Ole Miss Football: SEC and National Title Contender

Is Ole Miss a Playoff Contender an 11- win season last year in a slam dunk offseason in the transfer portal has all Miss po for an SEC and maybe even a national title in a way they haven't been in a long time to talk about the rebels we have Ben Garrett from om Spirit joining us on the round table Ben you're in the Sip you've been and seen this team are they looking like that top 10 ranked team in that college football playoff Contender that people are hyping up them them up to be this off season absolutely uh I think that's the most one of the biggest takeaways from preseason camp I mean with a team like this where there's a lot of questions not just about the Personnel but also can Old Miss really be that team that steps up and takes over and and breaks through the glass ceiling like a Clemson did and one of the first things you want to see is do they look like that and they absolutely look like that out there um on the practice fields in a lot of ways it's it looks like an NFL mini camp because Old Miss operates that way both in um how they go about their business and also how they construct their roster I mean it is year to year it's free agency umus treats it that way and 18 of their 22 starters are transfers I mean that's all but for and um yeah I mean it's all business but the Vibes are are Immaculate because they all came here for the same reason they all want the same shot at the title um they they thought that Trey Amos for example thought that Alabama didn't offer the same um you know opportunity to contend That Old Miss did in 2024 25 so he left Alabama to come to Old Miss Florida wasn't the stage that princ LE Yan Mellen was looking for so he voluntarily leaves Florida and comes to Old Miss so that's across the Rost that's across the board and it looks that way so absolutely with the now they've been keeping them from from doing much hitting this preseason because they want to try to keep him healthy we've seen that across the board in college football injuries have been a real problem they always are so there's not a lot of hitting you can't say oh well so and so went out there and did this and is really stepping up in that way um but yeah absolutely from the look of things a Personnel standpoint and being what you know looking like the team you want them to look like if they are to contend this year there's no doubt you welome them with practice fields that's that's a national title contending football team right there Transfer Portal Players well you mentioned those transfer portal auditions and that's a lot of the reason along with these returning starters and returning contributors that people have this team penciled in with such high hopes when it comes to the cfp but when it comes to those standout transfer portal guys whether it's SEC editions or maybe some under the radar guys who would you say of those transfer portal players in additions to this team that you see maybe having the biggest impact this upcoming season yeah I mean um first you're going to mention Walter Nolan you're going to mention Prince uman Mellen those guys were top 10 transfers you're going to mention juice Wells everybody wants to see what juice looks like I mean he was the best wide receiver in the SEC in 2022 but last year he didn't play much at all because of injury and at Old Miss he's been in and out limited I guess you could call it um in a black no contact Jersey so they want to see what juice can bring as well the guys that I'm most fascinated by because we all know the big names we all know those guys like the juices and the Walter newans Yan Banks has been starting here since day one since practice one in the spring and that's a transfer from South Alabama he doesn't get the same headlines but um productive all League caliber player from his previous stop um making plays out there seemingly every every day has no uh qualms about being vocal about stepping up and showing that he's ready to lead a position group a former instate guy from ridgland I mean Yan Banks needs to be that's a name that needs to be talked about because he's had a great Camp he had a great spring and he's starting for a national title contender in the SEC in the secondary and his name isn't one of the biggest ones from the Portal same thing with Isaiah Hamilton who everybody wanted I mean it wasn't just Old Miss it was Alabama it was Missouri um those are also playoff contenders and he came to Old Miss and Isaiah Hamilton could play cornerback he could play defensive back but I think where they really when you talk about absolute slam dunk in the portal yeah the big names are great but uh where you where you see that most I think is in the secondary because they have numbers there numbers and depth of options that they don't have maybe other places even though they've got it pretty well across the board certainly better than Old Miss has ever had um in in its history I mean there's a reason why this is the team we're talking about possibly winning their first title since the 60s you know but I think a good example of how they've gotten stronger and utilize this new uh this new world of of college football recruiting specifically he's in the secondary because yeah you're not hearing the same things about Yan Banks and Isaiah Hamilton and Brandon Turnage and all these kind of casts but what makes a title Contender is yes those big names but how you fill out in the margins and are you still as good when the names stop you know grabbing the headlines and that's where I think om Miss is really impressive right now because those guys are out there those transfer guys um that came from maybe smaller places that are having just as big if not more of an impact than other guys so it's really impressive dayquan writes another one I won't throw his name in there you Kaden prior's back up I me because you talk about Kaden prorn in NFL tight end this was an all League tight end in the ACC uh Daquan right from Virginia Tech so he's their number two oh they needed another second inline blocker and capable pass catcher because Hudson wolf can't stay healthy go get dayquon right from Virginia Tech so yeah it's an impressive collection um it's com together well and I I think for Old Miss they look at this season as all the stars have aligned I mean why not this year if ever there was a year it's this year and they're certainly operating and looking that way now you mentioned a lot of those Defense exciting players specifically in the secondary and I think when you think about this offense you have Jackson Dart returning this Lane kein offense along with the returning pieces and the new pieces I feel like we kind of know what we're going to see there but on the defensive side of the ball like this is a unit that's going to really be looked upon for this team to take the next step do you think this is the year just given this roster and what this team is looking like on that side of the ball that this defense maybe takes that next step for Old Miss absolutely I'm glad you asked it that way and fr did that exact way because for me it's easy to talk about Jackson gard and Trey Harris and even when you lose quinan jins which is a loss he's the single season Miss record record holder for rushing yards in a year in a single year um that is a loss however you L Bentley was the highest graded returning running back in the SEC he is the highest graded returning running back in the SEC um arguably a better fit just for what Lane kein does operationally uh with his play style on offense than quinan was and they repeated that Henry parish and they've got some depth of options potentially with Rashad Amos and Logan Diggs and other guys but you want to see more out of them but defensively and Trey Harris is blint and coff W finalist or watch List member excuse me and Kaden priest scorns an NFL tight end they have probably double digit offensive line candidates seven of which I can list right now as Next Level players and that was really what held them back against the georgas and the Alabam they did not have the trench depth to hold up and really they could call themselves a contender because of the skill positions they were but when it got down to uh the nitty-gritty and getting it done they couldn't do it in the trenches so yes that's definitely where they've improved the most but defensively I I do think this is the year and I think of it specifically because I mentioned the secondary but miss has always had linebacker depth concerns every year that I can certainly since I started covering Old Miss in 2008 um they have dealt with linebackers always it's like the joke on the Old Miss internet you know it's like across the Old Miss internet Message Board Community whatever it might be is that oh god well can can so and so play linebacker because almost never has linebackers and they have linebackers Chris POA is an all League player that came over from Arkansas contemporary for Old Miss rival um sunin Perkins I think is poised for a breakout in year two I think TJ doter is got everything every tool in the toolbox to be an all League caliber player he's been good since he started in the Peach Bowl um his debut his old Miss debut after transferring in from Clemson but even guys that aren't getting the same type of covers like a Raymond Collins who was a juk CO transfer that signed with them I've liked what I've seen from him I mean if he's like your fifth or sixth option right now that's a guy that in Old years at Old M would have been recruited to come in and start and if he wasn't good from jump one uh oh uh oh uh so I think yeah this is the year and and the easiest way to point for that defensively that defensive Improvement or catching up or being the same caliber of threat as the old Miss offense with Lane kein I think Pete golden and Brian Brown the co-defensive coordinators which I mean the best defensive coordinator pairings for sure in Miss history but one of them by themselves would have had the case for best defensive coordinator in 's history and they have more to work with and the depth to to Really attack teams that they just did not have and especially at the the second level against the Georges and the Alabama so definitely I think this one could be the one now um we've all seen this movie is almost people before you know like we've seen how the stars are aligning so there's going to be some skepticism but the difference with this team is the Personnel looks like a national championship Contender Contender like you mentioned the start it's got to look that way and when you lock look out there if you walk out there you'd be like well if they're wearing purple and gold or Georgia black and red or crimson this looks like one of those teams on any given year and that's why we can talk about them that way because the Personnel definitely uh lends itself to a title Contender if you will now those are all great points Ben Biggest Keys and one last question for you before we let you go here I want to know what you think are maybe the biggest keys for this team what being and kind of separating from being good to great and being that college football playoff and that SEC title team is it something specific with the offense or the defense you just mentioned is it winning some of those big games that are going to be later in the season what do you think are going to be the biggest keys for this Miss team reaching kind of that potential and that high ceiling they have this year first and foremost can you stay healthy and that's so cliche and we all say it but it's true because you look at that specifically with the almost running backs right now in practices ulyses Bentley has been a durability concern ever since he got here from after transferring in from SMU and it's only because he just can't stay healthy he when he plays he's really really good so they've been cautious with him all preseason camp they've kept him out even though he looks like he's ready to go they want to get him to F and healthy and then just see if they can get him through 12 to 15 games healthy um but what if he doesn't hold up what if he is a durability concern again what if Henry Parish something happens to him the depth of the running back is a real concern so for me one of the very big keys because I don't I think I'm in agreement with a lot of philosophically coaches across college football these days I find running back to be a low value position however you can't dismiss it entirely and if you get down to your number three and that person can't do what they're supposed to do well that could cost you games so um that's one of the biggest keys at running back not necessarily do they have uh starting capable caliber guys for for a title Contender they do do you have the depth and I don't know if they do right now and then secondly for me uh juice Wells is the key I think offensively because he can move around formation I think they ideally like to use him like Elijah Moore in 2020 um to where he was personally Harvin is he come into the back field and he was a real Rush threat uh juice is just like that but juice is he healthy so you're going to hear a lot of that is so and so healthy so and so healthy but there's a reason why a lot of these guys were in the portal uh there are question marks about guys like a juice or whoever it might be um Can can they be that but if they can yeah Old Miss is is loaded up specifically for the 2024 25 year to make a title run and then I think the last biggest key for me is and it's easy but Jackson Dart there's no longer a token competition with Luke Alm there's no longer two guys brought in and Spencer Sanders and Walker Howard to come in here and and replace him he is the starter Walker Howard is his backup Austin Simmons is his backup he proved last year that he can win at the highest level in the SEC he won 11 games that's a program record at Old M now can you take the final big step you're a Heisman candidate you got the six best best odds in college football in the Heisman you're the front man for I think in arguably one of the most interesting title contenders this year now can you take that next step 23 and five touchdowns interceptions last year is remarkable right but he can't carry the ball 12 times this year almost needs guys like Ulisses Bentley and Henry Paris to stay healthy and can you connect more down the field those big bus bus plays that you can create within Aiden Williams or whoever it might be the next step for Jackson Dart whatever that is and it might not be necessarily in the numbers it might just quite simply be somewhere else in in you know the unquantifiable but Jackson Dart while juice is the key for offense and defense we could talk about linebacker death that's the key and they got it now at the end of the day Jackson Dart has to be the front man for the title Contender like Carson Beck stepped up to the play Jackson Dart has been in here for three years now there is no excuse anymore it's his job it's his team so can you can you take that next step and then go to the NFL and you know uh go lead a franchise at that level um so that's that's where you're at I mean those are questions that are exciting to ask if you're an old Miss because you're used to asking well crap who's going to start at so and so that's not what it is anymore now it's well you got three tight ends how can it all balance and that's what title contenders are supposed to be so yeah man I mean it's a it's an exciting time for old spans everywhere I know and it it starts in Earnest August 31st you know Ferman they got their three three 49 conference games out the way and then it's you know going hard all the way to the end of the year so they start start in Earnest we'll see some things but really we won't see uh what this team will truly be I think until mid October late October when the prince leue momy alens get unlocked and like that like that but they're gonna start in Earnest they're gonna hit the ground running and uh it's an exciting time for sure man I know fans are pumped up for it I know I'm pumped up for it too I'm jealous of your front row seat to see what this team could potentially be this year but thank you so much for joining us Ben if you haven't already get yourself a membership at om Spirit there's not a team on the internet that's covering the rebels like this gang of people are down there in Mississippi and if you haven't already make sure you subscribe to the on three Round Table comment on this video subscribe like this video let us know how you're feeling about oldis this year and Ben thanks again for joining us on the round table