Ole Miss News.....

[ShotgunDawg]

I have no idea if this is true, but it's pretty funny that a major account tweeted this out

https://twitter.com/SportsbyBrooks/status/1281860899360444417

https://twitter.com/SportsbyBrooks/status/1281860899360444417

[ShotgunDawg]

https://twitter.com/SportsbyBrooks/status/1281953406698033152

https://twitter.com/SportsbyBrooks/status/1281953406698033152

[ShotgunDawg]

Why aren't tweets embedding?

[basedog]

I'd say false statement. I'd bet Vandy would rank last.

[TUSK]

It's not true.

Pre 1967

Alabama (8th nationally)
Tennessee (11)
LSU (21)
Vandy (31)
UGA (36)
Mississippi (48)
Aubie (52)
Florida (65)
Kentucky (67)
MSU (85)

[Todd4State]

There is no question that their profile has dropped dramatically in the past 50 years. I think it has to do with several factors.

1. Johnny Vaught was their best coach in school history and was legitimately elite. They haven't found anyone close since he resigned.

2. Mississippi State hiring Bob Tyler. He was the first MSU coach to have high level success other than just a one off year like 1963 since Shira. He basically helped level the playing field. If Ole Miss hires Bob Tyler instead of Kinard we may be Iowa State right now.

3. Integration had a major impact without question. The majority of SEC football players are African American and Ole Miss has used symbols that are offensive to them for years.

4. I think Alabama and Ole Miss at one time in the late 1960's had a chance to separate themselves from the pack in the south as the team of the south. Alabama and Bear Bryant did most things better than Vaught and Ole Miss. Bryant encouraged integration. He played a more difficult regional type schedule playing people like Clemson, USC, Notre Dame, and etc. whereas Ole Miss continued to mostly play people like Chattanooga. While this resulted in Bama having a couple of down years in the late 60's and very early 70's it paid off for them in the long run. I think the fact that Bear Bryant was still in his prime and Vaught was having health issues also contributed somewhat as well.

[msbulldog]

There is no question that their profile has dropped dramatically in the past 50 years. I think it has to do with several factors.

1. Johnny Vaught was their best coach in school history and was legitimately elite. They haven't found anyone close since he resigned.

2. Mississippi State hiring Bob Tyler. He was the first MSU coach to have high level success other than just a one off year like 1963 since Shira. He basically helped level the playing field. If Ole Miss hires Bob Tyler instead of Kinard we may be Iowa State right now.

3. Integration had a major impact without question. The majority of SEC football players are African American and Ole Miss has used symbols that are offensive to them for years.

4. I think Alabama and Ole Miss at one time in the late 1960's had a chance to separate themselves from the pack in the south as the team of the south. Alabama and Bear Bryant did most things better than Vaught and Ole Miss. Bryant encouraged integration. He played a more difficult regional type schedule playing people like Clemson, USC, Notre Dame, and etc. whereas Ole Miss continued to mostly play people like Chattanooga. While this resulted in Bama having a couple of down years in the late 60's and very early 70's it paid off for them in the long run. I think the fact that Bear Bryant was still in his prime and Vaught was having health issues also contributed somewhat as well.

Another thing both Bear and Vaught did was recruit all the best players. These were the days before scholarship limits, Vaught would recruit guys just to keep us from getting them. Hell we probably could have got Archie if Vaught hadn't made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Our All-American safety Stan Black (God rest his soul) once told me that on his recruiting trip to Alabama, that he was invited into the Bears office. He said when he walked in there he saw the biggest desk he'd ever seen, with the Bear sitting behind it. Stan said the top of this big desk was covered in stacks of $20 dollar bills. Stan said the Bear told him to take as much as he wanted if he would sign with Alabama. This is the truth told to me by Stan Black sitting at the bar in Scrooges in Jackson in 1983.

[msbulldog]

Also Vaught and the bear had an agreement not to play each other. Back then the coaches made the schedules. That's why Mississippi has so few games against Alabama. compared to us versus Alabama.

[Mobile Bay]

3. Integration had a major impact without question. The majority of SEC football players are African American and Ole Miss has used symbols that are offensive to them for years.

I am friends with a friend of Trent Richardson. He flat out told my friend that he didn't even respond to Ole Miss when they reached out to him because of the racism there.

[Mobile Bay]

Also Vaught and the bear had an agreement not to play each other. Back then the coaches made the schedules. That's why Mississippi has so few games against Alabama. compared to us versus Alabama.

To be fair they sure loved to play us. Either a cheap bus ride or an easy home game, most years a win. Which is why LSU just last year tied us for the most wins at Bryant Denny stadium of any school not named Alabama. The Iron Bowl in Birmingham helped I am sure.

[Todd4State]

Another thing both Bear and Vaught did was recruit all the best players. These were the days before scholarship limits, Vaught would recruit guys just to keep us from getting them. Hell we probably could have got Archie if Vaught hadn't made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Our All-American safety Stan Black (God rest his soul) once told me that on his recruiting trip to Alabama, that he was invited into the Bears office. He said when he walked in there he saw the biggest desk he'd ever seen, with the Bear sitting behind it. Stan said the top of this big desk was covered in stacks of $20 dollar bills. Stan said the Bear told him to take as much as he wanted if he would sign with Alabama. This is the truth told to me by Stan Black sitting at the bar in Scrooges in Jackson in 1983.

Very good point about the scholarship limits and roster limits. That has helped MSU tremendously over the years since whenever that started. It basically prevents people like Alabama from hoarding players and it makes their margin of error a little bit more. Personally I think the transfer portal will help too because the guys like Scott Lashley that get enamored with the rings now have an opportunity to go back to MSU and play.


I am friends with a friend of Trent Richardson. He flat out told my friend that he didn't even respond to Ole Miss when they reached out to him because of the racism there.

There is no telling how many times that has happened over the years. And I think it's a reason why their model has to almost involve paying players to go there.


To be fair they sure loved to play us. Either a cheap bus ride or an easy home game, most years a win. Which is why LSU just last year tied us for the most wins at Bryant Denny stadium of any school not named Alabama. The Iron Bowl in Birmingham helped I am sure.

MSU AD back in the day was not very football savvy at all. Playing Alabama, LSU, Auburn, and then Ole Miss all in a row and probably almost all on the road back to back games would be brutal even today. Byrne was probably the best we had at getting us on the right track.