Neal McCready:
Macon, Miss., four-star wide receiver Vincent Sanders, as was first reported on the Rivals.com network earlier this week, received an offer from Florida State on Tuesday. Seminoles offensive line coach Rick Trickett extended the offer, and Trickett has always been a superb recruiter. However, he likely won’t be able to swing Sanders to Tallahassee. Instead, Sanders, who has nine touchdowns, including a punt return, since returning from a broken jaw, seems destined to remain in Mississippi.
Sanders was in Starkville last weekend to see Mississippi State’s loss to Florida. He gave the trip rave reviews.
"It was pretty exciting," Sanders told RebelSports.net. "MSU made it a game. I had a good time there."
Sanders said he didn’t get a chance to talk to coaches after the contest. Instead, he left with two minutes to go in order to beat traffic and get home. He’ll be back in Starkville on Saturday, this time to visit with former high school hoops teammate Shaunessy Smith, who is playing basketball for the Bulldogs now.
It’s apparent talking to Sanders that Mississippi State and Ole Miss are the two major players for his services. Sanders says all the right things, telling RebelSports.net that he hasn’t "narrowed it down. “I want to see who all offers me first. I’m really concentrating on my season. I’m trying to stay focused on that. Pretty much everybody is No. 1. …Everybody calls and sends letters. Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, schools like that, they’re calling me."
One school that would have been a factor, Alabama, has "backed off. I haven’t heard from them in awhile. If anything, it’s good. I feel like I’m a good player, and if they’re not recruiting me, they’re missing out on a good player. It’s not frustrating or anything like that."
Ole Miss, Sanders said, is telling him how much they need him and selling the prospect of playing with former teammate Patrick Patterson. Sanders and Patterson, Sanders said, haven’t had a big conversation about recruiting, though he expects that to happen after the season.
My opinion: Too close to call, though if you made me predict, I’d pick Ole Miss.
Sanders said the only two in-state prospects he visits with much are Oak Grove wide receiver and Yazoo County linebacker Kaleb Eulls. Johnson recently returned from an official visit to West Virginia, and Sanders said he plans to take a trip to Morgantown as well.
"(Johnson) told me he had a good time there," Sanders said. "We text each other and talk about the seasons we’re having. He likes West Virginia and Ole Miss, but I’m not too sure what he‘s going to do."
I still think Johnson ends up at Ole Miss, but even if the Rebels land Sanders and Johnson, they need a burner who can man the slot receiver position. Quadarius Mireles sounds like he could be that guy. Ole Miss also likes junior college wide receivers Martavious Lee and Horatio Williams, but I expect Lee to sign with LSU and it’s hard to get a real read on Williams’ intentions regarding football.
Houston Nutt spent some quality moments with Little Rock, Ark., five-star running back Michael Dyer prior to the Rebels’ win over Arkansas Saturday in Oxford. However, multiple sources close to the Ole Miss program believe Dyer remains a secondary target for the Rebels. One source said the Rebels’ brass believes Dyer is very similar to what they already have in the form of freshman Rodney Scott. Further, several sources close to the Ole Miss staff believe it’s a foregone conclusion, regardless of timing, that Dyer will sign with Auburn in February. My friend and colleague Bryan Matthews of AuburnSports.com told me Thursday that his sources continue to believe Dyer will commit to Auburn next week.
My read on Dyer: Ole Miss would take him in a heartbeat. However, the player is enamored with Auburn and Gus Malzahn, and Ole Miss likes a couple of other backs every bit as much or more than Dyer and feel they can land one or both. Dyer to Ole Miss was never in the cards, in my opinion. If I end up wrong, I’ll admit it.
From all accounts, Ole Miss’ targets at running back are Hahnville, La., product Alfred Blue and Monticello’s Matthew Wells. I’ll let Chase address Wells, as he has a good rapport with him and has done a great job of staying in contact. My sources believe Ole Miss has a slight lead over Mississippi State for Wells, and they believe as long as the Rebels can convince Wells he’ll be a running back and not a defensive back in Oxford, Ole Miss will land his signature.
As for Blue, while Ole Miss has done a great job for him and have him intrigued at the prospect of being the next Darren McFadden in Houston Nutt’s offensive system, I still believe LSU is the team to beat. As was reported on the Rivals.com network earlier this week, Blue was in Baton Rouge for the Tigers’ win over Auburn last weekend and he left impressed. He’ll be in Oxford for Ole Miss’ game against LSU, and that visit will be critical. I expect Blue to take official visits to both Ole Miss and LSU before making a decision. Color me skeptical, I guess, but I grew up in Louisiana and know the power an LSU offer carries. It’s close, but I’d bet on LSU at this point.
I expect Ole Miss to take two more offensive linemen in addition to the three presently committed -- Jared Duke, Evan Swindall and Chase Hughes. I fully expect the remaining two scholarships to go to Hargrave offensive tackle Terrance Hackney and Navarro Junior College tackle David Grant.
Ole Miss remains in very good shape for Miss. Gulf Coast CC defensive end Wayne Dorsey, a December graduate who is projected as an immediate starter opposite Kentrell Lockett. The other defensive end high on Ole Miss’ board is Hollandale’s Carlos Thompson. Sources close to Thompson believe Ole Miss remains the team to beat for Thompson. I know Ole Miss is recruiting Delvin Jones as well, and the Tennessee commitment will visit Oxford in December. We’ve had a difficult time getting in touch with Jones, and I hate to speculate without talking to the prospect.
The Rebels, due to some academic delays and a lack of available spots, are backing off Dorsey’s MGCCC teammate, defensive tackle James Carmon. That’s no knock on Carmon, either, as those close to the program believe he’s a very good player who is ready to contribute. However, the Rebels feel very confident in their ability to land the Madison Central defensive tackle duo of Bryon Bennett and Carlton Martin, and they are much higher priorities than Carmon.
Ole Miss’ top linebacker candidate, from what I can gather, remains Lakeland, Fla., three-star Quayshawn Nealy. While there is competition for Nealy, it certainly sounds like he’s Ole Miss’ to lose. I look for him to commit to the Rebels shortly after his official visit to Oxford. As chronicled last week, Tennessee commitment/Miami native Ralph Williams is scheduled to visit Ole Miss, and there is confidence within the Rebels’ camp that Williams will ultimately end up wearing red and blue and not orange.
Meanwhile, things don’t look nearly as rosy for Ole Miss on Yazoo City, Miss., linebacker Taurice King. His school has a planned Senior Day trip to Oxford scheduled for Tuesday. King’s classmate, basketball forward/center DeMarco Cox, is making the trip. King was originally scheduled to, but he’s not going now, according to sources. I’ve been hearing King is leaning to Mississippi State; this development validates those rumors, at least in my mind.
I still hear Ole Miss would love to land Hollywood, Fla., cornerback Tony Grimes. However, Grimes is now openly naming Michigan his leader, and West Virginia and Maryland are in the fight as well. Ole Miss appears to be in much better shape for Gadsden City, Ala., cornerback Dale Trimble, who claims offers from Clemson, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee. Purdue leads for Daytona Beach, Fla., cornerback Ricardo Allen, though he’s still likely to take an Ole Miss official visit.
Four-star safety/cornerback Rashad Knight told Rivals.com last weekend that Ole Miss was making a big move for his services. Knight will visit Michigan for the Wolverines’ game against Ohio State. While Michigan appears to be the favorite, Knight doesn’t appear close to a commitment and plans to take multiple visits. Oregon and Ole Miss should land two of those trips, and Louisville is in the mix as well.
"Ole Miss is coming on strong," Knight said. "They’ve been calling me a lot."
Four-star safety Damien Jackson, a teammate of Dorsey’s and Carmon’s at MGCCC, has been offered a scholarship by Ole Miss, according to sources, and the Rebels appear to be in very good shape. Jackson is a top target at free safety, as Ole Miss will be looking for someone to play immediately in place of senior Kendrick Lewis. Like Dorsey, Jackson is a December graduate.
In the coming weeks, we'll be turning the page a bit and looking at the Class of 2011. Ole Miss, like every other major Division I school, has already done so. We'll get into it in more depth as we go, but all indications point to Ole Miss being in very good shape for some of Mississippi's top juniors. That would include Madison Central wide receiver Tobias Singleton, South Panola wide receiver Nicklos Brassell, Raleigh athlete Donte Moncrief and Forest wide receiver Josh Pinkston.
On Friday, Shane Youngblood of BamaOnline.com informed me that Ole Miss has offered Atlanta (Grady), Ga., athlete Damian Swann, a 6-foot, 175-pounder. Swann's other offer at this point is Alabama.
On to football briefly, where Ole Miss wrapped up its preparations for Auburn on Thursday. Of note was the presence of offensive guard Rishaw Johnson. It’s no secret Ole Miss’ staff has grown frustrated with Johnson during the past two seasons, but it’s also noteworthy that given the Rebels’ lack of depth on the offensive line, they really can’t afford to lose Johnson. There isn’t any real optimism regarding center Daverin Geralds getting a fifth year (another case of remarkably poor roster management by Ed Orgeron), which means the Rebels will likely have to start a freshman at center, Johnson and A.J. Hawkins at guard and Bradley Sowell and Bobby Massie at tackle next season. Given that scenario, Johnson becomes an important _ if not integral _ part of the Rebels’ offensive front in 2010.
Rain is in the forecast for Saturday’s game, and given the state of the economy, the early start time, Halloween festivities and the like, a less than stellar crowd is expected at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Ole Miss has seemed confident during practice this week, and in my opinion, the Rebels are justified in that belief. My pick: Ole Miss 27, Auburn 17.
Finally, some quick basketball notes. There is quite a bit of confidence in Ole Miss’ camp that this is going to be the year the Rebels break through and make the NCAA tournament. After watching practice Tuesday, I’d concur with that confidence. Ole Miss is deep and talented on the perimeter, athletic all over the roster and stocked with experience. If there’s a worry spot, it’s the low post, where Ole Miss has senior DeAundre Cranston, junior college transfer DeAngelo Riley and freshman Reginald Buckner. It might take a few games, but in my opinion, it’s a matter of time before Buckner is a starter along with Murphy Holloway, Eniel Polynice, Terrico White and Chris Warren.
Buckner is going to be a star; it’s just a matter of how long it takes for him to make the adjustment to the college game. That lineup leaves Cranston and Terrance Henry to help off the bench down low and Trevor Gaskins and Zach Graham to be the primary help on the perimeter. Riley and Will Bogan figure in somewhere, but the Rebels’ top nine are very good. It should be a team that is fun to watch, in virtually every game and competing for a division title to the end.
Chase Parham
I’ll go over some of Ole Miss’ top recruiting targets. Neal will also have information on some of the same prospects, but I’m sure you all don’t mind reading it twice from different perspectives and sources.
Matthew Wells: I talked to Matthew Wednesday night, and while he visited the MSU-Florida game last weekend, the Bulldogs didn’t overwhelm him. I reported in the last War Room that Wells was 50/50 with a slight State lean, but I’m now hearing that the lean is gone. It is 50/50 between the Bulldogs and Rebels. State recently committed Belle Grade, Fla., running back Antwon Chisholm, and that could have had a slightly negative impact on Wells. He is determined to go somewhere as an offensive player and worries about getting moved to cornerback, a position that his skill set would likely allow him to excel in. He is listed on the Mississippi/Alabama game roster as a cornerback. It’s important for Ole Miss to remove any and all doubt, making sure he knows the Rebels plan for him to be in their backfield. I suddenly like Ole Miss’ chances. Many State supporters are touting that Wells is a slam dunk and could commit soon, but I’d be totally shocked if that happened for either team. I expect official visits and a decision after the New Year. It’s too close to call, but the Rebels have undeniably made up ground.
Carlton Martin: It’s not a matter of if, just when. As I’ve said before, Martin is more committed to Ole Miss than most of the players around the country that have committed to their schools. I can’t put into words what kind of upset it would be if Martin isn’t one of Ole Miss 22 in February.
Bryon Bennett: The Madison Central defensive lineman recently fell out of the Rivals250, but is picking up offers from around the country and is in the middle of a special individual season. Martin may have a higher up-side, but several Madison Central sources have touted Bennett as the better player so far in 2009. It’s been an important few days in Bennett’s recruitment, as Oklahoma formerly offered, causing somewhat of a stir. It’s hard to blame Bennett for being excited. No matter how much of a factor, Oklahoma offering is flatting for a high school senior. He’ll visit and list the Sooners high, but I’ll still be surprised if Bennett inks with Oklahoma or Texas Tech. Bennett told me earlier this week that if he stayed in-state, he would almost assuredly go to Ole Miss. This recruitment is one to watch, and there’s not 100 percent confidence, but if I had to bet, it’d be a no-brainer. I’d put my money on the Rebels. Bennett is familiar and comfortable with Oxford. He’s never visited Lubbock, Texas or Norman, Okla. Ohio State is also showing interest, but I’d lump the Buckeyes in with Oklahoma ? flattering but probably not his final decision. Also, Bryon took the ACT for the fourth time last weekend and his high score is a 17. He believes Oklahoma’s academic requirements may be difficult for him to achieve.
Robert Johnson: It’s been a somewhat tight camp around Johnson and his recruitment lately, but no news is good news for Ole Miss. The Rebels still lead, and while the Florida State disclaimer is still present, the Seminoles are in some disarray and could be becoming less of a factor ? even if they offer. West Virginia has received an official visit from Johnson ? and also offered teammates Jay Hughes and Steve McNair ? so the Mountaineers deserve to be mentioned and will likely be the school if Johnson jumps out-of-state, but the Rebels lead and are in great position to nab one of their top wideout priorities.
Quayshawn Nealy: The three-star Lakeland, Fla., linebacker has a very good relationship with Ole Miss recruiting coordinator Chris Vaughn and is a likely pick to fill one of the couple spots reserved for linebackers in this upcoming class. The Rebels will definitely get an official visit, and I wouldn’t rule out Nealy committing on the trip. I would almost expect it. He has a 3.4 GPA and made an 18 on the ACT to be safely eligible.
Delvin Jones: The four-star athlete out of Miami Palmetto High School is committed to Tennessee but continues to actively look around. Jones has been impossible to get on the phone, but he is planning official visits to Alabama, Tennessee, Nebraska, Ole Miss and Arkansas. Jones is friends with Miami (Southridge), Fla., linebacker Ralph Williams, who Ole Miss has offered, and Rebels commitment Jeff Scott. There is a decent possibility all three players will visit the first weekend of December.
Baseball update
The baseball team will wrap up fall practice next weekend with the annual Pizza Bowl. Two players are named captains, and they pick the teams for the three-game series. The winning team, as expected, gets a pizza meal.
The Rebels are still searching for some consistency with the pitching staff, as the unit remains somewhat patchwork. Ace Drew Pomeranz and redshirt freshman Blair Wright will make their first appearances of the fall against live hitting during the Pizza Bowl. Both players have been resting their arms and not wanting to overdo anything. JUCO transfers Matt Crouse and Trent Rothlin are also back throwing after sickness and injury. Crouse underwent arthroscopic knee surgery earlier this summer but appears to be fully recovered. Rothlin had mono for a good portion of fall practice.
I continue to be impressed with freshmen infielders Evan Frazar and Alex Yarbrough. I interviewed the players this week and will have a story on them in the coming days. Both are making it difficult on the incumbent infielders, as Frazar and Yarbrough are excelling in the field and at the plate. Currently, Yarbrough is second on the team in batting average (.419) and first in on-base percentage (.514). Frazar is sixth on the team in batting average (.346) and second among infielders in stolen bases (4-of-5) .
The two showcase excellent range, and Frazar’s throw across the diamond has been clocked at 92 MPH. Both will contribute and play this season. They are the centerpieces of the signing class.
Jake Morgan’s Tommy John surgery was successfully performed by Dr. James Andrews, and the right-hander is expected to be back for the 2011 season. Morgan began movement rehab and conditioning the day after surgery.
Dave Childers - Random thoughts
I get the benefit of reading Neal and Chase’s writings before I write mine, so I’d like to just supplement some of the things they’ve reported.
First, I interviewed Olive Branch’s Shon Coleman earlier this week. He wasn’t necessarily warm toward Ole Miss, but wasn’t glowing toward any other school either, including Auburn, emphasizing that he’s just continuing to look around. I think he’s one Ole Miss would love to have, but I also think Auburn may eventually get a star on its board for getting in on him early and recruiting him hard. While most schools were evaluating him the spring, Auburn was all over him with an early offer. Coleman’s situation could change if Auburn ends up 6-6 and Malzahn leaves or another school comes in and intrigues him. Maybe that could be Ole Miss if the Rebels go 11-2. But right now, my bet is Auburn or another school.
If you missed it, Coleman’s teammate, Damien Robinson named a Top 6 and Ole Miss wasn’t in it.
Everyone has a take and inside info on Michael Dyer, so here’s mine; I was told months ago by a very reputable source that Ole Miss liked at least two running backs better than Dyer. Those would be Blue and Miami running back Corvin Lamb. If Ole Miss can land either of those, with Blue being the priority, then I think the staff would quietly allow Dyer got to Auburn without much of a fight. That might change if Dyer wanted to go to Arkansas, as the staff might enjoying snatching a five-star away from the Razorbacks. But similar to Coleman, unless there’s a major shake-up at Auburn, I’d have to put my money on the Tigers inking him on signing day, but expect the drama to continue until then. Again, that could change if Ole Miss thinks it might miss out on Blue and Lamb and all of a sudden Dyer is the best available on the board. If that happens, credit the staff with doing the groundwork on Dyer to stay in it until signing day.
Speaking of committed prospects, the word I get is that the staff is not intimidated by the fact that any given prospect is committed to another school. Houston Nutt’s influence; and trust me, it can be tremendous, hasn’t been felt on this class yet. That observation is based on how things went last year. Nutt really got involved in recruiting in December and January (not to say he’s not currently involved, just more so after the season) and he made a huge impact. Expect that again this year. A source said the staff won’t mess with firm commitments to big schools, but will not be intimidated by going after prospects they want who are committed to schools like Florida State, Tennessee, and just about any other schools with perhaps with the exception of a Florida or Alabama. Also, keep this in mind about flipping committed prospects; schools don’t want to do it too early because it gives the losing school a chance to get back in the mix. A recruiter wants to flip a prospect right around the final dead period before signing day which limits what action the losing school can take to win back the kid. So, as you can see, it’s too early to start putting too much pressure on prospects already committed to other schools. A good thing to keep an eye on will be visits by committed prospects; a sure sign the staff is working that prospect.
Prospects I think Ole Miss is interested in who are currently committed include Ralph Williams and Delvin Jones and I’ll add another to that; current Oklahoma State commitment Chris Littlehead, who visited for the UAB game and came away impressed.
Everyone is always speculating about who will be the next commitment and Mireles (mentioned above and updated in a story on Thursday) could be the guy. Two things, in my opinion, are holding the Rebels back from accepting his commitment. One is that Mireles made a 15 on his first ACT and re-took the test last week. They could be waiting on the result, although he does have a 2.8 GPA and would be close to qualifying without a new test under the sliding scale, or they could simply want to eyeball him or even make sure that he and his mother are comfortable on the campus before taking his verbal pledge. If he does fix the ACT issue, being a December graduate also makes him even more attract. As far as eyeballing a prospect - it’s risky to accept a commitment from a prospect sight unseen, and him be listed at 5-foot-11, 185 and show up at 5-foot-9, 165, and that happens, including with one player last year who had an offer and wanted to commit, and the staff wanted him, until he showed up and didn’t meet the eye test.
One suggestion to recruiting junkies, you shouldn’t think this class is going to materialize real fast. Yes, they’d take guys like Sanders and Martin in a flash, but in the meantime, they have to save spaces for them, and they also have to have room to take some that come available at the last minute, such as was the case with Enrique Davis, Ray Cotton and Bobbie Massie over the last two years.
Numbers are slim, but should be a fun ride until the first Wednesday in December. It’s a crucial class for Nutt and crew because of the number of seniors they have departing and the need for impact players.
Macon, Miss., four-star wide receiver Vincent Sanders, as was first reported on the Rivals.com network earlier this week, received an offer from Florida State on Tuesday. Seminoles offensive line coach Rick Trickett extended the offer, and Trickett has always been a superb recruiter. However, he likely won’t be able to swing Sanders to Tallahassee. Instead, Sanders, who has nine touchdowns, including a punt return, since returning from a broken jaw, seems destined to remain in Mississippi.
Sanders was in Starkville last weekend to see Mississippi State’s loss to Florida. He gave the trip rave reviews.
"It was pretty exciting," Sanders told RebelSports.net. "MSU made it a game. I had a good time there."
Sanders said he didn’t get a chance to talk to coaches after the contest. Instead, he left with two minutes to go in order to beat traffic and get home. He’ll be back in Starkville on Saturday, this time to visit with former high school hoops teammate Shaunessy Smith, who is playing basketball for the Bulldogs now.
It’s apparent talking to Sanders that Mississippi State and Ole Miss are the two major players for his services. Sanders says all the right things, telling RebelSports.net that he hasn’t "narrowed it down. “I want to see who all offers me first. I’m really concentrating on my season. I’m trying to stay focused on that. Pretty much everybody is No. 1. …Everybody calls and sends letters. Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, schools like that, they’re calling me."
One school that would have been a factor, Alabama, has "backed off. I haven’t heard from them in awhile. If anything, it’s good. I feel like I’m a good player, and if they’re not recruiting me, they’re missing out on a good player. It’s not frustrating or anything like that."
Ole Miss, Sanders said, is telling him how much they need him and selling the prospect of playing with former teammate Patrick Patterson. Sanders and Patterson, Sanders said, haven’t had a big conversation about recruiting, though he expects that to happen after the season.
My opinion: Too close to call, though if you made me predict, I’d pick Ole Miss.
Sanders said the only two in-state prospects he visits with much are Oak Grove wide receiver and Yazoo County linebacker Kaleb Eulls. Johnson recently returned from an official visit to West Virginia, and Sanders said he plans to take a trip to Morgantown as well.
"(Johnson) told me he had a good time there," Sanders said. "We text each other and talk about the seasons we’re having. He likes West Virginia and Ole Miss, but I’m not too sure what he‘s going to do."
I still think Johnson ends up at Ole Miss, but even if the Rebels land Sanders and Johnson, they need a burner who can man the slot receiver position. Quadarius Mireles sounds like he could be that guy. Ole Miss also likes junior college wide receivers Martavious Lee and Horatio Williams, but I expect Lee to sign with LSU and it’s hard to get a real read on Williams’ intentions regarding football.
Houston Nutt spent some quality moments with Little Rock, Ark., five-star running back Michael Dyer prior to the Rebels’ win over Arkansas Saturday in Oxford. However, multiple sources close to the Ole Miss program believe Dyer remains a secondary target for the Rebels. One source said the Rebels’ brass believes Dyer is very similar to what they already have in the form of freshman Rodney Scott. Further, several sources close to the Ole Miss staff believe it’s a foregone conclusion, regardless of timing, that Dyer will sign with Auburn in February. My friend and colleague Bryan Matthews of AuburnSports.com told me Thursday that his sources continue to believe Dyer will commit to Auburn next week.
My read on Dyer: Ole Miss would take him in a heartbeat. However, the player is enamored with Auburn and Gus Malzahn, and Ole Miss likes a couple of other backs every bit as much or more than Dyer and feel they can land one or both. Dyer to Ole Miss was never in the cards, in my opinion. If I end up wrong, I’ll admit it.
From all accounts, Ole Miss’ targets at running back are Hahnville, La., product Alfred Blue and Monticello’s Matthew Wells. I’ll let Chase address Wells, as he has a good rapport with him and has done a great job of staying in contact. My sources believe Ole Miss has a slight lead over Mississippi State for Wells, and they believe as long as the Rebels can convince Wells he’ll be a running back and not a defensive back in Oxford, Ole Miss will land his signature.
As for Blue, while Ole Miss has done a great job for him and have him intrigued at the prospect of being the next Darren McFadden in Houston Nutt’s offensive system, I still believe LSU is the team to beat. As was reported on the Rivals.com network earlier this week, Blue was in Baton Rouge for the Tigers’ win over Auburn last weekend and he left impressed. He’ll be in Oxford for Ole Miss’ game against LSU, and that visit will be critical. I expect Blue to take official visits to both Ole Miss and LSU before making a decision. Color me skeptical, I guess, but I grew up in Louisiana and know the power an LSU offer carries. It’s close, but I’d bet on LSU at this point.
I expect Ole Miss to take two more offensive linemen in addition to the three presently committed -- Jared Duke, Evan Swindall and Chase Hughes. I fully expect the remaining two scholarships to go to Hargrave offensive tackle Terrance Hackney and Navarro Junior College tackle David Grant.
Ole Miss remains in very good shape for Miss. Gulf Coast CC defensive end Wayne Dorsey, a December graduate who is projected as an immediate starter opposite Kentrell Lockett. The other defensive end high on Ole Miss’ board is Hollandale’s Carlos Thompson. Sources close to Thompson believe Ole Miss remains the team to beat for Thompson. I know Ole Miss is recruiting Delvin Jones as well, and the Tennessee commitment will visit Oxford in December. We’ve had a difficult time getting in touch with Jones, and I hate to speculate without talking to the prospect.
The Rebels, due to some academic delays and a lack of available spots, are backing off Dorsey’s MGCCC teammate, defensive tackle James Carmon. That’s no knock on Carmon, either, as those close to the program believe he’s a very good player who is ready to contribute. However, the Rebels feel very confident in their ability to land the Madison Central defensive tackle duo of Bryon Bennett and Carlton Martin, and they are much higher priorities than Carmon.
Ole Miss’ top linebacker candidate, from what I can gather, remains Lakeland, Fla., three-star Quayshawn Nealy. While there is competition for Nealy, it certainly sounds like he’s Ole Miss’ to lose. I look for him to commit to the Rebels shortly after his official visit to Oxford. As chronicled last week, Tennessee commitment/Miami native Ralph Williams is scheduled to visit Ole Miss, and there is confidence within the Rebels’ camp that Williams will ultimately end up wearing red and blue and not orange.
Meanwhile, things don’t look nearly as rosy for Ole Miss on Yazoo City, Miss., linebacker Taurice King. His school has a planned Senior Day trip to Oxford scheduled for Tuesday. King’s classmate, basketball forward/center DeMarco Cox, is making the trip. King was originally scheduled to, but he’s not going now, according to sources. I’ve been hearing King is leaning to Mississippi State; this development validates those rumors, at least in my mind.
I still hear Ole Miss would love to land Hollywood, Fla., cornerback Tony Grimes. However, Grimes is now openly naming Michigan his leader, and West Virginia and Maryland are in the fight as well. Ole Miss appears to be in much better shape for Gadsden City, Ala., cornerback Dale Trimble, who claims offers from Clemson, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee. Purdue leads for Daytona Beach, Fla., cornerback Ricardo Allen, though he’s still likely to take an Ole Miss official visit.
Four-star safety/cornerback Rashad Knight told Rivals.com last weekend that Ole Miss was making a big move for his services. Knight will visit Michigan for the Wolverines’ game against Ohio State. While Michigan appears to be the favorite, Knight doesn’t appear close to a commitment and plans to take multiple visits. Oregon and Ole Miss should land two of those trips, and Louisville is in the mix as well.
"Ole Miss is coming on strong," Knight said. "They’ve been calling me a lot."
Four-star safety Damien Jackson, a teammate of Dorsey’s and Carmon’s at MGCCC, has been offered a scholarship by Ole Miss, according to sources, and the Rebels appear to be in very good shape. Jackson is a top target at free safety, as Ole Miss will be looking for someone to play immediately in place of senior Kendrick Lewis. Like Dorsey, Jackson is a December graduate.
In the coming weeks, we'll be turning the page a bit and looking at the Class of 2011. Ole Miss, like every other major Division I school, has already done so. We'll get into it in more depth as we go, but all indications point to Ole Miss being in very good shape for some of Mississippi's top juniors. That would include Madison Central wide receiver Tobias Singleton, South Panola wide receiver Nicklos Brassell, Raleigh athlete Donte Moncrief and Forest wide receiver Josh Pinkston.
On Friday, Shane Youngblood of BamaOnline.com informed me that Ole Miss has offered Atlanta (Grady), Ga., athlete Damian Swann, a 6-foot, 175-pounder. Swann's other offer at this point is Alabama.
On to football briefly, where Ole Miss wrapped up its preparations for Auburn on Thursday. Of note was the presence of offensive guard Rishaw Johnson. It’s no secret Ole Miss’ staff has grown frustrated with Johnson during the past two seasons, but it’s also noteworthy that given the Rebels’ lack of depth on the offensive line, they really can’t afford to lose Johnson. There isn’t any real optimism regarding center Daverin Geralds getting a fifth year (another case of remarkably poor roster management by Ed Orgeron), which means the Rebels will likely have to start a freshman at center, Johnson and A.J. Hawkins at guard and Bradley Sowell and Bobby Massie at tackle next season. Given that scenario, Johnson becomes an important _ if not integral _ part of the Rebels’ offensive front in 2010.
Rain is in the forecast for Saturday’s game, and given the state of the economy, the early start time, Halloween festivities and the like, a less than stellar crowd is expected at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Ole Miss has seemed confident during practice this week, and in my opinion, the Rebels are justified in that belief. My pick: Ole Miss 27, Auburn 17.
Finally, some quick basketball notes. There is quite a bit of confidence in Ole Miss’ camp that this is going to be the year the Rebels break through and make the NCAA tournament. After watching practice Tuesday, I’d concur with that confidence. Ole Miss is deep and talented on the perimeter, athletic all over the roster and stocked with experience. If there’s a worry spot, it’s the low post, where Ole Miss has senior DeAundre Cranston, junior college transfer DeAngelo Riley and freshman Reginald Buckner. It might take a few games, but in my opinion, it’s a matter of time before Buckner is a starter along with Murphy Holloway, Eniel Polynice, Terrico White and Chris Warren.
Buckner is going to be a star; it’s just a matter of how long it takes for him to make the adjustment to the college game. That lineup leaves Cranston and Terrance Henry to help off the bench down low and Trevor Gaskins and Zach Graham to be the primary help on the perimeter. Riley and Will Bogan figure in somewhere, but the Rebels’ top nine are very good. It should be a team that is fun to watch, in virtually every game and competing for a division title to the end.
Chase Parham
I’ll go over some of Ole Miss’ top recruiting targets. Neal will also have information on some of the same prospects, but I’m sure you all don’t mind reading it twice from different perspectives and sources.
Matthew Wells: I talked to Matthew Wednesday night, and while he visited the MSU-Florida game last weekend, the Bulldogs didn’t overwhelm him. I reported in the last War Room that Wells was 50/50 with a slight State lean, but I’m now hearing that the lean is gone. It is 50/50 between the Bulldogs and Rebels. State recently committed Belle Grade, Fla., running back Antwon Chisholm, and that could have had a slightly negative impact on Wells. He is determined to go somewhere as an offensive player and worries about getting moved to cornerback, a position that his skill set would likely allow him to excel in. He is listed on the Mississippi/Alabama game roster as a cornerback. It’s important for Ole Miss to remove any and all doubt, making sure he knows the Rebels plan for him to be in their backfield. I suddenly like Ole Miss’ chances. Many State supporters are touting that Wells is a slam dunk and could commit soon, but I’d be totally shocked if that happened for either team. I expect official visits and a decision after the New Year. It’s too close to call, but the Rebels have undeniably made up ground.
Carlton Martin: It’s not a matter of if, just when. As I’ve said before, Martin is more committed to Ole Miss than most of the players around the country that have committed to their schools. I can’t put into words what kind of upset it would be if Martin isn’t one of Ole Miss 22 in February.
Bryon Bennett: The Madison Central defensive lineman recently fell out of the Rivals250, but is picking up offers from around the country and is in the middle of a special individual season. Martin may have a higher up-side, but several Madison Central sources have touted Bennett as the better player so far in 2009. It’s been an important few days in Bennett’s recruitment, as Oklahoma formerly offered, causing somewhat of a stir. It’s hard to blame Bennett for being excited. No matter how much of a factor, Oklahoma offering is flatting for a high school senior. He’ll visit and list the Sooners high, but I’ll still be surprised if Bennett inks with Oklahoma or Texas Tech. Bennett told me earlier this week that if he stayed in-state, he would almost assuredly go to Ole Miss. This recruitment is one to watch, and there’s not 100 percent confidence, but if I had to bet, it’d be a no-brainer. I’d put my money on the Rebels. Bennett is familiar and comfortable with Oxford. He’s never visited Lubbock, Texas or Norman, Okla. Ohio State is also showing interest, but I’d lump the Buckeyes in with Oklahoma ? flattering but probably not his final decision. Also, Bryon took the ACT for the fourth time last weekend and his high score is a 17. He believes Oklahoma’s academic requirements may be difficult for him to achieve.
Robert Johnson: It’s been a somewhat tight camp around Johnson and his recruitment lately, but no news is good news for Ole Miss. The Rebels still lead, and while the Florida State disclaimer is still present, the Seminoles are in some disarray and could be becoming less of a factor ? even if they offer. West Virginia has received an official visit from Johnson ? and also offered teammates Jay Hughes and Steve McNair ? so the Mountaineers deserve to be mentioned and will likely be the school if Johnson jumps out-of-state, but the Rebels lead and are in great position to nab one of their top wideout priorities.
Quayshawn Nealy: The three-star Lakeland, Fla., linebacker has a very good relationship with Ole Miss recruiting coordinator Chris Vaughn and is a likely pick to fill one of the couple spots reserved for linebackers in this upcoming class. The Rebels will definitely get an official visit, and I wouldn’t rule out Nealy committing on the trip. I would almost expect it. He has a 3.4 GPA and made an 18 on the ACT to be safely eligible.
Delvin Jones: The four-star athlete out of Miami Palmetto High School is committed to Tennessee but continues to actively look around. Jones has been impossible to get on the phone, but he is planning official visits to Alabama, Tennessee, Nebraska, Ole Miss and Arkansas. Jones is friends with Miami (Southridge), Fla., linebacker Ralph Williams, who Ole Miss has offered, and Rebels commitment Jeff Scott. There is a decent possibility all three players will visit the first weekend of December.
Baseball update
The baseball team will wrap up fall practice next weekend with the annual Pizza Bowl. Two players are named captains, and they pick the teams for the three-game series. The winning team, as expected, gets a pizza meal.
The Rebels are still searching for some consistency with the pitching staff, as the unit remains somewhat patchwork. Ace Drew Pomeranz and redshirt freshman Blair Wright will make their first appearances of the fall against live hitting during the Pizza Bowl. Both players have been resting their arms and not wanting to overdo anything. JUCO transfers Matt Crouse and Trent Rothlin are also back throwing after sickness and injury. Crouse underwent arthroscopic knee surgery earlier this summer but appears to be fully recovered. Rothlin had mono for a good portion of fall practice.
I continue to be impressed with freshmen infielders Evan Frazar and Alex Yarbrough. I interviewed the players this week and will have a story on them in the coming days. Both are making it difficult on the incumbent infielders, as Frazar and Yarbrough are excelling in the field and at the plate. Currently, Yarbrough is second on the team in batting average (.419) and first in on-base percentage (.514). Frazar is sixth on the team in batting average (.346) and second among infielders in stolen bases (4-of-5) .
The two showcase excellent range, and Frazar’s throw across the diamond has been clocked at 92 MPH. Both will contribute and play this season. They are the centerpieces of the signing class.
Jake Morgan’s Tommy John surgery was successfully performed by Dr. James Andrews, and the right-hander is expected to be back for the 2011 season. Morgan began movement rehab and conditioning the day after surgery.
Dave Childers - Random thoughts
I get the benefit of reading Neal and Chase’s writings before I write mine, so I’d like to just supplement some of the things they’ve reported.
First, I interviewed Olive Branch’s Shon Coleman earlier this week. He wasn’t necessarily warm toward Ole Miss, but wasn’t glowing toward any other school either, including Auburn, emphasizing that he’s just continuing to look around. I think he’s one Ole Miss would love to have, but I also think Auburn may eventually get a star on its board for getting in on him early and recruiting him hard. While most schools were evaluating him the spring, Auburn was all over him with an early offer. Coleman’s situation could change if Auburn ends up 6-6 and Malzahn leaves or another school comes in and intrigues him. Maybe that could be Ole Miss if the Rebels go 11-2. But right now, my bet is Auburn or another school.
If you missed it, Coleman’s teammate, Damien Robinson named a Top 6 and Ole Miss wasn’t in it.
Everyone has a take and inside info on Michael Dyer, so here’s mine; I was told months ago by a very reputable source that Ole Miss liked at least two running backs better than Dyer. Those would be Blue and Miami running back Corvin Lamb. If Ole Miss can land either of those, with Blue being the priority, then I think the staff would quietly allow Dyer got to Auburn without much of a fight. That might change if Dyer wanted to go to Arkansas, as the staff might enjoying snatching a five-star away from the Razorbacks. But similar to Coleman, unless there’s a major shake-up at Auburn, I’d have to put my money on the Tigers inking him on signing day, but expect the drama to continue until then. Again, that could change if Ole Miss thinks it might miss out on Blue and Lamb and all of a sudden Dyer is the best available on the board. If that happens, credit the staff with doing the groundwork on Dyer to stay in it until signing day.
Speaking of committed prospects, the word I get is that the staff is not intimidated by the fact that any given prospect is committed to another school. Houston Nutt’s influence; and trust me, it can be tremendous, hasn’t been felt on this class yet. That observation is based on how things went last year. Nutt really got involved in recruiting in December and January (not to say he’s not currently involved, just more so after the season) and he made a huge impact. Expect that again this year. A source said the staff won’t mess with firm commitments to big schools, but will not be intimidated by going after prospects they want who are committed to schools like Florida State, Tennessee, and just about any other schools with perhaps with the exception of a Florida or Alabama. Also, keep this in mind about flipping committed prospects; schools don’t want to do it too early because it gives the losing school a chance to get back in the mix. A recruiter wants to flip a prospect right around the final dead period before signing day which limits what action the losing school can take to win back the kid. So, as you can see, it’s too early to start putting too much pressure on prospects already committed to other schools. A good thing to keep an eye on will be visits by committed prospects; a sure sign the staff is working that prospect.
Prospects I think Ole Miss is interested in who are currently committed include Ralph Williams and Delvin Jones and I’ll add another to that; current Oklahoma State commitment Chris Littlehead, who visited for the UAB game and came away impressed.
Everyone is always speculating about who will be the next commitment and Mireles (mentioned above and updated in a story on Thursday) could be the guy. Two things, in my opinion, are holding the Rebels back from accepting his commitment. One is that Mireles made a 15 on his first ACT and re-took the test last week. They could be waiting on the result, although he does have a 2.8 GPA and would be close to qualifying without a new test under the sliding scale, or they could simply want to eyeball him or even make sure that he and his mother are comfortable on the campus before taking his verbal pledge. If he does fix the ACT issue, being a December graduate also makes him even more attract. As far as eyeballing a prospect - it’s risky to accept a commitment from a prospect sight unseen, and him be listed at 5-foot-11, 185 and show up at 5-foot-9, 165, and that happens, including with one player last year who had an offer and wanted to commit, and the staff wanted him, until he showed up and didn’t meet the eye test.
One suggestion to recruiting junkies, you shouldn’t think this class is going to materialize real fast. Yes, they’d take guys like Sanders and Martin in a flash, but in the meantime, they have to save spaces for them, and they also have to have room to take some that come available at the last minute, such as was the case with Enrique Davis, Ray Cotton and Bobbie Massie over the last two years.
Numbers are slim, but should be a fun ride until the first Wednesday in December. It’s a crucial class for Nutt and crew because of the number of seniors they have departing and the need for impact players.
