News on Assistants

Came across this article on Clarion Ledger blog naming assistants that will come with Nutt to Ole Miss. What the article does not state is if these are the only assistants that will be coming or if more will be added at a later date. Noticeably absent is defensive coordinator Reggie Herring.

Also what is unknown is how recruiting will be handled. I know there is a dead period for a couple of weeks around Christmas. However I believe the next couple of weeks are open recruiting. I guess Nutt and whatever staff he keeps at Ole Miss if any will be very busy in the coming weeks.

I will profile each of these coaches sometime next week.

(C-L)OXFORD — New Ole Miss football coach Houston Nutt is slowly piecing together his on-field staff, saying Friday that at least five of his assistants from Arkansas will make the jump to Oxford.
Nutt said that offensive coordinator David Lee, tight ends coach James Shibest, running game coordinator Mike Markuson, defensive line coach Tracy Rocker and recruiting coordinator Chris Vaughn have all decided to come to Ole Miss after they coach the Razorbacks’ bowl game.
“It’s good to know I’ve got some guys that can help me with recruiting,” Nutt said. “We’ll really have to hit the ground running.”
Nutt said he plans to come to Oxford on Sunday. At that time, he’ll meet with the Ole Miss coaches — including defensive coordinator John Thompson and receivers coach Hugh Freeze — who are interested in staying.
Thompson was Nutt’s defensive coordinator at Arkansas in 2000 and 2001. Thompson is under contract at Ole Miss for two more years.
Nutt signed a 4-year, $7.4 million deal to coach Ole Miss on Monday night and was presented to the school on Wednesday. Nutt won 75 games at Arkansas over 10 seasons before resigning just hours before he took the Ole Miss job.

Post Season Awards Begin

This is the first of many post season teams that will be announced over the coming weeks and months. Glad to know all but one of these guys will be back next year under the Nutt administration.


OXFORD, Miss. – Rivals.com honored four Ole Miss Rebels on its 2007 All-SEC teams, including first-team selection Michael Oher. Rivals’ second team featured BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Greg Hardy and Peria Jerry.

Oher, a junior offensive tackle from Memphis, was a Mid-Season All-America first team pick by The Sporting News and an Outland Trophy candidate. He started all 12 games and helped the Rebels amass 534 total yards against Missouri and 466 yards against LSU.

Green-Ellis’ 1,137 rushing yards this year ranks second on the Rebels’ all-time single-season chart and marked his second consecutive 1,000-yard campaign. The senior tailback turned in five 100-yard games this season and is fourth in the SEC in rushing average at 94.8 yards per outing.

A sophomore defensive end, Hardy is fifth in the nation in TFLs (18.0) and seventh in sacks (10.0), in which he is also the SEC leader. He also hauled in two touchdown catches as a receiver.
Jerry started every game at defensive tackle and ranks fifth in the SEC in TFLs with 14.0. The junior totaled 10.5 TFLs and 43 total tackles over the final eight games.

More Breaking News

There is more breaking news in the coaching circle. Multiple sources are reporting Tommy Tubberville to coach at University of Arkansas. Click on the link below to view a report from KNWA.

http://nwahomepage.com/

10:40 Update:

Conflicting reports are coming out about this story.

The Birmingham tv stations are reporting that Auburn AD Jay Jacobs stated that he has not been asked by Arkansas for permission to talk to Tommy Tubberville concerning the head coaching job.

Tubberville is supposedly in Arkansas on a duck hunting trip with several members of his staff, and will spend the next two days recruiting and at an awards show in New York.

I would be totally shocked if Tubberville leaves. I think this could be a play by Sexton trying to get more money for Tubberville. Stranger things have happened this week.

The Details

Below are some details of Nutt's contract in addition to the $7.4 million he will be making. I picked these up from various internet reports:

Monetary Incentives

Coach of the year in the SEC $25,000

Coach of the year nationally $25,000

Non-BCS bowl game $30,000.

BCS bowl game $60,000, if win an additional $30,000

BCS national championship participation: $120,000 additional $120,000 for win

SEC West championship $30,000

SEC championship game $60,000, additional $30,000 for win

Additional Throw Ins

Membership to Country Club (They must not have showed him the Oxford Country Club, not much there. Doubt his girls will like it)

Two automobiles

Football season tickets and use of Skybox

Season basketball tickets(Who would have ever thought someone would be requesting these)

Moving expenses

The Staff

So the main question now is who will be joining Nutt on staff at Ole Miss. My answer....I have no clue. I have done alot of research yet on the current staff Nutt had at Arkansas. My gut feeling is that Houston will probably bring all of the guys however a couple will not want to come. I guess there will probably be about 2 spots open on the staff when he comes to Ole Miss.

Look for Nutt to keep Hugh Freeze on staff in some fashion. I would also think the administration will push for John Thompson to be on the defensive side of the ball somewhere. Nutt and Thompson were together for one year at Arkansas several years ago. Since Thompson does have 2 years left on a hefty contract, if he is not on staff or goes somewhere else to coach, I imagine he will hang around on the administrative side of things for UMAA.

The main problem I see right now is that the current Arkansas staff will probably stay and coach in the bowl game for the Razorbacks. With that being said, that could stretch whatever staff Nutt has in Oxford beginning next week a little thin.

I am interested to see his comments tomorrow regarding the assistant coaches, and hope we will get some type of answer/plan for the next 20-30 days as far as the assistants go.

Rebs Continue to Roll

The Ole Miss basketball team continues to win games as they go through their non conference schedule. They put it on Helen of Troy tonight as they won 102-76. Chris Warren had an outstanding game scoring 23 points. For those that have not seen Warren play, he is unlike any point guard the Rebels have had. The freshman is one of the quickest players I have seen and not only does he finish each game with a high number of assists but he also is a great scorer. Go ahead and mark it down he will break Sean Tuhoy's record for assists by the time he leaves Ole Miss.

The schedule will get tougher for the Rebels as they take on New Mexico this weekend. The Lobos are coached by Steve Alford and are undefeated on the season. This should be a good test for the Rebels on their home court this weekend.

(UMAA)OXFORD, Miss. (AP) – Chris Warren scored 23 points with 10 assists and sparked a 25-0 run early in the second half Tuesday as Ole Miss defeated Troy 102-76.

Dwayne Curtis had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Jermey Parnell scored 12, while Kenny Williams and Trevor Gaskins added 10 apiece for the Rebels. Ole Miss improved to 5-0 for the first time since the 2000-01 season, when the Rebels advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Troy (1-4) was led by Jerome Odem with 17 points as Justin Jonus and Brandon Hazzard added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Ole Miss led 47-42 at halftime, closing with a 5-0 spurt in the final minute to take a lead they never surrendered. Warren had 10 first half points for the Rebels, who climbed out of an 8-0 hole in the opening two minutes.

Troy pulled within 47-44 on a O’Darien Bassett jumper to open the second half, before missing 10 consecutive shots. The Trojans, who shot 9-of-38, 23 percent, in the second half, went eight minutes without a basket.

The Rebels answered by scoring 25 consecutive points to build an insurmountable 72-44 lead with 11:24 left. Curtis had eight points and five rebounds in the run, capped by a dunk by Williams, to highlight the surge.

Ole Miss built its biggest lead, 102-67, on a layup by Parnell with 1:21 left. The Rebels shot 43-of-93 from, 46 percent, the field and dominated the boards by a 64-46 margin.

Official Notice

The University sent emails to all alumni this afternoon notifying them of the press conference tomorrow morning on the Ole Miss campus. The event will take place at the Ford Center and will be open to the public for anyone that is in Oxford. These events are always fun to attend, I encourage those in Oxford to go.

If you can't make it follow the link below to watch it from your computer.

(UMAA)
OXFORD, Miss. -- University of Mississippi Athletics Director Pete Boone confirmed Tuesday morning that he has reached an agreement with former University of Arkansas head football coach Houston Nutt to become the 36th head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels.
The Ole Miss position became available after three-year head coach Ed Orgeron was notified last Saturday that he would not be retained.A formal press conference to officially announce the hiring of Coach Nutt is scheduled for Wednesday at noon CST at the Gertrude Castellow Ford Center for the Performing Arts on campus.
The press conference, which is open to the public, will be streamed free online at OleMissSports.com. Premium subscribers will log in as usual, while non-members must first register but without any payment information.

Who Is the Real Houston Nutt??

If you want to know more about Houston Nutt, follow this link. The guide tells you everything you need to know and more.

http://www.hogwired.com/pdf4/80873.pdf?ATCLID=1147378&SPSID=30726&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100

Nutty?????????

Well it appears the powers that be have reached a decision and have extended an offer to Houston Nutt. Nutt, a longtime coach at Arkansas, is one of the most successful coaches currently coaching in the SEC. His record in the SEC is pretty good as seen in the stats below.

Nutt is not the wow factor that many were looking for. Some fans were looking to bring in a coach who is not familiar with the SEC and would bring a new style to the game. I don't know the specifics on who was on our list, but it appears Nutt was at the top based on the speed of events that took place today. Nutt officially resigned around 6:00 tonight. As part of his resignation Nutt agreed to terms that included a stipulation that would allow him to coach elsewhere in the SEC, it is my understanding there is no buyout involved.

The Ole Miss fan base will probably be split about 50/50 on whether or not they like Nutt. Much like Arkansas fans were split 50/50 on him leaving. I think Nutt is a proven head coach who has obviously had some success. It is Nutt's attitude that is portrayed to outsiders which cause some fand to hold back on accepting him. He obviously comes across as cocky, weird, and downright crazy at sometimes.

No word yet on assistants. It is my hope that Nutt will keep Hugh Freeze and Frank Wilson on his new staff. I have liked what has been said about these two assistants over the last three years. I would also look for Nutt to keep John Thompson on staff in some capacity also. These two have coached together before at Arkansas and Thompson still has two years remaining on his contract with Ole Miss.

As I posted before, Rebel fans need to embrace this hire. We appear to have a new coach with head coaching experience that has had success in the SEC. With all that being said, he was not my first choice, and I will admit he is going to have to grow on me. But I am not going to attack him for what I have disliked about him in the past. I am going to give this guy a chance, as we all should.



Here are some stats, I could find on Nutt released by Arkansas Athletic Department last year(they already have him removed from their website)


(Ark AD)Seven bowl games, three Southeastern Conference Western Division titles and an average of more than seven wins per season – that’s what Houston Nutt has accomplished in nine years as the head coach at Arkansas.

Going into his 10th season in Fayetteville, he is the second-longest tenured coach in the SEC. His seven bowl bids rank fourth in the league over the last nine years, and tie for first among the schools in the Western Division.

Under Nutt, the Razorbacks are 47-15 at home, which ties for the second-most home victories in the SEC since 1998.
The 2006 SEC Coach of the Year has recorded 14 victories over ranked opponents, including the 27-10 win at No. 2 Auburn last year. He has 17 victories while the Hogs have been ranked.

Nutt, who also earned SEC Coach of the Year honors in 2001 and in 1998 was the Division I-A Coach of the Year by The Sporting News, has guided Arkansas to three final national rankings, including a final ranking of No. 15 in 2006.

Over the last nine years, Arkansas has gone 67-44, including 38-34 in SEC play.

In the previous eight years, prior to Nutt’s arrival, Arkansas was 38-51 with two bowl bids. In UA’s first six years in the Southeastern Conference (1992-97), the Razorbacks totaled 19 league victories.

Since then, Nutt has led the Hogs to four nine-win seasons, including a 10-4 mark in 2006, and SEC Western Division championships in 1998, 2002 and 2006. The Razorbacks have earned trips to the Citrus (1999), Cotton (2000 & 2002), Las Vegas (2000), Music City (2002), Independence (2003) and Capital One (2006) bowls.

Nutt and his staff have produced 12 All-America selections, 52 All-SEC selections, a Doak Walker Award winner (Darren McFadden, 2006) a Heisman Trophy runner-up (McFadden, 2006), a finalist for the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award (Shawn Andrews, 2003), and a finalist for the Rimington Trophy (Jonathan Luigs, 2006).

Arkansas has had 70 games televised since 1998, an average of almost eight per season. UA has also averaged more than one All-American, more than seven All-SEC selections and more than seven victories per season.

So Who Is Out There??

One thing that will become obvious over the next couple of days, is every wacko on the internet will come out with their "source" or their "guy" who will predict who the new coach is. There will be numerous rumors of this guy or that guy has been offered. You will hear everything from Tommy Tubberville is coming back to we have offered the job to Joey Hawkins. It is amazing the amount of rumors that come out with a coaching search, it ranks right up there with recruiting as far as rumors go.

With that being said, who is out there that Ole Miss has a shot at?

First of all UMAA will be consulting with the search firm of Neinas Sports Services http://www.neinassports.com/. Chuck Neinas is well known in the coaching and athletic department circles for connecting the two. He had a part in the current head coaching jobs at Georgia, Florida, as well as many others.

Now time for the rumors and facts. Ther are multiple names out there. Several have already contacted the University with interest in our job and others will be contacted by the search firm in the coming days. Don't expect an official list from the university for a couple of days. Here is a list of guys that I think are probably on the atheltic directors desk. Obviously there are some coaches not on the list and some that need to be taken off.

Rick Neuheisal - Offensive Coordinator, Baltimore Ravens. Former head coach at Univeristy of Washington

Houston Nutt - Current Head Coach, Arkansas. Rumors have Nutt being forced out soon.

Will Muschamp - Defensive Coordinarot, Auburn. Former D coordinator at LSU and Miami Dolphins

Mike Leach - Current Head Coach, Texas Tech. Runs an incredibly high scoring offense

Jimbo Fisher - Offensive Coordinator, Florida State. Former OC at LSU under Nick Saban

Brian Kelly - Current Head Coach Cincinnati

Terry Bowden - Currently not coaching, has been rumored to be lobbying for a head coaching chance for anyone that would listen


Obviously this list could go on and on for days. Some will disagree, but based on statements I have heard, I think the Rebels are willing to pay top dollar for a head coach. I think the powers that be are going to pay alot for a coach that has head coaching experience. How long this will take is unknown, but look for the new coach to be in place in the next 10-12 days in order to minimize the effects on recruiting.

My Thoughts

I have just returned from Oxford and thought about the firing of Coach O on my way home. I was at the press conference when David Cutcliffe was fired and I have to say I was not all too upset to see him go. As I left the press conference announcing the firing of Coach O, my feelings were a little different.

I liked the emotion Coach O brought to the Ole Miss football program. Coach O brought fire to a program like it had never seen before in a head coach. His love for football and effort in trying to make the Ole Miss program successful is something I will never forget. I have stated this before, but I will never forget the moment in Baton Rouge last year, when O had his team fired up coming out of the locker room in the second half. That was the most fired up and emotional football team I have ever seen, and probably will see.

Coach O put Ole Miss on the map with recruits that would have otherwise passed right over us. He had the guts to go after guys, that former Ole Miss coaches would have never dreamed of. And not only did he go after 5 star recruits, he recruited them till the very end. He went after and were competitive on guys like AJ Jackson, Brent Schaeffer, Jevan Sneed, Joe McKnight, numerous others. Granted some of these guys did not come to Ole Miss and some proved to be busts and some have yet to prove, but at the time, these guys were 5 star players that every team in the country were going after, and O was as competitive as USC and LSU arguably the best programs in the land. His recruiting will never be forgotten at Ole Miss and will be hard for a new coach to put as much effort in this aspect of the game as O did.

With all that being said, Coach O failed in the main area that coaches are judged by, wins and losses. In the end, it was his game management or lack thereof that had him fired. In Coach O's three years as the head coach, the Rebels were competitive in multiple games, but could never get the win he needed to unite the fan base. Coach O and staff never really put together a full four quarters of football in his three years at Ole Miss. There were multiple games in his three years that were embarrassing for Ole Miss fans and the program, as well as off the field incidents. However I will argue that every program has just as many off the field incidents, and O did an excellent job in getting a hold of them. Coach O was a disciplinarian and stayed true to his word with discipline issues. This was an area that many of the players will be relieved he has been dismissed over. Coach O worked these players into the ground. Which is another of his faults. Many of the players were just tired of going through the day to day process which Coach O put them through. Early reports out are that many of the players are glad to see him go, obviously for the reason he worked them to death.

When Coach O was hired there were many out to get him from the beginning. The media was attacking him for events that happened earlier in his life involving alcohol and fighting. Then there were the Ole Miss fans that never gave him a chance, these people were out to get him from day one. Why? Because he was a different head coach than Ole Miss had ever had. He had a fiery Cajun style that did not fit in with the upper class Ole Miss fans. O did not feel like he had to wine and dine with the University elite, or go play golf with a bunch of big time boosters to make everyone happy. I respected O for not doing this, however many boosters wrote him off from the beginning when he did not pay attention to their money. The same people that were attacking Coach O to other alumni and anyone that would listen, were the same people that were mad we fired Cutcliffe. Its time to move past the good ole boy network, in case these people have not noticed, there are no Mannings left to play. Most of the same people that were complaining about O from the beginning, are the same people that have been holding this University back in time for years.

This is one thing that can not happen when a new head coach is fired. Ole Miss fans can not fight each other over whether the coach is the right pick or not. They have to unite and get behind whoever is hired. All I ask is whoever it be, let's give this guy longer than a summer before we write him off and attack him because of whatever past he may have or whatever personality he has.

Do I think O should have been given four years? Yes. As I was pulling into the press conference on Saturday Coach O is pulling out. As several cars thanked Coach O for his three years of service to Ole Miss, O responded by thanking them and wished us all good luck.

But as I stated earlier it all comes down to wins and losses and Coach O could not cut it in the SEC with the amount of time he was given. He understands this and knows mistakes were made. I predict the college game will see Coach O as head coach again, probably not in the next five years, but he will appear again and will learn from his mistakes.

Its time to move on and its time for a new mood with the Ole Miss football program.

Breaking News

Orgeron and the entire coaching staff have been fired. Details to follow. My initial response is this is a terrible idea.

Finish

The story of the season for the Rebels is not knowing how to finish a game. For three quarters the Ole Miss team dominated the in state rivals Mississippi State. A controversial fourth and one call by the Rebels which led to a stop by the Dogs turned everything around. The Bulldogs scored seventeen straight points including a punt return and a 48 yard field goal to win the game.

The Rebels ran an effective spread offense for most of the game. I thought Brent Schaeffer had a good game. He made a couple of wrong decisions, but it was his receivers who cost him late in the game. Multiple dropped passes really hurt the Rebels chances to put a drive together to run clock late in the game.

As far as the defense goes, they also had a great three quarters. They basically took the Dixon running game out of play and forced the Dogs to run a different offense. A late interception brought temporary relief for the Rebel nation, but could not hold on.

All in all the overwhelming majority of Ole Miss fans are very upset over the play call to go for it on fourth and one at the fifty yard line giving the Dogs a short field to work with. Will it cost Orgeron his job? I doubt it. But the Rebel nation is very ticked off and tired of poorly managed games where the Rebels have chances to win games but can't hold on.I would say there is a strong vote of No Confidence out there against Orgeron. Of course I never thought Cutcliffe would be fired, but I guess enough money guys got involved to run him out. It should be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of days.

The Egg

The Egg Bowl is just a few days away. To be honest, I have no idea who will win this game. The Bulldogs have obviously had a better year and have played well in many games this year. On the other hand, the Rebels have had an up and down year and have very few wins.

For the Bulldogs this game means alot. They pretty much have to win this game to have to go to a bowl game in my opinion. Going to a bowl game will mean alot for the Dogs and their fans who have not been to a bowl game in quite sometime. The defense is pretty darn good and they have a good running back. The running game will surely test the Ole Miss linebackers who are hit and miss when making tackles.

This is a game of pride for the Rebels. If the Rebels lose this game, it will be the first time since the early 1980's to have a winless season in the SEC. While there will be no postseason for the Rebels, the best they can do is keep their arch rivals out of a bowl game. I don't know about yall, but if I was a player, that would be enough to get me fired up to play.

I am sure Sam H. and David A. will be at the game, but I am interested to see if any of the Ole Miss readers will be there. Also, interested in any predictions people may have.

(UMAA Notes)
SERIES INFO: This game will be the 104th meeting of one of the nation’s most-played rivalries. Ole Miss holds a 59-38-6 advantage in the series dating back to 1901. The Ole Miss-Mississippi State series is tied with the North Carolina-Wake Forest series for the 16th longest in NCAA Division I-A history. The rivalry is also listed as the 10th longest uninterrupted series, as the NCAA considers Friday’s game the 92nd consecutive year that the two schools have faced each other. Neither team, however, fielded a squad in 1943 due to World War II. Friday’s game will be the 80th “Battle of the Golden Egg,” as the two schools started playing for the trophy in 1927. Ole Miss holds a 53-21-5 advantage in the “Egg Bowl.” The home team has won seven of the last eight games. Ole Miss has taken four of the last five in the series, including last year’s 20-17 triumph in Oxford. The series is tied at 8-8 in the last 16 meetings since the series returned to campus sites in 1991, after being played yearly in Jackson from 1973-1990. The Rebels hold a 20-10-3 advantage in games played in Starkville.

MISSISSIPPI STATE SCOUTING REPORT: With SEC victories over Auburn, Kentucky and Alabama, the Bulldogs are bowl eligible for the first time since 2000. State is coming off a 45-31 loss to Arkansas Saturday in Little Rock. The MSU offense averages 140.3 rushing yards and 168.0 passing yards per game. Sophomore RB Anthony Dixon directs the ground game with 954 yards and an SEC-high 13 TDs. True freshman QB Wesley Carroll has settled in at signal-caller and completed 113-of-209 passes for 1,223 yards with eight TDs and five interceptions. Senior Tony Burks and junior Jamayel Smith lead the receiving corps with 30 catches for 418 yards and 28 for 455, respectively. The Bulldogs rank fifth in the conference in both total defense (343.3 ypg) and pass defense (188.3 ypg). Jamar Chaney is the top tackler with 73 total stops, while fellow junior LB Dominic Douglas has recorded 69 tackles with eight TFLs. Senior DL Titus Brown is among the SEC leaders with 12 TFLs and eight sacks, and sophomore DB Anthony Johnson boasts three interceptions and eight pass break-ups. Junior K Adam Carlson has converted 8-of-11 field goals and 30-of-31 PATs.

THE START OF THE GOLDEN EGG: The Golden Egg was first proposed by members of Sigma Iota, an Ole Miss honorary society in 1927. Sigma Iota proposed that a trophy be awarded in a dignified ceremony designed to calm excited fans, after Ole Miss fans stormed the field at Starkville’s Scott Field following the Rebels’ 7-6 win in the 1926 contest.
The 1926 win snapped a 13-game losing streak to then Mississippi A&M, and was just Ole Miss’ fifth win in 23 tries. Following the game, Ole Miss fans made a dash for the goal posts, while Aggie fans took after them with cane bottom chairs and fights broke out. The mayhem continued until most of the chairs were splintered.
After Sigma Iota made its proposal, Mississippi A&M approved the suggestion, and Ole Miss, two weeks before the game, officially added its approval. The trophy, to be called “The Golden Egg,” would be a regulation-size gold-plated football mounted on a pedestal. Cost approximately $250 would be shared by both schools.
On Thanksgiving Day, 1927, the first “Battle of the Golden Egg” was waged before a crowd of 14,000 in Oxford. The Rebels won 20-12 and the symbol of supremacy in the series was born

Best News Rebel Fans Have Received in a While

The below is the best news Ole Miss fans have received in a while. The University administration has finally listened to the concerns of their fans and season ticketholders. Many Rebel fans have been complaining over the kick off times for the past several years. Night games make the football atmosphere so much more festive and fans seemed to be more into the game and are in their seats by kickoff. As opposed to a 1:00 game where fans are still asleep from having to wake up early and drive to campus from towns all over Mississippi many driving three or more hours. A five o'clock kickoff just makes for a more pleasant day for everyone.


(UMAA)OXFORD, Miss. -- Beginning with the 2008 football season, Ole Miss will set kickoff for non-television home games at 5 p.m. CST, the athletics department has announced.Rebel games in Oxford without TV ties had been set at 1 p.m this season and in many previous years, and one of the key motivating factors was to combat the perception of alcohol abuse.

However, with an increase in alcohol awareness, Ole Miss athletics director Pete Boone said the time was right to find a more conducive game time on Saturdays.

“The University has done a great job of making fans aware of the new alcohol policy and the tolerance regarding its abuse,” said Boone. “We want to provide the best possible gameday atmosphere for our fans, and we believe a 5 p.m. kickoff will help make that happen.”

The new time also hopes to balance community needs and the travel needs of fans. Boone said the athletics department had extensive communication with out-of-town fans and local business owners and concluded the later kickoff could be beneficial to travel plans as well as retail and restaurant sales in the Oxford region.

The Rebels’ 2008 football campaign features seven home games, including the Aug. 30 season opener against Memphis.

Couple of Thoughts

• The press conference held today revealed little more about the "Hotel Incident." What is known is that the theft of property took place on two separate incidents. The items that being reported that were stolen were pillows and clock radios. The money was paid back to the hotel and the players were placed on probation. I personally think stealing a pillow is a bit of a push to get in trouble over. I understand the clock radio's if they were special ones with Ipod adapters as being reported. Of course we will not know what truly happened and it will leave speculation out there, because the current staff and administration keep everything a secret. These secrets often times hurt the reputation and character of individuals and them team, because it only leads to rumors about what happened. Will we ever know the truth? Probably, but the damage will be done before they come out with what really went down

• Brent Schaeffer has been named the starting quarterback for the Egg Bowl. Schaeffer, who led the Rebels drives against LSU, has not started a game all year for the Rebels. The quarterback saga continues for the Rebels. I have said it before and will say it again, why name a starter in a public forum? Leave the opportunity out there for either quarterback to start, and not let the other team know until the first snap. I understand it is not that big of a deal, because the Dogs will have to prepare for both quarterbacks anyway, but leave it open in my opinion.

• Several people have asked lately about the construction on the baseaball stadium and when it will begin. The construction has already begun. Several fences have been removed as well as all the concrete by the entrances and in the concession stand area. Also removed has been the ticket office as well as several other structures around the stadium. All I can say is that it is going to be a messy year for baseball, but I can deal with it, because it is a great sign of progress.

• Alabama lost tonight in basketball to Belmont. It must be a tough time to be a Tide fan. The Bammers lost to Louisiana Monroe on Saturday in football and now have lost to Belmont at home in basketball. I know Belmont has made it to back to back NCAA Tourneys, but very few expected them to beat an SEC team on the road. If the Tide does not make the NCAA Tourney this year in basketball consider Mark Gottfried gone.

Debate Set for Oxford Campus

I think this is great news for the Ole Miss community. I am glad the administration made the commitment to host this event. Yes it will cost the University several million dollars to host this event, but I think it will be well worth every dollar spent. The economic impact it will have on the area will be large also. As several thousand jouranlist and support staff will be in town for the event. This is the first time an event of this nature has been held in Mississippi.

(Clarion Ledger)The University of Mississippi will host the first 2008 presidential debate Sept. 26 at its Oxford campus. Ole Miss was selected from 19 other potential sites — 14 of which were other colleges or universities — by the Commission on Presidential Debates. The event will be held in the 1,200-seat Gertrude Ford Performing Arts Center on the university’s Oxford campus. The city’s 700 or so hotel rooms are inadequate to serve more than 4,000 visitors expected, so they will be shuttled to hotels in Tupelo, Batesville, Memphis, Grenada and other neighboring north Mississippi cities. There will be three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate next year. The other two presidential debates will be held on Oct. 7 at Belmont University in Nashville and on Oct. 15 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.The vice-presidential debate will be held Oct. 2 at Washington University in St. Louis.

Tigers Win Again

I don't have much to say about this game. The Rebels had plenty of opportunites to win this game and did not take advantage of thos opportunities. I was surprised in what I thought was a lack of emotion at the beginning of the game. Usually in a game like this Coach O has his team jacked up and the players always seem to very emotional starting the game. It took a couple of drives to see the team get fired up.

Many including myself were upset over the decision to pull Brent Schaeffer and put in Seth Adams, after Schaeffer had a orchestrated an 80 yard drive to the Tigers 4 yard line. Coach O and staff have backed up that decision saying Schaeffer was not getting the plays off and not paying attention to the clock. Granted they are correct with that statement, but I just will not agree with pulling him out for Adams who has done nothing for the Rebs in 6 games. Who would have ever thought the stadium would be chanting "Schaeffer, Schaffer" For those of you that have a short memory this is the second year in a row Coach O has pulled Schaeffer for Adams in controversial situations.

There is one game left in the season, the almighty "Egg Bowl". This is without a doubt the most unanticipated Egg Bowl I can remember for the Rebels. It should be interesting to see how it turns out. The game means very little for Ole Miss except for Pride. It means a heck of alot for State, who probably needs to win to go to a bowl game. It will probably be an all time low in attendance for Ole Miss fans.

Thieves

I do not know much about this story and we will evidently learn more tomorrow. I have heard everything from pillows to ipod alarm clocks were stolen, I have no clue what to believe. I do know that this took place on the trip to Auburn three weeks ago. Evidently the press was trying to get somewhere with the story and had trouble verifying it as to why it took so long for this to come out.

Not much you can say about it. What they did was wrong. I am interested to see who was involved and what the "punishment" is.


OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone announced Sunday that 20 members of the Rebel football team are being disciplined for conduct unbecoming of an Ole Miss student-athlete.
"On two occasions, these athletes took property that belonged to the hotels where the team was staying,” Boone said. “This property included radios and pillows. The student-athletes involved have personally repaid the value of these items which ranges from $15 to $40.”
“Since the student-athletes have made restitution, there are no NCAA rules violations,” said Senior Associate Athletics Director for Compliance David Wells.
"These athletes are on indefinite probation,” said Ole Miss Head Coach Ed Orgeron. “Any actions similar to this will result in more severe penalties which may include dismissal from the team.”

White Shirts...Yellow....

You know the rest. It is time for the annual meeting between Ole Miss and LSU, a rivalry that was once one of the most hatred rivalries in all of football. The rivalry has cooled off a little over the last decade, but there is still alot of hatred between the two teams and their fans. The gross, inappropriate, ridiculous, inbred LSU fans are rolling into town as I type this and there will be lots of them in Oxford.



LSU comes into the game the number one team in the nation. The Tigers have lost one game this year in overtime to Kentucky. They have had several close games this year and have squeaked them out. They are a very talented team that are deep with depth. It will be the toughest matchup the Rebels have faced all year.



We all know Coach O and his team. O loves the Ole Miss LSU rivalry and knows what this game means to the fans. He grew up in Louisiana and this is a very big game for him. His team gets up for big games and the most fired up I have ever seen an Ole Miss team was at Tiger Stadium last year. The sight of Coach O with the team in the LSU tunnel was something I will never forget.

As far as this game goes, I think it will be another emotional high for the Rebels. They will probably hang in the game for two quarters before the Tigers run away with it. The stadium will be rocking and will be a very good atmosphere as the game is a sellout. All in all expect a close game for about a half and then the Tigers march on to the SEC Championship and on to the National Championship game.

(UMAA)
SERIES INFO: This game will be the 96th all-time between the Ole Miss Rebels and LSU Tigers dating back to 1894. LSU is Ole Miss’ second-most played opponent besides Mississippi State, whom the Rebels will play for the 104th time on November 23. LSU holds a 54-37-4 advantage in the series. The Tigers have won five straight overall and three in a row at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. LSU holds a 7-4-1 edge in Oxford and prevailed 40-7 in 2005. Ole Miss’ last victory in the series was a 35-24 triumph in Baton Rouge in 2001 and the last win at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium was a 37-31 overtime finish in 1998.

LSU SCOUTING REPORT: LSU has clinched a spot as the Western Division champion in the SEC Championship game. The Tigers have five wins over teams ranked in the top 18 and knocked off Louisiana Tech 58-10 Saturday on homecoming. LSU leads the SEC in total offense and is second in rushing at 220.2 yards per game. Senior RB Jacob Hester leads the way with 706 yards and eight TDs. Senior QB Matt Flynn has completed 144-of-260 passes for 1,856 yards with 14 TDs and 10 interceptions. Sophomore WR Brandon LaFell boasts 39 receptions for 535 yards and two scores, while senior Early Doucet and junior Demetrius Byrd have each hauled in four TDs passes. LSU continues to have one of the nation's best all-around defenses as the Tigers are ranked in the top 10 nationally in five categories this week - total defense (236.8 ypg), pass efficiency defense (92.6 rating), rushing defense (66.0 ypg), pass defense (170.8 ypg) and in scoring defense (16.7 ppg). Senior SS Craig Steltz tops the squad with 68 total tackles and four interceptions, and sophomore LB Ali Highsmith has collected 60 stops with six QB hurries. On the line, senior ends Kirston Pittman and Glenn Dorsey have each notched 11.5 TFLs and six sacks. Junior K Colt David is the SEC’s second-leading scorer with 111 points, connecting on 19-of-25 FGs and all 48 PATs.

Game Three for the Rebels

Lamar comes to town tomorrow night for game three of the year for the basketball team. It should be the biggest crowd of the season this year for the Rebels as many Rebel fans should be in attendance for the LSU game the following day. The Rebels have had back to back games where someone has scored seven 3 pointers one shy of the school record of eight baskets.

Lamar is evidently a high scoring team as they scored 103 in their last game. So it should be interesting to see how this game turns out. There are multiple connections to the Ole Miss and North Mississippi area with the Lamar team, so they will be prepared to play this game.

I really hope there is a good crowd for this game.

Here are the game notes from UMAA:

OLE MISS FACES LAMAR CARDINALS Ole Miss plays the third of six straight home non-conference games to start the season when the Rebels (2-0) host the Lamar Cardinals (1-0) on Friday night. Ole Miss held on for an 81-78 victory over South Alabama on Tuesday behind sophomore guard Eniel Polynice’s career night. The Sarasota, Fla., native scored 28 points and had seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. The Rebels have won 18 of their last 19 games at home under head coach Andy Kennedy. Ole Miss will put a current 10-game home winning streak on the line Friday.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS Lamar opened its season on Tuesday with a 103-64 thrashing of LeTourneau University. The Cardinals, who compiled a 15-17 record last season, had six players in double figures on Tuesday, led by a pair of former Northwest Mississippi Community College players. Senior guard Currye Todd paced the Cardinals with 17, while junior forward Justin Nabors notched a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. The top returning scorer from last year’s squad is Darren Hopkins, who put in 13.4 point per game a year ago, while Lamar Sanders scored 12.2 per game and brought down 9.8 boards per contest. Head coach Steve Roccaforte is in his second year at the helm after serving as an assistant for three years under former coach and current athletic director Billy Tubbs.

OLE MISS-LAMAR SERIES The all-time series betwen the Rebels and Cardinals is tied 1-1, with each team having won on its home court. Ole Miss earned a 98-70 victory in Oxford in the first meeting on Dec. 4, 1993. Lamar won 86-81 on Dec. 9, 1995 in Beaumont (Texas).

MISSISSIPPI CARDINALS Despite the fact that Lamar University is situated in Beaumont, Texas, one might look at the 2007-08 Cardinal roster and think it could be in north Mississippi. The Cardinals have four players who hail from the Magnolia State, including three graduates of Northwest Mississippi CC in Senatobia. Kenny Dawkins and Justin Nabors are from Holly Springs, Currye Todd hails from Byhalia and Lamar Sanders calls Hickory Flat home. Nabors, Todd and Sanders, three of the Cardinals’ top players, all played for assistant coach Don Skelton, who served eight years as head coach of the Northwest Rangers.

Rebs Add Four

Andy Kennedy added four players today during the early signing period. Many followers of the Ole Miss basketball program are calling this the best class Ole Miss has signed in probably ten years or more and one of the Top 3 in Ole Miss history. While granted the history of Ole Miss basketball has not been very good except for a few years here and there, this is a very good step in the right direction and continues to prove how good of a coach Andy Kennedy will be.


(UMAA)OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss basketball program bolstered its future on Thursday, as head coach Andy Kennedy announced the signing of high school seniors Terrance Henry, Brandon Wilson, Terrico White and Will Bogan to national letters of intent.

Henry and Wilson will join the Rebels after playing together at Carroll High School in Monroe, La., for coach Chris Oney, who played point guard at Ole Miss in 1996-97. White played prep ball at Craigmont High School in Memphis, while Bogan will arrive in Oxford from Vallivue High School in Caldwell, Idaho.

A 6-foot-9, 190-pound forward out of Monroe, La., Henry may be Kennedy’s signature signee in his two years of recruiting at Ole Miss. He is the highest rated Rebel freshman signee since Justin Reed, who was the nation’s 24th-ranked prospect by ESPN.com in 2000. A consensus top-100 national recruit, Henry is ranked the country’s 60th-best prospect by Scout.com, No. 83 by Rivals.com and No. 95 by ESPN.com. Scout lists him as the nation’s No. 19 power forward and ESPN the No. 24 power forward, while Rivals has him as the No. 12 small forward.

The athletic lefty said he chose Ole Miss over such programs as Kansas, Kentucky, LSU, Arkansas and Miami (Fla.). Last year he helped Carroll to a share of the District 2-4A Championship and was the 2-4A Co-MVP and a second team All-State pick. He averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks for the Bulldogs last year.

“Terrance is a multi-talented combo forward who we feel has all the necessary skills to immediately impact our program,” Kennedy said. “At 6-9 with a motor that always runs, he has the skill set to play multiple positions. His ball skills separate him from most kids his size. Terrance is a high character kid that will be a tremendous ambassador for our university.”

Wilson played at Carroll this year after starring at nearby Rayville (La.) High School through his junior season. A 6-foot-5, 205-pound guard/forward, Wilson averaged 19 points and eight rebounds as a junior at Rayville.

At 6-5, Wilson has a wingspan of over seven feet, one of the attributes that helped him shine at the Ole Miss Elite Summer Camp. He is ranked as a three-star prospect by both Rivals.com and Scout.com.

“Brandon is a monster athlete that is the true definition of an under-the-radar recruit,” Kennedy said. “His versatility is his greatest asset as we feel he can score inside and out while having the potential to be a lock-down defender due to his incredible length. He has tremendous potential.”

At 6-foot-5 and 195 pounds, White is a highly coveted big guard who put up 22.2 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals per game last season at Craigmont. The high flyer and accurate shooter helped Craigmont to the state quarterfinals as a junior and was a finalist for the Commercial Appeal’s Best of the Preps Player of the Year award.

“Memphis is a very important recruiting area for us,” Kennedy said, “and we could not be happier that Terrico is our first signee from this area as we attempt to re-establish our presence there. Terrico can really score with range up to 22 feet. He can also create off the dribble and finish at the rim with his explosive athleticism. He is physically ready for the SEC right now.”

White, who said he chose Ole Miss over Arkansas, is ranked by Youth Prep Stars recruiting magazine as the No. 35 overall player in the Southeast and has been listed as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. He has also played quarterback and receiver for the Craigmont football team.

A point guard from Caldwell, Idaho, Bogan came on strong late in his high school career to prove one of the top prospects in the Northwest. The 6-foot-1, 165-pounder was the 5A South Idaho Player of the Year and an All-State first team selection in 2007. The first Idahoan to sign with Ole Miss in the 98-year history of the program, he is also rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com.

“Every once in a while, if you continue to work hard, you will get lucky in recruiting,” Kennedy said. “We got lucky finding Will and could not be more excited about him joining our program. He is a tough, quick guard that can really create off the dribble while possessing legitimate 3-point range. An excellent student, Will epitomizes what we are looking for in our student-athletes at Ole Miss.”

Bogan led his Vallivue High School team to a 19-5 record and the consolation championship at the 5A state tournament last season. In the consolation game, the all-star shooter amassed a team-high 28 points, grabbed five rebounds and collected four steals. He is also a great student, maintaining a 4.0 GPA through his high school career.

Kennedy Finally Signs Extension

(UMAA) OXFORD, Miss. ­– Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone announced Wednesday that head basketball coach Andy Kennedy has signed an agreement to extend his contract with the University of Mississippi athletics foundation after renegotiation of his supplemental compensation package.

In October, the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning approved an extension of Kennedy’s base contract through June 30, 2011. The UMAA Foundation contract runs concurrent with the State College Board contract.

“It’s been a pleasure watching Coach Kennedy turn this program around,” Boone said. “He’s demonstrated the type of success prospective student-athletes and current players should expect when they come to Ole Miss. Not only is he a good coach, he’s a great recruiter, which should help our program succeed in the years to come.”

“I can’t tell you how excited I am about the future of our program,” said Kennedy, who took Ole Miss to the postseason after a 21-13 campaign in his first year at the helm. “I truly appreciate the opportunity afforded me by Chancellor Khayat and Pete Boone to be a part of the Ole Miss family as we all attempt to move our program forward.”

Rebs Sign Twin Towers

I do not know too much about these brothers, however what I have read and heard from people is that these guys are very good. Look at how big they are. This is the first of several that should be a very good signing class for the Bianco and the Rebels.

No word yet from the basketball fall signing class.


(UMAA)OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss added its first two signees of the fall signing period as infielders Matthew and Michael Snyder signed National Letters of Intent to play baseball beginning with the 2008-09 academic year, the Rebels announced on Wednesday.

The twin brothers from Centerville, Va., play for Westfield High School and are two of the top-ranked infielders in the nation and both are ranked in the Top 250 high school players in the country.

“I call these guys the twin towers because they are so tall and anchor the corners of the infield,” said Ole Miss assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Rob Reinstetle. “They are both extremely talented. It’s rare that you find the combination at the corners with that size and ability. The fact that one is left-handed and right-handed is unique.

“The exciting thing is that it continues a great legacy we have at Ole Miss of brothers playing ball together here,” Reinstetle said. “From the Henry brothers last season, through the Huismans, the Kessingers and the Pomeranz brothers...we have a long history of families coming to Ole Miss and being successful. We expect big things from Matt and Mike when they get to campus and have no doubt they will be successful.”

Matthew (6-5, 200 lbs) and Michael (6-5, 200 lbs) play at opposite corners of the infield as Matthew plays first base, while Michael holds down third base. Both players throw right handed, though Matthew is a left-handed hitter while Michael is a right-handed hitter.

As a junior, Michael hit .429 with eight home runs and 29 RBI on the way to All-District honors. Matthew also had an impressive season at first as he hit .431 with five home runs, 21 doubles and 31 RBI. He also earned All-District honors.

The brothers chose the Rebels over Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Marshall and East Carolina.

The Snyder’s come from a long line of baseball players as their father, Brian, pitched for the Seattle Mariners and the Oakland Athletics. Their brother, Brandon, was a first round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles in 2005 and is currently pitching in the minors in AA ball.
Matthew and Michael mark the first pair of signees for the Rebels in the fall signing period that runs from Wednesday, November 14, through Wednesday November 21.

Rebs Squeek Passed Jaguars

It was a close game tonight for Kennedy's Rebs as they defeated South Alabama 81-78. The Rebels were dominant in the first half and were up by about twenty points toward the end of the first half. Things changed alot when they came out of the locker room. South Alabama was on fire in the second half, hitting everything they shot. The Rebels also did their part to let USA back into the game committing 13 turnovers in the second half compared to the 3 they committed in the first half.

Eniel Polynice had a career high 28 points for the Rebs as he drained seven 3 pointers. This is the second game in a row a Rebel has had seven 3's. Freshman Chris Warren had 12 points and Kenny Williams chipped in 11, most of which came in the first half.

Noticeably absent the first couple of games in the scoring column is David Huertas, the transfer from Florida. Rebel fans need to remember David sat out an entire year of basketball and is just now getting used to the style of play again. I think David has put alot of pressure on himself. Once he settles down I think he will be a good scorer for the Rebels. Right now he appears to be the leader on the team from the games I have watched.

When I got to the Lamar game, if Doug Shows is refereeing I am going to lose it. Shows somehow manages to be a referee in every game we play at home. This is the second time in three games he has been there. Is there no one else out there the SEC can send? I am tired of looking at the guy.

The Rebels play Lamar on Friday who will be a high scoring team and ready for this game. Their coaching staff has alot of connections to the Ole Miss area and will be fired up to play the Rebels. AK is really expecting a good crowd for this one as he should be. For all you people that feel like you have to get to the Library or your dinner reservations at 7:00, forget it. Go to the basketball game instead. The Square will still be there when the game is over, I promise.

Who's Buying??????????

It was announced during the radio broadcast of the basketball game tonight there are only a couple hundred tickets left for the game. I have to admit, I was a little shocked about this. I expected there to be alot of people, but I did not expect a true sell out a few days before the game started. Granted it is more than likely LSU fans that have bought most of the tickets. I want to hear everyone's honest guess of how many of those 62,000 are LSU fans. I am going with about 24,000. Man I wish this was a night game.

Jackie Wayne

Jackie Wayne is back coaching. No not in college, this time in a league that will more than likely go away after one year. Jackie Sherrill will be coaching for the Birmingham franchise of the AAFL. Why they keep bringing these professional leagues back is beyond me. None of them make it and they all lose money. For those of you wondering, no I will not be making the ten minute drive over to Legion Field to watch Jackie's team play. I am more interested in seeing how long it takes before he gets caught cheating.....can you do that in a professional league?

(Bham News)
Marcus Katz, founder of the All American Football League, confirmed today that Jackie Sherrill has been offered a contract to coach Team Alabama.
''He was offered the job and said he would do it,'' Katz said in a phone interview.
Team Alabama has a Wednesday press conference to introduce the coach. The AAFL begins play in April.

Rebs Face Jags

The University of South Alabama comes into Tad Smith tomorrow night to take on the Rebels in the second game of the year. This is a pretty strong opponent for the Rebels to be playing them the second game of the year. I am interested to see what type of talen the Jaguars have. They traditionally have a pretty decent team. Andy Kennedy will still be working the kinks out with this team and trying to find the best five on the court at one time. This is the first of two games this week as Lamar comes to Oxford on Friday to take on the Rebs.

UMAA Notes:

SCOUTING THE JAGUARS South Alabama used a strong defensive effort to earn a 73-41 win in its season opener against Division II West Florida on Saturday night. The Jaguars, who amassed a 20-12 record last season, are led by Preseason All-Sun Belt guards Demetric Bennett and Daon Merritt, the only returning starters from the 2006-07 squad. Bennett poured in 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season, while Merritt helped out with 12.7 points per contest. JC Transfer Domonic Tilford had a team-high 15 points in the season opener, while Bennett and junior Brandon Davis added 12 apiece. USA is coached by Ronnie Arrow, who is beginning his second stint with the school after coaching there from 1987-94. He replaces John Pelphrey, who was hired by Arkansas in April.

OLE MISS-SOUTH ALABAMA SERIES Ole Miss leads the all-time series against the Jaguars 2-1, including last year’s 82-72 Rebel win in Mobile. Tuesday’s game will be the first meeting between the two schools in Oxford. Ole Miss won 80-61 on Dec. 30, 1969, and South Alabama prevailed 70-54 on Dec. 30, 1975.

REBEL-JAGUAR COACHING TIES For the second straight year, Rebel head coach Andy Kennedy will face the program that gave him his first coaching position. After playing professionally for three years, the 26-year-old Kennedy served one year as an assistant coach for the Jaguars during the 1994-95 campaign. Bob Weltlich manned the Rebel sidelines for six years (1977-82) and directed Ole Miss to the SEC Tournament title and the program’s postseason debut in 1981. Weltlich later took the reins of USA for five seasons (1998-2002) and recorded an 81-65 record. He also took the Jags to the NCAA Tournament and managed three 20-win seasons.

Hardy Back on the Team

Well what many predicted, including myself, has come true. Greg Hardy is back on the team and will play against LSU this weekend. It has never really come out whether Greg had attitude problems, grade issues, or academic problems. But one can assume it was a combination of all of the above. Evidently Hardy has it together again and has committed to the program. It should be interested to see how his 2-3 weeks off will effect his play.

(Clarion Ledger)OXFORD — Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy has been reinstated to the football team and will practice today after missing about three weeks for violating team rules.
Coach Ed Orgeron made the announcement at his Monday morning press conference, saying the sophomore has done everything expected of him to get back in the good graces of the coaching staff. Orgeron did not elaborate on how much he thought Hardy would play on Saturday when the Rebels host No. 1-ranked LSU in a nationally-televised game on CBS.Even after missing two games, Hardy is still among the SEC leaders in tackles for a loss (15.5) and sacks (8).

Rebs Handle Delta Devils

Ole Miss started its season off right as they defeated the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State 97-66 on Saturday afternoon. I did not get to watch most of the game, because DotTV was not working properly for me, but what else is new. From what I do understand is that the Rebels played similar to the Delta State game and have set the precedent for the year: a very quick team that is going to run and gun alot. New comer Trevor Gaskins was on fire for the Rebels as he made seven 3 point baskets for the Rebels.

The Rebels return to action to take on South Alabama on Tuesday night. I am not sure how USA is this year, maybe our Mobile correspondent Cook can fill us in. As you may or may not know, South Alabama's coach John Pelphrey left last year and is now the coach at the University of Arkansas. This should be a pretty good matchup for early season ball. Probably the most recognizable opponent we have ever played this early in the season in a long time.

(UMAA Notes)
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — True freshman Trevor Gaskins hit seven of Ole Miss' 13 3-pointers as the Rebels easily defeated Mississippi Valley State 97-63 in both team’s season opener Saturday at Tad Smith Coliseum.
In his first career game, Gaskins finished one shy of the school record of eight 3-pointers in a game, set by Keith Carter in 1998. The freshman from Alpharetta, Ga., finished with 21 points on seven of 10 shooting from long range.
Five Rebels scored in double figures on the afternoon, as David Huertas scored 12 points, Kenny Williams had 11 and Dwayne Curtis and Chris Warren each scored 10.
MVSU was led by Carl Lucas’ 14 points. Eric Petty scored 13 and Wayne Parks added 12.
Ole Miss took control of the game with a 10-0 run that began at the 12:06 mark of the first half and expanded a 15-8 lead. Gaskins hit a pair of 3-pointers on the run, and Ole Miss’ lead was never smaller than 12 points after that.
Ole Miss shot 56.7 percent in building a 41-24 halftime lead. MVSU got as close as 12 at the 17:11 mark of the second half, but Ole Miss responded with a 10-2 run.
Ole Miss outrebounded MVSU 25-13 in the first half and 42-27 in the game. Williams had a game-high nine rebounds and Curtis had eight.

The Delta Devils

Well my two favorite teams play this weekend, as the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils roll into Oxford for the Rebels first true game of the season. The Delta Devils, come into Oxford off of a season in which they won the SWAC regular season title narrowly missed the NCAA tourney. The Devils, coached by former Rebel player, James "Doughboy" Green should not be much of a matchup for the Rebels. With the run and gun offense the Rebels play, they should not have much trouble, since SWAC teams historically do not play much defense.

For those of you that have never attended a game at the HPER Complex on the campus of Mississippi Valley State, you have missed out. It is always good entertainment to watch the Devils play. I expect the Devils to be even better than last year as they have added a couple of juco transfers. Look for the Devils to be in the field of 65 this year.

As for the Rebels, I expect Kennedy will get to play all players like the Delta State game. It will probably take a few games before Kennedy narrows down the 7-10 players who will see most of the action for the Rebels. All in all if you are in the Oxford area, go check out the Rebels opening game.

UMAA Notes:
LAST TIME OUT: OLE MISS 110, DELTA STATE 65 Ole Miss jumped out to a huge 36-point halftime lead and did not look back in a 110-65 exhibition win over Delta State Friday night at Tad Smith Coliseum. Six Rebels scored in double figures in the blowout, led by sophomore guard David Huertas’ 18 points. Freshman point guard Chris Warren poured in 17 points and nine assists. Sophomore Eniel Polynice, freshman Trevor Gaskins and freshman Zach Graham chipped in 13 points apiece, and senior Dwayne Curtis added 12. The Rebels displayed a fast-pace attack and had major contributions from several of the newcomers that are looking to fill the void left by last year’s senior backcourt leaders Todd Abernethy, Bam Doyne and Clarence Sanders.

SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE The Delta Devils return four starters and six lettermen from last year's 18-16 squad that won the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship with a 13-5 league record. Valley fell to Mississippi State in the first round of the NIT. Among the returnees is senior Stanford Speech, who led the team a year ago with 12.3 points per game. Included among the team’s seven newcomers are four freshmen and junior college transfers Dwayne Harmason (Cincinnati State CC), Eric Petty (Hartnell CC) and Joseph Reed (Odessa CC).

OLE MISS-MVSU SERIES Ole Miss won the teams’ first ever meeting with last year’s 72-49 season-opening victory in Oxford. Bam Doyne led the way with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Jermey Parnell and Xavier Hansbro added 11 points apiece and Brian Smith had a career-high 10 points for the Rebels. Ole Miss won big despite the loss of starting point guard Todd Abernethy three minutes into the contest when he suffered a slight concussion and a blow that required five stitches over his left eye.

REBEL-DELTA DEVIL TIES MVSU head coach James Green, in his second year with the team, was a three-year letterwinner as a guard for Ole Miss from 1980-82 and a member of the 1981 SEC Tournament Championship squad.

REBELS VS. THE SWAC Ole Miss enters Saturday’s season opener against Miss. Valley State with a perfect 26-0 record against teams that currently comprise the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Rebels have faced every SWAC school except Texas Southern, while having played Prairie View A&M the most times at six, followed by five contests with Alabama State and four against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The Light

It appears Greg Hardy has seen the light and understands he must get it together if he wants to have a future playing football with a pro career. It was rumored last week that Hardy would return to the playing field this season, many doubted that statement. Coach O has not fully spoken on his intentions with Hardy as far as playing the rest of the season. However he has hinted he will return to this season. I would guess Hardy will come back on Friday as the team breaks for the open date.

I am not sure who wrote the statement, but Hardy released a statement via his Ole Miss email address to various media outlets concerning his suspension. I was glad to see that Hardy appears to be cooperating with what the staff told him he needed to do. This guy has sat out multiple times this season throughout various games some just a few downs and other whole games, however he still continues to lead the SEC in sacks. For Ole Miss to have a chance the last two weekends of the season, it is imperative Greg Hardy be on the field.

Below is the statement Hardy released:

"I would like to congratulate my teammates and coaches for last weekend's win over Northwestern State. It hurt me considerably to not be with my teammates to support them, and it is an even greater pain to not be on the field, performing with them and sharing in the victory. "I fully understand my mistakes, and take complete responsibility, for any distraction or negative impact, my situation has caused."There has been speculation regarding the reasons and circumstances that led to my absence from the team. I want everyone to know that my absence does not involve anything illegal, immoral, or unethical. It is the result of miscommunication and lack of diligence on my part with my coaches regarding meetings and practices. I have taken full responsibility and am currently trying to prove to Coach Orgeron, the rest of the coaching staff, and my teammates that I can be relied upon to meet my commitments as a player, teammate, and student-athlete in general."During the past week, I have had much time to reflect. While I have matured significantly since coming to Ole Miss, I recognize that I still have some growing up to do. And I look forward to doing some tremendous things here at Ole Miss, while realizing the true blessings - and responsibilities - that come with being a student-athlete."My family has a proud tradition at Ole Miss. I plan to continue that tradition by working diligently in the classroom - continuing on pace to graduate ahead of my anticipated graduation date - and, when granted the opportunity, by returning as soon as possible to the football team."

Rebs-Cajuns to Be on TV

It was announced this afternoon the Ole Miss LSU game will be broadcast on national tv via CBS for a 2:30 kickoff in two weeks. It will mark the first time this season the Rebels have appeared on CBS as the SEC game of the week.

Mixed reactions to this announcement. Some don't want tv at all. Others wanted a night game. Others could care less. Me personally, I was pushing for a night game. I think the LSU-Ole Miss game is meant for a night game in cold weather, that is the only way I know it. But I will settle for the 2:30 kickoff.

Obviously this game is only on tv because of LSU. However this game is traditionally a good game. Both teams have intense hatred for each other and no matter the talent level, there is always excitement over this game.

Should be interesting to see the attendance of Rebel fans at this game.

(UMAA)
OXFORD, Miss. -- The Nov. 17 game between Ole Miss and LSU will be televised by CBS Sports, and kickoff has been set for 2:30 p.m. CT at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
This will mark the Rebels' fourth TV appearance of the season and first on CBS. Ole Miss' last game on CBS was the Alabama game a year ago.
Over the last four seasons, 41 of the Rebels’ 70 games have been televised. All-time, this game will be the Rebels’ 160th TV appearance since Ole Miss made its TV debut in the 1953 Sugar Bowl versus Georgia Tech. The Rebels are 70-87-2 all-time in TV games.

Rock Bottom

Ole Miss football officialy hit rock bottom this weekend as 23,000 people attended the game to watch the Rebels squeeze by Northwestern State to get there third win of the season. The stadium was virtually empty, and it was the most pathetic sight I have witnessed in my years of attending Ole Miss athletic events. It started bad with Elvis doing the Hotty Toddy and did not get much better from there.

As far as the game goes, the Rebels opened up the game well and I thought it was going to be a blowout day over the Demons as the Rebels went up 17-0 in the game. The second half proved to be a different story as Northwestern State racked up 31 points in two quarters of play. For the day, the Demons tallied 499 yards of total offense.

Ole Miss was without the play of suspended players Ashlee Palmer and Chris Strong among a couple of others, who were suspended for unknown reasons. However Orgeron hinted in the press conference it was due to academic reasons. The Rebs could have used Palmer to help stop the yards and yards of offense that were racked up.

The only bright spot of the day was in the kicking game. We finally made the move to let Justin Sparks kickoff for the Rebs. Sparks kicked it deep all day, the only problem was our coverage was pretty light on most of the kicks. Why it took 10 games to realize Sparks could actually kickoff is beyond me. Thanks Rippon for finally seeing the light. Hope your last two games with the Rebels treat you well.

The Rebs have a much needed off week this week before rounding out the last two games with rivals LSU and MSU.

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Rebs Vs. NW State

It should be a very small crowd in Oxford this weekend, probably 30,000 in attendance this weekend at the game. You never know how the Rebels will play but they will probably win this one by about 14-17 points.

Hopefully and I mean hopefully some of the younger guys like Cordera Eason will get a chance to play in this game. On defense it will be interesting to see how much Chris Strong and Lawon Scott continue to play and if Tony Fein shows up to play again like he has the past couple of games. Personally, as weird as it may sound, I would like to see Brent Schaeffer start at QB. The real Seth Adams has played the past few games and Brent Schaeffer in my opinion brings more life to the field.

All in all, it will more than likely be a very laid back weekend in Oxford and more people will be concerned with the LSU-Bama game than there will be fans interested in the Ole Miss-Northwestern State game. It is weekends like this that make the Grove special, when football is not very important.

Some UMAA Notes

SERIES INFO: This marks the second meeting between the Rebels and the Demons. Ole Miss claimed a 27-7 victory last year in Oxford.

NORTHWESTERN STATE SCOUTING REPORT: After opening the year 2-0, the Demons have dropped five of their last six. Northwestern State is coming off a 20-17 homecoming loss to Southland Conference rival Texas State in Natchitoches. The Demon offense is averaging 19.6 points and 328.9 yards per game and is led by sophomore quarterback Germayn Edmond, who has completed 63-of-129 passes for 793 yards with seven TDs and eight interceptions. Edmond has also run for six TDs and ranks second on the team in rushing with 323 yards. Junior RB Byron Lawrence has rushed for a team-high 917 yards and three TDs, while junior WR Dudley Guice is the top receiver with 22 catches for 300 yards and three scores. The Northwestern State defense is surrendering 36.9 points and 381.9 yards per outing. Junior LB Mack Dampier has posted 69 tackles and 7.5 TFLs, while sophomore LB Blake Delcambre has 64 stops and five for loss. In the secondary, junior S Justin Perry has notched five pass break-ups, and sophomore CB Kasey Brown has four break-ups and three interceptions. Junior K Robert Weeks has connected on 4-of-6 field goals and 13-of-14 PATs.

COACHING TIES: Not only an alumn, Rebel mentor Ed Orgeron began his coaching career at Northwestern State, serving as a graduate assistant in 1984 following his senior season. During the 1983 and 1984 campaigns in Natchitoches, Orgeron played and coached under current Ole Miss defensive coordinator John Thompson, who had two separate stints as D.C. for the Demons. From 1983-86, Thompson helped Northwestern State top the nation in scoring defense. He returned to that capacity 1988-89.