Down South: Jeremiah Masoli Could Be Playing at Ole Miss This Season

With college football camps opening in the next couple of weeks all across the country, there is still one very talented quarterback looking for a team to play for. 

Former Heisman candidate and Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has been linked to potentially joining Ole Miss.

Many people believe this is a risky gamble, considering Masoli was dismissed from Oregon after two off-field incidents.

Masoli was never arrested in either incident.  He was charged in the first and cited in the second.

The big difference here is he has already graduated from Oregon and still has one year of eligibility left.

Therefore, if he does eventually join Ole Miss and enrolls in graduate classes than he can play immediate. 

It is a rare case, but with the Rebels current situation at quarterback it could greatly play to their advantage.

First Jevon Snead abruptly entered the NFL Draft which now looks like a huge mistake. 

If it looked like it couldn't get any worse, backup Raymond Cotton quit the team when Houston Nutt named Stanley the starter heading into the camp.

That leaves Ole Miss with two scholarship quarterbacks.  That's it.  Not to mention that Stanley himself has very little experience on the field and in the deep and talented SEC that is a major problem.

Masoli was a stud in the Pac-10 and led Oregon to the Rose Bowl.  He is an efficient passer who has great speed when he is able to get outside the pocket. 

If he is able to keep his head straight, then Ole Miss could turn into a wonderful opportunity for him.

Houston Nutt commented on the situation today by saying, "Checking all avenues. I anticipated Jevon's (Snead) departure, but Cotton's really puts us in a bind. Will let you know if I get serious with Masoli."

This is far from a done deal, but Masoli has taken the first steps by asking for his release of scholarship from Oregon in order to use this last year of eligibility.  Whether it be at Ole Miss, Hawaii, or UNLV, he wants to play college football this season.

The real question is whether he is serious about football and committed to a team.

These off-field incidents and trouble with the law question both his character and desire to make something out of the unbelievable skills he possesses.

Last season with the Ducks he threw for over 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns through the air.  He also added 12 rushing touchdowns to his production as quarterback.

Masoli is a duel-threat quarterback and when put in the right system. He has the talent and ability to shine. 

With Ole Miss' impending problems and questions at quarterback, Masoli could be exactly what they are looking for.

There is still a lot of risk involved in allowing this transfer waiver to be processed.  Masoli has to be willing to do whatever the athletic officials at Ole Miss decide.

He had two separate incidents in January and June that got him into trouble with the Oregon football program.  Coaches and colleges don't want to deal with the behavior and actions of what Masoli has done in the past.

There is a certain level of behavior that has to be carried on and off the field.  As Division I athletes you're held to a higher standard and have to know better.

Massoli is an electric and amazing player to watch on the field.  It would be special to see how he competes against the SEC and the best defenses in the country.

Let's hope No.8 has learned his lesson and is committed to getting back to playing football.

If so, it could be an exciting year for Ole Miss fans.