Is OM Headed For a Disaster of Football Season?

[ShotgunDawg]

Throw the NCAA investigation out the window for a moment.

Is OM headed for a disaster of a season this year?

Most of the media is saying that they still have talent on the roster & will be solid this year, but I'm not sure I see it. Their favorable schedule may be their biggest ally.

Consider this:

- No coach on their entire staff has ever been so much as a coordinator in the SEC. Luke & McGriff are position coaches & Longo was at Sam Houston State.

- They already had possibly the worst defense in the SEC before last night, a new DC that has never been a coordinator, & now will be without two starters on that defense for at least few games.

- They no longer have Hugh Freeze calling & designing plays. His offense may have been gimmicky, but it's hard to deny that Freeze knew how to score points.

- Due to their lack of defense & HUNH offense, will OM have to completely alter the way they play offense in order to save their defense? Can you hold up when every game is 45-43? How does their offense execute when they are down 2 scores all the time?

- They can't run the ball.

- Then with all that, you have a roster that knows they can't go bowling & may in their heart be wondering if they should transfer.

SEC football is already hard enough when you have everything lined up, a great, experienced staff, & players that are fully committed to the situation.

How does OM put it all together this year?

I'll say this, if Matt Luke goes to a bowl this year, IMO it will be one of the most impressive coaching jobs in the country.

[starkvegasdawg]

Matt Luke won't go to a bowl this year.

[ShotgunDawg]

Matt Luke won't go to a bowl this year.

Sorry, if he wins 6 games. Forgot about the bowl ban

[I_Spy]

I thought Matt Luke has been their co-offensive coordinator for the past 7 years. I'm sure he has been prepped before now. He's been on the staff for awhile and comes off arrogant too. But ...I don't think they will be that great.

[TrapGame]

They go from basketball on grass to diarrhea on grass.

Luke has zero head coaching experience. His new OL coach has 8 yrs of head coaching under his belt (at LaTech).

They win four games tops. And I'm not so sure they beat S. Alabama. That could wind up like our game last yr.

[Saltydog]

Freeze said they were going to play 12 of them, right?

[PassInterference]

Looks like a disaster on paper. When the on-paper part comes true and you throw in some give-up attitude like we saw in the Egg Bowl, you're looking at 2-10 type stuff.

[starkvegasdawg]

My biggest question is the mindset of the team. They already know the NCAA is going to sodomize them unmercifully. They just had two starters arrested. If things start out badly and fan support drops, do they just pack it in? Do any with NFL futures play not to get hurt since they have nothing to play for in college?

[ShotgunDawg]

I'm sure most OM fans would tell you they will win 7-8 this year, but I always think about Occam's Razor is these situations.

Think about all the variables that will have to right for them to win 8-9 games.

Coaches, defense, investigation, etc.... the odds of everything going right are tremendously low

[JDog13]

They no longer have Hugh Freeze calling & designing plays. His offense may have been gimmicky, but it's hard to deny that Freeze knew how to score points.

Werner. Werner knew how to score points. Freeze was that kid on madden that runs all Hail Marys and never punts.

[Indndawg]

My biggest question is the mindset of the team. They already know the NCAA is going to sodomize them unmercifully. They just had two starters arrested. If things start out badly and fan support drops, do they just pack it in? Do any with NFL futures play not to get hurt since they have nothing to play for in college?

A few key injuries, and couple more arrests, and mentally they start mailing it in at practice and it carries over to games.

Shay Bae is gonna throw for some yards but also some picks, bc defenses are gonna play the passing game tight and forget the run.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

I say OM would have won 6 maybe 7 games even if Freeze didnt go anywhere. Their offense is good but their defense will be terrible. With Matt Luke I don't see them winning more that 5 games.

[I_Spy]

Freeze knew how to score points because any offense you watch it's the same - but ark and state and even Kentucky maybe can score points, freeze just was faster paced, so it appeared more exciting. With that offense you either hit or miss, no adjustment - no free will or whatever I mean - just scripted

And when OM missed they missed and why they would lose
Not a great adjustment coach

[msstate7]

Remember when Arkansas lost Petrino unexpectedly? I expect a similar type season and Arkansas was a better team. John L Smith actually had HC experience too

[Reason2succeed]

S. Alabama W...passion to prove doubters wrong
Tn Martin W....more talent
at Cal L....but if they can keep from stealing alarm clocks in the hotel they have a chance
at BAMA LOL...decimation
at Auburn L....being on the road has killed them
at VANDY L...Derek Mason is already licking his chops
LSU L....Revenge of the Ogre. O wants some Nutt action
Ark L...morale is totally gone by now
at Kentucky L... total give up and looking to transfer
ULaLa L...Hud is auditioning for the gig or something comparable
ATM L....both may be without their coaches but ATM will be better under Chavis and Noel Mazzone
at THEIR DADDY L....OM will bring everything they have left but it won't be enough to overcome SA39 and the good guys

[I_Spy]

Or the best I've ever seen Freeze do was beat us with Walton, only surprise by Freeze - not sure if planned or only because Wallace got hurt and couldn't run ...hmm

Biggest surprise with freeze and state too

[Pollodawg]

Remember when Arkansas lost Petrino unexpectedly? I expect a similar type season and Arkansas was a better team. John L Smith actually had HC experience too

This. 3-9 or 2-10 type season.

[louisvilledawg]

Throw the NCAA investigation out the window for a moment.

Is OM headed for a disaster of a season this year?

Most of the media is saying that they still have talent on the roster & will be solid this year, but I'm not sure I see it. Their favorable schedule may be their biggest ally.

Consider this:

- No coach on their entire staff has ever been so much as a coordinator in the SEC. Luke & McGriff are position coaches & Longo was at Sam Houston State.

- They already had possibly the worst defense in the SEC before last night, a new DC that has never been a coordinator, & now will be without two starters on that defense for at least few games.

- They no longer have Hugh Freeze calling & designing plays. His offense may have been gimmicky, but it's hard to deny that Freeze knew how to score .

- Due to their lack of defense & HUNH offense, will OM have to completely alter the way they play offense in order to save their defense? Can you hold up when every game is 45-43? How does their offense execute when they are down 2 scores all the time?

- They can't run the ball.

- Then with all that, you have a roster that knows they can't go bowling & may in their heart be wondering if they should transfer.

SEC football is already hard enough when you have everything lined up, a great, experienced staff, & players that are fully committed to the situation.

How does OM put it all together this year?

I'll say this, if Matt Luke goes to a bowl this year, IMO it will be one of the most impressive coaching jobs in the country.

FIFY

[preachermatt83]

I think they go 5-7 or 6-6. Cal sucks.

[msstate7]

FIFY

Yep, he punched all the right numbers

[GreenheadDawg]

I think they go 5-7 or 6-6. Cal sucks.

I would put a lot of money on them not winning 6 games this year.

[RougeDawg]

Freeze knew how to score points because any offense you watch it's the same - but ark and state and even Kentucky maybe can score points, freeze just was faster paced, so it appeared more exciting. With that offense you either hit or miss, no adjustment - no free will or whatever I mean - just scripted

And when OM missed they missed and why they would lose
Not a great adjustment coach

Buckys offense needed NFL ready talent signees in the receiving corp. his offense was basically bubble screens and heave ho Hail Marys. Either bubble screen to throw it down field "up for grabs" and have your guy go catch it. Put Bucky with our receivers and he wouldn't average 24 a game. Why do you think his NFL ready talent didn't know how to run NFL routes, or get any better in 3 years at OM? Take away TheNetwork under Bucky and his offense is nothing, period.

[SailingDawg]

I wonder what attendance will be at home games?

[Dolphus Raymond]

With so much talent on offense, my instinct tells me no less than 6-6. (For the record, last year I predicted they would finish 9-3 so what the hell do I know?) Then, I think about the disastrous season Arkansas had after Petrino was fired l, which forces me to re-think things. If Luke can coach them to 6-6, he has earned the HC job. The wheels fall off late and they finish 5-7.

[parabrave]

They go from basketball on grass to diarrhea on grass.

Luke has zero head coaching experience. His new OL coach has 8 yrs of head coaching under his belt (at LaTech).

They win four games tops. And I'm not so sure they beat S. Alabama. That could wind up like our game last yr.

Plus about 70 percent of their fanbase think he will be a terrible coach. Heck they wanted him gone last year.

[I_Spy]

I'm not worried about the Rebels this year if they play../
Because Jeff and Leo made dents in Shay Shay and OM actually made our corners shine last year.

Lsu bama ark I think about. I think all those will beat revs including us.

[Bully13]

My biggest question is the mindset of the team. They already know the NCAA is going to sodomize them unmercifully. They just had two starters arrested. If things start out badly and fan support drops, do they just pack it in? Do any with NFL futures play not to get hurt since they have nothing to play for in college?

this. I've never seen a team take such a 180 as what ole miss did last year. even though they lost to bamer and FSU early on, they had those teams on the ropes. something happened. going from where they were in the beginning of the season to finishing out getting their asses totally kicked by Vandy and MSU shows nothing but a total mental collapse on the coaches and players. there is no reason to believe that attitude doesn't carry over and probably be even worse.

they've been dead team walking for a while.

[TrapGame]

I wonder what attendance will be at home games?

In the stadium or in the grove?

[Dolphus Raymond]

Now, if Shea Patterson were to decide to depart, I'll go 2-10.

[deltadawg99]

They've got talent, but this the first time in a long time that everybody hasn't been telling the players and coaches how great they are.

I think they'll come out most games very fired up and play well, but rollover and quit as soon as they get down or have some bad breaks.

[FISHDAWG]

was Matt Luke named in the NOA ?

[PassInterference]

was Matt Luke named in the NOA ?

Mentioned, yes.

[TheDawgBiscuit]

Honestly they have a lot of talent and a QB with enough swagger and confidence. They could win a lot of games on talent. It will all depend on their mental state.

Theirs class two years ago was very good and their QB and WR core is strong.

[Johnson85]

- They no longer have Hugh Freeze calling & designing plays. His offense may have been gimmicky, but it's hard to deny that Freeze knew how to score points.


I don't think Freeze being gone kills their offense. It's not like Freeze was some master playcaller. He had a system that relies on the QB to make quick decisions and for playmakers on the outside to take advantage of matchups. He was pretty good at coaching that system, but most of the players they will be relying on will already have at least a year or more of Freeze coaching them on that system. They may even get a little better since they have upgraded their OL coach and maybe having a more traditional playcalling OC (even if from a lower level) implementing Freeze's system will result in an improvement.

[Jack Lambert]

No way he keeps that team focus and once they go below 500 they will just quit.

[Jack Lambert]

They go from basketball on grass to diarrhea on grass.

Luke has zero head coaching experience. His new OL coach has 8 yrs of head coaching under his belt (at LaTech).

They win four games tops. And I'm not so sure they beat S. Alabama. That could wind up like our game last yr.

I don't think they lose to s alabama but they will put the fear in ole miss fan base. Ole Miss is going to have to score a lot of points.

[TrapGame]

I don't think they lose to s alabama but they will put the fear in ole miss fan base. Ole Miss is going to have to score a lot of points.

That's what I'm thinking too. I heard last week on Jay White's show that S. Alabama returns most of their team from last year. That back they had last year was pretty decent and om's run defense is like running through a wet napkin.

[PMDawg]

Freeze knew how to score points because any offense you watch it's the same - but ark and state and even Kentucky maybe can score points, freeze just was faster paced, so it appeared more exciting. With that offense you either hit or miss, no adjustment - no free will or whatever I mean - just scripted

And when OM missed they missed and why they would lose
Not a great adjustment coach

I feel like I smell bear...

[War Machine Dawg]

A few key injuries, and couple more arrests, and mentally they start mailing it in at practice and it carries over to games.

Shay Bae is gonna throw for some yards but also some picks, bc defenses are gonna play the passing game tight and forget the run.

The way Patty runs around, he won't play all 12 games with his build unless he really is the second coming of Johnny Manziel. A few clean licks each week will add up in a hurry. He's not built to absorb shots like Dak, Tebow, Cam, Fitz, etc.

[Turfdawg67]

S. Alabama W...passion to prove doubters wrong
Tn Martin W....more talent
at Cal L....but if they can keep from stealing alarm clocks in the hotel they have a chance
at BAMA LOL...decimation
at Auburn L....being on the road has killed them
at VANDY L...Derek Mason is already licking his chops
LSU L....Revenge of the Ogre. O wants some Nutt action
Ark L...morale is totally gone by now
at Kentucky L... total give up and looking to transfer
ULaLa L...Hud is auditioning for the gig or something comparable
ATM L....both may be without their coaches but ATM will be better under Chavis and Noel Mazzone
at THEIR DADDY L....OM will bring everything they have left but it won't be enough to overcome SA39 and the good guys

I was going to type the exact same thing... maybe not all the same comments, but the results!

The wheels will fall off after a 2-0 start.

[Leroy Jenkins]

If they lose to South AL, due to distractions, no defense, or whatever other reason, the season is going to tailspin quickly.

[Randolph Dupree]

Two wins is the ceiling here. After the first loss, especially if they struggle in their first two games, these guys will quit. Remember, they're still playing with hired guns and there's no (relevant) head coaching experience on the staff. Things will go south quickly if things get tough.

[Bubb Rubb]

The only thing I can say for sure about Ole Miss is that The Season is going to be appointment television every week. And Yellum's tears are gonna be delicious.

[Mimi's Babies]

S. Alabama W...passion to prove doubters wrong
Tn Martin W....more talent
at Cal L....but if they can keep from stealing alarm clocks in the hotel they have a chance
at BAMA LOL...decimation
at Auburn L....being on the road has killed them
at VANDY L...Derek Mason is already licking his chops
LSU L....Revenge of the Ogre. O wants some Nutt action
Ark L...morale is totally gone by now
at Kentucky L... total give up and looking to transfer
ULaLa L...Hud is auditioning for the gig or something comparable
ATM L....both may be without their coaches but ATM will be better under Chavis and Noel Mazzone
at THEIR DADDY L....OM will bring everything they have left but it won't be enough to overcome SA39 and the good guys

WILL OM have any coaches LEFT after the COI to coach the Egg Bowl????? js