Neal McCready
Jeremiah Masoli is a senior.
Nathan Stanley, per multiple sources around the Ole Miss program, is anything but happy. Houston Nutt says all the right things about Stanley when asked, and Stanley was diplomatic in his one post-demotion interview, but body language tells a different story.
No one has said Stanley is leaving after the season, but no one would/should be shocked if he did, either. Stanley would have two years of eligibility remaining, having already burned a redshirt in 2008 and having spent 2009 backing up Jevan Snead. He could, conceivably, get around NCAA transfer rules on the back end if he doesn’t play at Ole Miss again this season. Stanley played in the opener and again for one series in the third quarter in Game 2 at Tulane. However, he injured a shoulder, an injury that was documented by multiple media reports, so he could apply for a medical hardship waiver and possibly get a sixth year of eligibility. Should he transfer, that’s a risk both he and another school would have to take.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The point, of course, is Ole Miss probably needs to be kicking some quarterbacks’ proverbial tires. The Rebels appear to be doing just that. Randall Mackey, whose skill set is very similar to Masoli’s, is redshirting this season. Fulton, Miss., three-star quarterback Maikhail Miller, who is committed to the Rebels, said earlier this week he likes the Rebels’ offense with Masoli running it and feels he could operate in a similar fashion.
Last month, another site covering Ole Miss hinted at and subsequently deleted a not-so-veiled rumor that West Virginia backup quarterback Barry Brunetti, a Memphis native who camped at Ole Miss and liked the Rebels but did not receive an offer out of high school, had expressed some behind-the-scenes interest in a return to the Mid-South. We heard those rumors as early as the weekend of the Ole Miss-Vanderbilt game. A Memphis radio program openly talked about Brunetti’s interest in Ole Miss earlier this week. While no one around either side is talking, Brunetti is clearly an option.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss coaches are headed to Kansas this weekend to scout Butler County (Kan.) Community College Zach Mettenberger. A source close to the Kansas junior college circuit said Mettenberger has official visits planned to LSU and Texas A&M. The same source said Arizona, Cincinnati, LSU, Texas A&M and Troy were recruiting the former Georgia quarterback the hardest at this point. The source said Ole Miss had been recruiting Mettenberger but hadn’t yet offered. That, conceivably, could change soon.
Mettenberger, a highly recruited Watkinsville, Ga., native, was dismissed from the UGA team in April. He pled guilty in May to two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery. Lowndes County (Ga.) District Attorney J. David Miller told ESPN.com Mettenberger was sentenced to two concurrent 12-month periods of probation under the state's first-offender act. Miller said Mettenberger also was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines and perform 40 hours of community service. Additionally, he was banished from the city of Valdosta and is to have no contact with the victim.
Miller told ESPN.com the sexual battery counts were the result of Mettenberger grabbing the breasts and touching the buttocks of a woman at a bar in Remerton, Ga., on March 7.
A source close to the LSU program said Mettenberger has been told he’ll be “handed the keys” to the Tigers’ offense if he signs with LSU. He’s scheduled to visit Baton Rouge in November when LSU entertains Ole Miss.
Butler County entertains Independence (Kan.) C.C. on Saturday. So far this season, Mettenberger is 81-for-143 passing for 1,314 yards, 16 touchdowns and three interceptions. Mettenberger is one of several Division I prospects at Butler County.
Ole Miss has also been in steady contact with Ventura (Calif.) College quarterback Antavius Sims, but the Rebels have not offered.
Ole Miss is also taking a hard look at cornerbacks. The Rebels could sign as many as six corners in February, per sources, in an attempt to make sure at least four show up next summer. Cornerbacks coach Chris Vaughn is in Florida this weekend to see cornerback commitment Andrew Johnson and safety commitment Gerod Holliman. The Rebels feel good about Johnson, but there’s considerable competition. The Rebels are also worried cornerback commitment Senquez Golson’s baseball potential could be problematic next June when Major League Baseball conducts its draft. A name to watch is Tampa (Robinson), Fla., athlete Frankie Williams. Williams recently picked up an Ole Miss offer, and while he visited North Carolina State last weekend, he told me earlier this week: “I love Ole Miss and can’t wait to visit.”
Interestingly, Reserve, La., four-star cornerback Floyd Raven wanted to visit Ole Miss for the Kentucky game. However, Ole Miss is urging Raven to wait until after the season so the Rebels’ staff can show him the attention they want to show. Raven, reached earlier this week, said “nothing is new” with his recruiting other than Utah getting involved in recent days.
Ole Miss is also working on a couple of Florida linebackers. Tampa (Freedom) linebacker Keith Lewis, who has offers from a veritable plethora of schools, has given the Rebels some good vibes, as has Lauderdale Lakes (Boyd Anderson)/USC commitment Kent Turene.
Only three coaches _ Houston Nutt, Dave Rader and Tyrone Nix _ were at Ole Miss’ Thursday practice. In other words, the staff is on the recruiting trail this weekend, taking advantage of the Rebels’ open date. Nutt will make appearances at both South Panola and Madison Central on Friday, obviously to see Nick Brassell and Tobias Singleton. Derrick Nix is expected at Madison Central as well.
Ron Dickerson flew to New Jersey Thursday to see wide receiver/ATH Damiere Byrd on the eve of Byrd’s official visit to South Carolina. Byrd visited Iowa last weekend. Ole Miss is expected to receive a visit in December, though the speedster would like to see the Rebels’ game day atmosphere.
Kim Dameron will be in south Mississippi to scout Miss. Gulf Coast C.C. defensive tackle Jonathan Jenkins. I’m not sure whether he’ll be in north Louisiana or not. Monroe’s Chuck Hunter and Shreveport’s Jermauria Rasco remain priorities, though the Rebels have stiff competition for both.
Terry Price will start his weekend in Kansas seeing Garden City C.C. defensive tackle Maurice Couch before flying to Florida to see Serderius Bryant and others.
A quick side note: Sources in Arkansas told us Thursday the Rebels have really stepped up their interest in Rison, Ark., running back Raphael “Rock” Caldwell, who has been enjoying a banner senior season.
On to basketball, where Ole Miss has been hit by a stinging one-two punch in recent weeks. Ky Madden committed to Arkansas, and the Rebels learned Thursday Johnny O’Bryant intends to sign with LSU. Those developments have been devastating. Ole Miss is hoping it can land Memphis guard Andre Hollins, but most believe he’s headed to Harvard at this point.
What’s Plan B? We’re working to find out.
Finally, back to football, albeit briefly. We’re aware of the “mass suspension” rumor that has spread on the Internet and on radio airwaves in Alabama. At this point, we know nothing of substance. Sources close to the program have said the situation is still being negotiated. From what we can gather, our best guess is a handful of players (five or fewer) will be punished for skipping at least three classes. The punishment, likely a one-game suspension, could be administered later in the season. The players, if what we’re hearing is correct, are all freshmen.
Chase Parham
The script has remained much the same, as South Panola wide receiver Nick Brassell and Madison Central wide receiver Tobias Singleton have been ? and are ? Ole Miss’ biggest targets for the 2010 signing class. And while virtually every source thinks the Rebels have a substantial lead for Brassell, the talk regarding Singleton has been scattered and varied.
Singleton changes up his top five during every interview, but the two constants are always Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Singleton’s brother is a student at Ole Miss, and the four-star prospect has the most ties with the Rebels. However, he’s consistently said it would be his lone decision with other people not dictating his college choice.
Some news happened in the Singleton saga Thursday, as his teammate Joe Price was offered by Mississippi State and committed without giving it too much thought. It’s safe to say this move by the Bulldogs was made in the hopes of helping land Singleton. Price is a good player and has speed, but he hasn’t been overwhelmed by offers. I contacted Singleton Thursday afternoon, and as expected, he didn’t seem like Price’s commitment would have any type of direct impact on him.
“I mean I’m happy for Joe, and he’s my boy, but that’s his decision, and I’m going to make mine,” Singleton said.
MSU is still in it, and the Bulldogs have a fighting chance, but if they sign Singleton, it won’t be because of Price. Singleton just doesn’t operate like that.
As for Singleton’s recruitment, my advice would be to hammer home the Wildcat formation angle. I know that’s been a constant with basically every skill player, but head coach Bobby Hall has inserted Singleton into that formation at Madison Central, and the gifted athlete has taken a strong liking to it. He scored twice out of the Wildcat last Friday in the Jaguars’ win, and his skill set definitely fits the package.
Singleton expects to make his decision in January, and I’d currently give Ole Miss a lead, but it’s far from over and definitely not a sizable advantage. He’s one of my favorite recruits to chat with, but he’s also impossible to accurately read.
I know most of you are worried about losing some out-of-state commits if the season doesn’t go as planned, and while Gerrod Holliman and Andrew Johnson are both taking visits and occasionally saying things that could cause worry, Serderius Bryant appears set on Ole Miss. The Sanford, Fla., native recently spoke with the Oxford Eagle, and here’s part of that story. Bryant is big on Ole Miss allowing him to stay at linebacker.
Joel Kight really inspired me because he’s a short linebacker that starts,” Bryant said during a phone interview. “(Ole Miss’) coaches always tell me that they don’t care about height, they just play the best players.
“Most schools try to move me back to safety, that’s why I like Ole Miss.”
Bryant went on to mention that Florida’s staff told him if he would switch to safety they would offer him a scholarship.
No dice, said Bryant.
Pascagoula, Miss., cornerback Senquez Golson is a top-flight football prospect that will keep Ole Miss’ coaches nervous through the June 2011 MLB Draft. You know that, but there is likely a 2012 version, as well. Petal, Miss., quarterback Anthony Alford ? who is likely an athlete when it comes to football recruiting ? is getting great marks from baseball scouts, according to several sources I’ve recently spoken with. Alford can play several positions, but like Golson, has the most potential as an outfielder.
“I’ll likely go to college, because an education is important if baseball doesn’t work out, but you just never know,” Alford said last month. “But I prefer football.”
It's just something to keep in mind for Alford. All schools are telling him he can play both sports, but the baseball programs aren't expecting him to ever appear on a college campus.
As for baseball, Ole Miss will entertain an important official visitor this weekend. Cody Stubbs, who lettered at Tennessee as a freshman before transferring to Walters State Community College, is spending the weekend in Oxford and has the Rebels in his top three. The first baseman also holds offers from Vanderbilt and NC State. I’d put Vandy as the biggest competition, as Stubbs’ parents graduated from the school.
Stubbs appeared in 46 games and started 21 as a freshman for the Volunteers.
“I played at Ole Miss last year, so that’s kind of different, but that’s all I know about them so far,” Stubbs said Thursday night. “I’m looking forward to the weekend. It’ll be a good time.”
Stubbs went 1-for-4 against the Rebels in 2010.
Also visiting this weekend is American River Community College (Sacramento, Calif.) left-hander Dylan Chavez. The 6-foot-3 pitcher throws 88-91 and pitched at St. Mary’s as a freshman. Oregon, Miami and Tennessee are also recruiting him. Chavez allowed two runs on two hits in an inning against Southern Miss last season.
To be honest, there is probably another visitor or two, but I don’t know who they are. Baseball information can be tough to come across at times.
Also, there’s nothing new to report on the coaching search. Coach Mike Bianco continues to coach the infield, and pitching coach Carl Lafferty is handling the pitchers by himself.
Brandon Lockhart
I'll start with Barry Sanders, since he's easily the most intriguing prospect of the 2012 class thus far. Sanders mentioned Ole Miss - unsolicited - so that's why I tracked him down. I'm no talent or rankings expert, but his highlight reel is downright filthy. It should be noted that Sanders national recruitment and recognition is taking off, and several different outlets have reported conflicting leading-schools for his services -- in a matter of a just few weeks. Sanders indicated no leader(s) in his interview for RebelGrove.com, but the only school he's consistently mentioned is his father's alma mater, Oklahoma State. I suspect he will receive much more than his 12 current offers and don't expect him to rush into a decision. Clearly, Nutt and Staff have touched base with Sanders, and perhaps Sanders Sr., and Nutt's connection could be enough to lure Sanders to Ole Miss for a visit.
Mitchell Henry's recruitment is certainly another to keep an eye on. We touched on it on the message board; setting the single-game state receiving record - as a tight end - will definitely attract attention. Rebel tight ends coach James Shibest wanted to evaluate film of Henry's blocking after the Kentucky tight end had an impressive performance at the Ole Miss camp in July.
Henry brought blocking clips of his first five games on his trip to Ole Miss last weekend, so an offer may be forthcoming if the staff likes what it sees. Cameron Clear is ahead of Henry on Ole Miss' board, so Clear's decision could also impact the materialization of a scholarship offer for Henry.
Our recent update with Gerrod Holliman revealed he will take some visits to Cincinnati and Louisville, in addition to Ole Miss. He recently visited the Miami campus, but the tone in his voice indicated that it was just a visit and nothing more, "I've been there before, so it wasn't nothing new," were his exact words. I believe the vacation/visit factor a similar case for Cincinnati and Louisville. Unless either visit completely blows him away, the potential for early playing time at Ole Miss should maintain his commitment. Holliman's cousin, 2012 grad Darius Hall, had a productive sophomore season, and another solid year as a junior should garner some more scholarships, as Florida International is his only verbal at the moment. Duke, UCLA, Kentucky, LSU, and Ole Miss are several schools in contact with Hall.
There's something you'll notice in the video we posted yesterday with Brassell. I asked him about his recruiter, Ron Dickerson. Brassell mentioned he talks with Dickerson at least once a week, if not more. He then said he talks to his Mississippi State recruiter Melvin Smith "sometimes," and mentioned Bo Davis and Terry Joseph from Alabama and Tennessee, respectively. Sometimes in recruiting, you have to read between the lines, and his most frequent contact with Ole Miss is telling. He will enjoy some official visits but is likely Ole Miss' to lose.
Jeremiah Masoli is a senior.
Nathan Stanley, per multiple sources around the Ole Miss program, is anything but happy. Houston Nutt says all the right things about Stanley when asked, and Stanley was diplomatic in his one post-demotion interview, but body language tells a different story.
No one has said Stanley is leaving after the season, but no one would/should be shocked if he did, either. Stanley would have two years of eligibility remaining, having already burned a redshirt in 2008 and having spent 2009 backing up Jevan Snead. He could, conceivably, get around NCAA transfer rules on the back end if he doesn’t play at Ole Miss again this season. Stanley played in the opener and again for one series in the third quarter in Game 2 at Tulane. However, he injured a shoulder, an injury that was documented by multiple media reports, so he could apply for a medical hardship waiver and possibly get a sixth year of eligibility. Should he transfer, that’s a risk both he and another school would have to take.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The point, of course, is Ole Miss probably needs to be kicking some quarterbacks’ proverbial tires. The Rebels appear to be doing just that. Randall Mackey, whose skill set is very similar to Masoli’s, is redshirting this season. Fulton, Miss., three-star quarterback Maikhail Miller, who is committed to the Rebels, said earlier this week he likes the Rebels’ offense with Masoli running it and feels he could operate in a similar fashion.
Last month, another site covering Ole Miss hinted at and subsequently deleted a not-so-veiled rumor that West Virginia backup quarterback Barry Brunetti, a Memphis native who camped at Ole Miss and liked the Rebels but did not receive an offer out of high school, had expressed some behind-the-scenes interest in a return to the Mid-South. We heard those rumors as early as the weekend of the Ole Miss-Vanderbilt game. A Memphis radio program openly talked about Brunetti’s interest in Ole Miss earlier this week. While no one around either side is talking, Brunetti is clearly an option.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss coaches are headed to Kansas this weekend to scout Butler County (Kan.) Community College Zach Mettenberger. A source close to the Kansas junior college circuit said Mettenberger has official visits planned to LSU and Texas A&M. The same source said Arizona, Cincinnati, LSU, Texas A&M and Troy were recruiting the former Georgia quarterback the hardest at this point. The source said Ole Miss had been recruiting Mettenberger but hadn’t yet offered. That, conceivably, could change soon.
Mettenberger, a highly recruited Watkinsville, Ga., native, was dismissed from the UGA team in April. He pled guilty in May to two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery. Lowndes County (Ga.) District Attorney J. David Miller told ESPN.com Mettenberger was sentenced to two concurrent 12-month periods of probation under the state's first-offender act. Miller said Mettenberger also was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines and perform 40 hours of community service. Additionally, he was banished from the city of Valdosta and is to have no contact with the victim.
Miller told ESPN.com the sexual battery counts were the result of Mettenberger grabbing the breasts and touching the buttocks of a woman at a bar in Remerton, Ga., on March 7.
A source close to the LSU program said Mettenberger has been told he’ll be “handed the keys” to the Tigers’ offense if he signs with LSU. He’s scheduled to visit Baton Rouge in November when LSU entertains Ole Miss.
Butler County entertains Independence (Kan.) C.C. on Saturday. So far this season, Mettenberger is 81-for-143 passing for 1,314 yards, 16 touchdowns and three interceptions. Mettenberger is one of several Division I prospects at Butler County.
Ole Miss has also been in steady contact with Ventura (Calif.) College quarterback Antavius Sims, but the Rebels have not offered.
Ole Miss is also taking a hard look at cornerbacks. The Rebels could sign as many as six corners in February, per sources, in an attempt to make sure at least four show up next summer. Cornerbacks coach Chris Vaughn is in Florida this weekend to see cornerback commitment Andrew Johnson and safety commitment Gerod Holliman. The Rebels feel good about Johnson, but there’s considerable competition. The Rebels are also worried cornerback commitment Senquez Golson’s baseball potential could be problematic next June when Major League Baseball conducts its draft. A name to watch is Tampa (Robinson), Fla., athlete Frankie Williams. Williams recently picked up an Ole Miss offer, and while he visited North Carolina State last weekend, he told me earlier this week: “I love Ole Miss and can’t wait to visit.”
Interestingly, Reserve, La., four-star cornerback Floyd Raven wanted to visit Ole Miss for the Kentucky game. However, Ole Miss is urging Raven to wait until after the season so the Rebels’ staff can show him the attention they want to show. Raven, reached earlier this week, said “nothing is new” with his recruiting other than Utah getting involved in recent days.
Ole Miss is also working on a couple of Florida linebackers. Tampa (Freedom) linebacker Keith Lewis, who has offers from a veritable plethora of schools, has given the Rebels some good vibes, as has Lauderdale Lakes (Boyd Anderson)/USC commitment Kent Turene.
Only three coaches _ Houston Nutt, Dave Rader and Tyrone Nix _ were at Ole Miss’ Thursday practice. In other words, the staff is on the recruiting trail this weekend, taking advantage of the Rebels’ open date. Nutt will make appearances at both South Panola and Madison Central on Friday, obviously to see Nick Brassell and Tobias Singleton. Derrick Nix is expected at Madison Central as well.
Ron Dickerson flew to New Jersey Thursday to see wide receiver/ATH Damiere Byrd on the eve of Byrd’s official visit to South Carolina. Byrd visited Iowa last weekend. Ole Miss is expected to receive a visit in December, though the speedster would like to see the Rebels’ game day atmosphere.
Kim Dameron will be in south Mississippi to scout Miss. Gulf Coast C.C. defensive tackle Jonathan Jenkins. I’m not sure whether he’ll be in north Louisiana or not. Monroe’s Chuck Hunter and Shreveport’s Jermauria Rasco remain priorities, though the Rebels have stiff competition for both.
Terry Price will start his weekend in Kansas seeing Garden City C.C. defensive tackle Maurice Couch before flying to Florida to see Serderius Bryant and others.
A quick side note: Sources in Arkansas told us Thursday the Rebels have really stepped up their interest in Rison, Ark., running back Raphael “Rock” Caldwell, who has been enjoying a banner senior season.
On to basketball, where Ole Miss has been hit by a stinging one-two punch in recent weeks. Ky Madden committed to Arkansas, and the Rebels learned Thursday Johnny O’Bryant intends to sign with LSU. Those developments have been devastating. Ole Miss is hoping it can land Memphis guard Andre Hollins, but most believe he’s headed to Harvard at this point.
What’s Plan B? We’re working to find out.
Finally, back to football, albeit briefly. We’re aware of the “mass suspension” rumor that has spread on the Internet and on radio airwaves in Alabama. At this point, we know nothing of substance. Sources close to the program have said the situation is still being negotiated. From what we can gather, our best guess is a handful of players (five or fewer) will be punished for skipping at least three classes. The punishment, likely a one-game suspension, could be administered later in the season. The players, if what we’re hearing is correct, are all freshmen.
Chase Parham
The script has remained much the same, as South Panola wide receiver Nick Brassell and Madison Central wide receiver Tobias Singleton have been ? and are ? Ole Miss’ biggest targets for the 2010 signing class. And while virtually every source thinks the Rebels have a substantial lead for Brassell, the talk regarding Singleton has been scattered and varied.
Singleton changes up his top five during every interview, but the two constants are always Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Singleton’s brother is a student at Ole Miss, and the four-star prospect has the most ties with the Rebels. However, he’s consistently said it would be his lone decision with other people not dictating his college choice.
Some news happened in the Singleton saga Thursday, as his teammate Joe Price was offered by Mississippi State and committed without giving it too much thought. It’s safe to say this move by the Bulldogs was made in the hopes of helping land Singleton. Price is a good player and has speed, but he hasn’t been overwhelmed by offers. I contacted Singleton Thursday afternoon, and as expected, he didn’t seem like Price’s commitment would have any type of direct impact on him.
“I mean I’m happy for Joe, and he’s my boy, but that’s his decision, and I’m going to make mine,” Singleton said.
MSU is still in it, and the Bulldogs have a fighting chance, but if they sign Singleton, it won’t be because of Price. Singleton just doesn’t operate like that.
As for Singleton’s recruitment, my advice would be to hammer home the Wildcat formation angle. I know that’s been a constant with basically every skill player, but head coach Bobby Hall has inserted Singleton into that formation at Madison Central, and the gifted athlete has taken a strong liking to it. He scored twice out of the Wildcat last Friday in the Jaguars’ win, and his skill set definitely fits the package.
Singleton expects to make his decision in January, and I’d currently give Ole Miss a lead, but it’s far from over and definitely not a sizable advantage. He’s one of my favorite recruits to chat with, but he’s also impossible to accurately read.
I know most of you are worried about losing some out-of-state commits if the season doesn’t go as planned, and while Gerrod Holliman and Andrew Johnson are both taking visits and occasionally saying things that could cause worry, Serderius Bryant appears set on Ole Miss. The Sanford, Fla., native recently spoke with the Oxford Eagle, and here’s part of that story. Bryant is big on Ole Miss allowing him to stay at linebacker.
Joel Kight really inspired me because he’s a short linebacker that starts,” Bryant said during a phone interview. “(Ole Miss’) coaches always tell me that they don’t care about height, they just play the best players.
“Most schools try to move me back to safety, that’s why I like Ole Miss.”
Bryant went on to mention that Florida’s staff told him if he would switch to safety they would offer him a scholarship.
No dice, said Bryant.
Pascagoula, Miss., cornerback Senquez Golson is a top-flight football prospect that will keep Ole Miss’ coaches nervous through the June 2011 MLB Draft. You know that, but there is likely a 2012 version, as well. Petal, Miss., quarterback Anthony Alford ? who is likely an athlete when it comes to football recruiting ? is getting great marks from baseball scouts, according to several sources I’ve recently spoken with. Alford can play several positions, but like Golson, has the most potential as an outfielder.
“I’ll likely go to college, because an education is important if baseball doesn’t work out, but you just never know,” Alford said last month. “But I prefer football.”
It's just something to keep in mind for Alford. All schools are telling him he can play both sports, but the baseball programs aren't expecting him to ever appear on a college campus.
As for baseball, Ole Miss will entertain an important official visitor this weekend. Cody Stubbs, who lettered at Tennessee as a freshman before transferring to Walters State Community College, is spending the weekend in Oxford and has the Rebels in his top three. The first baseman also holds offers from Vanderbilt and NC State. I’d put Vandy as the biggest competition, as Stubbs’ parents graduated from the school.
Stubbs appeared in 46 games and started 21 as a freshman for the Volunteers.
“I played at Ole Miss last year, so that’s kind of different, but that’s all I know about them so far,” Stubbs said Thursday night. “I’m looking forward to the weekend. It’ll be a good time.”
Stubbs went 1-for-4 against the Rebels in 2010.
Also visiting this weekend is American River Community College (Sacramento, Calif.) left-hander Dylan Chavez. The 6-foot-3 pitcher throws 88-91 and pitched at St. Mary’s as a freshman. Oregon, Miami and Tennessee are also recruiting him. Chavez allowed two runs on two hits in an inning against Southern Miss last season.
To be honest, there is probably another visitor or two, but I don’t know who they are. Baseball information can be tough to come across at times.
Also, there’s nothing new to report on the coaching search. Coach Mike Bianco continues to coach the infield, and pitching coach Carl Lafferty is handling the pitchers by himself.
Brandon Lockhart
I'll start with Barry Sanders, since he's easily the most intriguing prospect of the 2012 class thus far. Sanders mentioned Ole Miss - unsolicited - so that's why I tracked him down. I'm no talent or rankings expert, but his highlight reel is downright filthy. It should be noted that Sanders national recruitment and recognition is taking off, and several different outlets have reported conflicting leading-schools for his services -- in a matter of a just few weeks. Sanders indicated no leader(s) in his interview for RebelGrove.com, but the only school he's consistently mentioned is his father's alma mater, Oklahoma State. I suspect he will receive much more than his 12 current offers and don't expect him to rush into a decision. Clearly, Nutt and Staff have touched base with Sanders, and perhaps Sanders Sr., and Nutt's connection could be enough to lure Sanders to Ole Miss for a visit.
Mitchell Henry's recruitment is certainly another to keep an eye on. We touched on it on the message board; setting the single-game state receiving record - as a tight end - will definitely attract attention. Rebel tight ends coach James Shibest wanted to evaluate film of Henry's blocking after the Kentucky tight end had an impressive performance at the Ole Miss camp in July.
Henry brought blocking clips of his first five games on his trip to Ole Miss last weekend, so an offer may be forthcoming if the staff likes what it sees. Cameron Clear is ahead of Henry on Ole Miss' board, so Clear's decision could also impact the materialization of a scholarship offer for Henry.
Our recent update with Gerrod Holliman revealed he will take some visits to Cincinnati and Louisville, in addition to Ole Miss. He recently visited the Miami campus, but the tone in his voice indicated that it was just a visit and nothing more, "I've been there before, so it wasn't nothing new," were his exact words. I believe the vacation/visit factor a similar case for Cincinnati and Louisville. Unless either visit completely blows him away, the potential for early playing time at Ole Miss should maintain his commitment. Holliman's cousin, 2012 grad Darius Hall, had a productive sophomore season, and another solid year as a junior should garner some more scholarships, as Florida International is his only verbal at the moment. Duke, UCLA, Kentucky, LSU, and Ole Miss are several schools in contact with Hall.
There's something you'll notice in the video we posted yesterday with Brassell. I asked him about his recruiter, Ron Dickerson. Brassell mentioned he talks with Dickerson at least once a week, if not more. He then said he talks to his Mississippi State recruiter Melvin Smith "sometimes," and mentioned Bo Davis and Terry Joseph from Alabama and Tennessee, respectively. Sometimes in recruiting, you have to read between the lines, and his most frequent contact with Ole Miss is telling. He will enjoy some official visits but is likely Ole Miss' to lose.
