LSU at LSU and some people are still not satisfied, it's probably time to go".

Ole Miss fans love it, too. This time they're on the right side of the SEC West carousel. 10 years ago, Tommy Tubberville, Ole Miss's head coach at the time, darted for Auburn. Unlike Houston Nutt though, Tubberville never left formally, even saying he would never leave Oxford weeks before his departure.

“They’ll have to carry me out of here in a pine box” he said.

That rivalry has sort of died down, as many Ole Miss fans don't exactly have it circled on their calendar every year. But, when that Auburn game week comes, you always hear Ole Miss fans, wherever they are discussing the game, making Tubberville the center of their conversation, reliving his departure every year.

So, will Arkansas and Ole Miss become a huge great college football rivalry? Bobby Petrino now enters the scene at Arkansas, having to revamp the team to high expectations set by fans and administration as soon as he set foot on campus.

If Arkansas and Ole Miss are to have this great college football rivalry, both need to improve their programs to more than likely top 15 and be a consistent winner every year. It is possible, as Arkansas has a proven Big East and CUSA winner in Bobby Petrino and Ole Miss has a consistent winner in Houston Nutt.

Ole Miss and Arkansas fans, have October 25th circled down. It might be the start of something good.

Can Ole Miss's Offense Become Explosive in 2008?

Derek Stephens — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:17:16 -0400

Let's just be honest: Ole Miss's offense has not seen much success in the past five years. If only Eli had more than four years of eligibility.

That looks to change in 2008.

Before we begin, let's think about something.

Ole Miss hasn't scored at least 30 points against a bowl subdivision (DI-A) team since they played South Carolina in Columbia in 2004.

Wow. It's been a while.

I bet you are now wondering, why is Derek Stephens about to write an article about how Ole Miss' offense can be "explosive"?

Because now it seems it's not only me that believes that it is probable, not just possible.

Let's take a look.

Ole Miss' offense has one key component that it hasn't had since 2003: a stable QB. I believe, along with many other people, that Jevan Snead can at least relieve the problems Ole Miss has had the past four years, which have seemed like a post-Eli QB curse.

Snead has reportedly looked very sharp during fall practice, and in his last scrimmage, he threw for three touchdowns and no interceptions.

If you don't know, Jevan Snead was a highly touted QB who originally signed with Texas in 2006 but was beaten out by Big 12 standout Colt McCoy.

That's not really a knock on Jevan. Colt was a great QB himself: He had a year of experience under Vince Young as a redshirt and so far has had a pretty good career.

Even today as you search the message boards, some Texas fans say they believe Jevan should've won the job. I guess we'll soon find out in August.

Either way, I think both programs (Ole Miss and Texas) ended up with a win-win situation.

Joe Schad even reported on College Football Live, as I've stated in past articles, that Jevan Snead "has one of the top five arms in college football."

Let's look at another reason that the Rebels offense can be explosive.

People have complained about Houston Nutt and his control over offensive coordinators. However, even though he's still running the plays, he's hired offensive guru and former Ole Miss QB Kent Austin as his offensive coordinator to heavily assist him. It's showing in practice.

Austin was a new head coach for the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders last season and led the team to the CFL's equivalent of the Super Bowl, the Grey Cup.

He brings an array of offensive strategies, from basic I-Formations to the Pistol. His relationship with Coach Nutt is evident during practice and off the field.

Kent Austin was a great QB for the Rebels, and Snead has even stated that Austin knows more about offense than probably anybody he's ever been around.

Finally, let's put the offensive equation together with talent.

Snead has arguably more talent around him than Eli did in 2003. Ole Miss has arguably the best offensive tackle in the nation in Michael Oher, who is predicted by many as a future No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Ole Miss is bringing back four starters from the offensive line, including the previously mentioned Oher, along with another big asset, RT John Jerry.

As for Ole Miss' wide receivers, the entire core returns to play multiple roles. The Rebels also add four-star Andrew Harris to the mix. Harris doesn't look like a typical freshman at 6'4", 195 pounds, and he appears to be a solid player who will get plenty of playing time.

Wide receiver Mike Wallace, who was in my opinion a big snub for All-SEC, led the SEC last season in yards per catch at 18.8.

For the RBs, Ole Miss enters the 2008 fall practice in a four-way battle for the starting job.

Cordera Eason seemed to be the early favorite, a former four-star who has waited his turn for two years. But he might not hold on to the position for long, as the No. 4 ranked RB class in the nation by Rivals.com is battling with him.

Former Auburn signee and five-star Enrique Davis has been very impressive in practice and is very fluent and fast. Also, Brandon Bolden was a pleasant surprise during practice, wowing fans. Bolden seems to be the starter as the receiver or "Felix Jones position" in the Wild-Rebel.

One thing that Ole Miss has on offense for the first time is depth, in the offensive line, wide receivers, and running backs. One area where Ole Miss doesn't have a lot of depth is quarterback, as Jevan Snead has been the clear starter for Ole Miss since the day after their horrid defeat by Mississippi State last November.

Freshman QB Nathan Stanley, out of Oklahoma, does show great potential, and at 6'5", 195 pounds, he looks the part of a future SEC QB. But at this point in his collegiate career, he's a little too raw to compete and hasn't entirely learned Austin's complex playbook. The only way he sees the field this year is if disaster hits and Snead goes down.

Even if that was to happen, Stanley would have to battle junior Billy Tapp for the position. Tapp has shown improvement over the spring and fall, but Snead is just on an entirely different level than the two.

So here's the question: Why not Ole Miss? Why can't they be explosive? Their administration has woken up and hired a staff, and to put it into context, "filled in the puzzle pieces."

Maybe they won't be "explosive" at times, and they will probably struggle a little with young talent, but before it's all said and done, Ole Miss should at least be able to look on the scoreboard and see 30 points on their side for the first time since 2004.

SEC: Get Ready to Meet Patrick Trahan of Ole Miss

Derek Stephens — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:48:20 -0400

Patrick Trahan, in the spring of 2007, was just your typical student-athlete.

He was an Auburn linebacker that showed, according to head coach Tommy Tuberville, more progress in an athlete during the spring than any other player he's ever seen.

Who would've ever thought the promising linebacker would soon be academically ineligible for his redshirt sophomore season?

Trahan, like many student athletes, is labeled as learning disabled. Trahan's case is dysgraphia, which makes it hard to put thoughts on paper. On some colleges, it was found that as many as one-third of their players with LD, or learning disabled athletes.

Trahan is not a "typical football player" you will assume in this situation. Trahan once scored a 130 on his IQ test. Trahan possesses great intelligence.

Some people take advantage of the term LD, but not in Trahan's case.

"I try not to judge," Trahan says, "but I'm sure some use it as a crutch. I can't let it affect me, but I do believe everybody's gotta answer to a higher power someday", he says.

In the course of his spring semesters at Auburn, Trahan did well in classes that didn't emphasize writing, but failed those which did.

However, in the fourth semester (last May), Trahan was placed on academic probation after having a B in political science, a C in organizational theory and F's in computer applications, speech, and English composition. Whenever his mother Patricia Baranco would ask how he is doing academically, being one not to upset his mother, Trahan would say okay.

Trahan explains the academic support staff at Auburn didn't do their job.

"It is so humiliating, because they don't know what you're dealing with," Trahan says. "It was like I got a spellchecker, not a personal tutor. They'd go, 'This is wrong. This is wrong.' But they wouldn't tell you why it's wrong."

Word, however, reached his mother that he was academically ineligible. Baranco didn't understand.

"I was just trying to find out what was going on," she says. "I thought they were supposed to keep up with his grades. If something was physically wrong with Patrick, they would've been all over it."

Baranco questioned the explanation she was given. The academic support staff reported that Trahan was not doing his work and not asking for help, contrary to what Trahan said.

So she and her son, Kenny, made the six-hour drive from their home to Auburn to join Patrick with not just Tuberville and the five assistants, but as well as the head of Student Athlete Support Services, Virgil Starks, and his staff.

Baranco and her son were encouraged not to lose their cool and hear Auburn's side of the story. That was fine, until the first thing they heard was from an Auburn official who pointed to Trahan and said, "It's his fault. We asked how you were doing, and you said fine. You lied!"

That's when Trahan rethought everything. He knew he could've probably tried a lot harder, but how could Auburn and their officials place all the blame on him?

Baranco lost it, and made his son leave Auburn and head to junior college for his next year and enroll at a senior college as a junior.

No matter what story you believe, it's a hard situation to digest. Both were probably right, Trahan probably didn't get help as much as needed, but he probably needed more care than a basic tutor and probably wasn't received proper help.

Trahan enrolled at Northwest Mississippi Community College for the next fall and he succeeded well on the football field. Named the #1 JUCO recruit in the nation, Trahan picked this February to sign with Ole Miss over West Virginia, Oklahoma State, and Arkansas.

Even Auburn tried to come after Trahan again, saying that had made changes in their academic staff.

Trahan was recently declared eligible by the NCAA and has been cleared to compete for Ole Miss and report to spring practice on Monday. With a linebacking core that needs some depth, expect Trahan to come in and produce immediately.

At 6-foot-2, 230 pounds and 4.4 speed in the 40, he compares to great Ole Miss linebackers such as Patrick Willis and Rory Johnson.

To Trahan's credit, it's great to see someone come back from adversity into a great situation. Trahan not only possesses great football skills, but also great character and should be admired for his "never-giving-up" attitude.

SEC, be on the lookout. Trahan's ready and eager to finally get back in the SEC. Be ready to see him running through offensive lines and making big plays for the Rebels this fall.

Thanks goes out to Bruce Feldman from ESPN.com for information on Patrick Trahan and Greg Miller for the photograph.

Derek Stephens is the Ole Miss Community Leader for BleacherReport.com.

Top Five Changes Ole Miss Fans will see on Opening Day

Derek Stephens — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:51:12 -0400

It's been a while since Ole Miss has seen change. Being a traditional school, it's hard to see a lot of things change at one time, but that won't be the case when the Rebels suit up at "the Vaught" on August 30th. Let's breakdown the top five, but first let's start with the honorable mention:

Honorable Mention: Traditional Two Stripe (Darker Gray) Team Pants

Call Rebel fans silly, but like most fans they seem to be very traditional with their team's jerseys/pants (unless you're an Oregon Duck). Tommy Tuberville, while he was at Ole Miss I believe, switched to a lighter gray pants with three stripes. Rumors abound that Nutt is bringing back the traditional version. Not a big deal, but enough to earn the honorable mention spot.

Now, the top five.

5) Names on the Back of the Uniforms

Orgeron took them in favor of the "team" instead of "me first" attitude, but not many Rebel fans thought that names on the jersey really affected that. Houston Nutt announced in his introductory press conference as head coach that he would bring back the names on the jerseys so that "mommas and grandmamas can know who their baby is on TV". Rebel fans agreed.

4) The New HD Jumbotron

Ole Miss will introduce it's state-of-the-art high definition video board on opening day against Memphis. At that time, it'll be the largest true HD screen in the SEC. Mississippi State plans to have one that is fairly larger than Ole Miss's, but it isn't scheduled to debut until October.

Ole Miss' former jumbotron and speakers were very outdated, and the University stepped it up with a $6 million dollar jumbotron by Daktronics, complete with a state-of-the-art sound system.

3) Jevan Snead at QB

Jevan Snead will make his debut as the Ole Miss starting QB against Memphis, giving the Rebs a much-needed relief from a run of QBs that, honestly, were very inconsistent and unstable at QB since 2003, Eli Manning's senior year. Jevan Snead has all the tools to compete on the SEC level and a great wide receiving corps to work with.

2) Jerrell Powe finally hits the field

After a three year wait, and one of the most hard fought eligibility battles in NCAA history, former five-star defensive tackle Jerrell Powe finally gets the nod from the NCAA and the SEC to play, starting on August 30th.

Jerrell Powe becomes eligible at a great time, as sophomore starting defensive tackle Ted Laurent's status is uncertain as he underwent surgery on his knee this week and there is no timetable on his return. Expect to hear a "POOOOWWWE" when Jerrell makes his first tackle as a Rebel. He certainly deserves it.

1) Houston Nutt debuts as Head Coach

After the Ed Orgeron experiment, the administration and athletic director Pete Boone made a tremendous hire in Houston Nutt. Houston Nutt has been a consistent winner in the SEC for 10 years, and is almost certain to make a significant upgrade to the Rebels standing in the SEC. Houston Nutt inherits a program that hasn't had success in the past three years, but the puzzle pieces seem to be together for a bowl team for 2008.

When there's no news before fall practice, you always have news. Ole Miss fans look foward to seeing a variety of changes on opening day, but the change they hope that doesn't happen is their three-game winning streak vs. the Tigers.

Bleacher Report Poll: Rank the BCS Conferences

Derek Stephens — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:38:51 -0400

I've had enough of the "conference supremacy" articles. They're cute and all but enough with stats, bias, and all the other stuff that comes with Bleacher Report articles. Let's just get an overall tally of who everyone thinks the best conferences are.

I ask that everyone participates. I don't need 30 SEC comments and zero Pac-10 fans, we know who will win the tally then. I also ask that you don't try to distort the tally by inaccurately ranking the conferences by your own standards just to cause other conferences to get less points (for example Pac-10 fans voting the Pac-10 No. 1 and the SEC No. 5 due to their rivalry on this site).

We'll use a basic point system to declare the winner one week from today. Here's my vote:

1) SEC

2) Pac-10

3) Big 12

4) ACC

5) Big East

6) Big 10

That would give the SEC six points, Pac-10 five, Big 12 four, ACC three, Big East two, and Big 10 one.

I ask that you only comment with your vote. Uour name will be listed on the poll results in the next edition.

I, again, ask that you be honest with your vote and try to make this poll as accurate as possible.

Begin the voting!