Lookahead: Major questions exist for Ole Miss

[rebeljim]

Ole Miss begins 2015 working from a position of strength, despite a humiliating Peach Bowl loss.

The Rebels (9-4) are expected to return 16 starters from a team that started 7-0, was ranked as high as No. 3 nationally and beat three teams (Alabama, Mississippi State, Boise State) that played in New Year’s Six bowls.

But Ole Miss lost its final game and four of its last six as injuries piled up. The Rebels will have to get healthy this offseason, finish up a recruiting class and, most importantly, determine who its starting quarterback is.

Here’s our early position-by-position outlook heading into the offseason:

Quarterback

Ryan Buchanan, DeVante Kincade or Chad Kelly? Or is it Buchanan or Kincade? We’ll know more later this month, once Kelly goes to court in Buffalo after a bar fight last month resulted in him being charged with seven crimes. Coach Hugh Freeze has not tipped his hand on how he feels about Kelly. The fact he remains on the team is a positive sign for those who want Kelly to be given another chance, while it is curious that Freeze said “whoever else that we decide to bring in” instead of Kelly after the Peach Bowl.

Expect this competition to extend into August and perhaps not be settled until Ole Miss goes to Alabama in Week 3.

Running back

The good news: Ole Miss returns its top five running backs from 2014 and redshirted a sixth (former juco signee Akeem Judd). The bad news: None of those guys has proved he deserves to be a starting running back in the Southeastern Conference.

Eric Swinney, who is expected to sign with Ole Miss in February, is intriguing. A consensus four-star, Swinney has decent size but is considered by many to have great burst and vision. Because of the instability at the top, Swinney could leapfrog a lot of veterans with a strong August. Ole Miss has to find a way to get better at this position.

Receiver

Laquon Treadwell, Damore’ea Stringfellow and Evan Engram is a heck of a way to start and make up potentially the best group of receivers/tight ends in the SEC (if not the country). Treadwell will have to come back healthy from a broken leg/ankle he suffered in early November; he’s currently on target for a return sometime in the spring. Stringfellow had an impressive freshman season at Washington, and insiders have raved about his play on the scout team while sitting out as a transfer. And Engram had an all-SEC season and is one of the better tight ends nationally. Whoever is at quarterback will be better for having all these guys (plus Cody Core, Quincy Adeboyejo and Markell Pack) to throw to.

Offensive line

There’s no position group with more concern for it than the offensive line after it gave up five sacks in the Peach Bowl, a game that ended up breaking the leg of All-SEC left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Ole Miss gave up 31 sacks in 2014 (12th in the SEC) and struggled to run the ball against athletic defensive lines. For a variety of reasons, developing the line has taken longer than other positions, but patience is wearing thin. Ole Miss returns its top seven players, but only may be better if Petal’s Javon Patterson and Memphis’ Drew Richmond show up ready to play on Day 1. Outside of Tunsil, it’s difficult to say anyone played well enough to guarantee a starting spot in 2015.

Defensive line

Ole Miss loses three players, most notably tackle Bryon Bennett, but they’ll be replaced by the three players Ole Miss redshirted. Breeland Speaks, Victor Evans and Garrald McDowell will continue to be brought along slowly because Ole Miss knows it has a veteran defensive line that has proven itself. Tackle Robert Nkemdiche will be entering his third (and maybe final) college season and will look to prove he can dominate, and ends Marquis Haynes (7.5 sacks) and C.J. Johnson and tackle Issac Gross pressure with speed. Fadol Brown and Channing Ward provide some strength at the end. Ole Miss would like to finish more sacks in 2015 and has reason to believe that will happen.

Linebacker

Only four starters are gone off the defense, but that includes both linebackers: Serderius Bryant and Deterrian Shackelford. Denzel Nkemdiche played well for a half-season until breaking his leg and is the favorite to replace Bryant. At middle linebacker, Ole Miss could go with the veteran (senior Christian Russell) or the youngster (current recruit Leo Lewis). But keep an eye on sophomore Demarquis Gates. He had 13 tackles playing mostly special teams in 2014, but defensive coordinator Dave Wommack raves about Gates. He has the body length that Russell simply cannot compete with and will be more experienced than Lewis. Keep in mind that Ole Miss wants to play faster at linebacker, and that’ll guide decisions.

Secondary

All-Americans Senquez Golson and Cody Prewitt are gone, but Ole Miss feels like it has in-house replacements with Tee Shepard and C.J. Hampton. Ole Miss also signed highly rated juco corner Tony Bridges in December. Watch what Ole Miss does with nickel corner Tony Conner. He’s a fantastic player. Does Ole Miss try to maximize his talent by moving him to safety or even linebacker? Hampton’s development will also be something to watch in the spring. He’s stepping into Prewitt’s very big shoes, and as a freshman, the former Meridian star rarely played beyond special teams. There’s so much depth and versatile talent here that Wommack can mix and match to get his best five.

Specialist

Both freshmen are back for 2015: Gary Wunderlich was 6 of 8 after taking the kicking job midseason, and Will Gleeson averaged 42.9 yards per punt with 24 of 58 falling inside the 20. Two things to watch: Will Few replaces Will Denny as the team’s long-snapper, and can someone push Markell Pack at punt returner?



Offseason questions

1. How does Ole Miss finish up its promising 2015 recruiting class?

•The Rebels have to hang onto Brookhaven linebacker Leo Lewis, who could start as a freshman, as well as go big game hunting for four-star wide receivers DaMarkus Lodge and Van Jefferson and five-star end Cece Jefferson. Ole Miss won’t sign a full 25, but it needs impactful players.

2. How will late-season injuries affect team’s offseason development?

•Corner Tee Shepard and linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche are both expected to be ready to go in the spring, but what about receiver Laquon Treadwell and tackle Laremy Tunsil? Truthfully, there’s little reason to push either to be ready before August if it may risk further injury.

3. Can the Rebels find a quarterback

to lead the program to the next step?

•Of the three quarterback competitors, Ryan Buchanan may be the most likely to take the ball and run with it in the spring. He’s been more consistent than DeVante Kincade, and Chad Kelly, if Ole Miss takes him, will be trying to learn an offense Buchanan has spent 21/2 seasons with.

4. Who replaces Allen on the staff?

•Ole Miss has an opening at linebackers coach to fill, probably in the next two weeks. Hugh Freeze values loyalty and could promote Corey Batoon permanently. Or Freeze could decide to improve his staff by adding an ace recruiter, in which case someone like Melvin Smith (most recently of Auburn) would be attractive.

5. Is there a Peach Bowl hangover?

•Losing 42-3 on that stage earlier this week was tough to take. The sophomores spoke of leading after the TCU loss, and their first test will be to get guys to forget what happened.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/spor ... /21222873/

[texasrebel]

Need a quarterback to step up as well as an offensive line coach.

[RebnPhilly]

I see that Florida has released QB Jeff Driskell who is a Junior with one year left. He has graduated and is able to play next year wherever he wants per the reports I read. If the Kelly situation devolves, any chance we go after Driskell.

[Hagar]

I see that Florida has released QB Jeff Driskell who is a Junior with one year left. He has graduated and is able to play next year wherever he wants per the reports I read. If the Kelly situation devolves, any chance we go after Driskell.

the masoli rule will keep him out of the SEC.

[proud2breb]

I've got one: Could we have lost worse if we sat on our asses eating Twinkies and drinking soda since the egg bowl? Seriously, did we practice?

[JustBlues]

I see that Florida has released QB Jeff Driskell who is a Junior with one year left. He has graduated and is able to play next year wherever he wants per the reports I read. If the Kelly situation devolves, any chance we go after Driskell.

the masoli rule will keep him out of the SEC.

Didn't the SEC abolish the masoli rule in the 2014 preseason?

[JustBlues]

Here it is. I thought this was the case:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... -transfers

[fenderman]

Time to step up the recruiting.


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