Ole Miss Football 2024 Expectations & Breakdown - Beef Up Front Podcast

Maxi from outside Sixers lead courtesy of Ty Maxi hit deep to left field going back is lo Castro it is gone [Music] hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of the beef upfront podcast here on pix swap media your host Ryan Coyle continuing on today with our college football preview series and today we go back to the SEC it feels like we're going to hit on more secc teams than not um I believe 16 team division now we're probably going to hit on at least nine 10 of these before we're all said and done and from recording this this won't come out till the following week but from recording this we are now single digit away from college football starting we are nine days away so very very excited we're we're feels like we're we're finally here you know a week from recording this will will almost be action real live hitting real live PAAD games to bet on games to gamble on that matter um some substantial game to to open the season with Georgia Tech and Florida State you know Florida State's a team that aspires to win the ACC and aspires to be a playoff team Georgia Tech's a team on the rise so that's going to be a really fun one the rest of week zero not that great you got to wait till some more better games till week one starts up but still super excited we are almost here single digits away and today we'll be hitting on a team that is one of the teams that has been talked about a lot throughout the off season as one of the main kind of benefactors of the 12 team playoff Penn State Notre Dame and these guys the Old Miss Rebels and I'm just going to come back here and say this at the beginning even if it was a four team playoff I think would be taking the Old Miss Rebels to go to the college football playoff this year I'm super bullish on these guys this year this is my my team that I think I'm kind of hitching my wagon to as my team I'm gonna be riding with for this season and kind of backing mostly game after game you know you there's going to be the majority of people saying they have Ohio State Georgia it's a national champion very good picks there very safe picks Oregon's kind of in that next tier Texas but miss I think deserves to be firmly in that conversation and I'm going to Hitch my wagon to that and hopefully ride it all the way to the Finish Line it's a team I think we'll get into the complete schedule prediction at the end but 14 to1 to win the national title when you look head coach with Lane kein offensively he's up there with anyone and I think this roster goes pound-for-pound for with anyone in the country I think you could put them right up there with Georgia Ohio State Oregon Texas those are probably the four best rosters I think most people consider col football I think Old Miss deserves to be right there in the conversation themselves um with the work that they did in the portal this off season with the returning players and bringing back Jackson Dart who's on his third year as a starting quarterback ATS there's a there's a lot to like and there's a lot to be ambitious about with this team for the upcoming season so um it all starts at the head coaching spot with with Lane kein 34 and 15 entering year five at Old Miss you know it was rumored a couple years ago that he was actually going to be leaving for for Auburn and to go take the Auburn job he's days here he sticks at edel Miss and I think he's going to be reaping the benefits of it this year I think this is a historic year coming 95 and 49 in his 12 years as a college football head coach but this is excuse me this is going to be the most successful season I think he has had 2023 when you look back at the year one of the best years if not maybe the best year in program history they went 11 and two 6-2 in the SEC West beat Penn State in the Peach Bowl 38-25 and a lot of teams you know guard bow games now that was a legit like game Penn State bringing back a lot of people from last year they had a lot of guys playing that one and will miss the same thing that was a a legit football game it wasn't kind of just like a throwaway like you saw with Georgia Florida State where Georgia won 63 to3 even the Ohio State missou game Ohio State kind of you know roll rolled the ball out there and said let's go play with with some of our our backups and guys that haven't played the whole year while mou had to kind of their whole team that was a legit game by Penn State and Old Miss and and Old Miss took care of them um when you look at their two losses last year at Bama 24-10 the the defense took care of business I think for the most part but the offense wasn't able to move the ball and then at Georgia which was a blowout um eight of their 11 wins I us year old Miss were by double digits two and0 in one score games plus 11 in the turnover margin as well which was tied for fifth in the country so really good in that department Old Miss finished ninth in the AP poll last year that was their highest ranking since 1969 I was shocked see that Old Miss hasn't been great during my lifetime um and I guess kind of these last few years they've really turned it on but when they had Hugh FES they they had some good runs I mean they they beat Bama once there um those Hugh frez teams were were pretty good they had Eli Manning while i' been alive but last year was you know I guess the best season since 1969 finishing ninth in the final AP poll that was pretty shocking to me but it goes to show you just kind of how I guess poor old Miss football history is and what Lane kman has turned him into and now this year coming into the poll at number six overall to start the year expectations are high and this definitely should be a playoff team they beat LSU 5549 in one of the most entertaining games of the season last year between two offenses that really couldn't stop anyone and then you go Jaden Daniels and Jackson dark kind of going score for score but I think they still showed you know with that 11-2 record that they still weren't up the par with the national contenders you know losing to Alabama in that one game losing to Georgia 52- 17 in an absolute beat down and I think that was a game where Lane kein kind of looked in the mirror and was like all right if if we're ever going to get over the top we're going to have to make you know a few changes unless I want to be a 10 and two a nine and3 coach every single year and at om Miss I think that exceeds expectations kind of um but now that lane kin's raising the bar and I think he has a roster that can go shot for shot with some of these big teams um they had the 16th best scoring offense last year and the 13th best total offense defense ranked 34th in scoring but they were below 65 in Total Defense rushing defense and passing defense so was pretty solid at keeping teams out of the end zone but teams were able to kind of move the ball up and down the field with them they were around you know the national average there in the FBS for most defensive statistics um but Lane went out this off season and he hit the portal and he hit the portal hard um he brought in the highest rated portal class of this entire cycle so this is a team that with all the returning Talent brings in a ton of four and five stars as well and they're ready to go to compete for an SEC title and perhaps even a national title as well um bring back Dart bring back your head coach bring back this loaded portal class bring back a bunch of key returners from last year especially on the offensive side of the ball the team is there the roster is there can they get over the top that remains to be seen and I think they're one of the more fascinating teams in all of college football this year to see if they can kind of break through and get over the top when you look at the offense the lane train will always have a great offense as long as he's running one of the best offensive Minds in all of college football in the past 25 years you combine his play calling his system with d QB coming back for his third year as a starter the potential I think for this offense is Limitless and Lane kein is one of the main coaches the main kind of Advocates that I've seen at least on social media and Twitter saying like this year with the technology coming into the helmet where the coach can talk or the play caller can talk to the quarterback up to the 15sec mark especially in college where there's rarely rarely huddles any anymore especially for these spread and uptempo teams he like it's basically a cheat code like that is going to be such a benefit I think to Jackson Dart and two Miss with dart's comfortability with Lane already and now at being able to have that last second kind of communication as well I mean I expect these boys to be going out there and putting up points left and right every single week scored 35 or more in seven games last year I expect this to be a team that averages 40 plus points per game this season I think they really could rival what LSU did on the offensive side of the ball last year which is one of the more historic offenses we've seen in recent memory um last year Jackson Dart put up 3,364 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns only five interceptions takes really good care of the football he also ran for 381 yards and eight touchdowns so a dual threat guy he's my Heisman favorite entering the year I have the 14 to1 ticket locked in I love Avery Johnson from Kansas state that we've talked about but he's more of a long shot pick 25 to1 is first four year as a starter Dart is the most experienced quarterback I think in college football this year um you could kind of throw cam Rising into that mix but we'll say guys that are you know normal four-year players cam Rising going into SE his seventh year uh but just snap for SNAP experience-wise Dart is up there playing three years in the SEC now going into his third year and even played some time at USC at the beginning he's he has all the tools and all the experience to go out there and have a historic season um this offense returned seven starters as well three of dart's top pass catchers in Jordan Watkins Trey Harris and tight end Kaden prorn uh shout out to beef up front uh frequent guest Sean Hoy guess we could call him that um he sent me a text today he prescor is going to win the Macky award best tight end in the nation at plus 750 so that's worth a look there uh but that that Trio returns combined for over 2,000 receiving yards last year 15 touchdowns and to go with that they had one of the best wide receivers in the portal in the entire country and Juice Wells from South Carolina Electric player at the wide receiver spot he was a First Team all SEC guy at South Carolina two years ago in 2022 so weapons Galore for Dart to throw to and the offensive line when you look at them they also return three starters with the center right guard and right tackle you have your entire right side of your offensive Lineback experienc group there um and then the two starters on the left side at left guard and left tackle two transfers from Washington Washington last year won the Joe Moore award which is the best offensive line in the country uh they bring in Julius buo and Nate Capello um both as said part of Washington's offensive line they slide in there at left guard and left tackle bam you have an elite offensive line in front of Jackson Dart as well um was a bit of a surprise for for the running game when you look at the running back spot to see jins transferred to Ohio State you know he kind of made himself into the guy there at Old Miss probably would have been the best running back I think heading into the year in the SEC but kin system at least with with running the ball it kind of reminds me of like Kyle Shanahan where it's so running back friendly where you know it's a luxury to have a guy like quit Sean junkins in the backfield for you when you look at the NFL and Kyle Shanahan in the 49ers like a Christian mcaffrey but this really is a system where you can just go and put a guy who's pretty talented back there runs hard and has speed um and he's going to get opened up and and have some rushing lanes and and free space to kind of to use his talent to the best of his ability that that's what he that's what kein does he gets these guys in space I mean he pavs out rushing Lanes with a great offensive line in front of him as well the rushing game I think is going to be just fine without Judkins with jins even would have been nice to have him sure but he goes to Ohio State there where you know still kind of a puzzling move him and Henderson in the back field at the same time would have been the guy here but Kevin system I think is suited for kind of any running back with talent and they still have plenty of talent there uls's Bentley returns he rushed for over 500 yards last year behind Judkins and then they brought in transfers jakuri croski Meritt from New Mexico and Miami's Henry Parish who also was a former rebble transferred to Miami now back to miss uh but there's not a single red flag glaring weakness on this entire roster or roster we we can go into that whole thing but but the offensive side of the ball at least this offense is as deep and as dangerous as any in the country um and for my money I think it's going to be the best overall offense in the country when you look at the defense the defense really is what I think separates the good from the great in the secc you look at Georgia under Kirby they've in these national championships they've had they've been able to play some really good really strong offense but the defense was a calling card Alabama under Nick sain I think the last title with with Tua um the run that they kind of had there with M Jones like with the spread and all these good young receivers you can look and say maybe the offense was more dominant for them but back in Savin Heyday the defense was kind of the the dominant Force back in like the the early 2010s and whatnot the defense I think is what separates these good teams from the great because you can go out there and put up you you look at LSU last year best offense scoring offense and total offense in the entire country defense going to stop a nose bed they only go 10 and three so you look at it like that I think om Miss kind of looked at themsel in the same regard um and they went out and hit the portal hard and Lane and Lane knows that that defense needs to improve if they want to be a national title Contender the hope is with five returning starters as well as all the additions in the portal that they do improve on that side of the ball um under defensive coordinator Pete Golding the defense allowed 25 and a half points per game in 2022 they cut that by three points um in 2023 when they went to 22.1 points per game game so that showed a really good Improvement there however they were still 68th in Total Defense and gave up 52 to Georgia in their biggest game of the season which just isn't going to cut it if you're going to want to compete for national titles that was a 5217 blowout a game that was never really a game the Alabama game was at least you know a reasonable fight this one they got blown out of the water from start to finish pushed around um as part of that star started portal class which we touched on was the number one portal class in the entire cycle they brought in defensive tackle Walter Nolan from Texas a&n who is arguably the top transfer in the portal completely but definitely the number one defensive lineman the number one defensive player in the portal he comes in from Texas A&M and he's a guy that when he's on and he his Motors running and he's playing hard he's unblockable but he has found some issues with consistency uh maybe the Texas A&M scheme and system wasn't for him but all the buzz about him is like this is a legit top 10 top 15 NFL draft pick he has the potential to be the number one defensive tackle has the potential to be the number one defensive player maybe even picked in the draft when he's playing at his best that's how highly regarded he was as a recruit and how highly regarded he was on the transfer portal Market you go out there and you have that now you're going head-to-head with Alabama and Georgia offensive lines you got guys up front led by Nolan that can you know go pound-for-pound with them hit for hit with them um if he delivers it really changes the entire Outlook of this old miss defense they're really relying on him and while Dart is such a good player and such a valuable player Nolan might even be more because he can really flip the identity of this old miss defense I think they also brought in a four-star former Edge rusher from Florida um four-star linebacker from Arkansas and Chris Paul Jr fourstar quarterback from Bama and Trey Amos uh and then fourstar safety Yan Banks from South uh South Alabama so five of the rebels eight transfers that they brought in that's either a four or five star five of those guys are on the defensive side of the ball you look left you got a four or five star to you look to your right four or five star behind you look behind into the secondary of the linebacker you got a four five star to this is a defense that is littered with Talent is the continuity and and you know the familiarity all going to be there and be able to kind of hit the ground running from day one that remains to be seen I think that in the way this entire defense gels will be a big test but to start out the year you get Ferman you get Middle Tennessee you get week farest and you get Georgia Southern before you get into SEC play when you play Kentucky who's not really striking much fear into anyone on the offensive side of the ball right now uh but I think that's at least four good games to get your feet on you with all these new defensive weapons so continuity and familiarity with each other could be the one major red flag in the turnover but they are neck and neck Talent uh for talent with with those top dogs in Ohio state with Georgia I truly believe and they have the most experienced quarterback in the conference these guys have a legit chance to win it all this year I really do think that that's saying something about Miss football we'll get into my complete schedule prediction Now bring up the Old Miss Rebel schedule for the 2024 season all right as we touched on start off with you know some with some cupcakes you got Ferman that should be a blowout Middle Tennessee should be another blowout uh Wick Forest not expecting much from them you know 4- eight to six and six type Squad this year will miss should go in there and take uh take control of that game Georgia Southern projected to finish I believe it was fourth in in their division in the sun Bel they're going to be you know a solid Sun Bel team but om Miss once again should dominate that one now again play Kentucky you get them at home ky's always a tough Squad but get them at home in this one I'll give them the nod there South Carolina projected to finish at the bottom G give Miss another win there going through the schedule I'll spoil kind of the rest but I really was thinking about giving this team 12 and0 I really think they have the chance to go undefeated run the table in the regular season but with these loaded conferences these days it's so tough to go undefeated they're they're bound to kind of at least trip up once and Old Miss has a pretty favorable schedule compared to some these other teams in the SEC compared to Georgia schedule compared to Texas schedule um compared to Alabama schedule even Oklahoma schedule was really tough Miss has a pretty favorable one going to LSU going to be a night game as it says LSU I don't think it's gonna be awesome this year would it surprise me if they got out to 10 wins no uh but I do think they're more of a nine- win to an eight- win type team uh but I do see Miss at least tripping up once I think it's kind of inevitable there and I will have it at LSU arguably one of the toughest atmospheres in all of college football especially at night I'll give them the loss there um I'll have them beat Oklahoma at home I think Oklahoma is going to be more of seven and five six- six than a nine and three 10- two I him win that one Arkansas I think is bound to be a dumpster fire this year I'll have almost win that game really tough one here Georgia Comes To Town Georgia they three toughest Road games I believe I believe all their their three games their three toughest games at Old Miss at Alabama at Texas your three tough his opponents all on the road Georgia is going to at least drop one of them perhaps even two maybe even three who knows but I do think that game last year against old or Old Miss against Georgia was kind of a wakeup call for Lane and for the entire program like all right what we're doing and the way this roster is built now we're not going to be able to compete with Georgia for the SEC title and for the national championship and that's kind of the standard right now in the SEC and perhaps in even all of college football you know won two of the last three national titles and arguably if they got into the playoff last year over Alabama they would have arguably won three in a row and got that third title I mean definitely would have given Michigan a really good game but at the same time you have to go on the road here this is another tough game for Georgia and ol Miss I think has the roster now to go shot for shot with them and I'm taking Jackson Dart over Carson Beck as well justes Kirby out Coach Lane we'll see but they have the home game in this one I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and give them the home home win big time there Over Georgia would be it's going to be an awesome game um at Florida that's part of Florida's murders row of five final games against ranked teams to start the year I think Florida falls apart by then for sure so I'll give them the win there and then the egg ball Mississippi State G to be at the bottom of the SEC this year so I got the rebels going 11 and one uh as we've talked about you know throughout the show very bullish on this team you look talent wise they're right there with just about anybody you look at the quarterback I think they have the best quarterback arguably in in the conference I put Jaylen Milo and Jackson Dart above Carson Beck I think Carson Beck gets a little bit too much love but this is going to be an awesome conference as always but I have them going 11 and one with that loss at LSU just a kind of a spot game going on the road t a night game in LSU you're going to drop one game most likely across the schedule I don't see anyone going undefeated this year the overnight and a half I've already locked that in that's one of my biggest plays for any team this year I see two losses at most on that schedule with you know Georgia the Georgia game you at least get them at home in the LSU game on the road um who knows what Oklahoma is but you get them at home Florida I'm not expecting anything of the non-conference really easy as well get a lot of home games on this schedule and and the road games are you know Arkansas not that tough South Carolina not that tough so this is a really favorable schedule for Miss and why I love them to go over that N9 and a half at minus 15 15 that's already been locked in 14 to1 to win it all I'm going to take that as well I'm going to sprinkle on that haven't made my official playoff predictions yet but I'm starting to lean more and more towards you know going a little bit outside the box of of a Georgia in Oregon or an Ohio State and potentially taking these Rebels to win at all 14 to one minus 130 to make a playoff feels like a pretty safe bet if they get over nine and a half they're going to make the playoff so at that point it kind of just be a double down I might look to take that as well just kind of go all in plus 650 to win SEC is certainly worth worth a look to 11 And1 they're probably going to the SEC title game and then you just got to got to win one game from there so super bullish on this team as we've talked about Jackson Dart for Heisman I think this team goes to the playoffs certainly and wins 11 games and is potentially your your national champion of your first 12 team college football playoffs so not much more positive to say about the Old Miss Rebels uh but all in on them this year and and get all aboard the lane train and Jackson Dart Heisman ticket I think it's going to be a historic year down there in Oxford but as always everyone thank you for tuning in please like subscribe and we will talk soon