The “Masoli Effect”
Much has been made of The University of Mississippi’s potential addition of former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. Talk radio in Mississippi is abuzz and internet message boards are on the verge of crashing. However, when one takes an analytical approach in assessing what the end result may be, there is only one logical conclusion… it’s much ado about nothing. There will be no discernable rise, much less a meteoric one for Houston Nutt’s program.
I offer the following evidence in why both before, and after, the new Rebel/Muppet/Landshark shows up in Oxford, Ole Miss’s position within the SEC West has already been cast in the same type bronze being utilized in Tuscaloosa. They finish no better than 5th in the division in 2010 and it’s all about the scheduling.
Ole Miss beats Vandy and Kentucky at home with or without Masoli. They are losers at Alabama, at Arkansas, versus Auburn, at Tennesse and at LSU. This leaves UM with a 2-5 conference record with only the Egg Bowl remaining, but let me come back to that…
Now, let’s look at MSU’s 2010 schedule: Auburn, at LSU, Georgia, at Florida, Kentucky, at Bama, Arkansas, and at Ole Miss. Kentucky is the only potential win, save a possible Egg Bowl upset of their in state rival. This leaves MSU with a 1-7 or possibly a 2-6 mark in conference play for the year.
So, while it is certainly interesting fodder for football fans in the state, Masoli under center is, at best, a zero sum gain.
TUSK
