Breaking news....

[DowntownDawg]

...Rebels "likely to have 10 win season" next Fall per Bruiser....

...that is all.

Oh yeah, and the Tillman saga grows even funnier. Apparently Orgeron is after him.

 

[DowntownDawg]

...Rebels "likely to have 10 win season" next Fall per Bruiser....

...that is all.

Oh yeah, and the Tillman saga grows even funnier. Apparently Orgeron is after him.

 

[DowntownDawg]

...Rebels "likely to have 10 win season" next Fall per Bruiser....

...that is all.

Oh yeah, and the Tillman saga grows even funnier. Apparently Orgeron is after him.

 

[dawgstudent]

[No message]

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

That's very attainable.

 

[hdghdawg]

is, objectively, do they really expect to play the entire year like they did the last 4 games of this past year? Even the very top elite teams have letdowns. And the injury line is very very thin. They don't have the depth to withstand that. Don't get me wrong, they played the last four like a championship team, no doubt about it. But you can't pick and choose, and they lose some very important pieces to the puzzle.

Their defensive line will be hell however, and that alone can win some games for you. Ask the NY Giants. But they need Snead to continue to play at a high level.

I don't know, I just don't see a 10 win season in their future. A lot of SEC teams will be improved next year, every team in the West besides Auburn will be. Awful hard to keep up that kind of intensity week in week out.

 

[DowntownDawg]

...is at the point of thinking that 10 wins is likely, considering that they have done it twice since integration.

No matter what we thought we had, I don't think I would ever think it was "likely" that we would win 10 games.

 

[RebelBruiser]

It's got more to do with the schedule than anything else. A lot still depends on who we get for that 4th OOC game, but right now I don't see any way we lose any of our three scheduled OOC games (Memphis, UAB, and SELA).

Our SEC schedule is favorable as well. We have Vandy, MSU, Auburn, and South Carolina on the road. We get Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, and Tennessee at home. We don't have a single game on our schedule right now that I think you could say we'd definitely be the underdog.

Anything can happen obviously. Injuries can obviously change things quickly, but as of right now, I feel like we should be able to put together a 10 win year given what we return (especially on defense) and our schedule.

As far as improvement of SEC teams, I think Vandy may be better, though they still won't have an offense. MSU is a toss up to me as far as if you'll be improved or not. Your offense will be better, but I think your defense will be worse. Auburn may be worse. South Carolina should definitely be worse. They took a beating this off-season in terms of losing players early and losing a lot of key seniors. Alabama is still a toss up. They lose a QB and their two best O-linemen from an offense that relied a lot on the run. LSU should be better. Arkansas should be better. Tennessee could go either way as far as being improved.

And no I don't think we'll see the same Ole Miss team we saw against Vandy this year or even the one we saw against South Carolina. The difference between our start and our finish last year was due to confidence alone. That confidence isn't likely to disappear again in the off-season.

 

[RebelBruiser]

Actually, we've only had 10 wins once since integration. However, we've also never put a team on the field since integration that had both a solid offense and a solid defense. It's always been one or the other. Given what we return on both sides, I think it's reasonable to say that it should be the best combination of quality on both offense and defense that we've had since integration. With a 12 game schedule, including a possible bowl game, I think 10-3 is attainable.

 

[DowntownDawg]

See 2001 MSU Football.

Seriously, 10 wins is definitely attainable. But to be an OM or State fan and to tall it "likely" is funny.

 

[Tito Cheeseburger Jr]

And a majority of State fans would have bet the over thinking 8-4/9-3 were the likeliest outcomes. The win total for Ole Miss will probably be around 8.5, and Ole Miss fans optimistic in August will argue for the over. Maybe such a high Ole Miss win total will look weird enough to gamblers that everyone will go under and it will fall.

 

[msudawg12]

its tough to find an ole miss schedule on the ocmputer right now but this is the best representation of the schedule i could find. There is the one open date left to be filled which it is safe to assume will be a cupcake game.
Games in Red I feel are their guarantees, Blue or give or take i'm not putting anything on the eggbowl. too iffy, but they obviously have the advantage so you could count that if you want.

It's easy to see how ten wins is possible if not probable

@Memphis <font color="#FF0000">W</font>
SE La <font color="#FF0000">W</font>
@VAN <font color="#FF0000">W</font>
@SCAR <font color="#FF0000">W</font>
? = <font color="#FF0000">W</font>
Bama L
UAB <font color="#FF0000">W</font>
ARK <font color="#FF0000">W</font>
@AUB <font color="#FF0000">W</font>
BYE
UT <font color="#0000FF">W</font>
LSU <font color="#0000FF">W</font>
@MSU -

 

[RebelBruiser]

You're right. However, you have to take the comment I made on Nafoom in context. I was talking about Boone and how Nutt is likely to have another successful year, giving him the power to force Boone out. I realize that karma seems to hit the Mississippi schools harder than most. See our current basketball season, but at this point things are still rosy.

 

[saltybulldog]

The questions I still have are on your offensive line. I think you lose 3 of your starters. I know nothing about the backups, but there is no doubt that Snead having alot of time was the reason your offensive was good. If your Oline isnt as good, well you know what happens there.

Losing P. Jerry and Palmer on defense should not be that bad, but obviously Jerry was the beast. Hardy is tough to count on. The strength of your team last year was your line play, if both units dont at least match the productivity from the past season you will not win 10 games.

All that being contemplated... I would take your roster over ours in a second.

 

[RebelBruiser]

Yes, OL is our biggest question. We basically played 6 guys as starters last year with a mix and match depending on health. We lost 3 of those 6. You can count it however you like, but we basically return 3 OL that we know we can count on, and those 3 will be starters barring injury. We have to fill two starter slots, and we have to build some depth. That's the biggest question mark for the team this offseason, and it's up to Decker (S&C Coach) and Markuson (OL Coach) to develop an OL for us. Past that, the only spot I'm the least bit concerned about is LB depth. We have 4 solid LBs returning. We need to develp a couple more for depth.

RB, WR, DL, and even DB are all pretty set with some quality depth. Obviously Snead is a big key as well. However, I'll say that Nathan Stanley is a better looking back up than anything we ever had backing up for Eli or Romaro, minus the one year where we had both Romaro and Eli on the roster.

 

[DowntownDawg]

...Likely Wins - @Memphis, SELA, UAB, Arkansas
....Toss Ups - @Vandy, @SC, Bama, @Auburn, UT, LSU, MSU, Mystery BCS opponent?, Bowl game opponent

Admittedly, your schedule is easy. And also, I couldn't even with my maron glasses on put any likely losses on the board. But to get to 10, you have to go 6-3 against your tossup games. Doable? Yes. Likely? Hmmmm...

I agree that the two unknown opponents play heavily in this. But you are not above losing to any SEC team on the road, including us. And LSU could come back and be very good, along with what will be a very solid Bama team.

 

[RebelBruiser]

I'd put Vandy in the win category. We won't turn it over 6 times against them again, and if we don't do that, we'll beat them by double digits. They were not a good team this year, and we gave them a football game. Also, I'd say that the game at MSU is a more likely win than Arkansas at home.

 

[DowntownDawg]

...Also, I'd say that the game at MSU is a more likely win than Arkansas at home.

That Houston won't lose to the Hogs in Oxford. Remember, they were worse than us in 2008. I'd also say that unless we are just totally down for the count, it's our turn to win in November.

 

[clintstone]

I hate to say, I think 10 wins(counting the bowl) is not an unrealistic goal. I think it is a big goal, but reachable.

I really, really, really hope it falls apart though, and they go 0-12.

 

[futaba.79]

I'll say that Nathan Stanley is a better looking back up than anything we ever had backing up for Eli or Romaro

He hasn't played a down, so that's ridiculous to say. That's like me saying that Tyler Russell is the answer to all our QB problems. Maybe he is, but who knows? Russell and Stanley may be great athletes with all the tools but until they're hit in the mouth by somebody else's defense you just don't know.

 

[bulldogbaja]

There's really no reason Ole Miss should have played that good at the end of last year. Sure O loaded the team with talent, but you're not a top 10 team in talent, and Houston's record in big games at the end of the season isn't stellar. Therefore you're counting on something to happen again that probably shouldn't have happened in the first place.

 

[8dog]

Ole Miss would be favored in all 12 games in my opinion.

 

[wbc40]

I never realized what a difference a dominant offensive tackle can make until I watched Alabama play without Andre Smith in the Sugar Bowl. And Ole Miss definitely won't be sneaking up on anybody this year.

 

[VegasDawg13]

To say that the Egg Bowl for 2009 should be looked at as a toss-up at this point is pure homerism. There is no reason to think we will be as good as them next season.

 

[DowntownDawg]

....the winner has alternated every year but 4. This usually happens when one time is substantially better than the other. If the teams are anywhere near close, the team who lost the year before usually wins. This may very well be a year where we are just totally outclassed by them, but those are very rare. It's a tossup at this point. If we go into November with 2 wins and they are rolling in with 8, it no longer becomes a tossup.

 

[CalNaughtonJr.sixpack]

and play in the Indy Bowl against Texas Tech and get beat badly. Sort of a Payback type thing.

 

[jack.sixpack]

look at the way UGA ended the 2007 season. Looked like a championship team the last 5 games of the season. Enter preseason 2008 as number 1 and they lost 3 games this year. (or was it 4?) They are much more talented than UM (based on recruiting sites) and they didn't even have any key injury losses. To say they will have 10 win season is stretching it by a long shot.

 

[saltybulldog]

While Bama's offense is in question, they have tons of talent and will be fine. Their defense is going to be scary.

LSU's offense is going to be much better and their D is going to be pretty good too.

I would favor them in the other 9 and wait to see who mystery team 12 is.

 

[RebelBruiser]

look at the way UGA ended the 2007 season. Looked like a championship team the last 5 games of the season. Enter preseason 2008 as number 1 and they lost 3 games this year. (or was it 4?) They are much more talented than UM (based on recruiting sites) and they didn't even have any key injury losses. To say they will have 10 win season is stretching it by a long shot.

UGA lost 19 players to season ending injuries, including the majority of their offensive line. They had MAJOR injury issues, and they still only lost 3 games (2 of them to Top 10 teams). UGA plays last season healthy, and they are every bit of a Top 5 team.

 

[RebelBruiser]

I never realized what a difference a dominant offensive tackle can make until I watched Alabama play without Andre Smith in the Sugar Bowl. And Ole Miss definitely won't be sneaking up on anybody this year.

Oher is a big loss. However, he wasn't nearly as important to our offense as Smith was to Bama's. Bama ran behind Smith and basically rode him to having a successful offense. Even when they decided to go to the right side consistently in the Auburn game, it worked primarily because Auburn was playing the game expecting Bama to continue to run left. Smith was the primary catalyst for Alabama's run game, even on plays that weren't run his way.

With us this past year, when we needed a big yard, we ran to the right, behind John Jerry, not behind Oher. Oher was bigger for us as a pass blocker than a run blocker. Jerry was our road grader. We'll see if Sowell or someone else can step in and do a good job of pass blocking at LT this year, but the focus of our run offense really won't be any different this year than it was last year. We'll still be running behind Jerry this year.

 

[dawgfan77]

OM may very well win 10 next year but I doubt it. You don't loose the talent you are loosing and expect to be better. Jerry, Oher, Palmer, Miller, the other OL I cannot remember, and Wallace and expect to win the West. Your DL will be good next year, but your OL will be weaker regardless of what you say. Wallace could go deep and take a corner and safty with him and leave Hodge one on one with a small corner. Unless I am missing someone you don't have another Wallace on campus. Without that dominate OL the wild rebel will be contained.

I think you OM fans are drinking to much kool aid and reading to many headlines.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

[No message]

 

[RebelBruiser]

That brings up the question, during that span (since 1991), how many of times did the home team win in a game that would've been considered a decent upset? Here is the research. I've highlighted the games where the road team won.

1991 (S): 7-5 MSU beats 5-6 Ole Miss
1992 (O): 9-3 Ole Miss beats 7-5 MSU
1993 (S): 5-6 Ole Miss beats 3-6-2 MSU (not counting the Bama forfeits)
1994 (O): 8-4 MSU beats 4-7 Ole Miss
1995 (S): 6-5 Ole Miss beats 3-8 MSU
1996 (O): 5-6 MSU beats 5-6 Ole Miss
1997 (S): 8-4 Ole Miss beats 7-4 MSU
1998 (O): 8-5 MSU beats 7-5 Ole Miss
1999 (S): 10-2 MSU beats 8-4 Ole Miss
2000 (O): 7-5 Ole Miss beats 8-4 MSU
2001 (S): 3-8 MSU beats 7-4 Ole Miss
2002 (O): 7-6 Ole Miss beats 3-9 MSU
2003 (S): 10-3 Ole Miss beats 2-10 MSU
2004 (O): 4-7 Ole Miss beats 3-8 MSU
2005 (S): 3-8 MSU beats 3-8 Ole Miss
2006 (O): 4-8 Ole Miss beats 3-9 MSU
2007 (S): 7-5 MSU beats 3-9 Ole Miss
2008 (O): 9-4 Ole Miss beats 4-8 MSU

So, you're right, there is a trend there. Since 1999, the road team has only won the Egg Bowl once. It is interesting though that prior to 1999, the road team won 6 straight Egg Bowls. Just looking at the most recent string, the home team has won 9 of the last 10 Egg Bowls. However, when you look at the records, there is only one time (2001) where the home team won in what you might consider an upset. In each of the other Egg Bowls, you'd have to say it was either a toss up, or one team would've definitely been the favorite, at least based on record. You might could argue that our win in 2000 was an upset as well, but it wouldn't have been considered a big upset.

 

[pujols.sixpack]

There's really no reason Ole Miss should have played that good at the end of last year. Sure O loaded the team with talent, but you're not a top 10 team in talent, and Houston's record in big games at the end of the season isn't stellar. Therefore you're counting on something to happen again that probably shouldn't have happened in the first place.

That is some quality stupid right there!

 

[hdghdawg]

Same with Mike Brown and same with Michael Oher.

Stop trying to prove a point that's not there, because you end up contradicting yourself.

 

[msudawg12]

has anyone else seen the way the scouts were talking about Oher's technique and upright playing style and how i he doesnt change it, he will get whooped in the NFL. Alot of this was said during the senior bowl and thus they moved him down in ranks of top tackles draft list

*worthy to note that I do like Oher and watching him dominate, I also thought he was one of the best lineman in the nation this year.

 

[lawdawg02]

oh, for the good ole days, when the egg bowl really meant something for both teams.

 

[bulldogbaja]

nt

 

[DowntownDawg]

....and cliches are cliches for a reason "Throw out the records," etc. The team that wants it more usually wins. And that team is usually the team with fire in the belly from losing last year. Two SEC teams are typically going to have comparable talent. In fact, look at the years that a team won two in a row: State won their 2nd in a row in 1994. State had a very solid team that year and you guys were not very good. State won their 2nd in a row in 1999, which might've been State's best team ever, even though you guys were solid, there was a big difference. Ole Miss won consecutively in 2003 (Eli's Senior Season + Jackie Quit Football) and 2004 (First year coach was unprepared, Thanks Croom), and that's it.

Now, OM could have their version of the 99 team next year, and we could awful, but it will take something like that to buck the trend. If we are competitive and have anything to play for and you guys are anything but worldbeaters, we'll take back the egg.

 

[RebelBruiser]

That's what I think the problem will be. Like I said before, I think your offense will be a little bit improved. It couldn't be worse. However, I think your defense is getting ready to take a step back, which may counterbalance your offensive improvement.