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Friday Chat

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Parrish Alford — 3 Comments ↓

Good morning and welcome to the Friday chat.

I spent most of Thursday checking on home folks and was pleased to find Maw Maw B and Paw Paw Johnny alive, kicking and doing well.

I will head down to New Orleans about mid-day today before the Baton Rouge traffic kicks in and slows things to a crawl.

I’m thinking the Tulane game falls at a good spot on the Ole Miss schedule. Stranger things have happened, but I believe the Rebels will come out of the game 3-1.

Tulane is expected to start freshman Devin Powell at quarterback, which would make him the first true freshman quarterback to start for Tulane since Shaun King in 1995.

More on Tulane here.

Tulane will be a step down from the Texas speed and talent that Ole Miss saw last week, and it should be a good thing for the rebuilding Rebels to face the Green Wave while they make mass changes in the secondary. Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze announced earlier in the week that Charles Sawyer would move to corner. I suspect he and Wesley Pendleton will make up the starters.

Freeze committed to freshman Trae Elston starting at safety. He never announced that DE Channing Ward would start, but I think you’ll see that as well, and it’s time. Ward looked good against Texas, finishing with three tackles and a half TFL and just generally being around the ball. He’s tough to block. He looked good chasing the Olympian down the field too. He wasn’t going to catch Marquise Goodwin, but he wasn’t that far behind, and Goodwin didn’t widen the gap until the end.

So are you confident the Rebels distance themselves from the 66-31 loss to Texas this week? Do you think they defeat Tulane convincingly, just slide by or that Tulane rides a wave of emotion as it pays tribute to injured teammate Devon Walker and pulls the upset? Leave your logic below.

I will be back on the blog later this morning  before I get on the road.

About

Denham Springs, La., native, Mississippian since 1989 with a stop in Meridian before arriving in Tupelo. Daily Journal beat writer since 1996, covering Ole Miss since 2002. Proud Northeast Louisiana alum. Follow me on Twitter @parrishalford and listen to Kory Keys and myself daily with The Ole Miss Beat on Rebel Sports Radio.

Posted in Football
  • http://www.facebook.com/larry.box Larry Box

    I think the Rebs will build on a good effort against Texas (they played hard and never quit, was just overmatched). I can see the offense getting better each week and hopefully the defense will improve. Without a pass rush and an iffy secondary, that side of the ball is going to be a hard road. I really like the way Wallace gets rid of the ball quickly and with plenty of zip on his passes. Would like to see Mackey have the opportunity to throw one occasionally, but I’m impressed with both his and Scott’s running. I don’t think the season will be as much of a disaster as most folks thought going in. Again, if Freeze can keep coachin up the effort and heart, I’ll be satisfied.

  • Parrish Alford

    Larry, I really hope the Texas game was a “slip” for Wallace that he will overcome. He was clearly different against that level of speed, and it reminded me of problems he had protecting the ball in August. I think he’ll bounce back, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.

    Turnover margin usually tells the tale. The Rebels have struggled mightily there in recent seasons. They won’t make too much of a jump forward until they get a handle on that part of the game.

    As far as Mackey, I’m waiting for him to jump out and do something big. He’s been good but not much more than that through three games.

  • REBELCUZ

    I THINK THE REBELS COULD AT LEAST WIN SIX GAMES IF THEY PLAY EVERY GAME AS HARD AS THEY PLAYED AGAINST TEXAS.

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