Why would anyone think Ole Miss football is going to be a power next year?

[Taog Redloh]

Yeah I know Finebaum was making fun of the one guy but he also said anyone expecting OM to lose 6 games was asinine. He said they would be a 'power', meaning maybe not win the West but be a minor contender, which to me means a strong 8-4 to a 10-2 type team. I don't see it.

They lost:
- Softie
- Little Nkemdashian
- Paidwell
- Big Nkemdashian
- Johnson
- Cooper
- Core
- Morris
- Bell
- Ward
- Brown
- Elston
- Still

They literally lost ALL STARTING FIVE of their opening day offensive linemen. Now, I'll give them that by the end of the year only 2 of them were starting. But that is a hell of a depth hit. What happens by the time the Egg Bowl rolls around if they take that many losses again?

[HoopsDawg]

They have the best returning QB in the SEC and they are loaded at WR. They also signed the #1 Tackle in the country (I'm sure that was legit)

Don't think they will compete for the West, but 8-4 is a reasonable prediction. Could be their last good season after the NCAA hammer comes down and players are allowed a free transfer.

[Johnson85]

Don't think they will compete for the West, but 8-4 is a reasonable prediction.
I think 8 wins is probably a little high but certainly not crazy. SECW is just unknown right now. Everybody but Bama and I think LSU have huge question marks. I could see UM anywhere from 3rd in the West to last in the West.

[RougeDawg]

They have the best returning QB in the SEC and they are loaded at WR. They also signed the #1 Tackle in the country (I'm sure that was legit)

Don't think they will compete for the West, but 8-4 is a reasonable prediction. Could be their last good season after the NCAA hammer comes down and players are allowed a free transfer.

We had more retiring last year and one of the Best QB's statistically in SEC history returning and were picked dead last in the west. They lost basically every play maker except MGK, yet are still highly touted. Makes no sense just like every other year and these asshats who write these stories need to be ridiculed.

[confucius say]

8-4.
Maybe 9-3 if uga sucks again.

This is assuming the whole program doesn't implode when the sanctions become evident to all the players.

[TrapGame]

Either the team will rally around Father Freeze and have a really good 10-2 season or the rats jump the flag ship (every man for himself) and they go a very lackluster 8-4.

[HoopsDawg]

We had more retiring last year and one of the Best QB's statistically in SEC history returning and were picked dead last in the west. They lost basically every play maker except MGK, yet are still highly touted. Makes no sense just like every other year and these asshats who write these stories need to be ridiculed.

I just haven't seen these stories this year. And people in the media can't help but look at recruiting rankings. They have been recruiting at a high level for 4 years now.

[Taog Redloh]

I think 8 wins is probably a little high but certainly not crazy. SECW is just unknown right now. Everybody but Bama and I think LSU have huge question marks. I could see UM anywhere from 3rd in the West to last in the West.

Well that's just it....Bama and LSU are gonna be like 2011....almost exactly. Bama with a new QB and LSU with a dumb one....but loaded everywhere else. They will be 1-2 regardless. No one else is close right now, especially Ole Miss.

[Taog Redloh]

Loaded? They lost 2 major playmakers, and 3rd guy in Moore. I don't consider Stringfellow, Adebayo and Pack as loaded. I mean that's like saying we are loaded because we return Ross, Myles and Gray. Anybody can see that Bear/Paidwell opened the offense for everyone else.

[Reason2succeed]

Either the team will rally around Father Freeze and have a really good 10-2 season or the rats jump the flag ship (every man for himself) and they go a very lackluster 8-4.

Father Freeze may not make it to the season though. Are you saying they rally around his memory?

[TrapGame]

Father Freeze may not make it to the season though. Are you saying they rally around his memory?

Good point. If Freeze is fired this team might go 6-6.

[HoopsDawg]

Loaded? They lost 2 major playmakers, and 3rd guy in Moore. I don't consider Stringfellow, Adebayo and Pack as loaded. I mean that's like saying we are loaded because we return Ross, Myles and Gray. Anybody can see that Bear/Paidwell opened the offense for everyone else.

They have 4 other 5 star players on their roster. You can take shots at Ole Miss, but not at the receiver position.

[Boodawg]

They are and always have been a perennial power house.*** At least in their minds.

[TUSK]

Ole Miss's '16 slate is BRUTAL......

With all the new faces, 2-2 over the first 4 games wouldn't be too shabby...

here's the schedule:
2016 Ole Miss Football Schedule
Sept. 5 (Mon.) Florida State (Orlando) - Dog
Sept. 10 WOFFORD - Heavy Fav
Sept. 17 ALABAMA - Heavy Dog
Sept. 24 GEORGIA - Slight Dog
Oct. 1 MEMPHIS - Fav
Oct. 8 Open date
Oct. 15 at Arkansas - Dog
Oct. 22 at LSU - Heavy Dog
Oct. 29 AUBURN - Slight Fav
Nov. 5 GEORGIA SOUTHERN - Heavy Fav
Nov. 12 at Texas A&M - Dog
Nov. 19 at Vanderbilt - Fav
Nov. 26 MISSISSIPPI STATE - Slight Fav

8 or 9 regular season wins would be a great season with that schedule, IMO...

[Taog Redloh]

They have 4 other 5 star players on their roster. You can take shots at Ole Miss, but not at the receiver position.

Looks like you're right. Haven't kept up with crootin too much lately but that Lodge, Jefferson and now AJ look ominous. I'm sure they were all crooted cleanly. Guys from Dallas, Nashville and Starkville, with offers from everyone, all always beating down Ole Miss' door.

[War Machine Dawg]

I've got them at 5-7, 6-6 looking at that schedule. Worst case is 3-9. They could easily start 1-6, 1-7.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

They have been recruiting at a high level for 4 years now.

I think this is where the confusion lies. They've had 2 really good classes & then 2 good classes. They did really well in 2013 & 2016. They did good in 2014 & 15 but nothing great in SEC standards.

These are rankings based on 247 Composite

YEAR NATL RK SEC RK
2016 6 3
2015 17 7
2014 15 8
2013 8 4

So they have good talent on the roster some positions very good but overall they don't have this elite talent I hear some talk about. They have slightly above average talent using SEC talent standards.

[AlmostPositive]

Losses to Florida State, Alabama and LSU are almost a given with plenty of other toss-up games.

They may only half to vacate a half dozen games this year.

(Factor in a certain amount of distraction among the coaching staff.)

[JoseBrown]

They have the best returning QB in the SEC and they are loaded at WR. They also signed the #1 Tackle in the country (I'm sure that was legit).

I thought it takes high school o lineman 3 years in a system to make a difference.****

[GTHOM]

They could beat Florida State I think any team in the west could on a neutral field. Saying that I think the stench from all this cheating is gonna take a heavy toll on the season. Any OM fan that says it wont is just in denial. Anybody remember The U when they were wondering what was coming to them? Struggled to get 6-6 in the ACC. USC struggled during and after their investigation as well.

[HoopsDawg]

I think this is where the confusion lies. They've had 2 really good classes & then 2 good classes. They did really well in 2013 & 2016. They did good in 2014 & 15 but nothing great in SEC standards.

These are rankings based on 247 Composite

YEAR NATL RK SEC RK
2016 6 3
2015 17 7
2014 15 8
2013 8 4

So they have good talent on the roster some positions very good but overall they don't have this elite talent I hear some talk about. They have slightly above average talent using SEC talent standards.

When your last 4 classes average out at 11th in the country, I call that high level recruiting. Certainly good enough to be 8-4.

[Taog Redloh]

Agreed, they are about to feel the effects of that. Their current crootin class already is. I don't see this playing out like Cam when they rallied under the scrutiny, I mean that was midseason and they were already rolling. Ole Miss doesn't have a core of leadership on this team.....that group just graduated. Believe it or not, that 2011 class is really what made Hugh Freeze, not the moneyball 2013. Swag Kelly is not a leader, neither was Bo Wallace. Big Nkemdashian, Johnson and Elston and them were, as much as I don't like admitting it.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

When your last 4 classes average out at 11th in the country, I call that high level recruiting. Certainly good enough to be 8-4.

Oh I agree & it would be in any other conference. In the SEC that's good for 5th best recruiting wise. It's definitely good enough for 8-4 but I've seen them mentioned a lot in the top 10 for 2017 & that's more where I was coming from.

[Maroons]

They could beat Florida State I think any team in the west could on a neutral field. Saying that I think the stench from all this cheating is gonna take a heavy toll on the season. Any OM fan that says it wont is just in denial. Anybody remember The U when they were wondering what was coming to them? Struggled to get 6-6 in the ACC. USC struggled during and after their investigation as well.

This all day. There's no way they will be able to handle the pressure of the investigation and looming penalties. They will fold if there's any adversity on the field in addition to everything else.

[lastmajordog]

I just think Georgia, Fla State, Aub are all winnable. Bama is early on. Due to beat Ark and LSU seems to melt in their "rival" game. Hugh seems to own Dan with one fumble exception. I just don't see them being that bad. Plus they seem to do better against the wall, it's when that Bearshark gets the BIG HEAD they can't handle it seems through history. They still have talent and until someone gets a handle on this quick throw offense, and if their defense is decent.....still think they will win several games. I think Dan and the Preacher will either prove or disprove their coaching credentials. JMHO

[mic]

I think this is where the confusion lies. They've had 2 really good classes & then 2 good classes. They did really well in 2013 & 2016. They did good in 2014 & 15 but nothing great in SEC standards.

These are rankings based on 247 Composite

YEAR NATL RK SEC RK
2016 6 3
2015 17 7
2014 15 8
2013 8 4

So they have good talent on the roster some positions very good but overall they don't have this elite talent I hear some talk about. They have slightly above average talent using SEC talent standards.

And that 2013 class was very top heavy and with bunch of high star guys that aren't there anymore.. They will play a bunch of young guys..
Schedule is brutal
They better not lose to UGA, if so they are staring 7-5 / 6-6 in the face....

[BulldogBear]

They are not a fan base, alumni base, sidewalk folks base, nor anything of that nature that handles adversity well. And that is reflected in the people they recruit. It'll be wreckers or checkers. If they are anywhere near .500 after they've played Bama and FSU, they will finish .500.

[Mjoelner34]

Why would anyone think Ole Miss football is going to be a power next year?

Because they may be in the Sun Belt by the time the NCAA is finished with them. They'd be upper tier there.

[Johnson85]

When your last 4 classes average out at 11th in the country, I call that high level recruiting. Certainly good enough to be 8-4.

It's good enough to be better than 8-4, but 2013 is basically conner and ingram now. So it's basically a really good true freshman class and a solid true sophomore and true junior class, with very little left of 4th and 5th year players (again, other than Conner and Ingram).

But if FSU is down and UGA struggles with a new coach, they could really pick up some momentum. If They lose to both early and lose to Bama, they could crack and do pretty poorly.

[blacklistedbully]

Ole Miss's '16 slate is BRUTAL......

With all the new faces, 2-2 over the first 4 games wouldn't be too shabby...

here's the schedule:
2016 Ole Miss Football Schedule
Sept. 5 (Mon.) Florida State (Orlando) - Dog
Sept. 10 WOFFORD - Heavy Fav
Sept. 17 ALABAMA - Heavy Dog
Sept. 24 GEORGIA - Slight Dog
Oct. 1 MEMPHIS - Fav
Oct. 8 Open date
Oct. 15 at Arkansas - Dog
Oct. 22 at LSU - Heavy Dog
Oct. 29 AUBURN - Slight Fav
Nov. 5 GEORGIA SOUTHERN - Heavy Fav
Nov. 12 at Texas A&M - Dog
Nov. 19 at Vanderbilt - Fav
Nov. 26 MISSISSIPPI STATE - Slight Fav

8 or 9 regular season wins would be a great season with that schedule, IMO...

UNM is going to enter the Egg Bowl at somewhere between 7-4 & 4-7. Any talk of them competing for the SEC West, much less a NC is complete & utter BS.

And we are going to beat them at Oxford this year. By the time the Egg Bowl rolls around, our QB position is going to be just fine. We just need the O-line to play decently.

So, the University of North Mississippi is going to finish somewhere between 7-5 & 4-8.

A note to all you UNM trolls and lurkers....before you run off to Rivals/Spirit/Nafoom, etc to quote me, along with the usual, "Did you see what this SPED's nutjob posted",.....click an ad before you go.