All just fodder, but interesting

[Rebchuck18]

ESPN on their SEC blog has ranked the SEC schools by position. Here is How Ole Miss fared:

Defensive Line: 5th
Offensive Line: 9th
Receivers: 4th
Running Backs: 10th
Quarterback: 5th
Defensive Backs: 5th
Linebackers: 3rd

Overall:

If you average the rankings at every position, this is where the teams fall (with their average ranking at all positions):

1. Alabama 2.571
T2. Georgia 4.857
T2. LSU 4.857
4. Florida 5.571
5. OLE MISS 5.857
6. Texas A&M 6.286
7. South Carolina 6.571
8. Vanderbilt 7.286
9. MSU 8.286
10. Tenn 9.286
T11. Auburn 10.429
T11. Missouri 10.429
13. Arkansas 10.857
14. Kentucky 11.857

Now all of this and a quarter will get you a piece of bubble gum, but it's still good that anybody views our talent in the top 5 in the SEC. Getting pumped.

[Titles 'R Us]

It's certainly true that teams 10 through 14 had the league's worst records last year. I knew we had experience coming back but did not realize it was top tier. I do like our chances for an eight or nine-win regular season, and I think we will be in every game this year, unlike last year's contests with Texas and Georgia.

[JustBlues]

I do not know enough about the talent on a few of the other teams to accurately rank us among them, but there are some interesting things that I have noted as I have read these rankings. I find it interesting, for instance, that I consider us loaded at running back and that is where the espn bloggers have us rated the lowest. Now granted the SEC is a literal fountain of good running backs, and I certainly don't consider us to have a stable like Alabama or LSU, but I find it a bit hard to believe that we are just the tenth best at that position group. Likewise, with so much experience returning, I find it hard to believe that we have the ninth best offensive line in the league, although we certainly are not among the top in that category. I consider defensive backfield and linebacker to be two position groups where we are somewhat questionable, and yet we rank very highly in their rankings in those groups. Of course, if Brassell is able to participate in all of fall camp and then play every game, our defensive backfield improves a great deal. There are just too many questions at this point about Shackleford's readiness for me to rate our linebacker group too highly and while we have a couple of very good linebackers and a couple of reasonably good backups, our overall depth there is questionable. Perhaps if DT is 100% back to his old self on day one of camp, we might merit this ranking, but that is a rather big if... We should be near the elite at DE, which is a good position in which to have strength, but there may be a depth issue at DT. A lot depends there on whether Hooks lives up to potential, which is never a sure thing especially with a JUCO. We know Gross will be good and between Bennet and Martin, there is a good potential core. I wouldn't be surprised to see R Nkem moved inside in certain packages either to get him on the field more. Overall, I think that there is a good chance that we do have top five talent, I'd just say that my rankings would have us higher in some groups and lower in others than the espn blog.

[CMB]

the biggest shocker to me is the RB ranked 10th. I am not saying it should be 1 or even 2 but 10? We do have somewhat of a stable ---- Jeff Scott, I'Tavius Mathers, Jaylen Walton, Mark Dodson, Kailo Moore, Jordan Wilkins, Eugene Brazley, .....

maybe it is because a lot of these have limited playing time and some are true freshman that haven't played a down yet....

[lewindha]

Only three of those have actually seen any college action. Scott always been undersized, so he gets no respect. Walton and Mathers definitely showed flashes last year, but they need to take the next step.

Ole Miss fans definitely see this as a slight and we think 10 is a bit low, but I can see how it looks to an outsider.

[JustBlues]

Only three of those have actually seen any college action. Scott always been undersized, so he gets no respect. Walton and Mathers definitely showed flashes last year, but they need to take the next step.

Ole Miss fans definitely see this as a slight and we think 10 is a bit low, but I can see how it looks to an outsider.

I agree, but the espn sec bloggers should not be that far outside. They should be following all of the SEC teams closely and have a pretty good idea what's there. Do you think that if Alabama had the same running backs that we have, they would be ranked 10th?

[MageeRebel425]

4 at wr is too low, IMO. #4 in the country maybe. This group is the best we have ever had.

[lewindha]

4 at wr is too low, IMO. #4 in the country maybe. This group is the best we have ever had.

Don't know about 4 in the country, but I definitely thought it was low.

[Titles 'R Us]

At any rate, if we believe that we've been slighted in some categories and ESPN still thinks we average out in the Top Five of the league, we're in good shape for a good season. My word for our team this fall: *sleeper.* (Just like last year.)

[Rebchuck18]

Another thing to take into account is that if you read the accompanying stories ranking the individual players it would appear that they are not considering incoming freshmen at all (as they shouldn't until they prove themselves)..but in our case, especially at WR, OL and DL, I believe that freshmen will contribute and possibly in a big way this year. As far as WR goes the league has a bunch of good ones so as a team I don't have too much of a gripe with our ranking (you also have to think that when they say "receivers" they also might include tight ends which is one of our suspect positions)...I do think Moncrief doesn't get as much cred as he deserves and I am okay with that...a little chip on his shoulder will only make him hungrier. But I do believe our RB's are ranked too low but I understand why.

[StrongRebel]

I am weary when the media starts ranking and predicting Ole Miss to have a good season because trend shows us that the media doesn't know much. I still contend Ole Miss' season will be determined by one player's surgeon, physical therapist, and trainer. Let's not forget his sport psychologist. He is unproven until after probably the third game of the season, but must likely just after Vanderbilt.

It's comforting to know he can perform at a high level, but I am still cautious due to knowing what it takes to come back from injury and a serious rehab. He will either be Andrian Peterson or Kentrell Lockett, and I thought Kentrell was great, but he couldn't shake the fear of injuring himself again, and it is not just an on the field issue. It starts in off-season workouts he will start feeling it, and it starts creeping in the back of the mind. I just hope that shoulder is good and he can push past the fear of injuring it again and having to rehab it again.

[Heath]

ESPN on their SEC blog has ranked the SEC schools by position. Here is How Ole Miss fared:

Defensive Line: 5th
Offensive Line: 9th
Receivers: 4th
Running Backs: 10th
Quarterback: 5th
Defensive Backs: 5th
Linebackers: 3rd

Overall:

If you average the rankings at every position, this is where the teams fall (with their average ranking at all positions):

1. Alabama 2.571
T2. Georgia 4.857
T2. LSU 4.857
4. Florida 5.571
5. OLE MISS 5.857
6. Texas A&M 6.286
7. South Carolina 6.571
8. Vanderbilt 7.286
9. MSU 8.286
10. Tenn 9.286
T11. Auburn 10.429
T11. Missouri 10.429
13. Arkansas 10.857
14. Kentucky 11.857

Now all of this and a quarter will get you a piece of bubble gum, but it's still good that anybody views our talent in the top 5 in the SEC. Getting pumped.

Ok, Mr. Chuck. You say you are getting pumped. So I can plan to meet you at the SEC Picnic on August 17th, or at Bar 96 for our first game (you don't have to drink, just come have a good time and socialize)?

[A10Rebel]

I like it when they don't give us any credit because I like making the "experts" look stupid.

I mean hell they've just put together Houston Nutt wasn't our coach last year.

[Rebchuck18]

Ok, Mr. Chuck. You say you are getting pumped. So I can plan to meet you at the SEC Picnic on August 17th, or at Bar 96 for our first game (you don't have to drink, just come have a good time and socialize)?

Heath, are y'all back in Austin now? I've been so busy I didn't know you had come back. I will definitely try and make the SEC Picnic because I can bring little Eli.

[Heath]

Ok, Mr. Chuck. You say you are getting pumped. So I can plan to meet you at the SEC Picnic on August 17th, or at Bar 96 for our first game (you don't have to drink, just come have a good time and socialize)?

Heath, are y'all back in Austin now? I've been so busy I didn't know you had come back. I will definitely try and make the SEC Picnic because I can bring little Eli.

Awesome. Yeah, we stayed in Charlotte for about 11 months, then had to move back to Austin. I love it here. We just bought a house on the East side, about 1/4 mile from Disch-Faulk Field and about 3/4 mile from DKR Stadium. Glad to be back!!!

Check out the Austin Ole Miss Club on Facebook. Amanda Olsen does a great job building up that club. They said that there were about 25 "regulars" at Bar96 on gameday Saturdays. Hope to see you there.