Talk of Champions: Eight observations from Ole Miss camp; listener questions answered

Two weeks down, only a few more to go before Ole Miss football kicks off its expectations-filled 2024-25 season.

Ben Garrett of the Ole Miss Spirit (OMSpirit.com) has some practice observations, as well as answers to your pressing Ole Miss sports questions, in this Friday (August 9, 2024) edition of ‘Talk of Champions.’

SpezialK asks: Will a 10-2 SEC team make the College Football Playoff?

SpiritBen: I think so, but it depends on the 10 wins. There are probably seven SEC teams with a real shot. Of the teams projected to win 9.5 games (Ole Miss, Alabama, LSU and Missouri) Ole Miss and Missouri have the better schedule draw. An upset loss for the Rebels could hurt more, then, because of the lack of make-up opportunities, at least on paper, than other SEC contenders.

But, yes, at least one, if not two, 10-2 SEC teams will make the playoff. But Ole Miss and Missouri, to be sure, can’t afford a slip-up to a lesser opponent.

PoopieDooks asks: Who do you foresee Juice Wells and Deion Smith taking most of their target share from?

SpiritBen: Wells, and Cayden Lee, I think, take over the bulk of vacated snaps/receptions/yards/touchdowns following the departure of Dayton Wade. Wade entered the NFL Draft after last season. He was one of three 700-yard receivers as Ole Miss won a program-record 11 games.

Deion Smith could dip into Harris’ snap share on the outside. But that’s more because Harris has positional versatility and can move around formation. Smith could, too, I suppose, but he’s still not practicing as he awaits academic clearance. We just don’t know what he’s going to be for a while because it’s been so long since he’s been on the field.

Smith was the No. 1 prospect in JUCO last year. He played previously at LSU. I don’t think he gets his feet underneath him until sometime closer to October.

Practice Report: Ole Miss coaches shore up safety slots for 2024 season

OleMissHunter970 asks: What would you think the outcome of the season would be if Ole Miss wins its toss-up games? Those games being, LSU, OU and UGA.

SpiritBen: Ole Miss will be a top seed and favorite in the playoff.

Bhamreb25 asks: I am going to enjoy the ride that is this 2024 season, so whatever happens happens.

But should I be mentally prepared for this to really be the ‘Last Dance,’ where it all blows up at the end?

SpiritBen: It’s the ‘Last Dance’ for such decorated players as Jaxson Dart, Tre Harris, Caden Prieskorn, Jared Ivey, Walter Nolen, Princely Umanmielen and JJ Pegues. That’s a star-studded list, to be sure, but Ole Miss isn’t going to revert back to bowl-eligible hopeful or something.

The Rebels are four-deep at quarterback. I have full confidence one of Walker Howard and/or Austin Simmons is good enough to keep Ole Miss in the eight, nine-win tier at least next season. This is just the ‘Last Dance’ for the first pretty much all-portal team in Ole Miss history. It’s the end of an era.

However, that doesn’t mean the future isn’t still bright.

RaveReb asks: Who would you be most excited to see Ole Miss play in the playoffs?

SpiritBen: Oh, Notre Dame. Easy. Childhood thing.

Practice Report: Some young Ole Miss linemen look the part of SEC trench men, too

Rambling Rebel asks:What position group lacks the most depth? As in, which would suffer the most with early-season injuries?

SpiritBen: I’m probably going to surprise some folks. I’ll say running back. There’s a noticeable drop-off right now, in my opinion, after Ulysses Bentley, IV, and Henry Parrish, Jr.

Line8896 asks: When will Deion Smith be on the practice field?

SpiritBen: At first light on the fifth day, as Gandalf would say. I don’t know. He’s still not cleared. Ole Miss believes he will be in time for the season. He told me in May he was good to go. He’s at practice, but in street clothes. The holding pattern continues.

Thunder Salad asks: Would you rather have too much talent in the RB room or WR room?

SpiritBen: Wide receiver in a Lane Kiffin offense. You saw with Elijah Moore and even Jonathan Mingo and Dontario Drummond how Kiffin can make it work in the backfield. The quarterback-run component helps alleviate a lot of the pressure on the backs by default anyway.

Give me all the receivers.

Rebels6 asks: Who would win in a locker room brawl between Greg Hardy and Derek Burgess?

SpiritBen: Greg Hardy brought ninja stars and threw them in a full Ole Miss locker room one time. And that’s just the tip of his sociopathic iceberg.

DartFanBoy asks: I’d be willing to bet (Caden Davis’) leg might just be the difference between a win and a loss on the road somewhere down the line.

Your thoughts?

SpiritBen: I could absolutely see it. His 56-yarder against Tulane was the game-winner last year, even if it didn’t happen in the closing seconds.

Ole Miss has been blessed with some great kickers over the years: Johnathan Nichols, Josh Shene, Les Binkley, Andrew Ritter, Gary Wunderlich, Bryson Rose.

I genuinely believe Davis could end up one of the best of the bunch by the end of of his career. He’s already the second-most accurate (just over 78 percent) in Ole Miss history, and he’s on the preseason watchlist for the Lou Groza. Last season Davis was the first Ole Miss kicker since 2015 to not miss an extra point.

Rdowns1983 asks: How will you celebrate the win over Georgia?

SpiritBen: Hopefully drunkenly with a room full of Ole Miss Spirit subscribers at a watch party I’m planning. Stay tuned!

Rebguy 22 asks: Are you as upset as I am about no SEC night games?

SpiritBen: A year without a night game in the Vaught just ain’t right.

If you could pick any person that hasn’t already done it, who would YOU pick for the opening game ‘Are You Ready?’

SpiritBen: Easy. Stone Cold Steve Austin. Or Paul Heyman.

Migoreb asks: What is your current favorite musical?

SpiritBen: Seussical: The Musical

Will Deion be academically eligible come playoff time?

SpiritBen:Yes!

What US state would you like most to succeed?

SpiritBen: Mississippi. We get the bad wrap nationally that Alabama deserves.

Would Sam Wells be a good successor to David Kellum?

SpiritBen: No, but Ben Garrett would.

Blindspot asks: Thoughts on House of the Dragon?

SpiritBen: I haven’t watched an episode of season 2 yet. Season 1 was … fine. Look, if you watch Game of Thrones only until Dany sets sail for Westeros, GoT is the best show ever.

Yes, I’m still bitter.

Jay Clay asks: Has Jaxson Dart’s field vision improved this off-season?

Meaning, does he go through his progressions if the first read isn’t there?

SpiritBen: That’s impossible to say; I just haven’t seen him enough. But your point about his needed improvement in his progressions is valid. He usually runs if he gets to two and the read isn’t there. If Ole Miss is to truly compete for a title this season Dart has to take his game to another level, and for him that means standing in and delivering strikes, especially downfield. He hasn’t shown that consistently enough for the next level.

And finally, Dog Brewer asks: Does Ole Miss truly have a deep threat to stretch the field and can catch the ball if thrown to him? Not just a decoy?

Also, do we have a true EDGE rusher or two? Thanks!

SpiritBen: Princely Umanmielen is one of the highest-graded returning EDGEs in college football, according to Pro Football Focus. Chris Hardie was all-league under Rich Rodriguez at Jacksonville State. They’re good on pass rush.

As far as a field-stretching wide receiver, Smith could be that, as could Lee. Ayden Williams could do it. He’s a former four-star in-state recruit and was highly-billed last preseason. He ultimately didn’t do much as a freshman, but Ole Miss loves him, and he’s currently running with the first team. His catches have been the most attention-grabbing so far.

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