Ten Things to Expect From The Ole Miss Rebels In 2010

Dexter McCluster gone. Jevan Snead gone. Shay Hodge gone. A lot of the faces that football fans came to associate with Ole Miss are gone. Whether it's Dexter's four touchdown performance against Tennessee, Hodge's immaculate reception in Starkville, or Jevan Snead's 20 interceptions in 2009, the Rebel faithful had a lot to talk about with those three mainstays. Now, there are a few new story lines in Lafayette County, and here are ten things that you can count on hearing about the Red and Blue. 

1.) Brandon Bolden will improve his draft stock.

Brandon Bolden has been given a lot of praise this offseason, practicularly from Kirk Herbstreit who rated Bolden as the 5th most ready back for the NFL. His stat lines are not as impressive as the others on the list (you can find the others in his Herbies article on espn.com), but he is a tough runner. He can run between the tackles and lay Ron Dayne'esque blows on defenders. With #22 now suiting up in a Chiefs uniform, he will be given more chances to prove himself in 2010. 

2.) If Jeremiah Masoli is cleared, he will be the starter by the Alabama game.

Redshirt Sophomore Nathan Stanley will likely be the starter come opening day in Oxford. He possesses a strong arm, has good pocket presence, and is widely respected as a teammate. However, he is not a sexy playmaker in the typical sense. He will not wow you with any particular plays, and with an offense that lacks in terms of explosiveness, the Rebels will need a sparkplug. That's where Masoli comes in. With an added bye week before they travel to Tuscaloosa, the Samoan Sensation will have plenty of time to take the quarterback position by the horns. Again, this is if he is cleared.

3.) The Wild Rebel will be even better than last season. 

I know it seems crazy to think that the Wild Rebel will be better than it was when Dexter McCluster was in town, but it just may happen. The Rebels have youngsters like Rodney Scott, Korvic Neat, Jeff Scott, and Jesse Grandy who all will have a shot to get into space. When they're in space, any one of them can prove fatal to an opposing defense. On top of that, doesn't it seem likely that Masoli and newcomer Randall Mackey will be utilized as dual threats out of this formation? I'd like to think so.

4.) Ole Miss will have the strongest front seven in the SEC.

Former starter Marcus Tillman and sack-enthusiast Greg Hardy are both gone, but that shouldn't make any opposing quarterback feel at ease. They have 662 pounds of Jerrell Powe and Lawon Scott clogging up the middle. This frees up some space for a plethora of talent to make plays off the edge. Kentrell Lockett, Wayne Dorsey, and Carlos Thompson are all quarterback haters who will make plays when it counts. Just when offenses will think they've had enough, there's an experienced and lightning-fast core of linebackers who will make you pay. Seniors Allen Walker and Jonathon Cornell and Sophomores Joel Kight and D.T. Shackleford are all gifted and will all contribute in a big way.

5.) There will be plenty of growth in the secondary.

The weak spot for the Rebels as of late has been their secondary. Not only was the secondary mediocre, but they lost 3 of their 4 starters. However, they do have a lot of emerging talent there this year. Johnny Brown came along as the season went on last year and his experience will help tenfold. Damien Jackson and Brishen Matthews have played zero snaps for the Rebels, but both should be nice contributors all year. The corner slots are filled with talented players hungry to earn their spot. Marcus Temple, Jeremy McGee, and Charles Sawyer will get the majority of the snaps, and don't sleep on any of the three becoming a key asset for the Rebels.

6.) Houston Nutt will be calling the majority of the plays.

Kent Austin quickly skipped town to become the head coach at Cornell after just two seasons in Oxford. This opened up a door for former Alabama offensive coordinator Dave Rader, who is the epitome of the anti-Nutt. He has a dull, meticulous gameplan that cannot utilize the playmakers of Ole Miss to their full potential. Houston Nutt is a lot of things, but one thing he is not is dull. He wants to be in-your-face-wow-did-ya-see-what-my-boy-did-there with his offense. That attitude will quickly trample Rader's attitude and the playcalling duties will be all Houston's. Expect this all to happen sooner rather than later.

7.) Inconsistent play from the wide receivers will be prevalent. 

Shay Hodge was a huge part of this offense for the last 3 years and will be sorely missed by the Rebels. Add that to the loss of Dexter McCluster in the slot, and you have got some holes to fill. Captain Lionel Breaux provides leadership to a core who certainly needs it. It's too bad he can't also bring big play threats to the table as well. Senior Markeith Summers is renowned for his love of dropping passes and blue-chip recruit Patrick Patterson was dismissed from the team last month. This leaves the burden on 6-8 Melvin Harris and a group of freshmen. Expect Vincent Sanders to emerge from the Class of 2010 and get serious consideration for playing time. The talent is there, the experience isn't, and I think that will ultimately win out in the end.

8.) A dismal road record for the Rebels.

Seven opponents will travel to Vaught-Hemingway stadium this season and all seven of them seem to be manageable. The opponents are: Jacksonville State, Vanderbilt, Fresno State, Kentucky, Auburn, Louisiana-Lafayette, and rival Mississippi State. The Rebels should go anywhere from 5-2 to a possible 7-0 record at home in 2010. This is all well and good for the Right Reverend's squad, but there is the lurking task of going on the road for the Rebels to deal with. They have five stops, including: Tulane, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, and LSU. The Tulane game should be no problem for Ole Miss, but the other four could prove to be a gauntlet. Alabama is the defending National Champion, Arkansas has one of the most dynamic offenses in the FBS, Knoxville is always a tough place to play regardless of their record, and winning in Death Valley is never an easy feat. I certainly don't expect them to go winless away from the confines of Oxford, but don't expect anything too impressive from them on the road this season.

9.) Opposing teams will get a lot of pressure on Ole Miss up the middle.

Starters Reid Neely, John Jerry, and Daverin Geralds are all gone which leaves very limited experience in the heart of the line for the Rebels. Two large tackles, Bobby Massie and bradley Sowell are much improved and should hold down the outside very well. I fully expect teams to pinch their defensive line and blitz up the middle against this inexperienced inner three. This will affect the inside running game with Brandon Bolden as well as the pocket comfort for Masoli and Stanley. Unless these kids grow up real fast, this should cause concern for Mike Markuson and Houston Nutt.

10.) Lots of young players will get experience this season.

This offense has three new starters up front, a stable of young backs, and open competition at the wide receiver spots. This will give young players the chances to prove that they can be a part of this team's future going forward. The defensive side of the ball is no different. Sophomores Joel Kight and D.T. Shackleford will get a lot of snaps for this defense as they did last year. The secondary features talented youngsters like Brishen Matthews and Charles Sawyer who will get their opportunities to showcase themselves. Under defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix, the defensive line has always been a revolving door of young guys and veterans feeding off of each other. There's no evidence to prove that this season will be any different. 

This is a very young, but talented team who has a top tier defense who will keep them in any ball game. Their success hinges on the development of the offense from top to bottom. Taking in the scrutinized Masoli will either blow up in Houston Nutt and Pete Boon's faces or it could be a saving grace for this team's season. In the Nostrodaumus spirit of Rasheed Wallace, I feel I should give my final prediction of how this team will fair this season. Nutt does not like expectations, he loves having a chip on his shoulder, so this team should be perfect. I see another 9-4 team coming out of Oxford this season, the four losses being to Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, and LSU. I see them playing in a mid-level bowl game, the Music City, Peach, or Cotton Bowls seem like the most likely destinations. Here's to second guessing myself in the coming months, cheers.