Week Two College Football

Southern Miss

Well, USM lost to Texas State.  I know so little about Texas State that I had to look up their mascot.  They are the Texas State Bobcats.  This is a bad loss when you start looking at the chance of post season play for USM.  There were some positives from this game.  USM dominated Texas State in total yards.  USM had almost double the yards, but the Golden Eagles had SIX turnovers.  No one wins with six turnovers.   USM still had the lead late in the game with six turnovers.

Bright spot from this game was that USM may have found a quarterback in Allan Bridgford.  Bridgford threw for 377 yards.  Bridgford piled up a lot of the yards on some long pass plays late in the game.  Monken finding a quarterback to run his system could be promising for USM as they head into conference play.

USM enters this week with a 13 game losing streak.  That is the longest active losing streak in FBS.  That streak won’t end in September either.  USM goes on the road to play Nebraska, Arkansas, and Boise State.  USM will probably be a 3+ touchdown underdog in all of those games.  Those losses will extend the losing streak to 16 games.  I hope they can get a few wins in conference play.

Ole Miss

I want to first say what an awesome football game!  I thought each team had this game won at least 2 different times.  The ending was spectacular, but really the entire game was great.  I was really excited about football season and this game did not let me down.  The ending to this game got me so wound up that it took me a couple of hours to go to sleep after it ended.  It was worth it though.  I'm happy to see a MS team come out on the good side of a game like that.  Teams from MS normally end up on the bad end of a game like that.  That game was what ESPN calls an Instant Classic.

Ole Miss beat a very good Vanderbilt football team without playing their best game.  The Rebels made a lot of mistakes on both sides of the ball.  The really scary part is that the offense scored 39 points in a performance that I think was a C+ or B- effort.  Bo Wallace was really rusty early, but as he started to settle down he made his presence known.  With the number of weapons they have on offense and the style of offense they are running, I don’t see anyone keeping this team from scoring less than 30 points.  This sky is the limit for the offensive unit. 

The defense made some huge plays early in the game, but as Vanderbilt started to settle down they really took advantage of this group.  I really do think this side of the ball has great potential, but at this point they just need to try to hold people down.  The offense will win the games for the defense.  The defense needs to be a bend but not break unit early in the season.   

Everyone reading this knows about the injuries suffered in this game, so I will leave the subject alone.  I never wish injuries on any players or teams.   

Ole Miss plays SE Missouri State this week.  It will be a blood bath.  Ole Miss will call off the dogs in the second half after they score in the 50s.  The Rebels have a big game next week as they travel to Austin, TX.  The game against the Longhorns may look more like a track meet than a football game.  The O/U for that game will probably be in the 70s.

Mississippi State

A thought that really ran through my head Saturday when watching MSU play was how long until baseball season starts again.  I love football and wish I could say I was joking about that comment.  Disappointing is really an understatement when talking about the offensive side of the ball for Mississippi State on Saturday.  When I think back over the last 3 games I have no clue what the identity of Mississippi State’s offense is.  Over the last three games the offensive side of the ball has done nothing that was even average.  Dan Mullen is an offensive coach, but the offense he is putting on the field right now really is not good.  They are not even average.

Dak Prescott starting at quarterback this week will mix things up a little.  I see Dak doing a good job at quarterback because the offense that Mullen runs is designed for a running quarterback.  Tyler Russell should be playing in a pro-style offense not the offense Mullen runs.  If Dak plays like I think he will Dan Mullen will have a really tough choice at quarterback for the Auburn game.

The defensive unit played a great game considering the lack of help from the offense.  No one else will hold Oklahoma State under 30 points this year.  If the Bulldogs had done anything on offense the defense probably would have won this game for them.  The defensive side of the ball did as much as they could do.  I think Geoff Collins will make this group play really good in every game year.  Their success really does depend on the offense helping them.   

MS State should steam roll Alcorn St, but I expect this game to be close early.  The Bulldogs need to win this game by 5+ touchdowns.  If they don’t win by a large margin I will be really worried about them heading to the plains next Saturday.   The two goals for Alcorn State game are to get more efficient on offense and to keep players healthy.   

Overall

You want to know how good Las Vegas is at making lines.  In week 1 the favorite covered 38 games and the underdog covered 37.  They proved that they don’t need a warm up week in week 1.  They are already on their game.

People are exploding over Bama’s performance against Va Tech.  No, they didn’t play a perfect game, but they won and covered the spread.  The special teams play did significantly contribute to the win.  That is what you get when you have superior athletes 2 or 3 deep at every position.   The offensive line looked shaky, but it was the first game.  Saban will get them tuned in for next week.  Next week we are getting an early season heavy weight championship fight.  The winner of next week’s game is the front runner for the National Championship.

The most impressive individual performance from week 1 was from Jameis Winston of Florida State.  Winston is stepping into a similar spot that Manziel did in 2012.  He is playing behind an offensive line that has a ton of experience and talent.  The options are endless at the skilled positions.  Winston has stepped into the perfect storm.   

Week One Preview College Football Preview

I am going to keep this short because I spent a ton of time on the season preview.  Starting next week these will be longer.

Southern Miss

The Golden Eagles are taking on Texas State on Saturday.  Kick for this game is 6:00.  Vegas opened this line at -9 1/2.  Line currently sits at between 7 1/2 and 8 1/2 depending on which book you look at.  This will be Texas State's second year as an FBS school.  There will be some bad plays by USM, but in the end the Golden Eagles have more talent than Texas State.

Southern Miss 31 Texas State 27

Mississippi State

The Bulldogs take on Oklahoma State in Houston on Saturday afternoon.  The kick for this game is 2:30.  I am hesitantly optimistic for this game because I think this is a bad matchup for the Bulldogs.  Vegas has this game sitting at a 12 1/2 to 13 1/2 point spread.  The bulldogs defense has their work cut out for them stopping the high paced, high powered offense that Oklahoma State will be bringing to Houston. 

If the offense does not score in the 30's you can automatically mark down a loss.  The defense have a lot of good plays and series, but the Cowboys offense will score.  Keys to this game: 1. Score touchdowns not field goals. 2. Create negative plays for the Cowboys on offense. 3.  Get off the field on third down. 

I don't see the Bulldogs winning because in the end Ok State will just be too much

Oklahoma State 34-Ms State 27 (Field goal attempts instead of touchdowns will cause the Bulldogs to lose)

Ole Miss

Last but not least Ole Miss travels to Nashville to play Vandy TONIGHT.  Kick for this game is after 8 PM.  Football is back, and I am as excited as anyone about it.  Vegas originally opened this line with Vandy as a 1 1/2 point favor.  The line currently has Ole Miss at either a 3 or 3 1/2 point favorite.  

If you know anything about the Vandy/Ole Miss series you know the games are almost always a nail bitter.  One thing I anticipate to see tonight out of the Rebels is a shaky start, especially on offense because Bo Wallace has not practiced as much as most players.  They say he is ready to go, but I anticipate seeing signs of a little rusty early. 

Vandy is a really solid football team with a really good coaching staff.  The Commodores will be ready tonight.  They played this same game last year against South Carolina and BARELY lost.  This is going to be a nail bitter, but I feel like the Rebels pull it off late, maybe even with a game winning drive at the end.  The under has been bet hard, and I have to agree with it.  I think points are going to be hard to come by early in this game. Down 21 -17 in the 4th... Wallace throws a late touchdown pass to Moncrief.  I know that ending sounds good to Rebel fans.

Ole Miss 24  Vandy 21  

I hope all teams have a great season!

My bet of the week is LA Lafayette +11 against Arkansas.  I like what the Ragin Cajuns have going with Mark Hudspeth leading them.

  

University of Mississippi 2013 Football Preview

University of Mississippi

Ole Miss Rebels

 

 

First thing I want to hit on, and I want to hit on it hard.  Hugh Freeze should have been NCAA coach of the year in 2012.  There are countless different coach of the year awards.  Hugh Freeze did not receive a single one of them.  Freeze was mentioned in some circles, but he did not receive one award.  In my opinion you should not have to win 10 games to be coach of the year.  Just because Alabama goes undefeated does not mean Saban should be given coach of the year.  I could win 10 games at Bama with the talent they have on their roster.  Coach of the year should not be based on most wins.  It should be what coach improves his team the most.  There is no arguing what Freeze did in 2012. 

I really thought there was no way Ole Miss would ever get to 6 wins in 2012.  I thought that because I had no idea Bo Wallace would play like he did.  As the season went on Wallace turned out to be one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC.  He improved just the same as Tyler Russell fluttered for MSU.  The Rebels having 6 wins and a bowl victory in 2012 was incredible considering the number of question marks they had prior to the season.

My other two preview posts only had 2 paragraphs in this section, but I think Ole Miss needs 3 to touch on their recruiting class.  I am not trying to rain on their parade, but having a top 10 class does not guarantee you 10 wins the following year.  At most 3 or 4 of those players will have an impact on the 2013 season.  The key to making a top 10 class get you to 10 wins is 1) to get those guys in school 2)convince them they are not all world and that they must work 3)keep them on your team.   The real measure of a recruiting class is what they do their sophomore and junior year in college.  Some 5*’s drop off and some 2 and 3 *’s emerge as great players.  Almost half the players selected in the first round of the NFL draft this year were rated 3* or less out of high school.  Ole Miss fans know Patrick Willis very well.  He is one of the best linebackers in NFL.  Willis  was a 2* prospect out of high school.  Ole Miss achieved step one in getting elite players, but the rest of the process is just as hard. 

OFFENSE



I hit on this earlier by talking about Bo Wallace.  It is easy to say the quarterback is the most important player, but he really is the most important person on this team’s roster.  With him Ole Miss has a chance against every team they play.  Without him they win less than 6 games.  Ole Miss has Brunetti behind Wallace, but honestly the only people he scares are the Ole Miss faithful.  Keeping Wallace healthy should be the number one priority for Ole Miss. Bo Wallace possesses the “IT” factor that Tyler Russell has yet to show.     

First step to keeping the quarterback healthy is to have an offensive line that can protect him, and a running game that can take some pressure off of him.   It looks like the offensive line has the potential to be a strong point.  This group returns players with depth and talent.  Just like with MSU this group has 8 or 9 players that should see the field in 2013.  Good depth is needed in the SEC and that is good depth. 

Jeff Scott is back at running back, but this unit as whole really lacks experienced depth.   Scott is the perfect running back for the system Ole Miss runs.  This group needs to get some type of production from a second back.  It sounds crazy because Jeff Scott is a good running back, but overall this unit is the weakest unit on offense.  That is a good sign for the offense.

The group of wide receivers has major talent.  They are led by Donte Moncrief.  I have said from day one that I thought he would play on Sundays.  Moncrief is going to produce.  Sanders will miss the first part of the season with an injury.   Ole Miss must get some production out of all other wide receivers because Moncrief will have 2 guys on him at all times.  He will still produce even when double covered because he is that good, but his numbers will not reflect how good he really is.  Laquon Treadwell is slated to start for the Rebels.  He could be the X-Factor for this offense, especially when he gets on the field with Moncrief and Sanders at the same time. 

You have to really look for weaknesses in the offense heading into 2013.  Having to dig to find possible question marks is a good sign for a team.  This group will be able to score against every team they play.  If you look at the Wallace/Scott/Moncrief combination you will be hard pressed to find a better trio of QB/RB/WR in the country.  The offense ranked 52^nd last year scoring 30 points a game.  I expect this point total to get up around 35 a game this year.  That would put them as a Top 25 offense.  A top 25 offense in the SEC is a REALLY good offense.  

DEFENSE

The defensive unit for Ole Miss in 2012 was a solid group, but they have the most room for improvement going into 2013.  If you compared offense to defense its obvious that the defense has the most room for improvement.  This side of the ball returns 7 starters.  They also have some very talented young players that saw the field in crucial situations last year. 

The number one thing the defensive side of the ball is looking for in 2013 is the depth to allow them to finish.  This team barley missed victories against both A&M and LSU.   The reason they lost those games was simple.  They did not have the depth.  The players were exhausted late in games. 

The front four is probably the most exciting group of players on the Ole Miss roster, even more upside than the group of wide receivers.  This group could be scary good, especially with the addition of younger/bigger brother Nkemdiche.  MSU and Ole Miss have both done excellent jobs building a team on the defensive front.  The defensive line doesn’t get the glory that other positions get but in order to get 9 or 10 wins in the SEC you have to be dominating up front.  This group on defense really has no ceiling heading into 2013.  If everything comes together for the defensive line they could be the best defensive front in the SEC.  That is a strong comment considering you have Bama, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Etc.

The secondary is the biggest question mark of the whole team heading into 2013.  Just like with MSU a dominating defensive line will help this group.  Offenses torched the secondary last year, especially Georgia and Texas.  Almost every team threw for more than 200 yards against Ole Miss in 2012.  This team returns players that saw the field in 2012, but none of them really excelled.  If Ole Miss wants to get to the 10+ win area this will be the group that does it for them.

The defense will be much improved in 2013.  This side of the ball will have the depth to allow it to finish games.  They will have playmakers at every level that will make the big plays.  Ole Miss was ranked 55^th in scoring defense last year.  If all the stars align this group has the potential to be a top 10 defense.  If that happens then there is no telling where the Rebels end up this year.

SEASON PREDICTION

The expectations are high for Ole Miss this year within their athletic department and fan base.  The first thing you do to make a prediction for a team’s season is go through the schedule and give “automatic wins”.  I say “automatic” because nothing is that, but Ole Miss should be 10+ point favorites against these “automatic wins.”  The automatic wins on the schedule are SEMO, Idaho, and Troy.  Honestly Auburn and Missouri should be no real trouble for Ole Miss, so they are in this category.  With 5 wins checked you have to think Ole Miss fans feel confident they will go at least 2 and 1 against Vandy, Arkansas, and MSU. 

We now have Ole Miss with at least 7 wins.  I can’t sit here and predict which one of the next four teams Ole Miss will beat, but I think it happens.  The teams are Texas, Bama, A&M, and LSU.  Ole Miss always plays LSU tough, so you know that game is going to be a coin flip.  Texas, Bama, and A&M look like tough games, but Ole Miss is not a guarantee win for any of those 3 teams.

One of the biggest games of the year for Ole Miss is this Thursday against Vanderbilt.  Vanderbilt has been a thorn in the side of Rebel fans for an extended period of time now.  The brutal truth is that Vanderbilt is a rival of Ole Miss.  A win Thursday could propel this team to the best case scenario situation.

The schedule for the Rebels is really the opposite of MSU.  Early season struggles are not the end of the world.  The back end of the schedule is really easy for Ole Miss.  Keep your heads up if the Rebels struggle early because if the Rebels end September 2-2 the best case scenario really could come into play.

Best Case: 10-2

Worst Case: 5-7 (It would take something devastating for the Rebels to not go bowling in 2013)

My Predition: 9-3 ( I have a hard time picking Ole Miss to get to the 10 win point because games against Texas, Bama, A&M, and LSU are just games I can’t realistically pick Ole Miss in.  I think the Rebels will win all the games they are supposed to this year and have one upset.  9-3 and another trip to the Cotton Bowl is a damn good second season for Hugh Freeze. 

INTERESTING FACTS

Ole Miss has claimed national titles in 1959, 1960, and 1962.  This was prior to the current system.  Several teams claimed titles in those 3 years.  Either way if you can claim a title you must have been really good.

 First season of football for Ole Miss was in 1890.  The Rebels have gone 628-492-35.  That is a 56% winning percentage.

 Vaught-Hemingway Stadium was built in 1915.  Current capacity is 60,580.  Largest crowd ever was 62,663 against Alabama on October 10, 2009.  Stadium is named after legendary coach Johnny Vaught and Judge William Hemingway. 

Ole Miss has won 6 conference titles.  The most recent title was in 1963.

Ole Miss has had 11 consensus All-Americans. 

In 1904 Ole Miss defeated Union College 114-0.

Thank you to everyone for reading the blog.  Football season is here.  I wish every team the best of luck.      

 

 

 

 

 

 



Mississippi State Universty 2013 Football Preview

Mississippi State University Bulldogs





The uncertainty level is at an all-time high for me with Mississippi State heading into 2013.  Most years I know MSU is either going to suck, or they are going to be pretty good.  The Bulldogs second half against Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl, and their performance against Northwestern in the Gator Bowl made me sick.  Those six quarters of football were as bad as any six quarters under Dan Mullen, especially the effort Tyler Russell gave.  Honestly, the entire second half of the season was pretty bad.   The record backs that statement up.

 

The Bulldogs did lose some key players, but they lost key players at skilled positions.  I have always felt that you can fill skill position roles much easier than you can the guys up front.  I think Chad Bumphis was probably as big of a loss as any one single player.  In his 4 years at MSU he was a solid football player for Dan Mullen.   

 

OFFENSE

Almost every media outlet lists Tyler Russell as a key returning player.  The only thing he was key to at the end of the year was the key to losing games.  At times on the sideline he looked like he had no idea where he was at.  In the Gator Bowl he looked like he walked from the bar to the locker room for the game.  The effort the Bulldogs displayed in that game was bad.  Russell’s effort stood out above all others as the worst.  Watching him in that game gave me flashbacks of Mike Henig against LSU.  Henig made Craig Steltz look like a hall of famer, much like Russell made the Northwestern defense look like Alabama.

At times the guy has flashes of absolute brilliance moving the team up and down the field with pin point execution.   Tyler Russell has many positive attributes.  The first is his experience in the line of fire.  He has played a ton of SEC football.  He basically is a second coach on the field at this point.  He has the arm strength to make any throw.  Russell is not a running quarterback, but he is pretty agile at times.  With all that being said he has never once shown me that he has the “IT” factor.  The “IT’ factor means everything for a quarterback and until he shows me he has it he will be the Achilles heel to the offense. 

Skill position is something I really don’t worry about much.  The Bulldogs have a stable of running backs, and they have guys that can catch the ball.  There were some key losses at receiver but as I said earlier I think the skill position guys are the easiest to replace.   I think Malcolm Johnson is the key guy in the category of offensive skill players.  He is a matchup nightmare.  If he stays healthy he is a guy Russell will look for often.

The offensive line returning could be the best offensive line under Mullen.  This group has depth and experience.  A couple of injuries early would deplete the depth fast, but if this unit stays healthy it will be a strong point for this team.  The line is obviously anchored by pre-season all SEC/American selection Gabe Jackson.  He is one of the best offensive linemen in the country.  The guys around him all have experience and talent.  If the line was not so strong I would go ahead and throw MSU to the wolves, but I think this group has the ability to really carry this team in 2013. 

At this point I see no reason why the offense won’t be successful simply because they should have the ability to run the ball against every team they play.  Returning experience up front is critical for the success of an offense and this team has that.  Tyler Russell needs to start off against Oklahoma State good and gain back some confidence.  If Russell gains confidence the Bulldogs will have the opportunity to be a special unit on offense.  This group will be productive against inferior opponents, but I really can’t make a prediction for the offense  against good teams because Tyler Russell is harder to figure out than a game of Pai Gow Poker at the casino. 

 

DEFENSE

This may sound crazy to some with the loss of Banks and Slay, but this side of the ball really excites me.  A good defensive front will make any group of defensive backs look good.  An example I always go back to is the NY Giants.  Their defensive front dominated in their two Super Bowl wins making their linebackers and defensive backs look like All-Pro type guys.  There is experience, depth, talent, youth, etc. returning up front.  Mark it down.. there’s several guys on the Bulldogs front that will play on Sundays.  If the defensive front gets the production it should out of some young guys this unit could be a top 3 defensive line in the SEC.

The linebacker group returns depth.  It has playmakers across the board at linebacker, especially Bernardrick McKinney.    McKinney will become a household name in the SEC over the next 2 years.  This unit does lose leading tackler from last 2 years in Cam Lawrence.  Cam Lawrence was a really good football player, but the guys sitting there waiting to replace him have more upside.  The biggest loss with Cam Lawrence will be in the communication category.  He was the quarterback of the defensive unit the last 2 years.  I look to McKinney to take over this role. 

The back group is obviously a question mark.  Losing 2 guys that will start in the NFL is never a positive.  You don’t just replace guys like Banks and Slay with one guy.  You replace them with a core that becomes stronger.  MSU must get more pressure out of the front four.  Pressure out of the front four will put the secondary in positive situations.

If I was asked what are the 3 biggest keys for the defensive unit in 2013.  I would say pressure, pressure, pressure.  Geoff Collins is now solely in charge of the defensive unit.  At times it looked to me like Chris Wilson was in over his head as defensive coordinator.  Geoff Collins preaches playmaking and being aggressive.  Everywhere Geoff Collins has been the coordinator the defenses have been really good.  The defenses he lead at both Western Carolina and FIU significantly improved in every category under him.   The bulldogs have experience and depth on the defensive line.  As I said earlier this group could be a top 3 defensive line.  This group needs to dominate.  Their dominating play could lead the defense to a top 20 rating in every major statistical category.

SEASON PREDICTION

The Bulldogs have been to 3 straight bowl games.  Expectations have been raised for this team.  At this point I can realistically say most fans would not be happy with a losing record.  A season that ends without post season play is in one word BAD.  The schedule for MSU is not easy, but is there any team in the SEC with an easy schedule?  The answer to that question is no.  Every team will play at least 3 or 4 top 10 teams during the season.  Crying about a tough schedule in the SEC is like crying about the heat in Mississippi during the summer. 

Money talks, so the Bulldogs are going to Houston to open the season against Oklahoma State.  There is no way that MSU or Dan Mullen would agree to this game if major money was not involved.  The matchup against Oklahoma State is a tough one.  Some media outlets have predicted OSU to win the Big 12 this year.  The fast paced offense OSU operates is similar to the offenses MSU really struggled against last year.  If MSU is not ready to play against the fast pace of OSU then I will have to blame the coaching staff.  This was obviously a weakness for the team last year.  Every practice should be used to practice against the up tempo because most of the teams MSU plays this year will be moving quickly. 

You hear me relate back to Vegas a lot because they are experts at creating lines.  The line on this game opened at -13, but currently sits at -12 ½.  I would never realistically predict a 10+ point dog to win a game.  They play the game for a reason because upsets happen.  MSU has the players to beat OSU, but I don’t see it happening.  Losing the opener would not be devastating, but winning it would change the entire outlook going forward.  The Bulldogs better get wins early because the back end of the schedule is tough.

MSU has too much talent on their football team at critical positions to implode this year.  This is a really good football team.  The problem is that they are in a conference with great teams.  I said this earlier, but I want to reiterate it.. the Bulldogs better get wins early because the back end of the schedule is tough.  Right off the top I can check 4 losses off (LSU, USC, A&M, Bama).  Ceiling for the Bulldogs is really 8 wins, but a dream season would have them with an upset. 

Best Case Scenario 9-4 (Not realistic)

Worst Case Scenario 4-8 (This would be a momentum killer for the program) 

My Prediction 6-6 (Bulldogs will have equal or superior talent to at least 7 teams on their schedule)

INTERESTING FACTS

Even though MSU was, so close in baseball this year the University has never won a national championship in any sport, EVER.

First year of football was in 1885.  All-time MSU has a losing record (515-549-39)

Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field is the 2^nd oldest on campus stadium behind Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium.  The stadium currently holds 55,082.  Record attendance was set on 11/14/2009 with a crowd of 58,103 against Alabama.  Stadium is currently undergoing a 75 million dollar expansion.  The stadium will look awesome after the expansion/renovation. 

MS State has had 3 consensus All-Americans (38 named All-American by various media outlets)

MS State has won just 1 conference title.  It was in 1941

I didn't mention this in the above blog because I am still holding out faith that Tyler Russell will actually come to play this year.  If you thought about everything I said with Russell you know there is obvious doubt in my mind about him.  I have heard from countless people that Dak Prescott is one of the most respected players on the roster.  He is chomping at the bits to get an opportunity.  If Russell does not perform I feel like Dan Mullen may have to pull a page out of the Old Ball Coach's playbook and yank him.  Steve Spurrier has tried to pull quarterbacks mid play before.  If Russell plays bad on a drive or in a quarter I think Mullen has to pull him.  Maybe not for the season, but at least long enough to wake him up.  I think MSU would have won the Gator Bowl if Prescott had been put in, but they would have lost Russell's confidence forever. 

Thank you to all for reading.  Ole Miss will be next, and the number of readers on the Ole Miss blog almost doubles MSU and USM together.  I hope to make it my best one yet!

 





 



 



University of Southern Mississippi 2013 Football Preview

University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

 

Southern Mississippi is starting over for the second time in 2 seasons.  It is extremely rare that a coach only makes it one season at a school before being fired.  Ellis Johnson was fired after one year because his team did something extremely rare.  They did not win a single football game.  I did not think the hiring of Ellis Johnson was a good fit for USM, but I never imagined they would not win a single game under him.  USM needs an energetic coach with an offensive background.  Johnson and his staff were anything but that.

All that being said, this is a new year.  2012 is gone and USM has a new coach heading into the 2013 season.  Fedora came from Oklahoma State.  He was successful at USM.  If the formula worked once why not try it again.  USM has once again hired away the OSU offensive coordinator.  This time around it is Todd Monken.   Funny story is that Monken was passed up before the 2012 season in favor of Ellis Johnson.  Monken overhauled the entire coaching staff.  He only retained one coach from Johnson’s staff.

 

OFFENSE



Monken is one of the new age offensive minds that believes in playing fast, both during plays and between plays.  If his offense gets a first down they are going to step on the gas.  It is hard to play fast on the first few plays of a drive because if you go 3 and out your defense could be back on the field in only a few minutes setting them up for a bad situation.  Earning just one first down allows an offense to move quicker.  It is really a snowball effect because if they get 2 or 3 first downs they are taking very little time off the clock.  If you have watched Oregon in recent years or even OSU this is exactly what they do.  Monken is trying to bring that to USM. 

I believe Monken’s formula for success will work in Conference USA.   The problem with Monken’s offense this year is that he doesn’t have a quarterback to operate it.  The quarterback position could be a carousel.  The system Monken runs does most of the work for the QB.  Monken just needs someone who can manage the offense and make routine throws.    

One of the best things to help a young, undeveloped quarterback is a good running game.  USM has a pretty decent group of running backs, but a running game depends on the offensive line.  The offense line is a major question mark.  There are a couple of returning players, but as a whole the offensive line is a weakness.  The offensive line is probably the biggest concern for USM heading into the season.

If you didn’t understand anything from what I said you understood that the offense for USM has issues up and down the depth chart heading into the 2013 season.  Issues on offense are something I believe Monken can handle.  His offensive game plan will hide some holes in the offense.  Even during an obvious offensive rebuilding year I think Monken will get some production out of this unit.

 

DEFENSE

This seems pretty obvious because USM did not win a game last year, but like all other units their defense was terrible in 2012.  When I think of USM in my lifetime I always just assume they are going to have a good defense.  Monken’s best decision during the offseason may have been to get Dave Duggan to come back to Hattiesburg as the defensive coordinator.  Duggan was at USM under Fedora.  When Fedora went to North Carolina Duggan went with him.  Duggan is back and is very familiar with many of the defensive players returning in 2013.

First thing I have to mention about this unit is that they will never be able to replace Jamie Collins.  That dude was a beast.  Collins will become a household name playing for the Patriots.  Jamie Collins did everything for the defensive unit in 2012.  Collins drew a big star from every team USM played.  Two guys were allocated to him on almost every play.  I can’t imagine how bad the defensive unit would have been in 2012 without Collins.

This unit returns some experienced players at every level.  Even with the loss of Collins, this unit has the chance to be significantly improved under Duggan.  5 of the 7 defenders at linebacker and defensive back are seniors, including linebackers Alan Howze and Dylan Reda.   Question mark for this team is the defensive line and the lack of quality depth.  This unit has the potential to be very good if some young guys can emerge as contributors. 

This sounds so obvious, but the key to this defense is getting turnovers.  In 2011 the Golden Eagles produced 28 turnovers.  In 2012 they only produced 12 turnovers.  With the number of quality athletes on this unit I see no reason why they don’t regain some confidence and be dominating in the C-USA.  

SEASON PREDICTION

Who created this brutal schedule for USM?  Their schedule is without question the toughest in the C-USA and maybe the toughest of all non BCS schools in the country.  USM goes on the road to Nebraska, Arkansas, Boise State, ECU, Marshall, and La Tech.  If Monken gets some consistent quarterback play and gets the offense going this team will go bowling.  If the quarterback and offensive line struggle this is going be another forgettable year in Hattiesburg.  I think Monken will get some steady play out of the offense, but USM is notorious for losing to a team they should beat.  I think that one let down game will cause them to miss post season play.       

Best Case Scenario: 7 and 5

Worst Case Scenario: 2 and 10

My Prediction: 5 and 7  

INTERESTING FACTS

As stated above it is rare for a coach to only get one year in before being fired.  Joe Lee Dunn was fired at Ole Miss after just one year in 1994. 

USM had compiled 18 winning seasons in a row heading into 2012.  Heading into the 2012 season that streak was the 4^th longest in FBS behind Florida State (37), Florida (26), and Virginia Tech (21).

Stadium Capacity is 36,000.  Stadium was originally constructed in 1932.  Name was changed to Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M Roberts Stadium in 2004.  Major renovation took place in 2008 with the addition of 4,000 seats and 33 suites.  Attendance record was set on September 5, 2009 against Alcorn State.  Attendance for that game was 36,232.

Noteworthy football alumnist - Brett Favre, Derrick Nix, Sammy Winder, Tyrone Nix, Reggie Collier, and Hall of Famer Ray Guy.

Southern Mississippi has never had a consensus All-American

8 Conference Championships - Most recent was in 2011 under Larry Fedora

USM is considered to have three major rivals.  They have a winning record against all three.  Those teams are La Tech(Rivalry in Dixie), Memphis(Black and Blue Bowl), and Tulane(Battle for the Bell). 

 

As always I am enjoy comments, feedbacks, suggestions, criticism, and especially compliments.  If you have an opinion on something I would like to hear it.  Thanks for reading.