A Look at the Weekend

The Rebels remain at home on Saturday as they take on the Gamecocks of South Carolina. The Gamecocks are a decent team who has struggled a littel bit this year under retiring head coach Dave Odom. One thing is for sure there is no room for the Rebels to let up. They need to get up early on this team and learn how to keep a lead much like they did against Vandy.

One player to watch for the Gamecocks will be Devon Downey, a transfer for Cincy that Andy Kennedy really tried to bring to Oxford. Downey is an outstanding player who leads the SEC in scoring and will be hard to stop. It will be interesting to see who Kennedy matches up on defense against Downey.

A couple of other notes before the UMAA scouting report:

• The latest RPI rankings have the Rebels at number 9. There is a long way to go in the season, but this is a great RPI for the Rebs, and I would bet the highest they have ever had.
• The biggest game of the season thus far in the SEC is probably coming up this weekend at Humphrey Coliseum. The Vols vs. the Dog$ will be a good matchup. UT is playing good ball and the Dog$ are coming off a blow out at Arkansas on Saturday.
• There are no more tickets avaiable for the game Saturday against the Gamecocks and the game in several weeks against the Bulldog$. I am sure there will be plenty of State fans in attendance at that game and they have bought alot of tickets. It is going to make for an interesting month of February in the state of Mississippi.

(UMAA Notes)

REBELS HOST SEC EAST’S GAMECOCKS Following an impressive 74-58 win over No. 18 Vanderbilt, No. 22 Ole Miss looks to remain unbeaten at home this year when South Carolina visits Oxford on Saturday. The Rebels are 10-0 this year at home and 25-1 at the Tad Pad since Andy Kennedy took the helm last season. The Rebels sit in third place in the SEC West with a 3-3 league mark, while Carolina is tied for fifth in the East. Wednesday’s win marked the second for Ole Miss this year over a ranked opponent, including the victory over No. 15 Clemson in San Juan. The Commodores’ 58 points matched the second-lowest by a Rebel opponent this season. Chris Warren tallied 20 points for his fourth 20+ effort of the year. Eniel Polynice had 18, while Kenny Williams posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS South Carolina is 10-10 on the year and sits in a tie for fifth place in the SEC Eastern Division with a 2-4 league record. The Gamecocks most recently earned a 62-56 win over Georgia on Wednesday. They are led by the SEC’s top scorer in sophomore point guard Devan Downey (19.6 ppg), a former pupil of Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy at Cincinnati. Downey has poured in 20+ points in five of the last six games. He also leads the nation with 3.4 steals per game and ranks third in the SEC with 5.1 assists per contest. Another transfer, junior Zam Fredrick (Georgia Tech), is second on the team with 16.3 ppg. Dominique Archie chips in 10.6 points and a team-high 6.4 boards. SC averaged 74.7 points to its opponents’ 69.7.
OLE MISS-SOUTH CAROLINA SERIES Saturday’s game will be the 24th time the two schools have faced each other on the hardwood. Ole Miss holds a 12-11 all-time edge and has won seven of the last 11 meetings. South Carolina has never won in Oxford, as Ole Miss enjoys an 8-0 edge at Tad Smith Coliseum. Last year, the Rebels dropped a 76-63 decision in Columbia. The two schools met only once prior to South Carolina joining the Southeastern Conference in the 1991-92 season. The two teams played in the Gulf South Tournament in the 1960-61 season, with the Gamecocks taking an 85-79 decision. The teams have also met in the SEC Tournament six times and have split those games 3-3.

Big Least

The Rebels and Dog$ are among those listed to play in the SEC/Big East challenge next year. Andy Kennedy will return to his former employer Cincinnati to play against a Rick Patino coached Louisville team.

Those that dogged the Rebels non conference scheduling this year, will have to shut up come next year. As it is my understanding the Rebels will be playing Louisville, West Viriginia, and I could be wrong but I think Memphis comes back into the equation next year also.

(ESPN)
BRISTOL, Conn. - ESPN Regional Television, in conjunction with the BIG EAST Conference and the Southeastern Conference, announced Thursday the eight men’s college basketball teams, including the 22nd-ranked Ole Miss Rebels, that will represent the two conferences in the second annual SEC/BIG EAST Invitational.

The 2008 SEC/BIG EAST Invitational, an ERT owned and operated event that features four games over two nights, will be played Dec. 16 at Nashville’s Sommet Center and Dec. 18 at Cincinnati’s U.S. Bank Arena and will be televised by ESPN and ESPN2. The annual event matches four teams from the BIG EAST Conference against four teams from the Southeastern Conference.

Tennessee, presently ranked No. 8 nationally, No. 18 Vanderbilt, No. 22 Ole Miss and No. 25 Mississippi State will represent the SEC, while No. 16 Marquette, Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida will represent the BIG EAST.

On Dec. 16 in Nashville, Vanderbilt will face South Florida while Marquette squares off with Tennessee. On Dec. 18 in Cincinnati, Mississippi State will face Cincinnati and Ole Miss will play Louisville.

Rebs Handle Dores

Ole Miss took care of Vandy last night winning 74-58 in a scrappy game. The Rebels led for most of the game and got good production from many on the bench. The likes of Zach Graham, Trevor Gaskins, and Terrence Watson all contributed valuable minutes. Chris Warren and Eniel Polynice continue to carry the Rebels with 20 and 18 points a piece. The Rebels saw Kenny Williams play a great game as he finished with a double-double: 10 points and 10 boards. Some questioned the play of Dwayne Curtis last night, however I thought he played ok even though he only had three points, he still managed 10 rebounds for the Rebs.

The Rebs picked up their defense last night, something that has been missing for quite sometime. I said coming into the game if Kenny and Dwayne can be careful the first few minutes, then the game will go smoothly as it did last night. The refs let some stuff go, but the big guys stepped up their defense when we needed them to.

One point to note that some of you may or may not remember. The Rebels first choice for point guard in the last signing class was Keegan Bell who played 17 minutes last night for Vandy and had 6 point. Luckily Bell decided to go to Vandy and instead the Rebels signed a then "no namer" Chris Warren. What a blessing in disguise this has been. Warren, aside from one or two games, has played outstanding and carried this team along the way.

Overall a big win at home that the Rebels had to have. This win will show up big time come NCAA tourney time. They need to continue in the win column with South Carolina this weekend.

Gut Check

It is gut check time for the Ole Miss men's basketball team as the Vanderbilt Commodores come to Oxford tomorrow night. This game is a must if the Rebels want to continue to be contenders in the SEC race and gain attention with the national media. Ole Miss comes into the game with a two game losing streak and losing record in the SEC.

In order for the Rebels to get going, they are going to need better production from the whole team, but mainly the guards. Chris Warren is still averaging in double figures and playing well, but he is not bringing the same punch he brought to the game early on in the season. I feel like Warren has had enough games in the SEC that it is time for him to settle down and get back to his style of play. The other place the Rebels have received very little production has been the 2 guard. We all know how terrible Huertas has been. The guy can't throw it in the ocean right now and is the talk among most of the fan base. Eniel Polynice is getting some great breaks and scoring that way, but isn't pulling up and shooting the way he should. On another note the big guys have to control their fouls. With Parnell out they have to play smarter ball.

Some will argue if the Rebels lose this game it is not the end all, however I think it is. With a road loss at Auburn(one the Rebels should have never lossed), they can not afford to lose a home game and must win against a big time opponent like Vandy. It is put out or shut up time for AK's team.

(UMAA Notes)
REBELS RETURN TO OXFORD, FACE VANDY After two straight losses to SEC West foes on the road, No. 22 Ole Miss returns to the friendly confines of Tad Smith Coliseum for a top-25 battle against the 18th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores. The Rebels are 9-0 this year at home and 25-1 in Oxford since Andy Kennedy took the helm last season. Mississippi State held the Rebels to a season-low 68 points in Saturday’s loss, while the Bulldogs also scored the most points against the Rebels this season with 88. Dwayne Curtis still managed to post his ninth double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. It was the senior’s fifth double-double in the last six games. Curtis enters Wednesday’s tilt 17 points shy of 1,000 for his Rebel career. Ole Miss holds a 27-21 advantage over the ‘Dores all-time in Oxford.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES After getting off to a school-record 16-0 start, Vanderbilt has had a tough time on the road in conference play, losing each of its three away contests to drop three of the last four overall. Vanderbilt has beaten South Carolina and LSU in Nashville, but lost at Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida. The 17-3 ‘Dores still rank among the nation’s leaders with 83.9 points per game, but average 73.8 points in league tilts. The sensational one-two punch of senior Shan Foster (19.5 ppg) and freshman A.J. Ogilvy (18.1 ppg) has carried Vanderbilt throughout the season. Foster has earned three SEC Player of the Week honors this season, while Ogilvy is a three-time SEC Freshman of the Week. In the most recent NCAA stats, VU ranks among the nation’s top 25 teams in 3-point pct. (4th), assists (5th), and 3-pointers per game (22nd).
OLE MISS-VANDERBILT SERIES Wednesday’s game will be the 108th meeting between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt on the hardwood. The Commodores hold a 69-38 lead in the series, which began in 1925. Vanderbilt has taken six straight in the series, including last year’s 85-80 encounter in Nashville (see page 7). Ole Miss enjoys a 27-21 advantage in games played in Oxford. The ‘Dores had dropped eight straight at Tad Smith Coliseum before a 77-65 victory in 2004 and a 77-62 win in 2006. Rebel head coach Andy Kennedy is 1-1 against Vandy in his career, picking up a 92-83 victory at Vanderbilt during the 2005-06 campaign, his lone season as Cincinnati mentor.
HOLDING COURT The Ole Miss-Vanderbilt series has been all about location in recent years. In fact, the home team has prevailed in 18 of the last 21 meetings. From 1989 through 2000, the home team held court in 14 straight games.

BPF Fundraising Turns It Up

Well the UMAA finally got it going yesterday on the fundraising for the Basketball Practice Facility. I have to say they have rolled out a pretty good campaign based on the website. The website can be viewed by going here:

BPF OFFICIAL WEBSITE

This facility is long overdue and I hope the Ole Miss faithful will recognize the need for the advancement of our basketball program. Basketball has been neglected at Ole Miss for quite sometime. Now is the time to show the players and administration that basketball will no longer be neglected. This takes a commitment mainly from the administration, and while it took them a while to get it going, it appears they are making this commitment. We will know just how big of a commitment they are willing to make if we can see shovels in the ground by May.

(UMAA Release)

OXFORD, Miss. – A plan to raise $12 million for a basketball practice facility at Ole Miss was announced today and – like the nationally ranked men’s team – the effort is off on a fast break.
Officials with the UMAA Foundation, the private fundraising arm for intercollegiate athletics, said more than $6 million of the total already has been donated or pledged by excited supporters.
The 46,000-square-foot facility is to include separate practice courts, locker and meeting spaces, film rooms, players’ lounges, and coaches’ offices for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams.It also has shared weight and training rooms. The building will be located on the southwest side of the campus on the corner of Coliseum Drive and Hill Drive, across from the Gillom Sports Center.
“Games are played at Tad Smith Coliseum, but they are won on the practice court,” Chancellor Robert Khayat said. “Our men’s and women’s basketball teams have demonstrated their competitiveness. This new practice facility demonstrates our commitment to support them with whatever they need to continue to be successful.”
The campaign to raise private funds for the facility comes at an exciting time for Ole Miss basketball. The men’s team, ranked among the Top 25 in the nation, is off to its best start in school history.
“Our guys are committed to playing on the national stage every March and this building provides a huge step in our ability to recruit and compete,” said men’s Coach Andy Kennedy. “We need every Ole Miss fan to join this effort and make a gift to build a practice facility for the exclusive use of men’s and women’s basketball.”

Rebs Still Hanging Around...Dogs Make Appearance

(I hate Memphis State)

1. Memphis (20) 19-0 764
2. Kansas (11) 20-0 755
3. Duke 17-1 700
4. North Carolina 19-1 663
5. UCLA 18-2 650
6. Georgetown 16-2 605
7. Michigan State 18-2 584
8. Tennessee 17-2 567
9. Washington State 17-2 515
10. Texas 16-3 473
11. Indiana 17-2 450
12. Butler 19-2 405
13. Wisconsin 16-3 395
14. Stanford 16-3 348
15. Xavier 17-4 252
16. Marquette 14-4 223
17. Drake 18-1 220
18. Vanderbilt 17-3 219
19. Florida 18-3 201
20. Saint Mary's 17-2 183
21. Pittsburgh 16-4 165
22. Mississippi 15-3 157
23. Texas A&M 16-4 136
24. Kansas State 14-4 62
25. Mississippi State 14-5 60

Committ Arrested

Well the signing calss had its first casualty today as Jared Foster was arrested. I am still trying to figure out why we signed this guy in the first place knowing his past run ins with the law. For those of you that are regular readers of the Clarion Ledger, you know this guys story. He had multiple run ins for steroid and alcohol abuse in high school.

I guess Nutt had too much confidence in Foster in that he had turned his life around. These charges are evidently being brought by the Madison County Sherriff, it is nothing that took place while Foster was at Ole Miss for the few short weeks.

Oh Well.....


(Clarion Ledger)Former Madison Central High School football player Jared Foster was arrested today in Oxford and charged with selling steroids.

Foster, who recently transferred to the University of Mississippi, was expected to join the Ole Miss football team in February. Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt said Foster will no longer be able to join.The Madison County Sheriff’s Department was the lead agency in the arrest.Details about the arrest were not immediately available.

Jose's Thoughts

For those of you not on the Ole Miss message boards, I give you the thoughts of the ever popular Jose Valdez:

(This is the work of a long time, loyal Rebel fan)
José knows what you are thinking. You are wondering which Emily Dickinson poem best captures José’s feelings after the Auburn game. He must go to Miss Dickinson’s “An Awful Tempest Mashed the Air” to describe the depth of his depression.

An awful tempest mashed the air,
The clouds were gaunt and few;
A black, as of a spectre’s cloak,
Hid heaven and earth from view.

José recognizes that the same poem probably was on many Rebel fans minds after the crushing loss to the Tigers. He also must admit that it has been a long time since José was as despondent as he was after that game. In fact, the last time he can recall being that chagrined was when the International Astronomical Union revoked Pluto’s planetary status. Note: José hopes that you will join him in protesting this grossly unfair decision by discontinuing financial support for the IAU. They will not get one more peso from José! He is officially redirecting his financial contributions to The Human Fund.

Well the Auburn game is in the past and there is no use crying oneself to sleep in tequila soaked sheets any longer. José must turn his thoughts to The School Whose Name Shall Not be Spoken (or TSWNSNBS for the purposes of this offering). José finds it very amusing how fans of TSWNSNBS obsess over Ole Miss (much the same way José obsesses over Salma Hayek, Coach Kennedy, Bigfoot and chicken chimichangas). The level of obsession became apparent to José after their football team defeated the Rebels in 2005. Despite the fact that they finished the season with a less-than-glamorous 3-8 record, they had t-shirts printed that read “2005 Egg Bowl Champions”. Note: Maybe José should have had History Bee 11th place t-shirts printed for himself since he finished ahead of Jorge (and only Jorge) in the 8th grade at Santa Poco Academy. (Paco finished one spot ahead of José because he knew that the Mexican General defeated by Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto was Santa Anna and not El Guapo).

José must also address that he has had difficulty gathering his thoughts because of the terrible smell that is permeating his room. You see he accidentally stepped into some maroon earlier in the day.

Honestly, José cannot get over the decision to use “Step Into the Maroon” as the promotional campaign for TSWNSNBS. However, it does make more sense after hearing the other options that were considered. They included:

“Consistently delivering average to below results since 1878.”
“You can always go somewhere else for graduate school.”
“The best education you can get in the Golden Triangle area or my name ain’t Doc Foglesong!”
“What other options do you have?”
“Come to school here and your odds of getting a job are 10% higher than those with only their GED.”
“Exactly how high are your expectations anyway?”
“Only 24 Rhodes Scholars and 3 Miss Americas fewer than Ole Miss!”
“Just pay your fees and you can tell people you went to school anywhere you’d like.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear.”
“ University of Memphis turned you down? We’re still here.”

One of José’s very favorite things to do is to approach fans of TSWNSNBS who happen to have teenage daughters and tell them that their daughters just might be good looking enough to go to Ole Miss. They typically respond with a weak laugh as if José is joking with them, but José gets the sense that they are not really amused. But let us be honest, probably 75% of all TSWNSNBS grads either secretly wish they had gone to Ole Miss or hope that their children do. Of course you could never get them to admit to this, but you and José both know it to be true. Now try to think of ANY Ole Miss grad who might secretly wish they had gone to TSWNSNBS. That didn’t take long. It would be like José wishing his perfectly coiffed hair (circa Patrick Swayze 1990) looked more like Jorge’s comb-over.

As for the game, José recognizes that this is an extremely important contest and is doing his part to encourage Coach Kennedy. Last night José stood outside Coach Kennedy’s window with a portable stereo held over his head playing “In Your Eyes”. Fortunately for José, he escaped before the cops arrived.

Expect the Rebels to play with reckless abandon, much the way José approached ultimate frisbee, road trips, and nights at The Gin when he was in school. Rebels-76 TSWNSNBS-72.

My name is José Valdez IV and these are my thoughts.

Who Let The Dogs Out???

Where did this Mississippi State team come from?

The Rebels go on the road this weekend to take on the Bulldog$ at the Hump this weekend. The Bulldog$ have definatley improved lately over the past several weeks. They are at the top of the SEC West and are sitting in pretty good shape. Charles Rhodes has been hurt recently and has been struggling playing in games. However it appears Rhodes will be ready for the game on Saturday. Another player that has had a huge impact for the Bulldog$ is Jarvis Vanardo. The freak is leading the SEC in blocks and probably ranks very high in the nation on blocks.

So what does this game mean for the Rebels. Well, if they don't want to dig themselves in a huge hole. This is a must win for them. A road loss to Auburn really hurt their standings and RPI as road wins are huge when it comes to conference play. With that being said, a makeup road win at the Hump would definately help in the long and short run. A week off has definately helped with the recovery of Jermey Parnell, however I truly doubt he will be at his best when Saturday rolls around.

What do I think will happen? Well it is a toss up for me. I am leaning towards a Bulldog win, but think a week off might have been just what the Rebels needed to regroup and refocus. I predict it will be a close one and maybe even an overtime game this weekend. The one thing I know for sure is that it should be a very good game.

Since it is M$U week. I want everyone's prediction:

Notes from UMAA
SEC WEST’S TOP TWO TEAMS MEET SATURDAY Ole Miss and Mississippi State play twice a year for Magnolia State bragging rights, but Saturday’s contest holds even greater significance as the Bulldogs top the SEC Western Division standings at 4-0 and the 15th-ranked Rebels are in second place with a 2-2 league mark. Ole Miss is looking to bounce back from an 80-77 loss at Auburn last Saturday, while State is trying to extend its eight-game winning streak. Chris Warren led the Rebels at Auburn with a career-high 25 points and an Ole Miss freshman record-tying seven three-pointers, while Dwayne Curtis posted his eighth double-double with 13 points and 11 boards. Ole Miss and State have split the season series each of the past two years, with the home team winning all four times.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS After starting the season 5-5, Mississippi State has reeled off eight straight victories and started 4-0 in Southeastern Conference play to own the top spot in the Western Division standings entering the weekend. The Bulldogs have claimed road victories at LSU (61-39) and Alabama (66-56) to go with home wins over Georgia (60-49) and Kentucky (69-64). The Bulldogs are carried by a staunch defense that allow’s an SEC-low 60.9 points per game to opponents. They hold foes to a .359 field-goal percentage, also the best mark in the league. Sophomore center Jarvis Varnado tops the SEC and the nation with 5.17 blocks per game and had a pair of 10-block performances vs. Georgia and Kentucky. Varnado also ranks second in the league with 8.7 rebounds per game. Junior guard/forward Jamont Gordon does it all for the Bulldog offense, with team-high averages of 17.8 points and 4.3 assists to go with 6.6 rebounds.

Sanford Arrested

Jamarca Sanford was arrested this weekend and it has not hit the Clarion Ledger website yet. Under Coach O's administration the media was all over this type news and had it reported the day after. It was always my belief the media was out to get him from the beginning and never gave him a break when it came to incidents like this, due to his storied pass.

But at any rate here is the story from the Oxford Eagle that ran today:

Ole Miss starting safety Jamarca Sanford was arrested and released Saturday morning on charges of disorderly conduct, failure to comply.Sanford was arrested after “refusing to leave the parking lot of Night Town after being asked to do so several times” by Oxford Police Officer Lt. Bobby Kelly, Kelly said in the arrest affidavit. Sanford was booked at the Lafayette County Detention Center at 1:40 a.m. Saturday and released on cash bond at 4:15 a.m. The charge is a misdemeanor. Sanford has a court date on Jan. 30.Ole Miss football coach Houston Nutt, who was on the road recruiting Tuesday, said that he was aware of the situation and will take appropriate action as soon as he gets back in town this weekend and gets all the details of exactly what happened.

Eddie O Staying Close to Home

Coach O is staying close to home as he will be the defensive line coach at the New Orleans Saints. I think it will be interesting to see how Coach O makes it in the pros. Orgeron is full of energy and gives it all in everything he does, something not all NFL players are not. NFL players show up to play and everynow and then practice. I am glad to see Coach O land close to home back in Louisiana.

It was also reported the lawyers have worked out a buyout and Coach O will be receiving a $1.2 million lump sum payment. Evidently his agent requested a lump sum and this was the figure that was worked out between Boone and Ed's guys.

WHO DAT?

Here is the story from the Clarion Ledger:
OXFORD — Former Ole Miss coach football coach Ed Orgeron received a $1.2 million buyout from the school this month, athletic director Pete Boone said today.
Orgeron, 46, was hired today as the New Orleans Saints' defensive line coach.He was fired by Ole Miss on Nov. 24, one day after the Rebels lost 17-14 to Mississippi State, cementing their first winless Southeastern Conference record in 25 years.At that time, Boone said Orgeron stood to receive about $1.35 million through December of 2009.Today, however, Boone said Orgeron's attorneys requested the lump sum option and a deal was struck this month.When he was fired after winning just 10 games over three seasons, Orgeron had two years remaining on his $900,000 per year contract. The original buyout called for 75 percent of that total, or $675,000 each year, to be paid to Orgeron over the next two years.Terms of Orgeron's contract with the Saints were not available."I'm happy for him and wish him well," Boone said. "I think he'll do an excellent job with the Saints."

Bianco's Boys

Below is the release from UMAA on the Number 4 pre-season ranking by Baseball America. It is hard to imagine that first pitch is about a month away. These Rebels will be very talented and possibly the most talented ever to suit up for the Rebs.

We will discuss this team in further detail at a later date, as I am anxious to see what people think this Rebel team will accomplish.

On a side note, notice that the season is starting a little later this year. The northern schools complained about having to go on the road for the first month of the season. I think this will effect pitching as the year goes on. Teams will need alot more depth due to the fact they will be playing more mid week games in the same amount of time as previous seasons.

(UMAA)
OXFORD, Miss. – When Ole Miss takes the field on opening day, the Rebels will do so as the fourth-ranked program in the country according to Baseball America, the publication announced on Tuesday.

Baseball America is the fourth poll to be released this season and third to have the Rebels ranked in the top 10 in the preseason. The publication also joins Collegiate Baseball as ranking the Rebels in the top five, as both publications placed the Rebels fourth.

Ole Miss enters the 2008 season off a third-straight appearance in an NCAA Super Regional and posted a 40-25 record last season before falling to third-ranked Arizona State in the round of 16. The Rebels are one of only two teams to host a regional each of the last four seasons and one of only four teams to advance to a Super Regional each of the last three seasons.

The Rebels have also been the top performing team in the Southeastern Conference over the last five years, posting more wins in SEC play than any other team (86). Ole Miss is also the only team in the Southeastern Conference to post a winning record in conference play each of the last five seasons.

In 2008, the Rebels return one of the top pitching staffs in the nation as Ole Miss posted a 3.58 ERA and held opponents to a .240 batting average a year ago. The seven shutouts posted by the Rebels was also the most in the SEC.

Ole Miss returns two All-SEC performers on the mound, as junior right-handers Lance Lynn and Cody Satterwhite are expected to help lead the Rebels in the upcoming season. Lynn posted an 8-5 record in 2007, including wins over No. 1 Vanderbilt and complete-game shutouts of No. 4 South Carolina and Southern Miss in the NCAA Oxford Regional. Lynn also set the school record for strikeouts in a season with 146. Satterwhite posted four saves and four wins in relief as a closer for the Rebels as he posted saves over Auburn, No. 4 South Carolina, and Tennessee twice, while also notching wins in relief over No. 25 Alabama, No. 9 Arkansas, Georgia and Southern Miss.

The Rebels also return a solid offensive lineup and a bulk of its position starters including Freshman All-America selections Jordan Henry and Zach Miller. Henry, who was also named SEC Freshman of the Year, is the top returning hitter for the Rebels as he hit .376 as a freshman with 17 RBI, a home run and 60 runs scored. Miller hit .368 on the season with four home runs, 31 RBI and 39 runs scored for the Rebels. Also returning to the lineup are the top two power hitters from a year ago in junior Cody Overbeck, who hit a team-leading 14 home runs, and junior Logan Power who hit 11 home runs.
The fourth-ranked Rebels will open the 2008 season at home on Friday, February 22, 2008, when Ole Miss will host Minnesota in the first game of a three-game set. First-pitch of opening day is set for 3:00 p.m. at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.

Rebs Stay at #15 (Again)

Surprisingly the Rebels held their spot in the middle of the pack in the polls. I really thought they would drop several spots. I guess the multiple upsets this weekend had a little to do with that. A loss this upcoming Saturday could really hurt the Rebels rankings and would give M$U some respect and recognition they have not had this year. It is a clutch game for both teams.

1. Memphis (21) 17-0 765
2. Kansas (10) 18-0 754
3. Duke 15-1 682
4. North Carolina 18-1 666
5. Tennessee 16-1 653
6. Washington State 16-1 620
7. UCLA 16-2 581
8. Indiana 16-1 565
9. Georgetown 14-2 543
10. Michigan State 16-2 517
11. Wisconsin 15-2 443
12. Texas 14-3 381
13. Vanderbilt 17-2 336
14. Butler 17-2 316
15. Mississippi 15-2 284
16. Texas A&M 15-3 280
17. Pittsburgh 15-3 267
18. Villanova 13-3 257
19. Dayton 14-2 203
20. Marquette 13-4 158
21. Stanford 15-3 151
22. Xavier 15-4 112
23. Drake 16-1 92
24. Saint Mary's 15-2 89
25. Clemson 14-4 84

Rebs Suffer Bad Loss

It was the worst loss of the season thus far for the Rebels in terms of a game that Ole Miss needed to win as they were defeated on the road at Auburn 80-77 on Saturday. Auburn had a lead for much of the first half before teh Rebels took it away and were up by 6 or 7 in the second half, before slowly watching that lead fade away.

There are lots of thoughts to this game and our loss that will be discussed. However, a couple of the points I will thow out there. Every coach in America that we play from now on will run the zone on us. It totally shut us down. Why we could not get the ball in more to Curtis and Williams is beyond me. David Huertas is a HUGE dissapointment. He played absolutely miserable on Saturday and could not throw it in the ocean if he had to. My question is why was he in the game late when the Rebels needed clutch free throws. He had more open looks than anyone in the game, and didn't make a single one of them.

Where do we go from here? We take a much needed week off and regroup. I was totally shocked by this loss. I had this circled as a win on my calendar since this time last year. You have to win some conference games on the road to be a legit contender, and we let a good opportunity get away.

(UMAA)
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) -- In a back-and-forth SEC battle, Auburn surged midway through the second half and held off 15th-ranked Ole Miss Saturday 80-77 on the Plains, keeping the Rebels from matching the best start in school history .
Chris Warren played all 40 minutes and led Ole Miss with a career-high 25 points, hitting seven 3-pointers. Dwayne Curtis returned to Auburn with a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, his eighth double-double of the year.
Frank Tolbert scored 29 points and DeWayne Reed had 21, both career highs, to lead Auburn.
Quantez Robertson's 3-pointer from the right corner broke a 70-all tie with 1 minute left for the Tigers (11-5, 2-2 Southeastern Conference).
Eniel Polynice of Ole Miss (15-2, 2-2) then missed a 3 at the other end. Tolbert made four straight free throws and Auburn went 7-of-10 from the line over the final 39 seconds to keep Ole Miss from tying after twice pulling within three points.

Rebs Travel to Ugliest Village on the Plains

The Rebels take their show on the road this weekend as they travel to Auburn to take on the Jeff Lebo coached Tigers. Auburn has struggled this year. I really thought Auburn was going to be a very good team coming into the season. However they have lost their two best players to injuries and a playing with a very thin roster.

These are the teams you have to be worried about. You go on the road and you have to make sure your team is focused. It is very easy for a team like Auburn who has struggled to get up for a big home game like this and come out hot against the Rebs.

The Rebels need to get out there and take care of business early. Two freshman I really wanted to play well and step up have done so over the past several games in Malcolm White and Trevor Gaskins. Now it is Zach Grahams turn. He has the game and the potential, he just needs the confidence to bust it open. This is a great opportunity for Zach.

The atmosphere at Auburn basketball games is terrible. I kid you not, the place is worse than the Tad Pad. No one goes to the games and it is like a funeral when you go in there. However Jeff Lebo in my opinion is a very good coach and is getting a tough break at Auburn. The Tigers are coming off a win on the road at LSU, so it should be interesting to see how they respond to their first SEC win.

All in all the Rebels should win this one and it should be a good segway into the off week before taking on $tansbury next week at "The Hump"

(UMAA)REBELS TRAVEL TO DIVISIONAL RIVAL Coming off Wednesday’s hard-fought 89-87 victory over defending national champion Florida, Ole Miss will make its first trip of the season to an SEC Western Division rival with Saturday’s 4 p.m. game at Auburn. At 15-1, the Rebels are off to their best start since the 1925-26 squad began 16-1. Ole Miss is 2-1 in league play while trying to defend last year’s SEC West title campaign in which the Rebels compiled an 8-8 league record. Dwayne Curtis paced the Rebels with 20 points and 12 rebounds against the Gators to post his seventh double-double, second most in the SEC. Trevor Gaskins racked up 19 points with several big shots to stave off Gator runs in the second half. Auburn won at LSU 74-67 Wednesday, but had lost its previous three games to Xavier, Arkansas and Florida.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS Auburn enters the weekend with a 10-5 overall record and 1-2 mark in the SEC after their most recent victory, a 74-67 win over LSU in Baton Rouge. The Tigers have lost to Arkansas and Florida in league play. The Tigers rely on a stout defense allowing 67.1 ppg to opponents while racking up 9.5 steals per game, second-most in the SEC. Auburn features four players that average double-figure points, led by Quan Prowell and Korvotney Barber with 13.8 each and Rasheem Barrett with 13.5. Barber is currently out with a broken hand. Leading the charge defensively are DeWayne Reed and Quantez Robertson, who rank second and third in the SEC with 2.5 and 2.2 steals per game, respectively. Jeff Lebo is 53-53 since taking over the Auburn helm in 2004. He guided the Tigers to a 17-15 mark (7-9 SEC) last season.

OLE MISS-AUBURN SERIES Saturday’s game will be the 115th meeting between the two schools, with the Tigers holding an all-time series lead of 68-46. Ole Miss holds an 8-6 edge in the last 14 meetings and beat the Tigers in both meetings last year (82-59 at Auburn and 83-79 on Senior Day in Oxford). Ole Miss swept the 2004-05 season series, but Auburn came back to take both meetings in 2005-06. The Tigers own a 46-13 advantage in Auburn, but Ole Miss has won two of the last three meetings at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.

TIGER TIES The Rebels’ starting center will be battling a familiar foe this weekend. Senior Dwayne Curtis spent his freshman season at Auburn in 2003-04, before transferring to Ole Miss in May 2004. Curtis played in 19 games, starting five, in his one year on the Plains and tallied 11 points and 6 rebounds at Arkansas and 10 points and 9 boards at Mississippi State. In addition, Rebel senior Kenny Williams signed with Auburn out of high school as part of the Tigers’ 2003 football recruiting class. A first-team all-county tight end from Miami, Williams opted for hoops instead at St. Petersburg Community College.

A Look at The Weekend

Alot of you follow recruiting more than I do. This was forwarded to me by a long time reader of Worldclassglas. I can't say I ever remember having this many recruits in town for one weekend. Here is the list. Granted it will change, some will be added and others will be no shows:

Jordan Free C/LA Scout ** / Rivals **
Ukwu Collins DE/TN Scout NR / Rivals **
DeAndre Brown WR/MS Scout ***** #3 / Rivals ***** #4
Garrett Faircloth OL/FL Scout NR / Rivals **
Charles Reeves WR/GA Scout ***#141 / Rivals ***
Brandon Bolden RB/LA Scout *** #91 / Rivals *** #34
Prentiss Waggner CB/LA Scout *** #44 / Rivals *** #33
Kermit Tyler OL/LA Scout ** / Rivals **
Bo Tillman DT/MS Scout *** #21 / Rivals **** #34
Derrick Herman CB/MS Scout ** / Rivals *** #38
Leonard Johnson CB/ATH FL Scout *** #54 / Rivals ***
Matt Hall OL/AR Scout *** #63 / Rivals **** #31
Alonzo Lawrence CB/MS Scout **** #11 / Rivals **** #2
Josh Tatum OL/AL Scout ** #69 / Rivals **
Bud Barksdale S/CB/MS Scout *** #73 / Rivals *** #62
Tig Barksdale S/RB/MS Scout **** #3 / Rivals **** #10
Quinn Sanford C/MS Scout *** #12 / Rivals *** #44
Khiry Battle S/GA Scout *** # 94 / Rivals ***
37. Patrick Trahan LB/MS Scout ***** / Rivals ***
Terrence Pope DE/DT/MS Scout ** / Rivals **
Marcus Rucker WR/TN Scout NR / Rivals ***
Eugene Hilton WR/FL Scout NR / Rivals NR
Shawn Bright RB/FL Scout NR / Rivals NR
Demareo Marr CB/MS Scout *** / Rivals ***
Justin Smith DT/DE Scout ** / Rivals *** #41
Dallas Thomas OL/LA *** #35 / Rivals *** #57

Former Rebel Hired to Be Offensive Coordinator

There are very few out there that have argued against this hire.

(UMAA)
OXFORD, Miss. – Head Coach Houston Nutt completed his first Ole Miss football staff here Wednesday by announcing the selection of Rebel great Kent Austin as his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The appointment is pending approval of the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning.

A record-setting Rebel quarterback from 1981-85, Austin spent 15 seasons in the Canadian Football League and won championships as a player, assistant coach and head coach.

“There's nothing like hiring a quarterback coach who has played the position, especially at his alma mater,” Nutt said. “Kent Austin is a great character person and an excellent fundamental teacher. One of the first things you notice is his passion for coaching quarterbacks. With his knowledge and his expertise in coaching quarterbacks and the passing game, Kent will be a tremendous asset to our program.”

“I am extremely excited and feel tremendously privileged to join Coach Nutt and his staff at Ole Miss,” said Austin. “Houston is not only a great coach, but more importantly an outstanding person. I will work with diligence and passion to honor the trust that he has placed in me and will do whatever is asked to contribute positively to the program and to build into the lives of young men. This is wonderful blessing for my family who share in my excitement about coming home.”

As a rookie head coach for Saskatchewan this past season, Austin guided the Roughriders to the Grey Cup Championship, beating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23-19. Prior to that, Austin served as the offensive coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts from 2004-06 and helped coach the Argos to a Grey Cup title in 2004. He began his coaching career in 2003 as the quarterbacks coach for the Ottawa Renegades.

Austin played 10 seasons in the CFL and retired in 1996 as the league’s ninth all-time passer with 36,030 yards. His 57.6 yard completion average is third best, and he remains one of only four players to pass for more than 6,000 yards in a single season

HUGE

Its late and I have very limited access to the internet. All I can say is that the game against Florida on Wednesday is on on huge game for this team and program. Florida has the most beatable team they have had in three years, but don't let the media fool you, this team is still very good.

While they lost tons of players, they are still very talented. This will be the first time David Huertas has faced his old team. Huertas is due on on good game, after two subpar performances.

I don't know the status on Jermey Parnell, but I have on on feeling he will not be one hundred percent and we will see Malcolm White play big minutes again tomorrow.

I think this will be on on close one, but the Rebs will pull it out in the end.

Rebs Stay at #15

1. North Carolina (23) 17-0 765
2. Memphis (6) 15-0 747
3. Kansas (2) 16-0 719
4. UCLA 16-1 680
5. Duke 13-1 614
6. Georgetown 13-1 600
7. Tennessee 14-1 582
8. Washington State 14-1 574
9. Texas A&M 15-1 544
10. Indiana 14-1 503
11. Michigan State 14-2 449
12. Butler 16-1 425
13. Marquette 13-2 379
14. Vanderbilt 16-1 330
15. Mississippi 14-1 316
16. Pittsburgh 14-2 294
17. Wisconsin 13-2 272
18. Dayton 14-1 259
19. Texas 13-3 248
20. Xavier 14-3 147
21. Villanova 11-3 105
21. Rhode Island 15-2 105
23. Clemson 13-3 99
24. Miami (FL) 14-1 84
25. Arizona State 13-2 67

Oher To Enter the Draft

(1/16)WAIT ONE MINUTE.....Oher has changed his mind
It appears Michael Oher has changed his mind and will be coming back for his senior season afterall. I have to say I think Michael has made the right choice.

(Quote from Oher)“While I felt good about being projected as a possible first round pick and had everybody in my corner, it just kept coming back to me that I was leaving some unfinished business at Ole Miss,” Oher said. “It’s really about winning more games and going to a bowl game. I wanted to be a part of making that happen. Most of all, I want to finish my senior year with my teammates. Also, I'm sure mom and dad are happy with my decision to come back.”

(Original Post)
I can't say I agree with this move. Michael is a dominant player that is very good, but I truly believe he needs another year left. I don't anticipate this being another Rufus French story, but he truly might not get what he is wanting by entering the draft a year early.

I would like to hear others thought on Oher going pro.

(UMAA)OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss offensive tackle Michael Oher announced Mondaynight that he will bypass his senior season with the Rebels in order toenter the upcoming 2008 National Football League draft.“I just felt it was time for me to move on and pursue options to do newthings,” said Oher. “Attending Ole Miss was a positive experience for me,and I had a good time. I’m sorry we didn’t go to a bowl game during mythree years, and I wish I could have helped us reach that goal. Most ofall, I will miss my teammates, especially guys like Jamarca Sanford,Peria Jerry, John Jerry, LaMark Armour and Marshay Green.”A native of Memphis, Oher started 34 consecutive games over his threeyears as a Rebel. The 6-foot-5, 325-pounder earned All-SEC honors each ofthe past two seasons, as he helped pave the way for BenJarvusGreen-Ellis’ back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing campaigns.“I knew Michael had his mind on coming out early,” said Ole Miss headcoach Houston Nutt. “Over the last three weeks, we had hoped to talk himout of it. While I’m sorry we will not be able to coach him, we wishMichael the very best as he enters this year’s draft.”As a junior in 2007, Oher was a consensus First Team All-SEC selectionand Fourth Team All-American by Phil Steele. He earned the RebelQuarterback Club Trench Award for three games and helped the Ole Missoffense pile up 534 yards against Missouri and 466 against eventualnational champion LSU.Oher was named Second Team All-SEC in 2006 and a First Team FreshmanAll-American in 2005.The subject of the New York Times best seller, “The Blind Side: TheEvolution of a Game,” Oher arrived at Ole Miss as the nation’s top prepoffensive tackle. The Briarcrest Christian product received first teamAll-America honors as a senior and was named to Rivals.com’s U.S. ArmyAll-America Bowl All-Time Team.

Rebs Inch By Tigers

Well it was not pretty, but a win is a win as Ole Miss defeated LSU this weekend by three points. The Rebels were up by as much as twenty(maybe even more) at one point in the game to see the Tigers come back and make a hard run to win in the last few minutes.

Bottom line the Rebels went cold for about twelve minutes in the second half. Very poor play by Brian Smith and Huertas had another bad afternoon for the Rebels.

The bright spot was without a doubt Malcolm White. White contributed great minutes and scored in double figures. This guy is going to be a good player for us over the years and is slowly catching on to the college game. His minutes helped make up for the absence of Jermey Parnell and others who did not play well.

The road gets tough on Wednesday as the Florida Gators come to town. Don't let the media fool you, Florida is a good team. This is a HUGE game for the Rebels as they need this game to get back on the right track and confidence again. More on this game as it gets closer.

Rebs Return Home

John Brady brings his frowns and team back to Oxford this weekend. Brady and the Tigers have struggled this year. They are without a majority of their players who have been either hurt or academically ineligible. The Rebels should be able to handle the Tigers in front of a sell out crowd this Saturday.

I think Kennedy and his team will rebound well this weekend. As I stated yesterday they probably played the toughest game of the year on Wednesday. The LSU game is a nice fit in between two really tough opponents. I would think and hope they will be able to get up early and let some of those lower down the bench get some good minutes. I anticipate Jermey Parnell to be out and resting his ankle this game. With Parnell out some of those not normally in the game will get some reps. It is still an adventure with Malcolm White. White a highly touted freshman has not been all he was built up to be so far this year. I would also like to see Trevor Gaskins get some minutes in the LSU game and find his shot again. Gaskins opened up the year hot from beyond the arc and has cooled off alot recently. For the Rebs to continue to make a run, they will need as many shooters as they can in the SEC. Gaskins has the shot, he just needs to find it again. Zach Graham should also be able to get some quality SEC minutes to help him feel more comfortable.

It should be an outstanding crowd and bring back some memories of the good old days at the Tad Pad. For those few that will not be in Oxford this weekend, tip-off is at 5:00 on FSN South.

UMAA NOTES

SEC HOME OPENER VS. LSU After suffering its first loss of the season with an 85-83 defeat at No. 8 Tennessee, No. 15 Ole Miss looks to bounce back with its SEC home opener against the LSU Tigers, who dropped a 61-39 decision at home to Mississippi State in their league opener. Wednesday’s loss halted the Rebels’ school-record start and winning streak at 13 straight. Ole Miss was up by four with just over two minutes remaining, but Tennessee made two baskets to tie it at 83 and the Rebels missed the front end of a one-and-one, setting up Tyler Smith’s game-winning bucket with four seconds left. Chris Warren led the Rebels with a career-high 24 points, Eniel Polynice added 20 and Dwayne Curtis posted his sixth double-double with 15 points and a season-high 13 rebounds.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS LSU lost its SEC opener by a 61-39 decision at home to Mississippi State, dropping the Tigers to 7-8 on the year. John Brady’s squad has struggled with consistency in a season riddled by injuries, most especially to top returning scorer Tasmin Mitchell, who may miss the rest of the year after surgery on a stress fracture in his foot. The Tigers have dressed either eight or nine players in the last two games. LSU suffered its second home loss to drop to 6-2 in Baton Rouge, while the team is just 1-6 away from home (0-4 on the road, 1-2 neutral). The Tigers average 68.5 points per contest, while allowing 66.6 per game. They have not cracked 70 points in six games and have twice scored under 50 during that span. Marcus Thornton tops the team with 17.1 ppg, while freshman Anthony Randolph chips in 13.6 ppg and a team-high 7.9 rebounds.

OLE MISS-LSU SERIES The series with the Tigers, which began in 1909, is the second-longest in Ole Miss basketball history. LSU leads the all-time series 113-79, although the Rebels hold a 13-11 edge in the last 24 meetings. Ole Miss won two-of-three encounters last season. After falling 62-55 in Baton Rouge, Clarence Sanders nailed a shot at the buzzer for a 71-70 win in Oxford. Ole Miss drilled the Tigers 80-60 in the second round of the SEC Tournament with a game-high 26 points from Bam Doyne. The Rebels hold a 49-32 lead in games played in Oxford and have taken 10 of the last 14 meetings at Tad Smith Coliseum. Second-year Ole Miss mentor Andy Kennedy also faced the Bayou Bengals as Cincinnati head coach in 2005-06, earning a 75-72 at the Las Vegas Holiday Classic.

Nutt Makes More Changes to Staff

Houston Nutt made some more changes to the Ole Miss staff today, adding some administrative staff to the new administration. The only thing left it appears is to find an offensive coordinator. Some names being thrown around are:

Hugh Freeze - Former Ole Miss receivers coach
Al Borges - Former Auburn offensive coordinator
Kent Austin - Current CFL Coach
Dave Rader - Former Alabama Offensive coordinator.

A few other names have been thrown around also. I do not have a clue who Nutt will hire, but I sure hope it is not Dave Rader. I think all the Bama fans would have a field day with the jokes about Rader. I think Borges or Austin will be a good fit. Some will probably disagree with Borges. Austin, the former Ole Miss player, has had alot of success in the CFL and would bring alot of energy to the program and would more than likely please some fans.

(UMAA)OXFORD, Miss. – The Nix brothers will not be the only siblings on the Ole Miss football staff, as head coach Houston Nutt announced here Thursday that his brother Danny Nutt will be a part of the Rebel staff, along with Clifton Ealy, Mike Beaumont and Don Decker.

Danny Nutt will serve as Assistant Athletics Director for Player Development, Ealy will be Assistant A.D. for Community Relations, and Beaumont is Assistant A.D. for Football Operations. Decker becomes Ole Miss Head Football Strength Coach. All appointments are pending approval of the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning.

A former Arkansas quarterback, Danny Nutt has assisted his oldest brother for 13 years since joining his staff at Murray State for the 1994 season and the Arkansas staff on Dec. 11, 1997. He spent nine seasons as the Razorbacks’ running backs coach before stepping down prior to the 2007 season with health concerns.

During Nutt’s tenure, Arkansas backs posted five 1,000-yard rushing seasons including 1,647 yards from Doak Walker Award winner and Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden and 1,168 yards from first-team All-SEC selection Felix Jones in 2006. In 2002, Arkansas’ running backs carried the ball a remarkable 467 times for over 2,451 yards in a span of 13 games without suffering a lost fumble.

Ealy was Arkansas’ director of high school relations for the last two seasons, serving as the program’s liaison with high school and junior college coaches around the state and country. He also organized the annual high school coaches’ clinic and the Houston Nutt Football Camp.

Ealy spent 18 years on the sidelines coaching primarily on the defensive side of the ball in stops at Arkansas, Delta State, Central Arkansas, Boise State and in the high school ranks.

A graduate of Central Arkansas and Arkansas State, Beaumont also comes to Ole Miss from Arkansas, where he spent the past year as an academic counselor for men’s athletics, working primarily with football.

Prior to moving to Fayetteville, Beaumont was a football and baseball coach at Lincoln High School (Ark.) and also served as assistant athletic director in addition to teaching. As the head baseball coach, he led his team to the conference championship in 2004 and was named conference Coach of the Year. The defensive coordinator on the high school football staff, he was the head coach of the junior high squad and guided Lincoln to the 2005 conference title.

Before heading to Oxford, Decker was at Arkansas for 15 seasons, including the last 10 as the head strength and conditioning coach. He came to Fayetteville from Kent State where he was head strength coach for football during the 1991 and 1992 seasons.

A 1992 graduate of Evangel College, Decker earned the designation of master level strength coach in 2004 by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. He is one of just 43 strength and conditioning coaches in the world to earn that honor.

Rebs Lose to Vols

The Ole Miss Rebels were defeated tonight by the Tennessee Vols 85-83, in what will probably be one of the best SEC games played all year. It was a close game for most of the first and second half before the Vols pulled out to an eleven point lead to only watch that slip away with the Rebels leading by three with about two minutes to play in the game. In what was a controversial end of the game, Kenny Williams went to the line and missed the front end of a one and one. The Vols retrieved the rebound and drove the court eventually putting up two points to take the lead with four seconds to play. A deperation three from the Rebs banked off for the last play of the game.

I thought the Rebels played a great game, they went toe for toe on everything the Vols did. Chris Warren proved that he does belong in the SEC as he put up 24 points followed by Eniel Polynice who contributed 20 for the Rebs. Overall a very well played game by the Rebels. While this first loss of the season hurts, these guys proved they are not scared to go anywhere on the road to play.

Some will blame the referees on this game, however that is not why we lost. The referees let alot of calls go both ways. Yeah they missed a call at the end, but that was not the reason. As Kennedy said in post game, "We aren't going to get any calls"

All in all good game for the Rebels. The game was every bit of what I expected. It will shut alot of those up that said the Rebels did not belong in the top twenty. Now we get ready for LSU, who has a weak team this year. The Tad Pad will be packed and Oxford should be rocking this weekend. If you have not gotten your tickets yet, too bad. I tried to warn you.

First SEC Match

It will be the first SEC match of the season tomorrow as the REbels open up on the road to take on the Tennessee Volunteers.(The Rebels have opened up SEC play on the road 8 of the past 10 seasons, Rod Barnes always complained about this)The Vols are ranked number 8 and have only one game this year. They are a very talented team and could be the best in the SEC this year. Their coach Bruce Pearl is a nut and wierdo but he has done good things with that program.

The Rebels are off to the best start in school history. Andy Kennedy's team has impressed alot of people thus far this year and surprised alot of their critics. Many skeptics have questioned the Rebels weaker opponents as to why their record is so good. Well this game will give us a good look at to how the Rebels will match up in the SEC.

UT could be the toughest matchup the Rebels face all season. The SEC is a different league from these other non conference teams they have played. Going on the road in front of 20,000+ will be a true test. Freshman Chris Warren has led this team throughout non conference play and it should be a heck of an adjustment for him to play in front of this many people not to mention the talent that UT has.

I see this being a good game. However in the long run I think the Vols will pull this one out. Several factors will lead to this: inexperience, being on the road, possible cold spell, etc. Don't get me wrong I love this team and I love they are being put to the test early. As several have put it, this is the most nervous I have been for an Ole Miss basketball game in a long time if not ever.

UMAA Notes
NO. 15 REBELS VISIT NO. 8 VOLS TO BEGIN SEC PLAY
The undefeated 15th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels and one-loss 8th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers get SEC play started in a big way with a Wednesday night showdown in Knoxville, Tenn.
Ole Miss has already set school records for best start in a season and longest winning streak. The Rebels will look to knock off their second top-25 ranked foe of the year after beating then-No. 15 Clemson on Dec. 22 in Puerto Rico.
Tennessee, the preseason favorite to capture the SEC title, has just one blemish on its record, a Nov. 24 loss to then-No. 15 Texas in New Jersey.

SCOUTING THE VOLUNTEERS
The preseason favorite by every major media outlet to claim the 2008 conference crown, 8th-ranked Tennessee had a very successful non-conference season with 12 wins and a single loss vs. then-No. 15 Texas at the StubHub Legends Classic in Newark, N.J. In their last two games, the Vols won 82-75 at then-No. 24 Xavier and 82-72 over Gonzaga in Seattle, Wash. Last year’s SEC Player of the Year and second team All-American Chris Lofton leads the Vols with 14.5 ppg, followed closely by fellow senior JaJuan Smith at 14.4 ppg. Arizona transfer J.P. Prince (14.0 ppg in 4 games) and Iowa transfer Tyler Smith (12.9 ppg) also average in double figures. As a team, Tennessee leads the SEC with 87.4 points per contest, with a fierce defensive pressure creating an average of 22.3 turnovers off an SEC-best 12.2 steals per game.

OLE MISS-TENNESSEE SERIES
Ole Miss overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to claim an 83-69 win over the Vols last year in Oxford. Clarence Sanders scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half, while Dwayne Curtis added 18 points and nine boards (see full box score on page 7). Despite the victory, Tennessee owns a 63-38 lead in the all-time series, which began in 1924. The two teams are 4-4 over the last eight meetings. The Vols enjoy a 39-18 all-time edge in Knoxville and have won eight straight. Ole Miss earned its last victory there in 1991.

A Little Tennis News

Probably the overall most succesful team year in and year out is the Ole Miss maens tennis program. Billy Chadwick has built a dynasty at Ole Miss and that dynasty will continue this year. Below are some notes from UMAA on their ranking, and a look at the season to come.

I know there is a former Rebel tennis member that reads every now and then and would love to hear his thoughts on the season.

(UMAA)OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss men’s tennis team is ranked No. 5 in the preseason Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national team rankings, released Tuesday. This marks the 14th consecutive year for the Rebels to begin the season in the top 10.


Ole Miss is one of two teams from the nation’s toughest conference (SEC) to be ranked in the top five. Georgia, the defending NCAA Champion, is ranked No. 2. Virginia earned the top spot, followed by Georgia, Ohio State, Baylor and Ole Miss. The rest of the top 10 includes Southern Cal, Texas, Illinois, UCLA and North Carolina. The SEC boasts six teams in the Top 25.

In 2007, the Rebels captured their sixth consecutive SEC Western Division Championship and advanced to the NCAA “Sweet Sixteen” for the 12th time in the history of the program. The Rebels return six of the top seven players from last year’s team. In addition, Bram ten Berge, who missed last season due to a wrist injury, returns.

“This will be an exciting year for Ole Miss tennis,” head coach Billy Chadwick said. “We are led by four outstanding seniors that have been part of an NCAA Final Four team and winning the SEC Championship. They are determined to make this year their best.”

The Rebels boast four players in the singles rankings, led by senior Matthias Wellermann, who begins the spring at No. 5. He had an outstanding fall capturing the Southeast Regional (regarded as the toughest region) Championship and leading the team with a 10-2 record.

Senior All-American Erling Tveit, is ranked No. 26 while fellow All-American Robbye Poole is ranked No. 48.

The preseason rankings were done by a vote and largely based on where a player finished the previous season. This ranking is the first one done by a computer which strictly factors in wins and losses.

Bram ten Berge has fully recovered from his wrist injury that caused him to miss the entire spring of 2007. He is ranked No. 58 in the country based on his fall results. ten Berge played No. 3 singles for the Rebels in 2006 and earned All-SEC honors as well as being named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men’s tennis.

Ole Miss boasts two of the nation’s top doubles teams, led by Erling Tveit and Jonas Berg, who earned a No. 4 national ranking. The pair debuted in the fall, and captured the Baylor Invitational, finished runner-up at the ITA All-American Championships, and won the backdraw at the National Indoor.

Matthias Wellermann and Bram ten Berge are ranked No. 24 in the country. The duo posted a 9-3 record in the fall and reached the finals of the Southeast Regional Championship.


The Rebels open the 2008 season Jan. 24 against Arkansas-Little Rock. First serve is at 2 p.m. at the Gillom Sports Center.

The national spotlight will be on the Rebels as they take on Ohio State Saturday, Jan. 26 at 11 a.m. The showdown between the two top-five teams will be played indoors at the Gillom Sports Center. Admission to all home matches is free.

A Little Note Before the Big Game

A little note before the National Championship game starts in a few minutes. I know as an Ole Miss fan you are supposed to hate LSU. And believe me I hate LSU with the best of them. However another thing I hate is the ESPNs of the world who still do not respect the SEC and the conference that it is. Why they do not understand that the SEC is the best top to bottom and all we do is beat each other up all season long is beyond me. I would love to see nothing more than to see the SEC continue its dominance tonight to shut some of the "professional" sportswriters and broadcasters up.

So tonight I will be pulling for Ohio State to lose.

Rebs Rise in Polls

1. North Carolina (23) 15-0 765
2. Memphis (6) 13-0 747
3. Kansas (2) 14-0 719
4. Washington State 13-0 670
5. UCLA 14-1 655
6. Michigan State 13-1 603
7. Duke 11-1 555
8. Georgetown 11-1 551
9. Tennessee 12-1 534
10. Texas A&M 14-1 499
11. Indiana 12-1 463
12. Vanderbilt 15-0 421
13. Texas 13-2 402
14. Butler 13-1 359
15. Mississippi 13-0 317
16. Marquette 11-2 288
17. Villanova 11-2 235
18. Pittsburgh 12-2 223
19. Clemson 12-2 221
20. Rhode Island 14-1 202
21. Wisconsin 12-2 169
22. Dayton 12-1 159
23. Stanford 12-2 117
24. Arizona 10-4 26
25. Xavier 12-3 24

More Coaching Shakeup

David Lee who was reported to be joining Coach Houston Nutt in Oxford as offensive coordinator, will no longer be making the trip to Mississippi. Instead he will be joining the new Bill Parcells administration at the Miami Dolphins(even though they do not have a head coach yet).

Many Ole Miss fans liked the thought of Lee coming to Oxford. But in my opinion he is not that big of a loss. He can easily be replaced. It is reported that Nutt will be going after someone that has some SEC experience, whether it be playing or coaching.

I suspect a new OC will be in place in the next few days, at least before visits take place this weekend.

P Willie Gains First of Many Honors

NEW YORK (AP) - One NFL scout called linebacker Patrick Willis "a beast." And that was before Willis won The Associated Press 2007 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Willis' dominant performance could have been overlooked because his San Francisco 49ers went 5-11 in a mediocre division. Instead, his league-leading 174 tackles and presence all over the field made him a runaway winner and the fifth straight linebacker to take the honor.

Willis earned 48 votes Friday from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. Only Carolina linebacker Jon Beason, with two, also received votes.

"It's confirmation of what you've been doing as an individual," Willis said. "From an individual perspective, it would be good for people that doubted, or didn't know if you could be a No. 1 draft pick, or if you could come into the league and do well because of your size or where you might have played ball at ... and show them that if you put your mind to it, you're capable of anything."

Willis certainly looked capable of just about anything as he did just about everything in 2007. The 11th overall draft pick from Ole Miss was a dynamic presence from the first practice with the 49ers, and by season's end, opponents were scheming to avoid him.

It didn't work very often, witness his total tackles and four sacks and his ability to disrupt the opposition. He made 11 tackles in the season opener and had at least 10 in 10 games. His high was 20 against Tampa Bay, when Willis also had two sacks.

"The good Lord has blessed me with skills that are uncommon, but are just something that I do naturally," he said. "I also know I couldn't do it by myself, without help from my fellow linebackers or that D-line. Knowing that, I just stay humble. Whether it's in the movies or whether it's in real life, you see guys that got bigheaded, and they're in for a rude awakening."

Willis is the third 49ers player to win the award, joining tackle Dana Stubblefield (1993) and cornerback Bruce Taylor (1970).

13 and Counting

The Rebels continued their streak tonight as they defeated Alabama A&M. Not much to report from this game. The Rebs came out strong and dominated. Slacked off a little bit, but that is expected when playing opponents like A&M. The real games start a week from today.

(AP)OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - David Huertas scored 17 points and No. 18 Ole Miss won its school-record 13th straight game, 86-50 over Alabama A&M on Wednesday night.

The Rebels (13-0) opened the game with a 13-0 run and led the Bulldogs (3-7) by as many as 28 points late in the first half.

Chris Warren added 15 points for Ole Miss, while Eniel Polynice had 13 and Dwayne Curtis finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The previous record for consecutive victories was 12, set in 1926.

LaNorris Smith led Alabama A&M with 12 points and Andrew Williams had 10.

Polynice started the game with five straight points for the Rebels, then Huertas hit consecutive 3-pointers and Jeremy Parnell slammed home an alley-oop pass from Huertas to give Ole Miss a 13-0 lead just 2:48 into the game.

Polynice had two layups in an 11-0 run that made it 30-9 with 7:20 left in the first half and Trevor Gaskins' 3-pointer gave Ole Miss a 28-point lead with a minute to go on the way to a 46-19 halftime lead.

Turnovers fueled both runs and Ole Miss scored 17 points on 13 turnovers in the first half. The Rebels had eight steals and held the Bulldogs to 24.1 percent shooting in the half and 31 percent overall.

Warren scored five straight points to make it 53-19 with 17 1/2 minutes left and coach Andy Kennedy began giving the reserves significant minutes.

The Rebels overpowered Alabama A&M in the paint 44-20, scored 18 second-chance points and had 19 in transition.

ShakeUp On Staff

There was a shakeup on the Ole Miss coaching staff this afternoon. Louis Campbell who was reported to be coming to Oxford with the other members of the Arkansas staff will now be going to Mississippi State. In return the Rebels will hire Derrick Nix, brother of current defensive coordinatore Tyrone Nix.

This through a curveball to many Rebel followers. Many believe that Campbell should have made this decision at an earlier date. With Campbell waiting may have cost Tony Hughes his job at Ole Miss. No one will know if Hughes would have been offered Campbells position, but many saw Hughes as the connection to several high profile Mississippi recruits.

All in all not many Rebel fans happy with Louis Campbell.


OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss head football coach Houston Nutt announced here Wednesday that former Southern Miss player and assistant coach Derrick Nix is the latest addition to the Rebel football staff. The appointment is pending approval of the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning.

Nix is reunited with his brother, Tyrone, whom Nutt hired as defensive coordinator on Dec. 11. Derrick Nix spent 2007 in the NFL as offensive assistant and quality control coach for Bobby Petrino’s Atlanta Falcons.

“Derrick Nix is a quality coach who knows the state of Mississippi,” Nutt said. “It is exciting to add a coach to our staff that has experience coaching NFL running backs.”

Nix, one of the best-known players to ever wear a Golden Eagle uniform, began his four-year stint on the USM sidelines as a defensive graduate assistant in 2003. The following year, Nix was promoted to tight ends coach before being appointed to the running backs coaching position, where he spent two years.

In 2006 under Nix's direction, the Southern Miss running backs ran for 2,378 yards and scored 23 touchdowns, the first time the Golden Eagles ran for over 2,000 yards since 1987. True freshman Damion Fletcher, who earned first-team All-Conference USA honors and freshman All-American honors, ran for 1,388 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, the second most yards in a season in school history.
Nix's career achievements at Southern Miss also included being the C-USA Freshman of the Year and a first team Freshman All-America in 1998.

A sprained ankle, along with the kidney problem, forced Nix to sit out a year and a half, before returning for a successful senior season. He was invited to participate in the 2003 Senior Bowl.

A native of Attalla, Ala., Nix, 27, is a 2002 Southern Miss graduate with a bachelor's degree in sport administration.

It was also announced Wednesday that Louis Campbell will not be a part of Nutt’s first Ole Miss coaching staff.

Movin On Up

As predicted the Rebs moved up a few spots in the polls this week.

A game of note the Rebels beat Clemson earlier this year in the San Juan Shootout by about 6 points. Today Clemson defeated the University of Alabama by 26 in Tuscaloosa.

The Rebels have one more conference game tomorrow until they travel to Knoxville next week.

AP Top 25

1. North Carolina (45) 13-0 1,772
2. Memphis (26) 11-0 1,744
3. Kansas (1) 13-0 1,667
4. Washington State 12-0 1,534
5. UCLA 12-1 1,499
6. Michigan State 12-1 1,419
7. Georgetown 9-1 1,324
8. Tennessee 12-1 1,259
9. Duke 10-1 1,252
10. Marquette 10-1 1,157
11. Indiana 11-1 1,054
12. Texas A&M 12-1 1,000
13. Pittsburgh 11-1 875
14. Texas 11-2 857
15. Vanderbilt 12-0 780
16. Butler 12-1 720
17. Villanova 10-1 601
18. Mississippi 12-0 464
19. Clemson 11-1 424
20. Dayton 11-1 385
21. Arizona 9-3 306
22. USC 9-3 264
23. Rhode Island 13-1 257
24. Stanford 11-1 242
25. Wisconsin 10-2 223