ESPN Team Preview

[BigTrev34]

Im sure some of you dont have ESPN Insider so I figure Id post it for yall.

Team preview: Mississippi
Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook

(All information as of June 20, 2008)

Mississippi Rebels
LOCATION Oxford, Miss.
CONFERENCE SEC (West)
LAST SEASON 3-9 (.250)
CONFERENCE RECORD 0-8 (6th)
OFF. STARTERS RETURNING 7
DEF. STARTERS RETURNING 8
NICKNAME Rebels
COLORS Cardinal Red & Navy Blue
HOME FIELD Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (60,580)
HEAD COACH Houston Nutt (Oklahoma State '81)
RECORD AT SCHOOL First year
CAREER RECORD 111-70 (15 years)
ASSISTANTS • Kent Austin (Ole Miss '86) , Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
• Tyrone Nix (Southern Miss '95), Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
• Kim Dameron (Arkansas '83), Safeties
• Ron Dickerson (Arkansas '96), Wide Receivers
• Mike Markuson (Hamline '83), Offensive Line
• Derrick Nix (Southern Miss '02), Running Backs
• Tracy Rocker (Auburn '93), Defensive Line
• James Shibest (Arkansas '87), Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
• Chris Vaughn (Murray State '98) , Cornerbacks/Recruiting Coordinator
TEAM WINS (Last five yrs.) 10-4-3-4-3
FINAL RANK (Last five yrs.) 16-63-82-83-90
2007 FINISH Lost to Mississippi State in regular-season finale.
2008 Schedule | 2007 Results | 2007 Stats

COACH AND PROGRAM

He didn't like it, but in the back of his mind he knew it might be coming. Houston Nutt was mostly prepared for the end of his 10 years as Arkansas' head football coach. What he didn't expect was a job offer within a few hours after his tenure in Fayetteville was over. Before he could even get used to the idea of not being the Razorbacks' coach, Ole Miss called to offer him the chance to coach the Rebels and stay in the SEC West. For Nutt, it was more than just finding another job to replace the one he wanted. It was the right job at the right place at the right time.

"Tradition -- I've always had an awesome respect for the players and coaches who came through there," Nutt said. "I remember my dad talking about coach [Johnny] Vaught and Archie Manning, especially when they played Arkansas in the [1970] Sugar Bowl. And at Arkansas we played against Eli Manning and Deuce McAllister. So I've always admired a lot of those people.

"Once I was available, I got real excited about their interest. It was the chance to stay in the SEC and in the same basic geographic area as far as recruiting. The recruiting area may be even better because we're closer to Memphis, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida than we were in Arkansas. It just seemed like a really good fit. "They've won there before. They've won national titles and SEC titles. The facilities are excellent. We have a beautiful indoor facility with offices and locker rooms -- as good as I've been in.''


Still, it has been 33 years since Vaught retired after winning six SEC titles and a share of three national championships. Since then Billy Brewer, Tommy Tuberville and David Cutcliffe have all experienced a measure of success, but none won an outright conference or division title. Ole Miss is the only SEC West team that has not played in the SEC championship game.

Nutt led the Razorbacks to two conference championship games, so his opinion on what it takes to win in the SEC is informed and qualified. In Nutt's opinion, the Rebels are ready to win after four consecutive losing seasons, the last three under former coach Ed Orgeron. "This first spring I was really anxious to see how we do," Nutt said, "and to be able to step in and have the kind of spring we had gave me even more confidence that, boy, we can get it now."

Spring brought considerable change to the program, starting with a new staff that includes five coaches who followed Nutt from Arkansas. "Change is usually hard, but it went better than I thought it would," Nutt said. "The guys were very willing and very open and good listeners. I was excited about their attitude toward what we were teaching. They're hungry for some success." The changes involved more than new offensive and defensive schemes, philosophies and terminology.

"We had to change their attitude, and to me that is changing the little things," Nutt said. "It is about winning in everything you do. Some of the guys are used to losing on the field and in life, and I want to change that. Going to class, sitting up in your seat, being on time -- those are the little things we will work on. We are getting there."

After the Rebels finished 3-9 overall and 0-8 in the SEC in 2007, Nutt sees a hunger and urgency in a team that at least had a chance to beat Florida, Alabama, Auburn and Mississippi State but failed to finish each time. "That's the feeling I had," Nutt said. "I told the players, 'You're working hard, we've got good athletes on this team, but the bottom line is you guys didn't win a game in the SEC last year. That truth hurts.'

"With as difficult as this league is, we've got to be realistic, too. It's easy to say 'Hey, we've got enough talent here and there,' but the bottom line is they've had very little success over the past three years. We've got to change the mindset. We've got to change the attitude."

The talent level Nutt inherits is better than last season's record would suggest, especially in three areas. "It starts with our defensive line and our receivers," Nutt said. "Ed and his staff did a really good job recruiting defensive linemen and receivers. We've got some real playmakers at those spots. Plus I'm real excited about having a quarterback like [sophomore and Texas transfer] Jevan Snead. He got better every day this spring, and he has a real live arm and the ability to escape trouble." At the same time, the Rebels don't have much depth, and there are real concerns to address before the season opener against Memphis at home on Aug. 30. "We've got to get better at the corners," Nutt said. "Right now we've got three guys we've got to be able to count on and we really have to improve. We've got to develop some depth at linebacker. We were spoiled at Arkansas with our tailbacks [first-round draft choices Darren McFadden and Felix Jones] and we've got to find some backs. [Junior] Cordera Eason is our guy right now. But there's a huge drop-off. We signed three tailbacks, and we'll give them a shot to see how they handle jumping from the Friday night lights to SEC Saturdays."

Anyone who has followed Nutt's coaching career knows he loves the running game. When it worked, no one ran the ball better or more consistently than the Razorbacks over the past decade. Having players like McFadden and Jones helped, but Nutt doesn't have a McFadden or a Jones on his current roster. What he does have is a potential star at quarterback, talent and depth among the receivers and an offensive coordinator with the experience to make it all work.

Former Ole Miss quarterback Kent Austin (1981-85) spent the last 20 years coaching and playing in the Canadian Football League and won the Grey Cup as both a quarterback and head coach. After leading the Saskatchewan Roughriders to the CFL championship in 2007, Austin left the CFL for all the right reasons.

"It was an opportunity to come back and coach at my alma mater, a school I love very much," Austin said. "It was an opportunity to get my family back to the South and get my kids in U.S. schools. Those things were appealing, but at the end of the day, if there hadn't been a head coach like Houston I don't think I would have come back.

"It was really important for me to coach for someone who's not only a quality coach but also understands the value of edifying and building into the lives of people around them. He understands that football is not about the coaches. It's about the players." Austin laughs at the possibility of being able to sneak a 12th offensive player on the field or use vertical motion before the snap, but in reality he simply has to translate his Canadian football dialect to American South.

"Obviously it has to be modified, but conceptually what we do in the passing game and why we do what we do against the coverages and the defenses we faced, those things transfer because those things are universal whether you're playing with 12 men or 11. "I believe in multiple personnel groupings, multiple formations and the use of motion. We're going to run a variety of things to try to dictate to the defense as opposed to reacting all the time. The more personnel groupings and formations and motions we can use, the more we can keep the defense off balance and put ourselves in better match-up situations."

So far it seems possible that Nutt will allow Austin to open up the offense and make good use of Ole Miss' strengths in the passing game, something he was criticized for rarely doing at Arkansas. One thing that will carry over from Arkansas is Nutt's use of a multi-skilled player such as McFadden as a shotgun quarterback. At Arkansas McFadden passed and ran out of the Wild Hog formation. At Ole Miss, the Wild Rebel formation will allow junior receiver Dexter McCluster to make use of his versatile skills and quickness.

"Dexter has some good ball-handling skills and he played quarterback before at a younger age," Nutt said. "The thing that the 'Wild Rebel' does is enable you to put your best player with the ball in his hands. That's all you want to do. You want to put your playmakers in a position to make plays, and that's what that formation does. Dexter is a guy that we feel like will really create some problems with defenses, and I am really excited about his role."

While Austin is new to coaching in the SEC, defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix spent the last three seasons as South Carolina's defensive coordinator. From 1995-2004 he coached at Southern Miss, his alma mater, and served as defensive coordinator over the last four years there. In both jobs, he worked with John Thompson, Ole Miss' defensive coordinator in 2007.

Thompson inherited a defense relatively young and inexperienced, while Nix inherits one that returns its top 13 tacklers, including eight starters and several players who saw significant playing time.

"I don't know what's gone on here in the past, but I know they haven't played as well as they wanted to," Nix said. "We're going to try to change that. From my experience here the kids are excited and they're looking forward to an opportunity to prove to people they can play winning football in this conference. Now we've to get them to where they can play up to those expectations." Nix's defense will be a mix of Thompson's aggressive style and his own adherence to the fundamentals and principles that made Southern Miss so tough defensively.

"We're going to play aggressive, but we've got to make sure we're sound, fundamental and smart," Nix said. "We want to be a strong man coverage team. Our front will allow us to do a lot of things. Really, our biggest challenge will be getting all 11 to play on the same page and getting everyone to play with relentless effort. It's the toughest conference in America, and we better be ready."

QUARTERBACKS

Ole Miss grew increasingly dependent on the running game the last two seasons, due mostly to a lack of consistency and production at quarterback. The former staff had every intention of opening up the offense this season because of sophomore Jevan Snead (6-3, 215), who sat out the 2007 season after transferring from Texas.

"I'm really glad we've got Jevan," Austin said. "He's got a chance to be really good. He's got all the physical tools you want. He's very accurate both in the pocket and on the run, and he can throw running to both his left and his right. He's not a blazer, but he moves really well and he can buy time in the pocket and get us out of trouble. Plus he has good feel for the pocket.

"He's got a strong arm and a quick arm, and in my experience that's an unusual combination to have both. So he can throw when he's crowded. When the pocket's collapsing on him, he can get it away quickly and still have velocity on the ball. That bodes well in the SEC because the pass rushes are so good."


It's going to take more than talent and instincts to produce in the SEC, and Austin believes Snead has the necessary intangibles. Those qualities weren't as evident early in the spring simply because it had been so long since Snead received the majority of the snaps. By the end of the spring, those qualities were obvious.

"He's also a great decision-maker, which I think is the No. 1 quality in a quarterback," Austin said. "And he's tough, mentally and physically. He's got an opportunity to be real good, but how quickly he develops will be the key. In this conference we're going to need him to turn the corner pretty quickly."

Behind Snead, junior Billy Tapp (6-4, 230) is bright and learns quickly, two good qualities for a backup quarterback who might have to come in cold off the bench. His mere presence on the sideline should be good for Snead.

"He's really good from the standpoint of his impact on Jevan," Austin said. "Jevan is such an effort guy and wants to be good so much that sometimes his effort gets in the way of his performance. Billy's a very mature, calm, easy going, laid-back guy, and he's got a very calming influence on Jevan and they're very close."

RUNNING BACKS

For all the talk about the three freshman running backs expected to arrive this summer, the fact remains that Enrique Davis (6-1, 215), Devin Thomas (5-11, 195) and Brandon Bolden (5-11, 215) have never played a down of college football.

In fact, the graduation of BenJarvus Green-Ellis leaves junior Cordera Eason (5-10, 224) as the only current back who has actually played for Ole Miss, and he carried only three times for six yards in 2007.

"We have a solid running back in Cordera Eason," Austin said. "From the start of spring to the spring game he was our most improved offensive player. He's a big, strong back, he runs hard and he's got decent speed. I think he'll be a very productive back in our offense."

With sophomore Jeremy McGee (5-11, 178) moving to cornerback and sophomore Reggie Hicks (6-1, 234) moving to tight end, the only other running back by the end of the spring was sophomore Derrick Davis (5-10, 224). Despite the inexperience of the newcomers, the Rebels really need one or two to step up sooner than later. "We'll see how quickly they grasp the offense and see how capable they are of performing physically against a much tougher level of competition," Austin said.

At fullback, senior Jason Cook (5-11, 248) is a solid blocker and role player who provides some interesting perspective via his blog on Ole Miss' official web site.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

In senior Mike Wallace (6-0, 180), junior Shay Hodge (6-1, 207), junior Michael Hicks (6-2, 222), junior Marshay Green (5-9, 170) and junior Dexter McCluster (5-8, 165), Ole Miss opened the spring with a group that combined to catch 152 passes last season.

The Rebels' depth and talent at receiver eventually allowed the coaches to move Green to corner, and continued to improve when sophomores Lionel Breaux (6-0, 191) and Markeith Summers (6-2, 197) played their way into the rotation. "The receiving corps is the strength of our offense right now," Austin said. "It not only has talent, it has depth. We've got some guys who have speed, but they also love to play football.

"But the No. 1 thing we have among our receivers is the ability to make plays. You can talk about running routes and catching it with your hands and all that, but I don't care about that as much as whether a guy can make plays. Can he make plays with the ball in the air and the ball in his hands? If he can do that, he's got a spot on our football team, and we've got guys who can do that."

The other things count as well, because they put a player in position to make plays. "They have a lot more to learn now," Austin said. "We're going to require a lot more from them in the passing game; a deeper understanding of defenses and coverages and knowing how to adjust their routes accordingly. They'll have to do a lot more of that than they did in the past."

McCluster and Breaux bring speed to the position, while Summers brings athleticism with a broad jump of 10-10 and vertical leap of 38 inches. Still, it's Wallace's speed that led to six touchdown receptions, seven receptions of 40 or more yards, three of 50 or more and an SEC-best 18.8 yards per reception. And it's Hodge who used his strength and physical style of play to lead Ole Miss with 43 receptions and tie Wallace for the team lead with six touchdown catches.

"We have great speed with Mike Wallace and a pure playmaker in Shay Hodge," Austin said, "and we're going to try and get them chances to do even more by moving them around some and not always using them on the outside."

Despite his size, McCluster has shown both the toughness and the versatility to suggest he will be a dangerous weapon, whether he's playing quarterback in the Wild Rebel package or a multiple-role receiver.

"He's a guy we can move around and see if we can create some confusion and some mismatches and get him in space," Austin said. "We can do more than just the Wild Rebel. We can put him in the slot, stack him with other receivers and do some of the things I learned in Canada to get him the ball. We've got to get the football in his hands."

Solid senior David Traxler (6-6, 255) returns at tight end, but it was junior-college transfer Gerald Harris (6-5, 245) who made the biggest impact in his first spring at Ole Miss.

"We'll use one a time, we'll use two tight ends at a time," Austin said. "Our tight end won't always have his hand down. He'll move. He'll flex out. We'll use him in space as well."

OFFENSIVE LINE

It wasn't that long ago that Ole Miss' offensive line struggled because of youth and inexperience. Now new offensive line coach Mark Markuson inherits a group that has seen some playing time, starting with All-American senior left tackle Michael Oher (6-5, 318).

"I think we're pretty good up front, but we have to develop some depth there, especially on the edge," Austin said. "Our starting group is strong, athletic and a couple of them have played a lot of football here."

For all Ole Miss' recruiting successes, the most important news of the recruiting season came when Oher re-considered his initial decision to enter the NFL draft and chose to return to Ole Miss for his senior season. With a strong year, Oher has a chance to move into the top third of the first round of the 2009 draft.

"If Mike has a big year this year -- which we expect him to have -- he's going to be one of the top picks in the draft," Austin said. "He's got such a great combination of size and athleticism. He's a big tackle with great length and great feet. He's very quick off the ball and he's got a great center of balance. He's got the tools he needs to handle the great edge rushers in our conference."

Junior John Jerry (6-5, 350) has also developed into an important lineman for the Rebels, and his move from right guard to right tackle could give Ole Miss the best bookend tackles in the SEC.

"John Jerry's got a chance to be an outstanding football player," Austin said. "I think his size and athleticism will be better served out on the edge."

Ole Miss received some much-needed positive news in late May when senior Darryl Harris (6-3, 300) received a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA.

"Besides Michael, he's our best player up front in terms of technique and fundamentals," Austin said. "He's played all three positions [center, guard and tackle] for us, and that will help us so much. With our [lack of] depth, a guy who can play all three positions becomes even more valuable."

In addition to Oher, Jerry and Harris, junior Reid Neely (6-3, 310) returns as the starting left guard and senior Maurice Miller (6-4, 343) moves to right guard after starting 11 games at right tackle in 2007.

Beyond those five, the Rebels face considerable uncertainty. The center spot is still up for grabs between junior Daverin Geralds (6-2, 312) and junior college transfer Brandon Green (6-2, 310) and depth is unproven. The coaches are hoping two redshirt freshmen, guard Rishaw Johnson (6-4, 295) and tackle Bradley Sowell (6-7, 310) will step up in August.



KICKERS

Junior Joshua Shene (5-8, 170) enters his third season as Ole Miss' kicker. He converted 11-of-17 field goal attempts and 24-of-25 extra-point attempts last year, but he has a lot to prove after missing three field goals from the 30-39-yard line range and sending two kickoffs out of bounds without recording a touchback.

Invited walk-on Bryson Rose (6-0, 180) has a good chance to contribute this season. He's got a big leg that can be valuable on kick-offs. Last season at Wakefield High School in Raleigh, N.C., he kicked field goals of 51 and 54 yards.

DEFENSIVE LINE

No area of the Ole Miss defense is stronger than the defensive line, and for Nix, that's an excellent place to start. "The D-line is by far a talented group of guys," Nix said. "I think we've got some guys who can potentially play at an all-conference level. That's where it starts on defense. If you have some quality guys up front, you've got a chance to build a winning defense, and we've got that."

It starts with senior tackle Peria Jerry (6-2, 290), who has improved step-by-step and earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2007. Nix believes Jerry is ready for the next logical step in his progression.

"I think he's one of the best out there," Nix said. "He's big, he's explosive and a potential all-conference player." While Jerry is the three-technique tackle, sophomore Ted Laurent (6-0, 303) will be asked to control the middle at nose tackle.

"He's more of a squatty body, but he's one of the strongest guys on our team," Nix said. "He really plays with his pad level low, and he's a force in the run game." Behind them sophomore Lawson Scott (6-1, 322) and redshirt freshman Justin Sanders (6-4, 300) came through with good springs.

"There's good competition there, and it gives us a chance to go two-deep, roll some guys in there and stay fresh," Nix said.

At end, junior Greg Hardy (6-4, 265) led the SEC with 10 sacks and finished second with 18.5 tackles for loss and earned first-team All-SEC honors despite playing only 10 games and making only four starts. Hardy also caught two passes -- both for touchdowns -- as a goal-line receiver. Hardy is the best natural talent on the line, perhaps on the team, but he spent the 2007 season in and out of Orgeron's doghouse. He may have turned one corner in the spring, but he still has a long way to go to make the most of his talent.

"He has the ability to go and play beyond college, but he's got to get all of his stuff together," Nix said. "Greg's responded well [to the coaching change], but we're still trying to get him to become a more consistent player and be a factor day-in, day-out." Because of that inconsistency and the progress of sophomore Kentrell Lockett (6-5, 240), he came out as the starter ahead of Hardy at the end of spring practice. Lockett played well the previous spring but injuries limited his playing time and production in 2007.

While Nix waits for Hardy and Lockett to grow, he has no such concerns at the other end with junior Marcus Tillman (6-4, 260). "He's played a lot of football here, and he's big, strong and smart and has a lot of intangibles, so we might be able to move him inside in certain situations to help us." Behind Tillman, junior college transfer Emmanuel Stephens (6-3, 220) played his way into the rotation in his first spring at Ole Miss.

"The kid had a great spring, and he's pushing for the starting job in the opener," Nix said. "His motor runs wide open."

Ole Miss has been waiting on three-time signee and prep All-American Jerrell Powe to get eligible, but his status remained uncertain in the offseason.

LINEBACKERS

While there's talent at linebacker, there's also a lot of uncertainty about who's going to do the job consistently on SEC Saturdays.

For example, sophomore strong-side linebacker Allen Walker (6-1, 225) had an outstanding spring, but he made a total of 13 tackles last fall. "He hasn't touched the field a whole lot here, but I was really impressed with him," Nix said. "I hope he can put it together and do the little things right, because he can be a factor for us in the fall."

Ole Miss coaches had big plans for senior weak-side linebacker Ashlee Palmer (6-2, 222) when he arrived as a JUCO transfer last year. Even though he led the Rebels with 89 tackles, he also proved to be inconsistent throughout the season. "Ashlee has a lot of ability, but he has to raise the level of his effort and consistency," Nix said.

Sophomore middle linebacker Jonathan Cornell (6-1, 225) was off to a strong start last season when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the second game. "He's been banged up some," Nix said, "but he has the ability to be a big-time backer for us."

Senior middle linebacker Tony Fein (6-2, 245) finished second on the team with 84 tackles last year but hasn't been as steady as one might expect from a 26-year-old who served three and a half years in the Army and served a year in Iraq.

"Tony brings the most emotion and plays with a lot of intensity," Nix said, "but he had a so-so spring."

Junior strong-side linebacker Lamar Brumfield (6-0, 224) and sophomore Scottie Williams (6-2, 215) showed signs of being capable backups in the spring.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

No Ole Miss defensive back had a better spring than senior strong safety Jamarca Sanford (5-10, 200), who made 83 tackles in 10 games in 2007. "He's a leader, he's a tackler, he's a ballplayer," Nix said, "and we expect a lot of big things from him because of those three things."

At free safety, sophomore Johnny Brown (5-11, 207) "brings a lot of size to the position and he's a hitter," Nix said. "He has a lot to learn, but he has big-time potential." Behind them, junior Kendrick Lewis (5-11, 192) can play both spots effectively. "He might be one of the headiest football players I've known," Nix said. "He doesn't have outstanding strength in any particular area, but he's a ballplayer. He can play the deep ball, he can come down and cover, he does a lot of things well, and he has a knack for understanding the game and where he's supposed to be."

The cornerback spot remains a concern, despite the emergence of Green as a potential answer. "Marshay had an outstanding spring," Nix said. "He's a competitor. He competes every snap and goes 100 percent, so he has a chance to help us play press man, off man zone, do a little bit of everything we want to do, just because he's a ballplayer."

At the other corner, senior Dustin Mouzon (5-11, 175) and junior Cassius Vaughn (5-10, 185) have a lot to prove.

"We're still up in the air," Nix said. "Dustin Mouzon was a little bit of a disappointment in the spring, but I like Mouzon, and I expect him to be on the field. He has the ability to be the starter, but a lot depends on what kind of summer and fall camp he has.

"Vaughn could play on either side, and we're trying to get the best two on the field together, so he's got to be in the mix. Cassius is very talented and I really like him. I'd just like him to be a more consistent player. He's got the tools. We're just waiting on that switch to hit every play."

When McGee moved from running back to cornerback in the spring, it was just the latest in a series of moves. McGee made three positions changes when he played in 10 games for UCLA in 2006.

PUNTERS

Like Shene, junior Justin Sparks (6-2, 187) returns as the starting punter, but he has a lot of work to do after averaging 39.7 yards on 51 punts.

Sparks now finds himself in a serious competition after senior Rob Park (5-11, 194) made a push to reclaim the starting job he held in 2006.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Ole Miss returns Park as the holder and junior Preston Powers (6-0, 217) as the deep snapper but has a lot of work to do to improve the rest of the kicking game.

That's especially true on kickoffs. Even though Sparks improved the situation a bit when he replaced Shene on kickoffs late in the season, the Rebels still finished last in the SEC in kickoff coverage. "That's another area we've got to improve on, starting with the kickoff team," Nutt said. "There was a lot of real estate lost right there on kickoffs last year. We've got to start by finding a kicker, and we've got to put some starters on there and do everything we have to do."

The answer could be freshman walk-on Bryson Rose, who has a history of booming deep kickoffs and could also compete for the place-kicking job. If there's any area in the special teams where Ole Miss could excel, Nutt expects it to be the return game.

"Dexter McCluster, Marshay Green, Michael Wallace, Shay Hodge -- all those looked good as returners," Nutt said. "I'm excited about those guys, because they're our best playmakers and they can make something big happen with the ball in their arms."

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

Ole Miss could use a strong start in its first season under Nutt, but playing Memphis at home and at Wake Forest won't offer any guarantees. Along the way, the Rebels must play a murderer's row of SEC road games at Florida, Alabama, Arkansas and LSU. At this point, only the nonconference games against Samford and Louisiana-Monroe look like sure things, and even ULM won at Alabama last year.

"We've had such tough schedules in my years at Arkansas playing Texas and USC that I just kind of grow numb to the SEC," Nutt said. "We've got some pretty tough ones on this [schedule]. We start out against Memphis at home and that's a game that really means a lot to Memphis, so we better be ready. Then we go to Wake Forest, and they've been having a lot of success lately. Then we've got some pretty tough SEC road games, so we've got to start well and learn how to become a good road team."


No game looms larger than the road game at Arkansas. The reaction of Arkansas fans will be interesting. Some will cheer Nutt. Some will jeer him. Many won't know quite how to feel about seeing their old coach on the opposing sideline.

"That's going to be something different -- very different," Nutt said. "I've been trying hard not to think about that, but it's locked in to the schedule. You can't help it. On Oct. 25 we're going to be on the visitor's sideline, and that's going to be unusual when you've been on the other sideline for so long."

[dgmcdowe]

I can't wait to have time to read this.

[twlong]

good stuff. little surprised they didnt talk more about enrique davis. With his size and quickness i feel like he could be an extremely good candidate for the wild rebel. THat is if he as any throwing ability

[hill william]

Thanks for posting that, BigTrev!

[Redbluedude]

Great stuff. Thanks for the post.

[bleuwolfe]

I'm starting to feel better about our O scheme now. Sounds like Austin will have more impact than I had thought. Anyway great read. Thanks, Big!

[RebelConvert]

Often overlooked are the kickers. But we've seen time and again that a field goal can make all the difference. Interesting to read about a walk-on kicker, too. I'm personally a Shene fan, but it would be nice to have a few more options.

[RebelBond]

good stuff. little surprised they didnt talk more about enrique davis. With his size and quickness i feel like he could be an extremely good candidate for the wild rebel. THat is if he as any throwing ability

I think he said enough "they have not played a down of college ball".


RebelBond

[BigTrev34]

No problem. especially since Im leaving for Panama Saturday. I figure Id leave yall something to think about while Im gone.

[hill william]

No problem. especially since Im leaving for Panama Saturday. I figure Id leave yall something to think about while Im gone.

Lucky b*#$@!^@! Eat some arroz con pollo for me

[BobReb]

We're leaving for Honolulu in October... wish it was tomorrow...

[TulsaReb]

Im sure some of you dont have ESPN Insider so I figure Id post it for yall.

Team preview: Mississippi
Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook

(All information as of June 20, 2008)

Mississippi Rebels
LOCATION Oxford, Miss.
CONFERENCE SEC (West)
LAST SEASON 3-9 (.250)
CONFERENCE RECORD 0-8 (6th)
OFF. STARTERS RETURNING 7
DEF. STARTERS RETURNING 8
NICKNAME Rebels
COLORS Cardinal Red & Navy Blue
HOME FIELD Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (60,580)
HEAD COACH Houston Nutt (Oklahoma State '81)
RECORD AT SCHOOL First year
CAREER RECORD 111-70 (15 years)
ASSISTANTS • Kent Austin (Ole Miss '86) , Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
• Tyrone Nix (Southern Miss '95), Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
• Kim Dameron (Arkansas '83), Safeties
• Ron Dickerson (Arkansas '96), Wide Receivers
• Mike Markuson (Hamline '83), Offensive Line
• Derrick Nix (Southern Miss '02), Running Backs
• Tracy Rocker (Auburn '93), Defensive Line
• James Shibest (Arkansas '87), Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
• Chris Vaughn (Murray State '98) , Cornerbacks/Recruiting Coordinator
TEAM WINS (Last five yrs.) 10-4-3-4-3
FINAL RANK (Last five yrs.) 16-63-82-83-90
2007 FINISH Lost to Mississippi State in regular-season finale.
2008 Schedule | 2007 Results | 2007 Stats

COACH AND PROGRAM

He didn't like it, but in the back of his mind he knew it might be coming. Houston Nutt was mostly prepared for the end of his 10 years as Arkansas' head football coach. What he didn't expect was a job offer within a few hours after his tenure in Fayetteville was over. Before he could even get used to the idea of not being the Razorbacks' coach, Ole Miss called to offer him the chance to coach the Rebels and stay in the SEC West. For Nutt, it was more than just finding another job to replace the one he wanted. It was the right job at the right place at the right time.

"Tradition -- I've always had an awesome respect for the players and coaches who came through there," Nutt said. "I remember my dad talking about coach [Johnny] Vaught and Archie Manning, especially when they played Arkansas in the [1970] Sugar Bowl. And at Arkansas we played against Eli Manning and Deuce McAllister. So I've always admired a lot of those people.

"Once I was available, I got real excited about their interest. It was the chance to stay in the SEC and in the same basic geographic area as far as recruiting. The recruiting area may be even better because we're closer to Memphis, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida than we were in Arkansas. It just seemed like a really good fit. "They've won there before. They've won national titles and SEC titles. The facilities are excellent. We have a beautiful indoor facility with offices and locker rooms -- as good as I've been in.''


Still, it has been 33 years since Vaught retired after winning six SEC titles and a share of three national championships. Since then Billy Brewer, Tommy Tuberville and David Cutcliffe have all experienced a measure of success, but none won an outright conference or division title. Ole Miss is the only SEC West team that has not played in the SEC championship game.

Nutt led the Razorbacks to two conference championship games, so his opinion on what it takes to win in the SEC is informed and qualified. In Nutt's opinion, the Rebels are ready to win after four consecutive losing seasons, the last three under former coach Ed Orgeron. "This first spring I was really anxious to see how we do," Nutt said, "and to be able to step in and have the kind of spring we had gave me even more confidence that, boy, we can get it now."

Spring brought considerable change to the program, starting with a new staff that includes five coaches who followed Nutt from Arkansas. "Change is usually hard, but it went better than I thought it would," Nutt said. "The guys were very willing and very open and good listeners. I was excited about their attitude toward what we were teaching. They're hungry for some success." The changes involved more than new offensive and defensive schemes, philosophies and terminology.

"We had to change their attitude, and to me that is changing the little things," Nutt said. "It is about winning in everything you do. Some of the guys are used to losing on the field and in life, and I want to change that. Going to class, sitting up in your seat, being on time -- those are the little things we will work on. We are getting there."

After the Rebels finished 3-9 overall and 0-8 in the SEC in 2007, Nutt sees a hunger and urgency in a team that at least had a chance to beat Florida, Alabama, Auburn and Mississippi State but failed to finish each time. "That's the feeling I had," Nutt said. "I told the players, 'You're working hard, we've got good athletes on this team, but the bottom line is you guys didn't win a game in the SEC last year. That truth hurts.'

"With as difficult as this league is, we've got to be realistic, too. It's easy to say 'Hey, we've got enough talent here and there,' but the bottom line is they've had very little success over the past three years. We've got to change the mindset. We've got to change the attitude."

The talent level Nutt inherits is better than last season's record would suggest, especially in three areas. "It starts with our defensive line and our receivers," Nutt said. "Ed and his staff did a really good job recruiting defensive linemen and receivers. We've got some real playmakers at those spots. Plus I'm real excited about having a quarterback like [sophomore and Texas transfer] Jevan Snead. He got better every day this spring, and he has a real live arm and the ability to escape trouble." At the same time, the Rebels don't have much depth, and there are real concerns to address before the season opener against Memphis at home on Aug. 30. "We've got to get better at the corners," Nutt said. "Right now we've got three guys we've got to be able to count on and we really have to improve. We've got to develop some depth at linebacker. We were spoiled at Arkansas with our tailbacks [first-round draft choices Darren McFadden and Felix Jones] and we've got to find some backs. [Junior] Cordera Eason is our guy right now. But there's a huge drop-off. We signed three tailbacks, and we'll give them a shot to see how they handle jumping from the Friday night lights to SEC Saturdays."

Anyone who has followed Nutt's coaching career knows he loves the running game. When it worked, no one ran the ball better or more consistently than the Razorbacks over the past decade. Having players like McFadden and Jones helped, but Nutt doesn't have a McFadden or a Jones on his current roster. What he does have is a potential star at quarterback, talent and depth among the receivers and an offensive coordinator with the experience to make it all work.

Former Ole Miss quarterback Kent Austin (1981-85) spent the last 20 years coaching and playing in the Canadian Football League and won the Grey Cup as both a quarterback and head coach. After leading the Saskatchewan Roughriders to the CFL championship in 2007, Austin left the CFL for all the right reasons.

"It was an opportunity to come back and coach at my alma mater, a school I love very much," Austin said. "It was an opportunity to get my family back to the South and get my kids in U.S. schools. Those things were appealing, but at the end of the day, if there hadn't been a head coach like Houston I don't think I would have come back.

"It was really important for me to coach for someone who's not only a quality coach but also understands the value of edifying and building into the lives of people around them. He understands that football is not about the coaches. It's about the players." Austin laughs at the possibility of being able to sneak a 12th offensive player on the field or use vertical motion before the snap, but in reality he simply has to translate his Canadian football dialect to American South.

"Obviously it has to be modified, but conceptually what we do in the passing game and why we do what we do against the coverages and the defenses we faced, those things transfer because those things are universal whether you're playing with 12 men or 11. "I believe in multiple personnel groupings, multiple formations and the use of motion. We're going to run a variety of things to try to dictate to the defense as opposed to reacting all the time. The more personnel groupings and formations and motions we can use, the more we can keep the defense off balance and put ourselves in better match-up situations."

So far it seems possible that Nutt will allow Austin to open up the offense and make good use of Ole Miss' strengths in the passing game, something he was criticized for rarely doing at Arkansas. One thing that will carry over from Arkansas is Nutt's use of a multi-skilled player such as McFadden as a shotgun quarterback. At Arkansas McFadden passed and ran out of the Wild Hog formation. At Ole Miss, the Wild Rebel formation will allow junior receiver Dexter McCluster to make use of his versatile skills and quickness.

"Dexter has some good ball-handling skills and he played quarterback before at a younger age," Nutt said. "The thing that the 'Wild Rebel' does is enable you to put your best player with the ball in his hands. That's all you want to do. You want to put your playmakers in a position to make plays, and that's what that formation does. Dexter is a guy that we feel like will really create some problems with defenses, and I am really excited about his role."

While Austin is new to coaching in the SEC, defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix spent the last three seasons as South Carolina's defensive coordinator. From 1995-2004 he coached at Southern Miss, his alma mater, and served as defensive coordinator over the last four years there. In both jobs, he worked with John Thompson, Ole Miss' defensive coordinator in 2007.

Thompson inherited a defense relatively young and inexperienced, while Nix inherits one that returns its top 13 tacklers, including eight starters and several players who saw significant playing time.

"I don't know what's gone on here in the past, but I know they haven't played as well as they wanted to," Nix said. "We're going to try to change that. From my experience here the kids are excited and they're looking forward to an opportunity to prove to people they can play winning football in this conference. Now we've to get them to where they can play up to those expectations." Nix's defense will be a mix of Thompson's aggressive style and his own adherence to the fundamentals and principles that made Southern Miss so tough defensively.

"We're going to play aggressive, but we've got to make sure we're sound, fundamental and smart," Nix said. "We want to be a strong man coverage team. Our front will allow us to do a lot of things. Really, our biggest challenge will be getting all 11 to play on the same page and getting everyone to play with relentless effort. It's the toughest conference in America, and we better be ready."

QUARTERBACKS

Ole Miss grew increasingly dependent on the running game the last two seasons, due mostly to a lack of consistency and production at quarterback. The former staff had every intention of opening up the offense this season because of sophomore Jevan Snead (6-3, 215), who sat out the 2007 season after transferring from Texas.

"I'm really glad we've got Jevan," Austin said. "He's got a chance to be really good. He's got all the physical tools you want. He's very accurate both in the pocket and on the run, and he can throw running to both his left and his right. He's not a blazer, but he moves really well and he can buy time in the pocket and get us out of trouble. Plus he has good feel for the pocket.

"He's got a strong arm and a quick arm, and in my experience that's an unusual combination to have both. So he can throw when he's crowded. When the pocket's collapsing on him, he can get it away quickly and still have velocity on the ball. That bodes well in the SEC because the pass rushes are so good."


It's going to take more than talent and instincts to produce in the SEC, and Austin believes Snead has the necessary intangibles. Those qualities weren't as evident early in the spring simply because it had been so long since Snead received the majority of the snaps. By the end of the spring, those qualities were obvious.

"He's also a great decision-maker, which I think is the No. 1 quality in a quarterback," Austin said. "And he's tough, mentally and physically. He's got an opportunity to be real good, but how quickly he develops will be the key. In this conference we're going to need him to turn the corner pretty quickly."

Behind Snead, junior Billy Tapp (6-4, 230) is bright and learns quickly, two good qualities for a backup quarterback who might have to come in cold off the bench. His mere presence on the sideline should be good for Snead.

"He's really good from the standpoint of his impact on Jevan," Austin said. "Jevan is such an effort guy and wants to be good so much that sometimes his effort gets in the way of his performance. Billy's a very mature, calm, easy going, laid-back guy, and he's got a very calming influence on Jevan and they're very close."

RUNNING BACKS

For all the talk about the three freshman running backs expected to arrive this summer, the fact remains that Enrique Davis (6-1, 215), Devin Thomas (5-11, 195) and Brandon Bolden (5-11, 215) have never played a down of college football.

In fact, the graduation of BenJarvus Green-Ellis leaves junior Cordera Eason (5-10, 224) as the only current back who has actually played for Ole Miss, and he carried only three times for six yards in 2007.

"We have a solid running back in Cordera Eason," Austin said. "From the start of spring to the spring game he was our most improved offensive player. He's a big, strong back, he runs hard and he's got decent speed. I think he'll be a very productive back in our offense."

With sophomore Jeremy McGee (5-11, 178) moving to cornerback and sophomore Reggie Hicks (6-1, 234) moving to tight end, the only other running back by the end of the spring was sophomore Derrick Davis (5-10, 224). Despite the inexperience of the newcomers, the Rebels really need one or two to step up sooner than later. "We'll see how quickly they grasp the offense and see how capable they are of performing physically against a much tougher level of competition," Austin said.

At fullback, senior Jason Cook (5-11, 248) is a solid blocker and role player who provides some interesting perspective via his blog on Ole Miss' official web site.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

In senior Mike Wallace (6-0, 180), junior Shay Hodge (6-1, 207), junior Michael Hicks (6-2, 222), junior Marshay Green (5-9, 170) and junior Dexter McCluster (5-8, 165), Ole Miss opened the spring with a group that combined to catch 152 passes last season.

The Rebels' depth and talent at receiver eventually allowed the coaches to move Green to corner, and continued to improve when sophomores Lionel Breaux (6-0, 191) and Markeith Summers (6-2, 197) played their way into the rotation. "The receiving corps is the strength of our offense right now," Austin said. "It not only has talent, it has depth. We've got some guys who have speed, but they also love to play football.

"But the No. 1 thing we have among our receivers is the ability to make plays. You can talk about running routes and catching it with your hands and all that, but I don't care about that as much as whether a guy can make plays. Can he make plays with the ball in the air and the ball in his hands? If he can do that, he's got a spot on our football team, and we've got guys who can do that."

The other things count as well, because they put a player in position to make plays. "They have a lot more to learn now," Austin said. "We're going to require a lot more from them in the passing game; a deeper understanding of defenses and coverages and knowing how to adjust their routes accordingly. They'll have to do a lot more of that than they did in the past."

McCluster and Breaux bring speed to the position, while Summers brings athleticism with a broad jump of 10-10 and vertical leap of 38 inches. Still, it's Wallace's speed that led to six touchdown receptions, seven receptions of 40 or more yards, three of 50 or more and an SEC-best 18.8 yards per reception. And it's Hodge who used his strength and physical style of play to lead Ole Miss with 43 receptions and tie Wallace for the team lead with six touchdown catches.

"We have great speed with Mike Wallace and a pure playmaker in Shay Hodge," Austin said, "and we're going to try and get them chances to do even more by moving them around some and not always using them on the outside."

Despite his size, McCluster has shown both the toughness and the versatility to suggest he will be a dangerous weapon, whether he's playing quarterback in the Wild Rebel package or a multiple-role receiver.

"He's a guy we can move around and see if we can create some confusion and some mismatches and get him in space," Austin said. "We can do more than just the Wild Rebel. We can put him in the slot, stack him with other receivers and do some of the things I learned in Canada to get him the ball. We've got to get the football in his hands."

Solid senior David Traxler (6-6, 255) returns at tight end, but it was junior-college transfer Gerald Harris (6-5, 245) who made the biggest impact in his first spring at Ole Miss.

"We'll use one a time, we'll use two tight ends at a time," Austin said. "Our tight end won't always have his hand down. He'll move. He'll flex out. We'll use him in space as well."

OFFENSIVE LINE

It wasn't that long ago that Ole Miss' offensive line struggled because of youth and inexperience. Now new offensive line coach Mark Markuson inherits a group that has seen some playing time, starting with All-American senior left tackle Michael Oher (6-5, 318).

"I think we're pretty good up front, but we have to develop some depth there, especially on the edge," Austin said. "Our starting group is strong, athletic and a couple of them have played a lot of football here."

For all Ole Miss' recruiting successes, the most important news of the recruiting season came when Oher re-considered his initial decision to enter the NFL draft and chose to return to Ole Miss for his senior season. With a strong year, Oher has a chance to move into the top third of the first round of the 2009 draft.

"If Mike has a big year this year -- which we expect him to have -- he's going to be one of the top picks in the draft," Austin said. "He's got such a great combination of size and athleticism. He's a big tackle with great length and great feet. He's very quick off the ball and he's got a great center of balance. He's got the tools he needs to handle the great edge rushers in our conference."

Junior John Jerry (6-5, 350) has also developed into an important lineman for the Rebels, and his move from right guard to right tackle could give Ole Miss the best bookend tackles in the SEC.

"John Jerry's got a chance to be an outstanding football player," Austin said. "I think his size and athleticism will be better served out on the edge."

Ole Miss received some much-needed positive news in late May when senior Darryl Harris (6-3, 300) received a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA.

"Besides Michael, he's our best player up front in terms of technique and fundamentals," Austin said. "He's played all three positions [center, guard and tackle] for us, and that will help us so much. With our [lack of] depth, a guy who can play all three positions becomes even more valuable."

In addition to Oher, Jerry and Harris, junior Reid Neely (6-3, 310) returns as the starting left guard and senior Maurice Miller (6-4, 343) moves to right guard after starting 11 games at right tackle in 2007.

Beyond those five, the Rebels face considerable uncertainty. The center spot is still up for grabs between junior Daverin Geralds (6-2, 312) and junior college transfer Brandon Green (6-2, 310) and depth is unproven. The coaches are hoping two redshirt freshmen, guard Rishaw Johnson (6-4, 295) and tackle Bradley Sowell (6-7, 310) will step up in August.



KICKERS

Junior Joshua Shene (5-8, 170) enters his third season as Ole Miss' kicker. He converted 11-of-17 field goal attempts and 24-of-25 extra-point attempts last year, but he has a lot to prove after missing three field goals from the 30-39-yard line range and sending two kickoffs out of bounds without recording a touchback.

Invited walk-on Bryson Rose (6-0, 180) has a good chance to contribute this season. He's got a big leg that can be valuable on kick-offs. Last season at Wakefield High School in Raleigh, N.C., he kicked field goals of 51 and 54 yards.

DEFENSIVE LINE

No area of the Ole Miss defense is stronger than the defensive line, and for Nix, that's an excellent place to start. "The D-line is by far a talented group of guys," Nix said. "I think we've got some guys who can potentially play at an all-conference level. That's where it starts on defense. If you have some quality guys up front, you've got a chance to build a winning defense, and we've got that."

It starts with senior tackle Peria Jerry (6-2, 290), who has improved step-by-step and earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2007. Nix believes Jerry is ready for the next logical step in his progression.

"I think he's one of the best out there," Nix said. "He's big, he's explosive and a potential all-conference player." While Jerry is the three-technique tackle, sophomore Ted Laurent (6-0, 303) will be asked to control the middle at nose tackle.

"He's more of a squatty body, but he's one of the strongest guys on our team," Nix said. "He really plays with his pad level low, and he's a force in the run game." Behind them sophomore Lawson Scott (6-1, 322) and redshirt freshman Justin Sanders (6-4, 300) came through with good springs.

"There's good competition there, and it gives us a chance to go two-deep, roll some guys in there and stay fresh," Nix said.

At end, junior Greg Hardy (6-4, 265) led the SEC with 10 sacks and finished second with 18.5 tackles for loss and earned first-team All-SEC honors despite playing only 10 games and making only four starts. Hardy also caught two passes -- both for touchdowns -- as a goal-line receiver. Hardy is the best natural talent on the line, perhaps on the team, but he spent the 2007 season in and out of Orgeron's doghouse. He may have turned one corner in the spring, but he still has a long way to go to make the most of his talent.

"He has the ability to go and play beyond college, but he's got to get all of his stuff together," Nix said. "Greg's responded well [to the coaching change], but we're still trying to get him to become a more consistent player and be a factor day-in, day-out." Because of that inconsistency and the progress of sophomore Kentrell Lockett (6-5, 240), he came out as the starter ahead of Hardy at the end of spring practice. Lockett played well the previous spring but injuries limited his playing time and production in 2007.

While Nix waits for Hardy and Lockett to grow, he has no such concerns at the other end with junior Marcus Tillman (6-4, 260). "He's played a lot of football here, and he's big, strong and smart and has a lot of intangibles, so we might be able to move him inside in certain situations to help us." Behind Tillman, junior college transfer Emmanuel Stephens (6-3, 220) played his way into the rotation in his first spring at Ole Miss.

"The kid had a great spring, and he's pushing for the starting job in the opener," Nix said. "His motor runs wide open."

Ole Miss has been waiting on three-time signee and prep All-American Jerrell Powe to get eligible, but his status remained uncertain in the offseason.

LINEBACKERS

While there's talent at linebacker, there's also a lot of uncertainty about who's going to do the job consistently on SEC Saturdays.

For example, sophomore strong-side linebacker Allen Walker (6-1, 225) had an outstanding spring, but he made a total of 13 tackles last fall. "He hasn't touched the field a whole lot here, but I was really impressed with him," Nix said. "I hope he can put it together and do the little things right, because he can be a factor for us in the fall."

Ole Miss coaches had big plans for senior weak-side linebacker Ashlee Palmer (6-2, 222) when he arrived as a JUCO transfer last year. Even though he led the Rebels with 89 tackles, he also proved to be inconsistent throughout the season. "Ashlee has a lot of ability, but he has to raise the level of his effort and consistency," Nix said.

Sophomore middle linebacker Jonathan Cornell (6-1, 225) was off to a strong start last season when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the second game. "He's been banged up some," Nix said, "but he has the ability to be a big-time backer for us."

Senior middle linebacker Tony Fein (6-2, 245) finished second on the team with 84 tackles last year but hasn't been as steady as one might expect from a 26-year-old who served three and a half years in the Army and served a year in Iraq.

"Tony brings the most emotion and plays with a lot of intensity," Nix said, "but he had a so-so spring."

Junior strong-side linebacker Lamar Brumfield (6-0, 224) and sophomore Scottie Williams (6-2, 215) showed signs of being capable backups in the spring.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

No Ole Miss defensive back had a better spring than senior strong safety Jamarca Sanford (5-10, 200), who made 83 tackles in 10 games in 2007. "He's a leader, he's a tackler, he's a ballplayer," Nix said, "and we expect a lot of big things from him because of those three things."

At free safety, sophomore Johnny Brown (5-11, 207) "brings a lot of size to the position and he's a hitter," Nix said. "He has a lot to learn, but he has big-time potential." Behind them, junior Kendrick Lewis (5-11, 192) can play both spots effectively. "He might be one of the headiest football players I've known," Nix said. "He doesn't have outstanding strength in any particular area, but he's a ballplayer. He can play the deep ball, he can come down and cover, he does a lot of things well, and he has a knack for understanding the game and where he's supposed to be."

The cornerback spot remains a concern, despite the emergence of Green as a potential answer. "Marshay had an outstanding spring," Nix said. "He's a competitor. He competes every snap and goes 100 percent, so he has a chance to help us play press man, off man zone, do a little bit of everything we want to do, just because he's a ballplayer."

At the other corner, senior Dustin Mouzon (5-11, 175) and junior Cassius Vaughn (5-10, 185) have a lot to prove.

"We're still up in the air," Nix said. "Dustin Mouzon was a little bit of a disappointment in the spring, but I like Mouzon, and I expect him to be on the field. He has the ability to be the starter, but a lot depends on what kind of summer and fall camp he has.

"Vaughn could play on either side, and we're trying to get the best two on the field together, so he's got to be in the mix. Cassius is very talented and I really like him. I'd just like him to be a more consistent player. He's got the tools. We're just waiting on that switch to hit every play."

When McGee moved from running back to cornerback in the spring, it was just the latest in a series of moves. McGee made three positions changes when he played in 10 games for UCLA in 2006.

PUNTERS

Like Shene, junior Justin Sparks (6-2, 187) returns as the starting punter, but he has a lot of work to do after averaging 39.7 yards on 51 punts.

Sparks now finds himself in a serious competition after senior Rob Park (5-11, 194) made a push to reclaim the starting job he held in 2006.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Ole Miss returns Park as the holder and junior Preston Powers (6-0, 217) as the deep snapper but has a lot of work to do to improve the rest of the kicking game.

That's especially true on kickoffs. Even though Sparks improved the situation a bit when he replaced Shene on kickoffs late in the season, the Rebels still finished last in the SEC in kickoff coverage. "That's another area we've got to improve on, starting with the kickoff team," Nutt said. "There was a lot of real estate lost right there on kickoffs last year. We've got to start by finding a kicker, and we've got to put some starters on there and do everything we have to do."

The answer could be freshman walk-on Bryson Rose, who has a history of booming deep kickoffs and could also compete for the place-kicking job. If there's any area in the special teams where Ole Miss could excel, Nutt expects it to be the return game.

"Dexter McCluster, Marshay Green, Michael Wallace, Shay Hodge -- all those looked good as returners," Nutt said. "I'm excited about those guys, because they're our best playmakers and they can make something big happen with the ball in their arms."

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

Ole Miss could use a strong start in its first season under Nutt, but playing Memphis at home and at Wake Forest won't offer any guarantees. Along the way, the Rebels must play a murderer's row of SEC road games at Florida, Alabama, Arkansas and LSU. At this point, only the nonconference games against Samford and Louisiana-Monroe look like sure things, and even ULM won at Alabama last year.

"We've had such tough schedules in my years at Arkansas playing Texas and USC that I just kind of grow numb to the SEC," Nutt said. "We've got some pretty tough ones on this [schedule]. We start out against Memphis at home and that's a game that really means a lot to Memphis, so we better be ready. Then we go to Wake Forest, and they've been having a lot of success lately. Then we've got some pretty tough SEC road games, so we've got to start well and learn how to become a good road team."


No game looms larger than the road game at Arkansas. The reaction of Arkansas fans will be interesting. Some will cheer Nutt. Some will jeer him. Many won't know quite how to feel about seeing their old coach on the opposing sideline.

"That's going to be something different -- very different," Nutt said. "I've been trying hard not to think about that, but it's locked in to the schedule. You can't help it. On Oct. 25 we're going to be on the visitor's sideline, and that's going to be unusual when you've been on the other sideline for so long."

We will be 6-2 at worst in the SEC.

[rewalters]

Thanks Trev for the read.

Lived in Panama for 4 years, hope you have a great time!

[badmotorfinger]

I enjoyed the post. It will be interesting to see how Austin's schemes play out.

[BigTrev34]

Thanks Trev for the read.

Lived in Panama for 4 years, hope you have a great time!

Just got back tonight. I met a guy that worked at the Summit Condos that said he played LB for Ole miss in 71. I got a name but forgot pretty quick. I was kinda busy. He was from Alabama. Ill show some pictures when they post em. I shaved a T in my chest. You have no idea how many TN fans were down there so everyone thought I was a UT fan. It sucked but it looked cool.