Ole Miss defeated Arkansas, 34-24, Saturday to improve to 6-3 on the season. Here are my 10 thoughts (plus a couple) from the weekend that was.
1. Hugh Freeze worried all week about Arkansas. The Ole Miss coach knew the Razorbacks' running game would give his team problems. He knew a young secondary would have to be disciplined against the Hogs' play-action passing attack. Freeze worried about the early start after a season full of late-night football. He worried his team might not hit the ignition button after a sleeper against Idaho and a bye week.
Some of those worries were legitimate. Some were the result of a coach doing what a coach does, and coaches fret a lot. Still, Saturday was a big day for Freeze, his team and his program. There's still a lot of football left this season, including a high-stakes SEC showdown against Missouri and potentially a high-stakes Egg Bowl tilt at Mississippi State. However, Saturday's win over Arkansas showed Freeze that his young team is growing up.
"I hope that it's a sign that we're maturing, that we're heading in the right direction," Freeze said. "We're still young in a lot of places and it shows in the maturity. We played eight straight night games and I don't know why I was worried about the 6 a.m. wakeup call and get here from Tupelo and play an early game. I loved it because we'll be able to see our families and stuff this afternoon, but I was concerned with how we would react. I can make something be true in my mind if I believe it, but it felt like we just didn't have quite the energy early and maybe the whole game. But that can be me. But to say all that and to still win the game, I do think it means we're headed in the right direction."
No matter what happens the rest of this month, Freeze is building a program that should begin to contend in the SEC West as early as next season. That means it will be playing even more huge games, which in turn means the likelihood of playing a game against an inferior foe with no emotional edge will be there. Mature teams _ hello, Alabama _ handle those challenges routinely. Teams without that discipline _ here's looking at you, LSU _ fall short on a regular basis.
Freeze is more Nick Saban than he is Les Miles. Freeze is process-oriented. He doesn't fly off the handle much. He doesn't create his own headlines. His teams know what to expect. On Saturday morning, injured defensive end C.J. Johnson told me during pre-game warm-ups he was concerned his teammates were a little flat. He then said he wasn't worried. He knew when the proverbial bell rang, his teammates would answer it. Sure enough, they did. It gets said here a lot, so forgive the redundancy: When one thinks of where the Ole Miss program was two years ago to the day and compares it to where it is right now, one's mind is boggled.
2. USA Today released a complete list of college football coaches' salaries and bonus structure last week. Freeze's salary places him at the bottom of the SEC, and after the job he's done the past two seasons in Oxford, it's time Ole Miss makes an adjustment. If I did my math correctly (I've got an M.A. from Louisiana-Monroe; I never take my math skills for granted), the average SEC coach earns around $3.3 million per year. Freeze needs to be compensated in that realm. It's not just about the money, either. It's about respect --- respect for the job Freeze has done rebuilding the Ole Miss program and respect for the program he appears to be building. Freeze is recruiting at a very high level for the 2014 class and he's way ahead of the game on the 2015 and 2016 classes as well. He's in position to win big in Oxford and field a consistent winner, two things that should fill the coffers in the Ole Miss athletic department. Ross Bjork is a vision guy; that much is obvious. The bet here is Bjork is smart enough to lock Freeze up now, showing him the respect and love up front and not waiting for another suitor to come calling in the next year or two.
3. Leftover thoughts from Ole Miss 34, Arkansas 24:
A. I missed it, as I was heading down to the field, but Robert Nkemdiche was ejected for taking a shot at Arkansas offensive lineman Dan Skipper after the whistle. The two talented freshmen had gone after each other all day (it was awesome to watch, frankly, knowing those two guys are going to see each other on weekends for years to come) and were likely a bit sick of each other's company late in the fourth quarter.
Freeze said an official said following the game that the incident was "not a fight" and won't result in a suspension for Saturday's game against Troy.
"There'll probably be something in here that we will get corrected," Freeze said. "I don't mind mistakes and our motto is that you don't blink and you move forward and play the next play, but you don't do a selfish act that hurts our football team. We'll love on him but make sure he understands that."
B. A lot was made about Bo Wallace's 75-yard touchdown throw to Ja-Mes Logan in the third quarter Saturday. Several columnists, including a really cool, sexy, bald one for RebelGrove.com, referred to it as the play of the game. However, there was another TD throw a few minutes later that didn't draw as much analysis. Wallace hit Donte Moncrief for a 52-yard score.
"It is a play we practiced all week and Donte just made a guy miss," Freeze said. "I want to point out Jordan Holder, the job he did on that. The theme that we take our kids through each week, we have a different character trait that we go through and this past week was, it won't make much sense to you, 'What do you have in your hand? Whatever that is, help us.' And Jordan is a prime example of that, and the job he did on that block to make a 20-yard play a (52-yard) play was big at that point in the game."
C. Ole Miss also had a huge play on defense in that pivotal third quarter. Arkansas trailed 20-17 with the football on the Ole Miss 39 when Cody Prewitt snuffed out a halfback pass play Arkansas dialed up. The Hogs lost nine yards on the play and ended up punting three snaps later.
"They had some momentum at that point," Freeze said. "For as critical as I can be on us when we don't fit things right and we don't play them right, and we had that too much today, Cody played that right. He was in great position and they had worked that play. I saw them (Friday) night at the hotel in our last (team meeting), I saw them work that very thing."
D. I'Tavius Mathers was an absolute boss Saturday in blitz pick-up. Fans get hung up in rushing stats, and I get it, but Mathers' play in pass protection Saturday was phenomenal.
E. Barry Brunetti should be a fan favorite. He rushed seven times for 31 yards, completed two of four passes and never once complained about his role. A lesser guy would've left by now, moaned and groaned about things not being fair or whatnot and played at a smaller level. Instead, Brunetti has emerged as a consummate team player.
F. Andrew Ritter was 2-for-2 on field goals, making kicks of 42 and 19 yards. He just keeps making the kicks he's asked to make. He'll be difficult to replace.
4. Alabama rolled LSU, 38-17, on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, highlighting the weekend that was in the SEC. My thoughts from around the league:
A. A.J. McCarron won't win the Heisman (more on that in a second), but he deserves more credit than he receives. He wins. He makes big throws in big moments. He's never rattled. Alabama will miss him next year. The rest of the league won't.
B. Johnny Manziel can't be stopped. Nick Saban had a year to plan for him and couldn't stop him. Meanwhile, Stanford shut down Marcus Mariotta. I'm not saying the Aggies would've beaten the Cardinal Thursday night in Palo Alto, Calif., but I am saying this: Manziel would've gotten his. He probably won't win the Heisman again, but he should. Speaking of guys the SEC won't miss next fall, add his name to the top of the list.
C. Auburn's Nick Marshall gets a shot at his old team Saturday. He enters the game on quite a streak, just crushing opponent after opponent with his feet. The Tigers are still very much in the BCS mix, both as a possible SEC champion and as an at-large candidate.
D. Vanderbilt could easily finish 8-4. If they do, James Franklin should bolt. He said after the Commodores' win at Florida Saturday that 30,000 Vanderbilt fans should be waiting for the team at the airport. Not likely, James. Might want to arrange a Kenny Chesney (or whoever's popular in country music these days; I don't keep up) if you want that type of passion in Nashville.
F. Speaking of the Gators, can Will Muschamp survive? Florida will have to defeat either South Carolina or Florida State to become bowl-eligible. There's a lot of scuttlebutt out there that Muschamp is safe but his staff will be overhauled. I'd argue that strategy is a bad one. When fans have given up _ and judging by the empty seats at The Swamp, they have _ it's time to consider change. I wonder if Franklin would be a candidate.
G. I thought I'd get an opportunity to make fun of Arkansas in this spot this week. I won't, though. The Hogs' young offensive linemen were impressive, and I love Alex Collins' running style. Bret Bielema has to find a way to keep recruiting those linemen to Fayetteville, but if he can, Arkansas will have itself heard in the SEC West. If Kevin Sumlin, Freeze and Gus Malzahn all stick around, Bielema's smash-mouth style will be a difficult change of pace for SEC West foes to prepare for.
H. Tennessee is bad. That's a multi-year rebuild ahead for the Volunteers, and in this league, there are no guarantees.
I. Mississippi State gets to face a beat-down Saturday against Alabama. It finishes the regular season at home against Ole Miss. In between, the Bulldogs will have to face Arkansas in Little Rock. There's a widespread assumption Mississippi State will whip the Hogs. I'm here to tell you, after watching Arkansas in person, that game won't be a gimme for Dan Mullen and Co.
6. Last Thursday's big national doubleheader of Oklahoma at Baylor and Oregon at Stanford eliminated the Ducks from the title race, showcased the Bears' explosive offense and raised more questions than answers. My thoughts on the college football weekend that was:
A. Alabama is going to play Florida State in the BCS National Championship Game, but I do feel for Baylor and Ohio State. I'm not sure either team is losing a game and while both teams could've and should've played better non-league schedules, it's not their fault that the Big 12 and the Big Ten stink. The BCS is stupid. I'm glad it's gone. I just wish there was a way to pay the players, use the bowls more effectively and have an eight-team playoff. Quarterfinal Saturday would be simply awesome and it would rake money in for programs all over the country.
B. Texas still must face Oklahoma State and Baylor, so this question is a bit premature. However, can the Longhorns really fire Mack Brown (assuming they can't get Saban, mind you)?
C. I catch myself looking more and more forward to UCLA-USC.
D. Good for David Cutcliffe. Duke is enjoying a historic season under the former Ole Miss coach. Life is about fits. Cutcliffe loves Tennessee, but it seems he was smart enough to know the head job in Knoxville wasn't a good fit for him a few years ago. He stayed in Durham, and he's built a very respectable program.
E. Maybe Kliff Kingsbury is spending too much time in front of the mirror or too much time viewing the photos women mail him every day in hopes of capturing his attention. Whatever, but the Red Raiders have gone off the rails and there is no sign of a recovery.
F. Central Florida held off Houston and could be headed for a BCS bowl game. The Knights earned it, I suppose, but teams playing in BCS games should face more rigorous schedules, at least in my opinion, than the one UCF faced this fall.
G. How did Oklahoma fall so far, so fast? I've now watched the Sooners get blown out by Texas and Baylor. Each time, I've been struck by how slow Oklahoma appeared to be.
H. Notre Dame is awful. Just awful. Maybe the whole team is dating fake girlfriends this year. The Irish lost at Pittsburgh Saturday. NBC must get ratings. I don't doubt their decision to televise Notre Dame year after year, but good grief, the Irish are inept.
6. It's bowl projection time.
BCS National Championship Game --- Alabama (13-0)
Allstate Sugar Bowl --- Auburn (10-2)
Capital One Bowl --- South Carolina (10-3)
Outback Bowl --- Missouri (10-2)
AT&T Cotton Bowl --- Texas A&M (10-2)
Chick-Fil-A Bowl --- Georgia (8-4)
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl --- Ole Miss (8-4)
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl --- LSU (8-4)
Autozone Liberty Bowl --- Vanderbilt (8-4)
BBVA Compass Bowl --- At-large (No SEC qualifier)
Advocare V100 Bowl --- At-large (No SEC qualifier)
*Note: Before you go ballistic and yell at me, this is so fluid. It's just a guess. If Ole Miss goes 9-3, for example, it could easily end up in the Cotton Bowl. Does the Sugar take 10-2 Texas A&M and Manziel instead of 10-2 Auburn. What if A&M loses to LSU and Missouri? What if Mizzou loses to both Ole Miss and A&M? South Carolina could lose to Clemson and Alabama to finish the season and have no bowl appeal whatsoever. It's too early to put much stock in anyone's speculation, mine certainly included.
7. Ole Miss opened its basketball season Friday night with a 69-54 win over Troy. Jarvis Summers scored 28 points as the Rebels the first game of Marshall Henderson's three-game suspension. Here are some leftover observations from the opener:
A. It's amazing how much Ole Miss has gotten out of Summers through his three-year career, especially considering how far down the pecking order he was during the recruiting process. Ole Miss wanted Kei Madden badly and had him until he changed his mind on the morning of his announcement and picked home-state Arkansas. Ole Miss desperately wanted Andre Hollins (Minnesota) and Shane Larkin (DePaul before transferring to Miami) but missed. Summers landed the scholarship and has been terrific at Ole Miss. This season, even when Henderson is on the floor, Ole Miss needs the Jackson, Miss., native to be aggressive and score. Friday was likely a good start in that regard.
B. Aaron Jones had 13 rebounds and looked healthy in his first game since tearing his ACL against Kentucky last season. However, Jones is going to have to be more efficient offensively as the season progresses.
C. Demarco Cox appears to be in the best shape of his career. He was solid Friday on the glass, and if Jones can absorb his share of the scoring load, that should be enough of a role.
D. Ole Miss is high on freshman Sebastian Saiz, and I can see why. Saiz is extremely fluid, very athletic and clearly possesses great hands. However, Saiz needs to get stronger to be super effective in the post.
E. It was one game, so it's way too early to even consider passing judgment. However, here's bottom line for Ole Miss: Ladarius White and Anthony Perez are going to have to be scorers at times for this team if it's going to make a run at a return trip to the NCAA tournament.
8. So St. Louis, without Sam Bradford, went to Indianapolis and bombed the Colts, 38-8. Sure, I saw that coming. Actually, it's proof of one thing in the NFL: If you're not ready on a given Sunday, you'll get crushed. Here are other thoughts from the weekend that was in the NFL:
A. Detroit's win at Chicago has to be baffling for the Bears and heartening for the Lions. Detroit is now 6-3 and in command in the NFC North. When the Lions aren't shooting themselves in the foot, they're really good. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson make them dangerous if they can reach the playoffs.
B. The New York Giants weren't good Sunday, but they defeated Oakland, 24-20, to improve to 3-6 and climb within one game of the division lead in the NFC East. The G-Men still have Dallas on the schedule twice, and with Washington and Philadelphia struggling mightily, there's no reason for Eli Manning and Co. to throw in the towel on the season. After an 0-6 start, that's amazing.
C. Scott Toltzien threw for 280 yards in Green Bay's loss to the Eagles Sunday. Toltzien, of course, entered the day as Green Bay's backup quarterback, a promotion he had been given a week earlier when Packers starter Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone. Green Bay travels to face the Giants Sunday, and Toltzien _ not Matt Flynn and not Brett Favre _ will start at quarterback. Packers fans are learning the hard way how spoiled they've been to have Favre and then Rodgers for the past decade-plus.
D. Jacksonville finally got in the win column with an upset of the Titans in Nashville. For Tennessee, the loss was doubly devastating, as quarterback Jake Locker was lost for the season with an injury.
E. The Carolina Panthers joined the race for the NFC title _ yeah, you read that right _ with a 10-9 win at San Francisco. There's so much to the Panthers besides Cam Newton and Steve Smith, and they're a major threat to New Orleans, Seattle and others in the NFC.
F. Arizona defeated Houston, 27-24, and the Texans' ownership is getting antsy. It might be a bit cold-blooded, but Gary Kubiak was in hot water before his mini-stroke a year ago. Don't be shocked if the Texans make a run at Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin.
G. Peyton Manning threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns in Denver's 28-20 win at San Diego, but the Broncos no longer look infallible. There were rumblings out of the Broncos' camp that Manning will undergo an MRI on his leg Monday. Needless to say, an injury to Manning would change the complexion of the AFC race.
H. Rookie Tavon Austin had 310 all-purpose yards in St. Louis' rout of the Colts. Indianapolis has gotten beaten up in recent weeks, and it's beginning to show. In the NFL, health is so critical. The Colts' health situation is killing their chances at a title run.
I. Drew Brees and the Saints bounced back from a disappointing loss at the New York Jets with a convincing win over the enigmatic Cowboys in New Orleans. The Saints are a different team with Darren Sproles on the field; it's as simple as that.
J. Seattle dominated Atlanta in the Georgia Dome. It was a huge win for the Seahawks, and likely a final nail of sorts for the current Falcons regime. I would be shocked if there aren't major changes in Atlanta. The Falcons' ownership will look back on the last couple of seasons as opportunity lost.
9. I've kept an eye on the Los Angeles Clippers since they hired Doc Rivers and signed J.J. Reddick in the offseason. Frankly, as a Thunder fan, the Clippers scare me. Their dominating win at Houston over the weekend did nothing to calm those fears. Here are some other thoughts on the Association two weeks into the new campaign:
A. The Clippers are so much more than Lob City and Chris Paul this season. Rivers has DeAndre Jordan playing at a high level and has provided a perfect role for Reddick, who scored 22 points in the 107-94 win over the Rockets. The Clippers get tested this week, as they face Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Brooklyn at Staples Center over the next five nights.
B. San Antonio whipped the Knicks at Madison Square Garden Sunday to improve to 6-1. Count the Spurs out if you'd like, but Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard have emerged as the club's new superstars while the Spurs' core _ Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker _ are aging but still very effective.
C. Entering Sunday's game against Washington (a 106-105 overtime win), the Oklahoma City Thunder were averaging 109.7 points per game since Russell Westbrook's return. This spring, when media question Westbrook's role in the Thunder's offense and how it impacts Kevin Durant's shots and production, know those commentators/reporters/columnists just revealed their ignorance. Oklahoma City is 5-1 and getting major contributions from its bench. Steven Adams, Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb, Nick Collison, Perry Jones III and Derek Fisher make up a solid, deep bench for Scott Brooks' team. The Thunder have a $7 million trade exemption and a 2017 pick to use as ammunition in a trade before the deadline. Thabo Sefolosha's contract expires after the season. In other words, the Thunder could realistically make a deal for a player such as Orlando's Arron Afflalo and make a run at the title. Oklahoma City is worth following.
D. Boston wants to win the Andrew Wiggins derby, but it won't happen if the Celtics keep winning. Brad Stevens might be doing too good of a job seven games into this new gig.
E. I simply love the Wizards' backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Good things are happening in Washington. Wall is a force off the dribble and Beal is a deadly shooter. The Martin Gortat trade showed the Wizards want to contend soon, and that backcourt just might make that happen soon.
F. Indiana is 7-0. The Pacers are the league's best team, and it's not even close right now.
G. Phoenix is 5-2. No team is more surprising very early. Eric Bledsoe is making major money in his contract year.
10. Fans fighting with each other on Twitter about recruiting while including the prospect's Twitter handle is just creepy. I watched Tennessee and LSU fans stalk Peoria, Ill., four-star linebacker Clifton Garrett all weekend. As I watch the tweets, retweeted by Garrett, on my timeline, I can feel my skin crawl. Fans need to leave the recruiting to coaches and leave the kids alone on Twitter.
11. Freeze's pregame speech to his team prior to the Rebels' win over Idaho last month struck a chord with me. Freeze talked about Joe DiMaggio, who was known for playing every game of his career as if it was his last. Freeze quoted the former New York Yankees great as saying he played hard because he never knew when someone in the stands was seeing him play for the first time.
The message reminded me of my first Major League Baseball game, an April 1980 meeting in Anaheim, Calif., between the California Angels and the Oakland A's. I was 10, and I wanted to see the Angels' first baseman, Rod Carew, and the A's young outfielder, Rickey Henderson. Keep in mind this was before cable came to north Louisiana and when my exposure to MLB consisted of the NBC Game of the Week and the Mel Allen-narrated show, "This Week in Baseball."
Henderson went 2-for-3 in the A's 4-2 win that night in chilly Anaheim. Carew was 0-for-3, though he stole a base. I don't remember everything about that night, but I remember a lot. I got an Angels cap and wore a yellow Hollywood sweatshirt my parents purchased earlier in the day. I remember being in awe of the stadium and of Henderson, proof that Freeze's message to his team that day was accurate. To Henderson, I suspect, the game was just another in his 24-season Hall of Fame career. But I remember it 33 years later. That was what Freeze was trying to get across to his team before it dismantled Idaho. The message made the hair on my arms stand up.
12. Read this linked story on John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats reaching out to a long-time fan paralyzed after a fall at Rupp Arena. Have a tissue and/or an excuse for your watery eyes ready.
Cats rally behind injured fan
1. Hugh Freeze worried all week about Arkansas. The Ole Miss coach knew the Razorbacks' running game would give his team problems. He knew a young secondary would have to be disciplined against the Hogs' play-action passing attack. Freeze worried about the early start after a season full of late-night football. He worried his team might not hit the ignition button after a sleeper against Idaho and a bye week.
Some of those worries were legitimate. Some were the result of a coach doing what a coach does, and coaches fret a lot. Still, Saturday was a big day for Freeze, his team and his program. There's still a lot of football left this season, including a high-stakes SEC showdown against Missouri and potentially a high-stakes Egg Bowl tilt at Mississippi State. However, Saturday's win over Arkansas showed Freeze that his young team is growing up.
"I hope that it's a sign that we're maturing, that we're heading in the right direction," Freeze said. "We're still young in a lot of places and it shows in the maturity. We played eight straight night games and I don't know why I was worried about the 6 a.m. wakeup call and get here from Tupelo and play an early game. I loved it because we'll be able to see our families and stuff this afternoon, but I was concerned with how we would react. I can make something be true in my mind if I believe it, but it felt like we just didn't have quite the energy early and maybe the whole game. But that can be me. But to say all that and to still win the game, I do think it means we're headed in the right direction."
No matter what happens the rest of this month, Freeze is building a program that should begin to contend in the SEC West as early as next season. That means it will be playing even more huge games, which in turn means the likelihood of playing a game against an inferior foe with no emotional edge will be there. Mature teams _ hello, Alabama _ handle those challenges routinely. Teams without that discipline _ here's looking at you, LSU _ fall short on a regular basis.
Freeze is more Nick Saban than he is Les Miles. Freeze is process-oriented. He doesn't fly off the handle much. He doesn't create his own headlines. His teams know what to expect. On Saturday morning, injured defensive end C.J. Johnson told me during pre-game warm-ups he was concerned his teammates were a little flat. He then said he wasn't worried. He knew when the proverbial bell rang, his teammates would answer it. Sure enough, they did. It gets said here a lot, so forgive the redundancy: When one thinks of where the Ole Miss program was two years ago to the day and compares it to where it is right now, one's mind is boggled.
2. USA Today released a complete list of college football coaches' salaries and bonus structure last week. Freeze's salary places him at the bottom of the SEC, and after the job he's done the past two seasons in Oxford, it's time Ole Miss makes an adjustment. If I did my math correctly (I've got an M.A. from Louisiana-Monroe; I never take my math skills for granted), the average SEC coach earns around $3.3 million per year. Freeze needs to be compensated in that realm. It's not just about the money, either. It's about respect --- respect for the job Freeze has done rebuilding the Ole Miss program and respect for the program he appears to be building. Freeze is recruiting at a very high level for the 2014 class and he's way ahead of the game on the 2015 and 2016 classes as well. He's in position to win big in Oxford and field a consistent winner, two things that should fill the coffers in the Ole Miss athletic department. Ross Bjork is a vision guy; that much is obvious. The bet here is Bjork is smart enough to lock Freeze up now, showing him the respect and love up front and not waiting for another suitor to come calling in the next year or two.
3. Leftover thoughts from Ole Miss 34, Arkansas 24:
A. I missed it, as I was heading down to the field, but Robert Nkemdiche was ejected for taking a shot at Arkansas offensive lineman Dan Skipper after the whistle. The two talented freshmen had gone after each other all day (it was awesome to watch, frankly, knowing those two guys are going to see each other on weekends for years to come) and were likely a bit sick of each other's company late in the fourth quarter.
Freeze said an official said following the game that the incident was "not a fight" and won't result in a suspension for Saturday's game against Troy.
"There'll probably be something in here that we will get corrected," Freeze said. "I don't mind mistakes and our motto is that you don't blink and you move forward and play the next play, but you don't do a selfish act that hurts our football team. We'll love on him but make sure he understands that."
B. A lot was made about Bo Wallace's 75-yard touchdown throw to Ja-Mes Logan in the third quarter Saturday. Several columnists, including a really cool, sexy, bald one for RebelGrove.com, referred to it as the play of the game. However, there was another TD throw a few minutes later that didn't draw as much analysis. Wallace hit Donte Moncrief for a 52-yard score.
"It is a play we practiced all week and Donte just made a guy miss," Freeze said. "I want to point out Jordan Holder, the job he did on that. The theme that we take our kids through each week, we have a different character trait that we go through and this past week was, it won't make much sense to you, 'What do you have in your hand? Whatever that is, help us.' And Jordan is a prime example of that, and the job he did on that block to make a 20-yard play a (52-yard) play was big at that point in the game."
C. Ole Miss also had a huge play on defense in that pivotal third quarter. Arkansas trailed 20-17 with the football on the Ole Miss 39 when Cody Prewitt snuffed out a halfback pass play Arkansas dialed up. The Hogs lost nine yards on the play and ended up punting three snaps later.
"They had some momentum at that point," Freeze said. "For as critical as I can be on us when we don't fit things right and we don't play them right, and we had that too much today, Cody played that right. He was in great position and they had worked that play. I saw them (Friday) night at the hotel in our last (team meeting), I saw them work that very thing."
D. I'Tavius Mathers was an absolute boss Saturday in blitz pick-up. Fans get hung up in rushing stats, and I get it, but Mathers' play in pass protection Saturday was phenomenal.
E. Barry Brunetti should be a fan favorite. He rushed seven times for 31 yards, completed two of four passes and never once complained about his role. A lesser guy would've left by now, moaned and groaned about things not being fair or whatnot and played at a smaller level. Instead, Brunetti has emerged as a consummate team player.
F. Andrew Ritter was 2-for-2 on field goals, making kicks of 42 and 19 yards. He just keeps making the kicks he's asked to make. He'll be difficult to replace.
4. Alabama rolled LSU, 38-17, on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, highlighting the weekend that was in the SEC. My thoughts from around the league:
A. A.J. McCarron won't win the Heisman (more on that in a second), but he deserves more credit than he receives. He wins. He makes big throws in big moments. He's never rattled. Alabama will miss him next year. The rest of the league won't.
B. Johnny Manziel can't be stopped. Nick Saban had a year to plan for him and couldn't stop him. Meanwhile, Stanford shut down Marcus Mariotta. I'm not saying the Aggies would've beaten the Cardinal Thursday night in Palo Alto, Calif., but I am saying this: Manziel would've gotten his. He probably won't win the Heisman again, but he should. Speaking of guys the SEC won't miss next fall, add his name to the top of the list.
C. Auburn's Nick Marshall gets a shot at his old team Saturday. He enters the game on quite a streak, just crushing opponent after opponent with his feet. The Tigers are still very much in the BCS mix, both as a possible SEC champion and as an at-large candidate.
D. Vanderbilt could easily finish 8-4. If they do, James Franklin should bolt. He said after the Commodores' win at Florida Saturday that 30,000 Vanderbilt fans should be waiting for the team at the airport. Not likely, James. Might want to arrange a Kenny Chesney (or whoever's popular in country music these days; I don't keep up) if you want that type of passion in Nashville.
F. Speaking of the Gators, can Will Muschamp survive? Florida will have to defeat either South Carolina or Florida State to become bowl-eligible. There's a lot of scuttlebutt out there that Muschamp is safe but his staff will be overhauled. I'd argue that strategy is a bad one. When fans have given up _ and judging by the empty seats at The Swamp, they have _ it's time to consider change. I wonder if Franklin would be a candidate.
G. I thought I'd get an opportunity to make fun of Arkansas in this spot this week. I won't, though. The Hogs' young offensive linemen were impressive, and I love Alex Collins' running style. Bret Bielema has to find a way to keep recruiting those linemen to Fayetteville, but if he can, Arkansas will have itself heard in the SEC West. If Kevin Sumlin, Freeze and Gus Malzahn all stick around, Bielema's smash-mouth style will be a difficult change of pace for SEC West foes to prepare for.
H. Tennessee is bad. That's a multi-year rebuild ahead for the Volunteers, and in this league, there are no guarantees.
I. Mississippi State gets to face a beat-down Saturday against Alabama. It finishes the regular season at home against Ole Miss. In between, the Bulldogs will have to face Arkansas in Little Rock. There's a widespread assumption Mississippi State will whip the Hogs. I'm here to tell you, after watching Arkansas in person, that game won't be a gimme for Dan Mullen and Co.
6. Last Thursday's big national doubleheader of Oklahoma at Baylor and Oregon at Stanford eliminated the Ducks from the title race, showcased the Bears' explosive offense and raised more questions than answers. My thoughts on the college football weekend that was:
A. Alabama is going to play Florida State in the BCS National Championship Game, but I do feel for Baylor and Ohio State. I'm not sure either team is losing a game and while both teams could've and should've played better non-league schedules, it's not their fault that the Big 12 and the Big Ten stink. The BCS is stupid. I'm glad it's gone. I just wish there was a way to pay the players, use the bowls more effectively and have an eight-team playoff. Quarterfinal Saturday would be simply awesome and it would rake money in for programs all over the country.
B. Texas still must face Oklahoma State and Baylor, so this question is a bit premature. However, can the Longhorns really fire Mack Brown (assuming they can't get Saban, mind you)?
C. I catch myself looking more and more forward to UCLA-USC.
D. Good for David Cutcliffe. Duke is enjoying a historic season under the former Ole Miss coach. Life is about fits. Cutcliffe loves Tennessee, but it seems he was smart enough to know the head job in Knoxville wasn't a good fit for him a few years ago. He stayed in Durham, and he's built a very respectable program.
E. Maybe Kliff Kingsbury is spending too much time in front of the mirror or too much time viewing the photos women mail him every day in hopes of capturing his attention. Whatever, but the Red Raiders have gone off the rails and there is no sign of a recovery.
F. Central Florida held off Houston and could be headed for a BCS bowl game. The Knights earned it, I suppose, but teams playing in BCS games should face more rigorous schedules, at least in my opinion, than the one UCF faced this fall.
G. How did Oklahoma fall so far, so fast? I've now watched the Sooners get blown out by Texas and Baylor. Each time, I've been struck by how slow Oklahoma appeared to be.
H. Notre Dame is awful. Just awful. Maybe the whole team is dating fake girlfriends this year. The Irish lost at Pittsburgh Saturday. NBC must get ratings. I don't doubt their decision to televise Notre Dame year after year, but good grief, the Irish are inept.
6. It's bowl projection time.
BCS National Championship Game --- Alabama (13-0)
Allstate Sugar Bowl --- Auburn (10-2)
Capital One Bowl --- South Carolina (10-3)
Outback Bowl --- Missouri (10-2)
AT&T Cotton Bowl --- Texas A&M (10-2)
Chick-Fil-A Bowl --- Georgia (8-4)
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl --- Ole Miss (8-4)
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl --- LSU (8-4)
Autozone Liberty Bowl --- Vanderbilt (8-4)
BBVA Compass Bowl --- At-large (No SEC qualifier)
Advocare V100 Bowl --- At-large (No SEC qualifier)
*Note: Before you go ballistic and yell at me, this is so fluid. It's just a guess. If Ole Miss goes 9-3, for example, it could easily end up in the Cotton Bowl. Does the Sugar take 10-2 Texas A&M and Manziel instead of 10-2 Auburn. What if A&M loses to LSU and Missouri? What if Mizzou loses to both Ole Miss and A&M? South Carolina could lose to Clemson and Alabama to finish the season and have no bowl appeal whatsoever. It's too early to put much stock in anyone's speculation, mine certainly included.
7. Ole Miss opened its basketball season Friday night with a 69-54 win over Troy. Jarvis Summers scored 28 points as the Rebels the first game of Marshall Henderson's three-game suspension. Here are some leftover observations from the opener:
A. It's amazing how much Ole Miss has gotten out of Summers through his three-year career, especially considering how far down the pecking order he was during the recruiting process. Ole Miss wanted Kei Madden badly and had him until he changed his mind on the morning of his announcement and picked home-state Arkansas. Ole Miss desperately wanted Andre Hollins (Minnesota) and Shane Larkin (DePaul before transferring to Miami) but missed. Summers landed the scholarship and has been terrific at Ole Miss. This season, even when Henderson is on the floor, Ole Miss needs the Jackson, Miss., native to be aggressive and score. Friday was likely a good start in that regard.
B. Aaron Jones had 13 rebounds and looked healthy in his first game since tearing his ACL against Kentucky last season. However, Jones is going to have to be more efficient offensively as the season progresses.
C. Demarco Cox appears to be in the best shape of his career. He was solid Friday on the glass, and if Jones can absorb his share of the scoring load, that should be enough of a role.
D. Ole Miss is high on freshman Sebastian Saiz, and I can see why. Saiz is extremely fluid, very athletic and clearly possesses great hands. However, Saiz needs to get stronger to be super effective in the post.
E. It was one game, so it's way too early to even consider passing judgment. However, here's bottom line for Ole Miss: Ladarius White and Anthony Perez are going to have to be scorers at times for this team if it's going to make a run at a return trip to the NCAA tournament.
8. So St. Louis, without Sam Bradford, went to Indianapolis and bombed the Colts, 38-8. Sure, I saw that coming. Actually, it's proof of one thing in the NFL: If you're not ready on a given Sunday, you'll get crushed. Here are other thoughts from the weekend that was in the NFL:
A. Detroit's win at Chicago has to be baffling for the Bears and heartening for the Lions. Detroit is now 6-3 and in command in the NFC North. When the Lions aren't shooting themselves in the foot, they're really good. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson make them dangerous if they can reach the playoffs.
B. The New York Giants weren't good Sunday, but they defeated Oakland, 24-20, to improve to 3-6 and climb within one game of the division lead in the NFC East. The G-Men still have Dallas on the schedule twice, and with Washington and Philadelphia struggling mightily, there's no reason for Eli Manning and Co. to throw in the towel on the season. After an 0-6 start, that's amazing.
C. Scott Toltzien threw for 280 yards in Green Bay's loss to the Eagles Sunday. Toltzien, of course, entered the day as Green Bay's backup quarterback, a promotion he had been given a week earlier when Packers starter Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone. Green Bay travels to face the Giants Sunday, and Toltzien _ not Matt Flynn and not Brett Favre _ will start at quarterback. Packers fans are learning the hard way how spoiled they've been to have Favre and then Rodgers for the past decade-plus.
D. Jacksonville finally got in the win column with an upset of the Titans in Nashville. For Tennessee, the loss was doubly devastating, as quarterback Jake Locker was lost for the season with an injury.
E. The Carolina Panthers joined the race for the NFC title _ yeah, you read that right _ with a 10-9 win at San Francisco. There's so much to the Panthers besides Cam Newton and Steve Smith, and they're a major threat to New Orleans, Seattle and others in the NFC.
F. Arizona defeated Houston, 27-24, and the Texans' ownership is getting antsy. It might be a bit cold-blooded, but Gary Kubiak was in hot water before his mini-stroke a year ago. Don't be shocked if the Texans make a run at Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin.
G. Peyton Manning threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns in Denver's 28-20 win at San Diego, but the Broncos no longer look infallible. There were rumblings out of the Broncos' camp that Manning will undergo an MRI on his leg Monday. Needless to say, an injury to Manning would change the complexion of the AFC race.
H. Rookie Tavon Austin had 310 all-purpose yards in St. Louis' rout of the Colts. Indianapolis has gotten beaten up in recent weeks, and it's beginning to show. In the NFL, health is so critical. The Colts' health situation is killing their chances at a title run.
I. Drew Brees and the Saints bounced back from a disappointing loss at the New York Jets with a convincing win over the enigmatic Cowboys in New Orleans. The Saints are a different team with Darren Sproles on the field; it's as simple as that.
J. Seattle dominated Atlanta in the Georgia Dome. It was a huge win for the Seahawks, and likely a final nail of sorts for the current Falcons regime. I would be shocked if there aren't major changes in Atlanta. The Falcons' ownership will look back on the last couple of seasons as opportunity lost.
9. I've kept an eye on the Los Angeles Clippers since they hired Doc Rivers and signed J.J. Reddick in the offseason. Frankly, as a Thunder fan, the Clippers scare me. Their dominating win at Houston over the weekend did nothing to calm those fears. Here are some other thoughts on the Association two weeks into the new campaign:
A. The Clippers are so much more than Lob City and Chris Paul this season. Rivers has DeAndre Jordan playing at a high level and has provided a perfect role for Reddick, who scored 22 points in the 107-94 win over the Rockets. The Clippers get tested this week, as they face Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Brooklyn at Staples Center over the next five nights.
B. San Antonio whipped the Knicks at Madison Square Garden Sunday to improve to 6-1. Count the Spurs out if you'd like, but Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard have emerged as the club's new superstars while the Spurs' core _ Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker _ are aging but still very effective.
C. Entering Sunday's game against Washington (a 106-105 overtime win), the Oklahoma City Thunder were averaging 109.7 points per game since Russell Westbrook's return. This spring, when media question Westbrook's role in the Thunder's offense and how it impacts Kevin Durant's shots and production, know those commentators/reporters/columnists just revealed their ignorance. Oklahoma City is 5-1 and getting major contributions from its bench. Steven Adams, Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb, Nick Collison, Perry Jones III and Derek Fisher make up a solid, deep bench for Scott Brooks' team. The Thunder have a $7 million trade exemption and a 2017 pick to use as ammunition in a trade before the deadline. Thabo Sefolosha's contract expires after the season. In other words, the Thunder could realistically make a deal for a player such as Orlando's Arron Afflalo and make a run at the title. Oklahoma City is worth following.
D. Boston wants to win the Andrew Wiggins derby, but it won't happen if the Celtics keep winning. Brad Stevens might be doing too good of a job seven games into this new gig.
E. I simply love the Wizards' backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. Good things are happening in Washington. Wall is a force off the dribble and Beal is a deadly shooter. The Martin Gortat trade showed the Wizards want to contend soon, and that backcourt just might make that happen soon.
F. Indiana is 7-0. The Pacers are the league's best team, and it's not even close right now.
G. Phoenix is 5-2. No team is more surprising very early. Eric Bledsoe is making major money in his contract year.
10. Fans fighting with each other on Twitter about recruiting while including the prospect's Twitter handle is just creepy. I watched Tennessee and LSU fans stalk Peoria, Ill., four-star linebacker Clifton Garrett all weekend. As I watch the tweets, retweeted by Garrett, on my timeline, I can feel my skin crawl. Fans need to leave the recruiting to coaches and leave the kids alone on Twitter.
11. Freeze's pregame speech to his team prior to the Rebels' win over Idaho last month struck a chord with me. Freeze talked about Joe DiMaggio, who was known for playing every game of his career as if it was his last. Freeze quoted the former New York Yankees great as saying he played hard because he never knew when someone in the stands was seeing him play for the first time.
The message reminded me of my first Major League Baseball game, an April 1980 meeting in Anaheim, Calif., between the California Angels and the Oakland A's. I was 10, and I wanted to see the Angels' first baseman, Rod Carew, and the A's young outfielder, Rickey Henderson. Keep in mind this was before cable came to north Louisiana and when my exposure to MLB consisted of the NBC Game of the Week and the Mel Allen-narrated show, "This Week in Baseball."
Henderson went 2-for-3 in the A's 4-2 win that night in chilly Anaheim. Carew was 0-for-3, though he stole a base. I don't remember everything about that night, but I remember a lot. I got an Angels cap and wore a yellow Hollywood sweatshirt my parents purchased earlier in the day. I remember being in awe of the stadium and of Henderson, proof that Freeze's message to his team that day was accurate. To Henderson, I suspect, the game was just another in his 24-season Hall of Fame career. But I remember it 33 years later. That was what Freeze was trying to get across to his team before it dismantled Idaho. The message made the hair on my arms stand up.
12. Read this linked story on John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats reaching out to a long-time fan paralyzed after a fall at Rupp Arena. Have a tissue and/or an excuse for your watery eyes ready.
Cats rally behind injured fan
