Category: Uncategorized

Monday, May 8

Happy Monday!

Remember the improvement that Matt Corral made from year one under Lane Kiffin to year 2?

It was the difference between a .500 season and a Sugar Bowl.

I’m not saying Jaxson Dart is Corral, but I am saying Ole Miss’ best hope for this fall is that Dart is ready to make that same jump.

If the QB decision had to be made today it would be Dart

“For Dart, everything seemed to slow down this spring, and his footwork, timing and rhythm were all improved. Ole Miss doesn’t have to name a starter until more than three months from now. But if that decision had to be made today, it would be Dart.”

The pressure is on Ayden Williams

Neal McCready writes that the dismissal of wide receiver Chris Marshall means the pressure will be on talented incoming freshman Ayden Williams to contribute.

“Williams, an incoming freshman from Ridgeland, Miss., is an elite talent, one of the brightest stars of Ole Miss’ recent signing class. It’s not fair to ask Williams to walk in and be an impactful player in September, but at this point, that’s probably the assignment.”

247 ranks Rebs 5th in SEC

Not much to read here, but 5th behind Tennessee, Alabama, LSU and Georgia isn’t bad.

Athletic also has Rebs 5th in SEC

The Rebels return quarterback Jaxson Dart, but added a couple of big portal pickups at the position in Walker Howard from LSU and the experienced Spencer Sanders from Oklahoma State. Zach Evans may be gone but Quinshon Judkins is a sleeper for the Heisman Trophy. The Rebels are hopeful new coordinator Pete Golding from Alabama can help shore up a defense that ranked 48th in yards per play last season.

Ole Miss still made millions on the Morgan Wallen concert(s)

In case you haven’t heard, Morgan Wallen says he wants to try to reschedule that cancelled concert. But even if he doesn’t, Ole Miss still made bank.

Sunday, May 7

Ole Miss salvaged a win over Missouri on Saturday. With just six conference games left to play the Rebels are dead last in the conference, but still within a game of State and Missouri. That means there’s still a chance Ole Miss could make it to the SEC Tournament, but the Rebs will have to play way better than they did on Thursday and Friday in Columbia and hope State and Mizzou lose.

Ole Miss knocks off Mizzou, 20-14

Calvin Harris broke the school record with four home runs and tied another school record with 10 RBI. Peyton Chatagnier added two more homers. Chatagnier seems to be finding his swing. Hopefully that continues the next two weekends. Ole Miss is 25-23 (6-18 SEC). The Rebs host Auburn next.

Top transfer WR Chris Marshall dismissed from team

It seemed like Marshall would be a key player, so this stinks. Jordan Watkins, Louisiana Tech transfer Tre Harris and Jalen Knox seem to be the main three now, but there’s also Dayton Wade and JJ Henry. Ole Miss has receivers, but Marshall was a five star talent for a reason and that talent will be missed. Lane Kiffin may dip into the transfer portal for another receiver before it’s said and done.

5 star edge rusher crystal balled to Ole Miss

Jamonta Waller has 21 Division I offers including Florida, LSU, Texas A&M, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Missouri, Mississippi State, South Carolina, and Ole Miss. He was rated a five star by 247 after finishing with 106 total tackles and 11-and-a-half sacks, to go along with a forced fumble, two recoveries, and a pick en route to Picayune’s second straight 5A State Championship.

Saturday, May 6

DraftKings has the over/under win total for Ole Miss at 7.5 for the upcoming football season.

Here’s how I think it shakes out:

WINS: Mercer, Tulane, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, ULM

MAYBE: Arkansas, Auburn, State, Texas A&M

UNDERDOGS: Bama, LSU, Georgia

Hitting the over will come down to whether Ole Miss can win three out of the four games in the “Maybe” category. Last year the Rebels only won 2 against that group.

DraftKings is good at this, because 8 wins certainly isn’t automatic.

Just tinkering on a Saturday morning in early May, I think the Rebels will beat Arkansas, State and either Texas A&M or Auburn.

That would be 8 wins, so I’d put small money on the over 7.5 wins.

DraftKings releases SEC win total odds

Ole Miss comes in at 7.5. Would you take the over or the under?

The 2023 Ole Miss schedule

Missouri run rules Ole Miss, 13-3

Bianco said he was embarrassed, and appropriately so.

It was the final nail in the coffin of this disappointing season. Ole Miss 24-23 (5-18 SEC) is dead last in the conference and likely won’t even make the SEC Tournament. Mizzou will go for the sweep today at 2:00 (SECN+).

The 149th Kentucky Derby

I have watched the Kentucky Derby every year for most of my life. The drama, the horses and the scene at Churchill Downs is mesmerizing. It’s the Grove on steroids with beautiful horses. Today’s race starts at 5:57pm, but TV coverage starts at 11am on NBC. You can stream it on Peacock.

Friday, May 5

There are so many reasons to be frustrated about the 11-9 loss that Ole Miss suffered to Mizzou on Thursday night.

Not only did Ole Miss blow the 9-2 lead that it held in the 6th inning, it also blew a a golden opportunity to gain an advantage in the race to finish in the top 12 and make the SEC Tournament. In doing so, the Rebels lost to a Missouri team that had lost 6 straight SEC games and that, statistically speaking, was far and away the worst offensive team in the conference.

Now, at 24-22 (5-17 SEC), Ole Miss has the worst record in the conference.

This one hurt.

The Rebels and the Tigers play again tonight at 6:00 (SECN+). I suppose Ole Miss could still win this series and make a run at Hoover, but it sure isn’t making things easy on itself.

Rebels blow 9-2 lead, lose to Missouri

The Rebels led by seven runs in the sixth inning before the Tigers scored nine unanswered to take the series opener, 11-9. Missouri put up six in the sixth, one in the seventh and hit a two-run home run in the eighth for the deciding runs.

MLB Rebels update

Did you know that former Ole Miss ace Doug Nikhazy currently plays for the Akron Rubber Ducks? Did you even know there was a profession baseball team called the Rubber Ducks? Me neither. The Ole Miss Spirit has an update on all the Rebels playing professional baseball.

Notre Dame RB Logan Diggs visits Ole Miss

Diggs, who entered the NCAA Transfer Portal last month, was the second-leading rusher for the Fighting Irish last season, rushing 165 times for 822 yards and four touchdowns.

Alabama coach fired after reports of suspicious gambling activity related to Tide baseball

Alabama fired baseball coach Brad Bohannon on Thursday after a report of suspicious bets involving his team. Multiple sources confirmed to ESPN’s David Purdum that “sportsbook surveillance video indicated” that whoever made the flagged bet in Ohio’s Great American Ballpark was in contact with Bohannon.

Thursday, May 4

It’s hard to believe that we’re headed into year four of the Lane Kiffin era, but here we are. Kiffin led Ole Miss to three straight bowl games, including a Sugar Bowl in 2021, and he has the Rebels poised to go to a fourth in 2023. At least that’s what the preseason polls indicate.

Ole Miss ranked 22nd in ESPN Power Rankings

Few FBS teams had as much turnover as the Rebels, who underwent dramatic roster and coaching staff changes after they dropped their final four games in 2022. Coach Lane Kiffin brought in six new assistant coaches, including former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding, who will try to improve a unit that allowed 34.5 points per game during the late-season swoon. Quarterback Jaxson Dart probably remains the starter heading into the summer, after battling transfers Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State) and Walker Howard (LSU) in the spring. Linebacker Monty Montgomery (Louisville), cornerback Zamari Walton (Georgia Tech) and safety John Saunders Jr. (Miami, Ohio) look like key additions on defense.

Rebs land at 24th in 247 rankings

Lane Kiffin hasn’t decided on his starting quarterback coming out of spring, but we’re going to assume Jaxson Dart holds off Oklahoma State’s Spencer Sanders and LSU’s Walker Howard for the first-team job. Regardless, this team’s offensive firepower is centered around returning superstar Quinshon Judkins in the backfield.

Mason Brooks gets bonus from Commanders

The former Ole Miss offensive lineman was signed as an unrestricted free agent, but he is clearly valued by the Washington Commanders. According to Mike Garofolo of the NFL Network, the Commanders gave Brooks a $35K bonus, second only to the Vikings’ bonus for Army Edge rusher Andre Carter.

Ole Miss at Mizzou (6pm, SECN)

Ole Miss is at Mizzou this weekend in a pivotal series for both teams trying to make the SEC Tournament cut. Only the top 12 teams make it. The Rebs and Tigers have matching 5-16 conference records, thus, the winner of this series will definitely have the upper hand. Missouri is on a 6-game SEC losing streak, and has lost 10 of its last 12 conference games.

Hunter Elliott undergoes Tommy John surgery

Chase Parham of Rebel Grove is reporting that Hunter Elliott, who led Ole Miss to the College World Series Championship a year ago, underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday.

Wednesday, May 3

Midweek baseball games are generally unimportant, but at 24-21 on the season Ole Miss really can’t afford any more losses. That’s why a Kids’ Day victory over Arkansas Little Rock was so important on Tuesday. The Rebels had to fight every step of the way in the high-scoring affair, but they ultimately came out on top making a 30-win season more possible.

Ole Miss travels to Mizzou this weekend for a pivotal series between two teams trying to make the SEC Tournament cut. The Rebels and Tigers have matching 5-16 records, so the winner will get a huge leg up.

Ole Miss outscores Little Rock

Ole Miss and Arkansas Little Rock combined for 22 runs on 26 hits as the Rebels ultimately outscored the Trojans, 12-10. Four different Rebs hit home runs. Ole Miss improved to 24-21 (5-16 SEC).

Rebs pick up transfer defensive back from Liberty

Ole Miss landed a commitment from former Liberty cornerback Daijahn Anthony out of the NCAA Transfer Portal on Tuesday. Anthony described his visit to Oxford perfectly:

“It was really good, good food, good vibes,”

Ole Miss trying to lock Coach Yo in to a new contract

“… the job she and her staff have done, it’s been incredible,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said. “When they got here, there really weren’t even enough players on the roster to field a team. They were trying and scrounging around to just find enough to have 12, 13, 14 players on the roster. Year two they go 0-16 (in the SEC) and then from there it’s just kind of been a sky rocket up. That’s a lot of credit to her and the staff and the student-athletes.”

Tuesday, May 2

Ole Miss has never finished a season with less than 30 wins under Mike Bianco. With just 11 regular season games remaining that 21-year streak could be in jeopardy unless the Rebels (23-21, 5-16 SEC) finish strong, starting today against plucky Arkansas Little Rock. The Trojans beat No. 6 Arkansas in April, so be forewarned – this isn’t a gimme.

Ole Miss Baseball at 11am today

The Rebels play early for the annual Kids’ Day game. Ole Miss (23-21, 5-16 SEC) vs. Arkansas Little Rock (25-16, 10-5 OVC). You can watch on SEC Network +.

Freshman Jordan Vera will start at pitcher for the Rebels.

Four-star commits to Rebs…again

Rashaud Marshall committed to Ole Miss for the third time yesterday. He committed to Kermit Davis once and Chris Beard twice.

Marshall is a four-star prosepct from Blytheville, Ark., rated as the nation’s No. 14 center and the No. 1 player in the Natural State’s 2023 class by the industry-generated 247Sports Composite index. In the 247Sports exclusive rankings, he is rated as the country’s No. 10 center prospect and the top player from Arkansas.

Ta’amu headed to XFL Championship

On Sunday, former Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta’amu guided the D.C. Defenders to the XFL championship game with a 37-21 win over the Seattle Sea Dragons in the North Division championship game. Ta’amu completed 19 of his 31 passes for 258 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed twice for a total of nine yards.

Saunier named SEC Freshman of the Week

The freshman made two starts against SEC opponents last week, starting against Mississippi State in the Governor’s Cup and against Georgia in the series finale on Sunday. He allowed just one earned run in both starts and gave up only five hits over 9.2 innings of work. He issued just two walks while striking out 10 hitters and holding opponents to a .147 batting average. Saunier’s 10 strikeouts were tied for the most in the SEC during the week.

Monday, May 1

Thanks to a series win over Georgia, the Ole Miss Rebels’ post-season chances still have a light pulse. The path is very, very narrow, and unlikely, but possible.

First, Ole Miss really needs 13 SEC wins.

At 5-16 with 9 conference games remaining, getting to 13 wins requires the Rebels to finish 8-1 over the next three weekends.

That’s difficult, but not impossible, considering the remaining three opponents each have sub .500 conference records.

If the Rebs finish with 12 or 13 wins in the conference, they will likely need to add at least a couple more wins at the SEC Tournament for insurance and then hope for some preferential treatment from the NCAA Selection Committee courtesy of their position as the defending national champions.

Just being real….this scenario is more than a little far-fetched, but at least it’s a reason for hope.

For now, the Rebs just need to focus on beating Mizzou next weekend. The Tigers have lost six straight SEC games. We need to make it nine.

Rebs beat Georgia, 8-7

The Rebels (23-21, 5-16 SEC) hit three home runs Sunday, and freshman Grayson Saunier — making his first weekend start since March 25 against Florida — went a career-long six innings, gave up just two hits, one earned run and struck out six batters without surrendering a walk.

The game winning run

Ole Miss won it on a TJ McCants single in the bottom of the 9th when the Georgia catcher took a huge hit from Judd Utermark and dropped the ball.

 

Maybe the Rebs got hot!

Peyton Chatagnier hit two home runs against Georgia on the weekend, and TJ McCants drove home the winning run on Sunday. The two have really struggled in SEC play, but they seemed to find something against the Bulldogs.

“The bottom (of the order), those guys really swung it well early in the season and haven’t swung it well in conference play,” head coach Mike Bianco said. “But Peyton with a big home run, home run earlier in the series as well, T.J. swinging it better — certainly the big hit — but he’s had some really good at-bats this weekend as well. And we’re going to need that. For you to be good offensively, you can’t just do it at the top. The bottom has got to throw some punches, too. And we were able to do that.”

Sunday, April 30

Four Ole Miss Rebels were taken in the 2023 NFL Draft:

2nd Rd. Jonathan Mingo (Panthers)

4th Rd. Tavius Robinson (Ravens)

6th Rd. Zach Evans (Rams)

7th Rd. Nick Broeker (Bills)

All four of these guys have the potential to have success in the NFL. Let’s take a look.

Steve Smith, Sr. really likes Mingo

“He’s just consistent,” former Panther great Steve Smith said via Underdog Fantasy. “Over and over again, he just continues to make plays. He’s a bowling ball. He will run around you. He will run through you. Teams are starting to pick up on his and [are] knowing and understanding he will bring something to the table that you will not expect.”

Ravens like what they got in Robinson

“I think we got a guy who plays very, very hard. [He’s] big, you guys will see when you see him – 6’6″, 250-260 pounds,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said. “[He] runs well, very, very physical, long reach. From a comparison standpoint, [he is] probably more like a guy like Za’Darius Smith. [He] can kick inside, can play outside. [He is] physical.”

Buffalo Bills get to know Broeker

Broeker’s pre-game ritual is the same week after week. Aside from practicing hard and watching extra film, he always eats a Snickers and puts the wrapper in his left sock on game days. This all started because when he was 12 or 13 years old he did it before a basketball game and scored 40 points, so he hasn’t stopped.

Upside for Evans

But for injuries and the spectacular debut of freshman Quinshon Judkins, Evans probably would have rushed for well over 1,000 yards this year. Evans could do really, really well for Los Angeles if he can stay healthy. The Rams may have gotten a steal.

Undrafted free agents

These Rebels were signed as undrafted free agents immediately following the draft:

WR Malik Heath – Packers

DB AJ Finley – Chargers

OL Mason Brooks – Commanders

LB Troy Brown – Giants

DT KD Hill – Jets (invited to rookie minicamp)

Ole Miss falls to Georgia, 7-3

The Bulldogs scored three runs in the third inning – without a hit – and Ole Miss didn’t get within two the rest of the way in a 7-3 Georgia win that tied the series.

Ole Miss is 22-21 overall and 4-16 in SEC play. Georgia is 25-19 (8-12). The rubber match is set for 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Want this in your inbox each morning? Click here to subscribe

Saturday, April 29

I was really hoping Jonathan Mingo would find his way to the Tennessee Titans, a team that desperately needs help at receiver, but the Titans went nuts and took Will Levis (facepalm). At least Mingo went to a team with a promising quarterback in Bryce Young. The former Alabama star and No. 1 pick will likely do really well in the NFL, which should work out nicely for Mingo.

Jonathan Mingo is a Panther

The Panthers used their second-round selection to acquire a pass catcher, selecting Ole Miss wide receiver Jonathan Mingo with the 39th pick.

This is the craziest stat of the night:

Tavius Robinson, Zach Evans next up

Outside linebacker Tavius Robinson (37) and running back Zach Evans (64) are the next two Rebels on ESPN’s Best Available board.

Ole Miss beats Georgia, 7-3

Peyton Chatagnier hit a solo home run to break a tie in the seventh inning, and Jack Dougherty locked down the late innings, as the Rebels beat Georgia, 7-3, to open the series on Double Decker weekend.

Game 2 of the series has been moved up to noon today due to weather.

WR Shane Hooks decommits

There’s already speculation he could join former Jackson State coach Deion Sanders at Colorado.

Want this in your inbox each morning? Click here to subscribe