Tackling TN, Auburn, Arkansas Games????

[JustBlues]

I have been thinking long and hard about these 3 games and I feel these are the 3 games that will determine whether Ole Miss goes 10-2 or 7-5. I believe the rebels still have a legitimate shot at Bama, and my biggest question mark this year is LSU I don't know what to expect from the Tigers this year. So I didn't even attempt to tackle those two games bc there are too many variables to put a win or a lose by them.

Here is how I see it.... the OL and turnovers determines the season bc the defense is going to keep the Rebels in every games ala last year. I think the Rebels advantage will be lower turnover margin and an improved OL in run blocking (key for our offense this year).

1st Arkansas - I firmly believe Mallett won't even be healthy by the Ole Miss game. If anybody remembers Greg Hardy's foot injuries from previous seasons... Mallett's foot will be causing him fits or be sitting on the sideline due to it. So what else does Arkansas have this year??? Good receivers? Yeah but whose throwing to them? Running game? Should be pretty good. Defense??? Now going on this past season it is not looking so good and it will determine if they can even stay in the Ole Miss game. If Mallet does stay healthy which I am seriously doubting...This game will be a toss up, but I've got to give it to the better defense and right now it looks like Ole Miss carries that title. And the reason why is Nix's know how to attack a shotgun pure passing QB he will shut Mallett down by in turn knocking Arkansas out of the game.

Next Tennessee - This game should be a blowout. TN will be starting 5 new offensive line men believe all Freshmen) and lost 2 of their DT to season ending injuries this pre-season (leaving only 1 DT who has played in games), then they are breaking in a brand new JUCO QB. I truly believe TN only wins 2 maybe 3 games this year, but being on the road and depending on our own injury outlook this game could be tight. If Ole Miss is going to blow a game this year it will be this game! Kentucky could be in this place but I give us home field advantage on that one.

Last Auburn - Auburn scares me the most of all only because Nix or the linebacker/DE seems to have a difficulty with the spread option defense (Auburn and State games from last year was awful play by our linebackers and DE's or was it the defense was blitzing too much and didn't have the discipline to tackle their responsibility in the option) now I don't think this will happen twice, but it does cause me to pause from calling a win. Their defense will be suspect again this year, and they are replacing a stud for running back know they have a nice stable of running backs though). Nix puts together a defense to attack the spread and we limit turnovers this year then I think Ole Miss handles the Tigers easily due to the fact that they are still a poorly coached team by looking at penalties from last year.

If DT overtakes Cornell this year for majority playing time his impact on the spread option will be felt in the MSU and Auburn games. I think his presence will be a deciding factor in those games. I love Cornell's consistency but he brings no pop to middle linebacker.

All in all it is hard to predict anything but I see us having a good offense with hopefully limited turnovers (you take away the Turnover machines of Snead and Eason) and we have a solid offense with a stellar defense. I like the opportunities.

I think there's a 75% chance that 2 will be wins, about a 50% chance that all 3 will be wins. It seems as though Tennessee is in the biggest rebuilding phase. They could put the worst product on the field they've had in several years depthwise. Combine that with the fact they are breaking in a new QB and I've heard a mostly new offensive line, I don't like their chances against this defense.

I know the most about Arkansas. So far, they seem to have not had a real good summer camp. Petrino wasn't real happy with today's scrimmage. Alot of balls were on the ground. Mallett has been sort of off and on and making alot of bad decisions. Let's assume the foot stays fine for the arguement but I still think Powe and the boys will over power the o-line, and as the arkansas poster suggested, the Rebs should have no problem overpowering Ark's D-line. Arkansas' linebacker corp is not very talented and there is no depth which feeds into Nutt's philosphical strength of the power run. I think Ark is rated 10 or 12th in the conference in front 7 while OM is 1st by some. Arkansas will have an advantage of WR vs Secondary if Mallett has time but for the most part OM should be able to keep 6 in the box with Powe and Locket commanding a double team most of the night and it's gonna be hard throwing into a 5 man coverage all night. If you are at the game in Ole Miss gear get the hell out of town prior to the campus going up in flames if you do win.

I know the least about Auburn but I can see them having Quarterback issues if this juco guy is the #1 guy. Malzhan runs an offense based on highschool trickary principals and yea, last year we fell for it a couple times that cost points. The thing about Malzhan's offense is there are things you know you don't have to prepare for b/c 99% of the time they are in the shotgun and his system is not set up to give you as good of a chance on the road as a pro style system based on running with a lead blocker.

Malzahn is all smoke and mirrors trickeration and for the most part, SEC coaches will have him figured out. The problem is, there are two games a year for which he will save his really special stuff. One, of course, will be Alabama. The other will be when they play against his old boss. He will save enough tricks for us that it will make it difficult to defend, just like last year. Hopefully we'll respond a little better. At least this year will be on friendly turf.

[jrebel87]

I agree that the tn game should be a win but the problem is that its still the sec and we of all people should know that a win is never guaranteed. Tn will be tough because we play them in knoxville. I can't remember the last time we beat em there, in fact, it hasn't happened to my knowledge in the 22 years i've been alive. That being said, they are very young and by that time our offense should be gelling. Arky is going to be tough. They know that weve beaten them for 2 years running and they will be fired up for us. If mallet is healthy it will be tough to defend against him. It all depends on if our d-line stays healthy. Auburn will be the toughest of these games. They will have a great defense and a great offense . IF we have a chance in this game we can't get into a shoot out with em, we have to keep it to a 17-10 17-14 game to win it. We tried to shoot out thing last year and it didn't work out to well.

[wildthang80]

Don't count UT out. I thought Auburn was going to be awful last year, and I thought Nutt had Malzahn's number because he was familiar with his offense. UT is a tradtional powerhourse. Remeber when Alabama was bad a few years ago? They were still good enough to beat us a couple of times. I'm hyped up, but I now the heartache of being a rebel!

[wildthang80]

Power house

[delusionalthug]

I have been thinking long and hard about these 3 games and I feel these are the 3 games that will determine whether Ole Miss goes 10-2 or 7-5. I believe the rebels still have a legitimate shot at Bama, and my biggest question mark this year is LSU I don't know what to expect from the Tigers this year. So I didn't even attempt to tackle those two games bc there are too many variables to put a win or a lose by them.

Here is how I see it.... the OL and turnovers determines the season bc the defense is going to keep the Rebels in every games ala last year. I think the Rebels advantage will be lower turnover margin and an improved OL in run blocking (key for our offense this year).

1st Arkansas - I firmly believe Mallett won't even be healthy by the Ole Miss game. If anybody remembers Greg Hardy's foot injuries from previous seasons... Mallett's foot will be causing him fits or be sitting on the sideline due to it. So what else does Arkansas have this year??? Good receivers? Yeah but whose throwing to them? Running game? Should be pretty good. Defense??? Now going on this past season it is not looking so good and it will determine if they can even stay in the Ole Miss game. If Mallet does stay healthy which I am seriously doubting...This game will be a toss up, but I've got to give it to the better defense and right now it looks like Ole Miss carries that title. And the reason why is Nix's know how to attack a shotgun pure passing QB he will shut Mallett down by in turn knocking Arkansas out of the game.

Next Tennessee - This game should be a blowout. TN will be starting 5 new offensive line men believe all Freshmen) and lost 2 of their DT to season ending injuries this pre-season (leaving only 1 DT who has played in games), then they are breaking in a brand new JUCO QB. I truly believe TN only wins 2 maybe 3 games this year, but being on the road and depending on our own injury outlook this game could be tight. If Ole Miss is going to blow a game this year it will be this game! Kentucky could be in this place but I give us home field advantage on that one.

Last Auburn - Auburn scares me the most of all only because Nix or the linebacker/DE seems to have a difficulty with the spread option defense (Auburn and State games from last year was awful play by our linebackers and DE's or was it the defense was blitzing too much and didn't have the discipline to tackle their responsibility in the option) now I don't think this will happen twice, but it does cause me to pause from calling a win. Their defense will be suspect again this year, and they are replacing a stud for running back know they have a nice stable of running backs though). Nix puts together a defense to attack the spread and we limit turnovers this year then I think Ole Miss handles the Tigers easily due to the fact that they are still a poorly coached team by looking at penalties from last year.

If DT overtakes Cornell this year for majority playing time his impact on the spread option will be felt in the MSU and Auburn games. I think his presence will be a deciding factor in those games. I love Cornell's consistency but he brings no pop to middle linebacker.

All in all it is hard to predict anything but I see us having a good offense with hopefully limited turnovers (you take away the Turnover machines of Snead and Eason) and we have a solid offense with a stellar defense. I like the opportunities.

I think there's a 75% chance that 2 will be wins, about a 50% chance that all 3 will be wins. It seems as though Tennessee is in the biggest rebuilding phase. They could put the worst product on the field they've had in several years depthwise. Combine that with the fact they are breaking in a new QB and I've heard a mostly new offensive line, I don't like their chances against this defense.

I know the most about Arkansas. So far, they seem to have not had a real good summer camp. Petrino wasn't real happy with today's scrimmage. Alot of balls were on the ground. Mallett has been sort of off and on and making alot of bad decisions. Let's assume the foot stays fine for the arguement but I still think Powe and the boys will over power the o-line, and as the arkansas poster suggested, the Rebs should have no problem overpowering Ark's D-line. Arkansas' linebacker corp is not very talented and there is no depth which feeds into Nutt's philosphical strength of the power run. I think Ark is rated 10 or 12th in the conference in front 7 while OM is 1st by some. Arkansas will have an advantage of WR vs Secondary if Mallett has time but for the most part OM should be able to keep 6 in the box with Powe and Locket commanding a double team most of the night and it's gonna be hard throwing into a 5 man coverage all night. If you are at the game in Ole Miss gear get the hell out of town prior to the campus going up in flames if you do win.

I know the least about Auburn but I can see them having Quarterback issues if this juco guy is the #1 guy. Malzhan runs an offense based on highschool trickary principals and yea, last year we fell for it a couple times that cost points. The thing about Malzhan's offense is there are things you know you don't have to prepare for b/c 99% of the time they are in the shotgun and his system is not set up to give you as good of a chance on the road as a pro style system based on running with a lead blocker.

Malzahn is all smoke and mirrors trickeration and for the most part, SEC coaches will have him figured out. The problem is, there are two games a year for which he will save his really special stuff. One, of course, will be Alabama. The other will be when they play against his old boss. He will save enough tricks for us that it will make it difficult to defend, just like last year. Hopefully we'll respond a little better. At least this year will be on friendly turf.

that's pretty much my feeling on it but it's alot harder to win with tricks on the road if the game is close and the crowd is rowdy. It's alot easier to win on the road when you can line up and over power a team which Malzhan's philosphy doesn't do. I don't think there is a very big talent gap on either side and if it was at Auburn I would predict auburn but at home, I like OM. Auburn's strength should be o-line and the d-line of OM should offset that. The question will ultimately be how will OM be emotionally after pouring everything into the ARkansas game the week prior, b/c they'll put alot of emotion in that game. I'm hoping we are coasting on confidence at that point at 6-1. I don't see the Bama win, but with their alleged depleted secondary, I bet we play well and could have a chance. We should be ok against their offense.

Keep in mind, when I try to forecast a match-up this early I do it on the theory all teams come in to the games 100% healthy which won't happen.