What We Think and What We Know after Ole Miss thrashed MTSU

you're listening to talk of Champions and H Miss Spirit podcast with Ben Garrett it's it's [Music] it's hello again friends and welcome in the talk of Champions an almost morning after show Edition talk of Champions I hope this Sunday September 8th 2024 finds you well it's Post Old Miss Middle Tennessee State the 2 of backto back blowout wins for Old Miss to open the year in this title contention year that is 202442 we're talking we're writing all about the Old Miss Rebels all day every day over at the old missp omspirit.com in the pH of3 sign up today join us we would love to have you the plan is to do these morning after podcast um after every single game on Sunday throughout the Old Miss football season Bradley s the former om Miss offensive lineman 8-year NFL veteran he's tentatively set to rejoin me on the morning after show uh for ob's SEC opener September 28th for Kentucky then he'll be with us at least tentatively planned to be with us all throughout the SEC schedule so you're public peer pressuring on the old missp that there's a whole threat about it Bradley sou only om Spirit om spirit.com in13 has done its job we're almost to wake four it's getting Brad to join us for Wake fors but we've got him tentatively set scheduled for Kentucky and Beggars can't be choosers so we're going to wait and uh hope for the best but y'all keep at it Bradley s is hearing you and it's hilarious he feels the pressure so in today's talk of Champions After almost beats up on Middle Tennessee State we're talking about the things I think and the things I know after followed up at season opening 76 to nothing thrashing of 10- win FCS Ferman with that 52 to3 win over Middle Tennessee State first I think Miss is a top three team in college football now your Miss Rebels entered the weekend uh and a Saturday afternoon Showdown with a middle Tennessee state that just survived Tennessee Tech in week one ranked number six in the Associated Press top 25 pole they had the sixth best odds did Old Miss to win the college football playoff according to FanDuel the teams in front of them that you all saw just like I did as I was sitting for the most part of my day at an eight under softball tournament in Ripley Mississippi but the Reds they came out on top lady Reds I see you but as you were watching these games yesterday including Old Miss in Middle Tennessee State the teams in front of Old Miss that had better odds going into the week weekend of winning the college football playoff according to FanDuel Georgia Ohio State Texas Oregon and Alabama now blowouts against cupcakes for the first two for for Georgia and Ohio State and you got to give it to Texas manhandled Michigan that was a statement but Oregon and Alabama the Ducks received a scare from Boise State the Crimson Tide only snuck past South Florida Nick Saban isn't there anymore I love kin dor but they were at home against South Florida and those teams looked Way Too Close for Comfort Texas is probably the second best team in the country because of what they did to Michigan and we just need to make note here we don't need to but I want to uh the whole contract situation with shiron Moore is really really weird Google that you thought college football was it just gets weirder we think we've seen it all with college football we have it butas is right there if Texas is number two Omas is right there and I don't care that it was Ferman that it was Middle Tennessee I can already hear opposing schools fans saying oh come on come on they hadn't played anybody and that's objectively true Middle Tennessee state did only survive Tennessee Tech last week um Ferman is from FCS a an inferior opponent both on paper and in odds making but what alas did to these teams is video game like the inferior competition argument just doesn't hold water when you then compare what Miss's supposed contemporaries did over the weekend how they fared by comparison Miss didn't just do what it was supposed to do against lesser opponents noas treated These Guys these opponents and played them and beat them as if they were the champ Championship caliber team that we've been saying they are they could have done nothing else against these teams to be more impressive try to find something Lane kein is and we'll get to that in a second they're still figuring some stuff out and yet they're doing 128-3 against their first two opponents and I don't care who they are 128-3 that's like Cardell Jones beating that kid in the hospital 98 to35 in NCAA football all those years ago I mean this is more egregious though 128 to3 so I get it you you want to um have that guarded way about you as an Old Miss fan and you I get it you should it's well earned but I'm just talking about what we're seeing with our eyeballs and this weekend that team that played Middle Tennessee state did need to do some things better and we've got a lot to cover but comparatively who you taking over Old Miss outside of Georgia and maybe Texas because we know this Old Miss offense has Contender bonafides and a good indicator uh is when the best canned like coache criticism laye kein can offer up right now is some nitpicking of position groups good outcome 523 so that's a lot of people doing things a lot of um a lot of things right whenever you have that type of score so I think um not quite as good as the week before you know a little sloppier with eight penalties um but again if you know you play offense that way and so the ones whatever had eight drives seven touch Downs a field goal no turnovers no punts you're going to win a lot of games so I thought the it was great like we talked about during the week to get the Run game going and um Henry Parish was really explosive today with four touchdowns and 11 yards a carry I thought uh you know Jackson a lot of credit to him and to Charlie Weiss Joe judge a lot of people involved in that fisher a lot of people that do a lot of work um all week long with Jackson and Jackson's up here all the time and so I think when when that happens it's really good to see someone that's put so much work in and building this team recruiting it but then his own work on himself and to you know Play Perfect there till the end I think it one point is at 23 or 24 straight um you know until the post there to Trey uh was really neat to see so uh that's got to be some type of School record I would think I think Matt had one when we played Vander our first year or something so uh that that's again a lot of people doing things well it's hard to go was it 24 of 24 it's hard to go 24 of 24 on air with no one around um because you drop balls so uh really good protection really good catching the ball to do that Trey Harris thought was as advertised it was good to get juice um involved some so I thought we just didn't pass defense we were sloppy and too many people open and we did do a good job of red zone defense to overcome that but um I don't think we're really pleased about how we played in the past game on defense Run game defense was good I think the ones till the end there when the backups were going gave up 10 yards rush in the whole day so a lot of good things we can only get to two and 0 I think we're relatively healthy and and actually look to get you know one or two guys back that haven't played yet as we go on the road next next week to a tough opponent in the ACC record is that something you're aware of or did I mean you probably felt you hadn't dropped a pass yet at that point uh I was aware of where I was at uh I didn't know the record or anything like that so I was just trying to continue to just put the ball in my guy's hands you said you were aware was there one point in the game where you started peing and kind of seeing where you were at or uh no I think sometimes just flashes on the board and you peep it but I wasn't really thinking about it that much until I do incompletion then I started thinking about it um Henry Parish obviously had a big game today uh how does a performance like that out of the running game help you in in the passing game yeah coach ke emphasized it going into this week that we wanted to establish it and uh you know get the big guys up up front rolling with the running back so um I thought you know right out of the gate you know we punched them in the mouth and I thought the guys did a great job um of setting the tone of the for the rest of the game of you know winning the the battle at the line of scrimmage and running back were able to you know split some holes and make some big runs so it was awesome to see first 100 yard game back with Miss since 2021 that wild Arkansas game just what was working for you today how good that did that feel too uh I got to give all the credit to the big boys up front uh you know they lead the way so uh just going by my details you know coach Smith harp on the every day in practice you know details change pitures uh so I was just going based off my keys and and making the runs goal I know the career high stats kind of speak for it speaks for itself but as as far as the stuff that you were able to do when you were out in the open do you feel like this is one of the better games that you've had in your career of course 100% uh I feel better than we better than last year then just all around like my speed my my size just I feel good about everything I believe all throughout the week Lane said he challenged y's room and the offensive line just to kind of get the Run game going with it kind of struggling last week what what was that like in practice or what was that challenge uh just going one to know every day uh just keeping our hair down just working uh not looking too far ahead not looking too far back just grinding every day putting that work in day in day out with my G you know just letting things happen protecting homes and businesses from the whims of nature you need more than just quality materials you require Riverland Roofing licensed insured and certified Riverland Roofing offers not only the Assurance of Excellence but a tailored approach to your unique structural needs and budget to learn more about what Riverland Roofing can do for you and the community call them at 66 2644 4297 or visit Riverland roofing.com this is cie with C spire's blazing fast Nationwide 5G Network she's got her fans in the palm of her hands live streaming her Mississippi Blues from her phone wherever she is out there wherever they are right now get the latest 5G phone on us only sepire customer inspired before we go any further I know that probably the number one question in your mind how is Walter Nolan the the stud transfer defensive tackle from Texas A&M according to L kein in his post game media scrum Nolan is fine he's fine the exact quote and I want to make sure I get it right because I don't want to say something out of turn the exact quote according to the Old Miss Spirits man on the ground Jake Thompson everyone could quote rest easy okay I know I did on Saturday night the Reds came out on top those lady Reds came out on top but also oh miss impressed again the early reviews for the Henry Paris reunion tour they're encouraging it's not just because of the career day against Middle Tennessee State Career best 165 rushing yards a career best four rushing touchdowns it's because uiss Bentley still isn't healthy it's because Rashad Amos and those other transfer running backs no one's really stepped it up to push a Henry Parish or uh make Matt Jones not look any less impressive Jackson dart's hair of gadriel posted the most consecutive completions in Miss and SEC history Miss has scored 128 points through his first two games the most in nearly a decade they they produced points on each of their first five possessions against Middle Tennessee State including four touchdowns bringing their season total to 20 scores on 27 drives 17 have ended in touchdowns five came in a minute or less this is video game stuff now you didn't hear it in our postgame compilation there but I think the old Miss secondary has replaced the running game replaced the omus running game this week as the target of Lane keins ey for Wake Forest I have no proof of this this is purely me watching and observing but kein did single out the pass defense for subpar play against Middle Tennessee State and let's be honest here 128-3 we're not going to learn a lot in these first two games we're not even going to learn a lot against Wake Forest if you want to see some steps for the pass defense that's something you can watch for because laye K has put that on your radar I mean oh miss defensively though would have been equally as impressive through these first two weeks um as that offense if Jackson Dart and the rest of that offense hadn't quite literally kept making a bunch of History breaking all those records the defense has been really good and kein knows he has a good team so like when Nick Sabin had slam dunk Alabama contenders every single year I think laying kein is probably just having to get a little creative right now with his team motivation because what we have seen through the first two weeks has answered every question even the running back question Henry Parish answered that question it's just one game it's just Middle Tennessee State of course and almost was emphasizing the running game last week of course Henry Parish had a good game of all things go well can he do it again against Wake Forest is it the start of something greater of course that's something we're going to follow along with but what does it mean for Wake four is for the pass defense I don't know but you got to do something because Henry Paris that's a hard act to follow this is what you want the uh product the offense has put up so far evidence enough of a team L self-motivated group they got something to prove and they've opened the title Tracee and shown it through two cupcake games they have taken the approach that you want to see Contender take against these teams they didn't Sleepwalk against these teams they are self-motivated there is a chip corny as it is on their on their shoulder they're walking with it everywhere they go and that kind of team is the most dangerous team but knowing all that I'm pretty sure I know Henry Paris Jr straight up earned that starting turn against Middle Tennessee State over ysus Bentley ysis Bentley still isn't healthy Lane kin said as much after the win over Middle Tennessee he's the highest graded returning running back in the SEC and he dressed for each of the first two games but he barely played Omas is probably just being cautious but Parish closed out another week of back and forth in the very public high schoolish rivalry back and forth going on between Quin Shan jins and Old Miss by showing once more why Omas didn't Pony up for a third time last off season to pay a running back above market value when really if it were Zack Evans they probably would have Paris Jr responded with a career high 165 rushing yards and a career high four touchdowns his 42 yard run in the third quarter was a career-high he scored the most touchdowns of any nonen quarterback since since Dexter against Lane kein LED Tennessee in 2009 one of my favorite games of all time orron coming back you know and then Dexter just destroyed them talk about video game stuff that's like playing against your little cousin on easy easy all we heard all week from Lane kein was he wanted Miss to establish the run this week looks like it's going to be restrict the airspace or whatever they're going to call it cuz om Miss still got an interception against Middle Tennessee State from anchor Rebel as we called him one of the three anchor Rebels here on talk of champ Champions John Saunders the fourth of his career and a fumble recovery from TJ doter which was good to see TJ doter formerly Dudley had a sleepy opener we'll call it a sleepy opener against Ferman and this is my pick for defensive breakout player of the year had a fumble recovery against Middle Tennessee totally back this isn't a Wake Forest coming up that can hang with Old Miss this isn't 2008 Riley Skinner in Wake Forest so Nick sain did this all the time right his Alabama teams were always good om Miss is in Alabama but Lane kein is pulling a page out of that book as he always does oh Mrs Alabama with Nick Sabin adjacent this team is om Miss has 20 plus on the Senior Bowl watch list old years lucky to get 10 lucky to push double digits that's Sabin Alabama stuff now I'm not saying it's going to stay this way but for 20242 and how you view everything you're seing needs to be viewed through the lenss of Nick Sabin at Alabama adjacent so kein is sharpening the edges of a built to last championship team and barring injury that will be a championship caliber team a championship contending team I think kein just saw one too many blue Raiders running open and he was like ah there it is got what I needed for weake so it's Trey Amos and that group's turn but I know that Trey Amos had a 92.8 Pro Football Focus coverage grade against Ferman and he's an absolute stud and is delivered on the boundary for om Miss premium positions in football one of them is boundary corner and Trey Amos has been as good as advertised really last year for Alabama was recruited from UL to step in and be this for a title contending Alabama team and it didn't work out but it's so far so good at all Miss he's been everything and more an improvement even on zamari Walton who is really good for a year deantre Prince graduated got drafted multi-year starter going to play for the Jags starting today on the Sunday September 8th this is talk of Champions powered by Riverland Roofing in the Riverland Roofing Studios some good corners but Trey Amos is right there a stud on the boundary he's shooting up the NFL draft boards right now and yes there is some stuff to figure out opposite him omus wants to also see Brandon turn his take over there at that nickel corner but every position for the first time since the 60s for Old Miss and to borrow from Pete Goldie yeah they're still trying to figure out where to get them all on the bus but that bus is packed or in this discussion it would be the lane train but now this really could be as basic as Lane kein needs to see more from his defensive backs he's the only one that knows for sure he's the head coach the multi-million dollar man that that Florida thinks it's going to get wishes it could have we've already talked about that last week go check it out I just know it's hard to find the warts with the omish football team right now it is not Kool-Aid served up it is not being a homer to say if you watch this team watched all these teams with an objective eye this weekend who you picking over them Georgia yes Texas probably outside of Georgia and Texas though find me a team that has a better argument and that's knowing that the expanded playoff is now to 12 and not four we're not talking about well miss is already one of those those top 12 that that's done right now anything less than a playoff appearance I I think I agree with with JD pickle and Andy Staples my own three National guys anything less than a playoff appearance is a disappointment this team's too good and if those three teams are the best in the SEC that means they're the best in the country because the is by far the best conference those three are passing the ey test with flying colors even Mississippi State fans saw a screenshot yesterday I think it was on Twitter e even Mississippi State fans are talking about it they go to Liberty ball while om Miss is contending for a title yeah hey I hear the Liberty ball is fun around Christmas time enjoy 's former offensive coordinator om Miss is better position where it matters most Miss is also a more difficult team to scheme against right now especially if Henry Paris Jr is going to do the thing where he's playing Zack Evans Light because unlike Quin Shan Judkins and I'm one of those that honestly just kind of appreciate that we have this little beef we don't got it in college football anymore like State lost badly at Arizona State it's not even fun anymore right it's not fun to mess with little brother Arkansas came back and survived against Oklahoma State old days yeah I hated Matt Jones and Felix Jones and Darren mcfaden but now almost ain't thinking about Arkansas they're bigger fish to fry it's not like they have to get over Arkansas uh to get to Atlanta anymore Alabama barely survived USF and almost doesn't play them this year it's just a different world so I'm thankful for the Quin Shan junkins stuff because that feels like the old rivalry stuff everybody's kind of in on the joke no one really hates Quin Shan Judkins but just like in wrestling every good baby face needs a heal and Mississippi State isn't a good Hill right now if if anything Mississippi state is Old Miss as Dolph Ziggler and I know those Championship bonafides that top three team in college football right now prediction projection whatever you want to call it is reinforced because Jackson Dart is playing at a level that's already taken and past Chad Chad Kelly in the Miss record books that's not opinion that happened yesterday against Middle Tennessee State he's coming for it all this season completely uninhibited with the play completely uninhibited not looking over his shoulder I think I saw a mock draft last week Jack Dart who if he had come out this year as he thought about and went to the NFL draft would have been a hard time getting those top three rounds and then the early mocks right around the spring came out after the draft chador Sanders in Colorado embarrassed by Nebraska this weekend he was in the top five Jackson Dart was not really anywhere close to the first round Quinn y's up there too and he deserves to be not say shador Sanders doesn't but 28 to 10 Nebraska they talk a lot of crap at Colorado just to not win Jackson Dart now is a projected top five pick I think I saw last week uh forecasted to go to New York Giants number five overall by CBS meanwhile you got Jaylen marose struggling with USF you got Dylan Gabriel band ating Oregon against Boise State and those are two great players it's not a knock on them I love Jayla Maro and Jackson Dart of course has to keep this up as the competition gets harder but the choice right now for any college football coach if you ask them you're starting a college football team right now you only get one quarterback it's either Carson Beck or Jackson Dart and that unencumbered leveling up of Jackson Dart has been amazing to watch He's lifting up those teammates he's doing the Kobe thing the best players demand it like when he called out uh Harris last week before Ferman saying you look like you kind of lost a little bit of your Edge and it pissed him off and he scored a bunch went over 100 yards he did it yesterday too his seventh 100 yard game at Old Miss for Trey Harris he's right there with AJ Brown and Jonathan Mingo Shay Hodge he's he's getting up there Dante monrie he might finish top three that's how good this team is but dart's doing the thing that the best players do he's lifting up teammates Henry Paris was just next we we we've all been talking about too the lack of a third running back well me mostly on talk of Champions I know in this talk of Champions edition of what I think what I know I know walk on Matt Jones has one of the best touchdown ratios in college football the last few years and it looks like he's going to be a thing further proving why running back is a low value position and Quin Sean Judkins I'm sorry man I'm sorry you didn't get what you wanted and that you're now a backup it is fun though it's fun because Arkansas escaped Oklahoma State so what I guess hope springs aernal for the Music City Ball OB is way past waxing nostalgic about Eli replacing Romero and almost bringing him back against West Virginia to show what the future could be it's all fun but if El ends up in the Music City Bowl in 2024 like Arkansas or whoever state that would be nuclear levels of disaster this is just a different time he freeze LED Auburn lost to cigan and I say again because yes it was Matt Luke and John rice plumbley and Rich Rodriguez but really I truly believe at least half if not more of Matt Luke's losses should be attributed to Hugh FES especially if Hugh fre is going to walk around saying he should have four wins over Alabama what about LSU Texas A&M Oklahoma Oklahoma was uninspiring on Saturday Old Miss Georgia that's setting up to be historic because I don't think the offense is going anywhere Barn injury and credit to Jaden Williams who I know was the highest graded offensive lineman in the nation in week one Diego pounds was signed out of the NCAA transfer portal in the offseason to replace him and yet it's been Williams who started both of the first two games he started every game for Old Miss as a red shirt freshman but only made two starts a year ago snapshare uh cut to 40% and yet he's reemerged as that starter at left tackle and been a certifiable stud now Diego pounds has been solid too but the injury the durability stuff obviously has hurt him a little bit he sprung though that first Henry Parish touchdown run did Diego pound so that speaks again the depth of not just this team but the offensive line specifically Nate cppo he gets the shine as the decorated Washington transfer offensive line but it was Julius buo who transferred in with him and got his first Old Miss start against middle it's that depth 52 to3 and they're experimenting same for Arkansas transfer linebacker Chris POA he came off the bench against Ferman and let missing tackles and now he gets his first home start and I think Chris POA is one of Ben's guys for 2024 he was on the ivy league awesome great great dude leader he was signed to start and have this kind of impact but he's been even better and more than anything else a leader and that defense is needed a leader a world where om Miss is complaining about running backs and one too many bus in a near 50 Burger blowout is a sign the times have changed while not worrying about linebacker linebacker death as I said on a previous talk of Champions For The First Time in Forever like they sing about on Frozen almost has it and that's what what we'll be watching don't let anyone tell you this week at church here in a couple hours that om Miss hasn't played anybody 128-3 is 128-3 and the results everywhere else further the point tell the story Henry Parish answered the biggest question last week of this last week now let's see how John Saunders Trey Amos the rest of that backline of the defense how they answer Lane keen's call 52 to3 and Old Miss is 2 and0 after Middle Tennessee and this has been the things we think we know and the things we think we think on Theus morning after show edition of Taco Champions their first road trip 's first road trip Wake Forest coming up on Saturday on the CW home to such Legendary Shows as Arrow they'll have the broadcast 5:30 p.m. central Time updated polls and weekly Awards and updated Pro Football Focus grading releases today and tomorrow the title contending energy for your old Miss Rebels is palpable we know that Lan kein wants to see a little bit more from that first running game now that pass defense we knew that Jaden Williams was reemerging Pro Football Focus top rated offensive l g we think we think Miss is a top three team in college football what about you tell me about them the Miss spirit omspirit.com and affili on three we talk about your old Miss Rebels all day every day at the Old Miss spirit so come hang out with us we'd love to have you we'll be back later this week for another talk of Champions episode uh Zack Barry will have a couple episodes of his Flagship om Miss football recruiting podcast and of course the OB League another episode coming this week hosted by starus Defender Jared Ivy the title contending energy is palpable that's what I know that's what I know I don't think it I know it almost is a top three team in college football they had no business entering the weekend with the sixth best odds to win the college football playoff that was according to FanDuel I hope you laid your money down I think it was like plus500 whatever the odds were I hope you laid something down because they're about to they're about to shoot up they're about to go up almost didn't just go for the result these first two weeks almost went for statements reading you loud and clear Rebels so make sure to stay locked in to talking Champions also I'll have my all day Miss AMA ask me anything on the Miss Spirit Message Board all day Monday I'll have another war room with all the OM Miss rumors and scoop where you're hearing at the OM Miss Spirit on Thursday that's omspirit.com and then it's another game weekend what will they do against Wake Forest the competition is stepping up talk of Champions is powered as always by Riverland Roofing and the old Miss spirit for all your Roofing needs text or call Riverland Roofing today at 662 644 4297 that's 662 644 4297 you can visit them online at Riverland roofing.com and a few notes to know to take us out and hopefully Bradley sou will be joining me next week Paul juice Wells and Julius buo all made their first om starts Wells caught six passes on six targets 78 yards in a touchdown he's now scored has Juiced Wells at each of his first two games as an hus Rebel Jeremy James is out after hand surgery last week um that snapped his team leading 50 consecutive start streak now the longest is held by Jackson dart at 26 that's crazy the attendance of 6642 the second largest at Miss on record for MTSU om Miss fans are in title mode too they're fired up the rebels made it through the first near 90 minutes of this season without allowing any points it's the latest the rebels have allowed their first point since at least 1974 om Miss allowed their least amount of points through the first two games since 1991 they're good I don't just think it I know it so get on board get on board get fired up we're going to have so much more at the OM Spirits so much more on talk of Champions I'm going to be on this at this desk in front of this camera talking to you about this way more often than you used you have been used to seeing the last year think at least two three three times a week so whatever you want to know hit me up the omen Spirit omspirit.com drop a comment in the YouTube comment section we appreciate you we thank you we'll see you this week over there at thep omspirit.com be good to each other God bless