Hugh Freeze
Plain Improvement?
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There’s an old adage in the SEC that talks about head coach expectations and the overabundance of patience granted to new coaches in their first year or so.
That leeway can be limited however when the new hire is a marquee name, and the school underperforms fan expectations in the first year and postseason.
Thus, we find Hugh Freeze in his second year at Auburn.
After taking the Head Coach position from fan-favorite Interim boss Cadillac WIlliams, many of the Plainsmen faithful were already looking sideways at the former Ole Miss coach.
Losing to New Mexico State in the final weeks of the season as well as a loss in the Music City Bowl to a thoroughly mid Maryland squad didn’t win any favors, either.
Combine that with the retirement of the legendary Nick Saban and expectations are for a vastly improved record from the 6-7 totals that were put up in his first year.
This might be the year that happens.
The Tigers offense looks to be speedy to say the least.
Fourth-year RB Jarquez Hunter looks to improve his numbers and a pair of transfer WRs, Robert Lewis (Georgia State) and KeAndre Lambert-Smith (Penn State), should pair well with incoming true freshman WR Cam Coleman and TE Rivaldo Fairweather in his final year of eligibility.
Their only limitation could prove to be returning signal caller Payton Thorne. While the fifth-year QB looked pretty nimble running the ball last year, he didn’t have nearly the vertical game that he did while at Michigan State. He’ll need to improve on his 2023 ranking of 101st in the nation if Auburn plans to make any noise on offense.
The offensive line should give them plenty of time to cook. Tackle Percy Lewis comes to the squad from Mississippi State, and should pair well with returning Center Connor Lew. Some speculation coming into camp suggests that Tackle Dillon Wade might be better suited as a guard, but regardless they, along with 300lb+ Guard Jeremiah Wright should gel as a unit, if not in fall camp then definitely during the five-game home stand that Auburn starts the season with in 2024.
The bellwether of this year’s team may prove to be the defense.
DJ Durkin makes a lateral move in the SEC, coming into the same position he held at Texas A&M last year.
The biggest concern is the interior, where the loss to the draft of notable pass rusher Marcus Harris and 350lb DT Justin Rogers could prove to be significant, considering transfer replacements Trill Carter (Texas) and Gage Keys (Kansas) aren’t quite in their league.
The secondary gives pause as well. They’re an inexperienced squad, which is understandable considering the loss of Nehemiah Pritchett, DJ James, and Frederica Academy alum Jaylin Simpson.
True, Jerrin Thompson should be a more-than-workable starter at Safety after jumping from the Longhorns, and Keionte Scott should be as serviceable at CB as he was at Safety last year. All in all, this particular room on the team will need to grow up quickly if it wants to avoid being the weak link.
Linebackers should be the strong point of this year’s defensive squad. Don’t be surprised if Jalen McLeod doesn’t lead the league in several statistical categories, and DO be surprised if Eugene Asante doesn’t make his presence known after taking the portal from the Tarheels. He’s quick, nimble, and (as one scout praised him) “disruptive.”
All-in-all, this season could really go either way. The first five games of the season should set them up well for the tough middle stretch of @Georgia, @Mizzou, and @Kentucky.
Once the Iron Bowl concludes on November 30th, expect this squad to be either 9-3 or 5-7. Neither outcome would be surprising.
The Game July 22
Letter To Ole Miss Fan
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
My oldest daughter Alexia is an avid Ole Miss fan. I dedicate this article to my loving daughter. The NCAA released a list of new allegations alleged committed by Ole Miss. Here is the bulleted list:
A prospective student-athlete went hunting near campus on private land owned by a booster during his official visit in 2013 and on two or three occasions after he enrolled, and that the access to this land was arranged by the football program.
- A former staff member impermissibly arranged lodging and transportation for a prospective student-athlete and his companions while providing impermissible transportation to another prospective student-athlete. The total value is alleged to be $2,272. The football program has also been alleged of giving $235 in free meals to a prospective student-athlete.
- Former staff member violated the NCAA principles of ethical conduct when committing violations and when providing false information to the institution and enforcement staff.
- Former staff member initiated and facilitated two boosters that gave impermissible cash payments to a prospective student-athlete of anywhere between $13,000 to $15,600.
- Former staff member arranged for a friend of a prospective student-athlete’s family to get impermissible merchandise, valued at approximately $2,800. The school will contest.
- Head coach Hugh Freeze had impermissible, in-person, off-campus contact with a prospective student-athlete.
- A booster provided money, food and drinks to a prospective student-athlete at a value between $200 and $600. The school will contest.
- Head coach Hugh Freeze violated head coach responsibility legislation. The school will contest
- The school lacked institutional control and failed to monitor the conduct and administration of its athletics program. The school will contest.
In response to these allegations Ole Miss imposed the following penalties on itself:
Ole Miss has self-imposed a one-year ban from the postseason and will forfeit its share of the SEC postseason football revenue for this upcoming year, which is expected to be somewhere in the range of $7-8 million.
Who did not see this dumpster fire coming in Oxford? When the dreaded lack of institutional control charge is thrown out there then usually more sanctions are coming.
Does Ole Miss really think the NCAA is going to accept these self-imposed sanctions and just turn the other cheek? I can see loss of scholarships on the horizon. And this one year bowl ban? I thought Ole Miss served that last year? My bad they went 5-7.
Flashback to September 24th, 2016. My oldest daughter and her friend Caroline take an SEC road trip to Oxford for the Georgia game. Dad is having his best day of 2016 on River Street in Savannah watching the game in a local tavern and the texts start coming from oldest daughter when Ole Miss starts blowing out my Dawgs.
Dad knew UGA was in trouble that day, and I did make the comment that sanctions were coming and you better enjoy this while you can.
I knew Ole Miss was on borrowed time back in September so what did I do, I shook it off and shopped in a store my oldest daughter loves and sat and enjoyed a lovely day in the oak filled squares in downtown Savannah and did not buy her a single thing.
The NCAA is about to rent every available office in Oxford, Mississippi to investigate the Ole Miss Football program. Welcome back to the status you have grown accustomed to since Johnny Vaught retired Rebel fans and that is the status of a bottom feeder.
Did I mention how much I love River Street and Downtown Savannah? The ride home on 95 South that day was magical. I was still getting scoreboard shot texts from first born child.
What does Hotty Toddy mean anyway? Does it mean NCAA probation?
As for you oldest Ole Miss fan daughter, I think I’ll take your baby sister shopping this weekend. She loves the Georgia Bulldogs, and you love NCAA sanctions. Have a great day!
Hotty Toddy,
Dad
Which Band Does Your SEC Coach Compare To?
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It’s been a disaster of a year for the SEC. Instead of piling on and writing about how most of the teams have underachieved, or how Joe Alleva screwed up the Orgeron hire, I want to do something a little more light hearted.
Hopefully bring some overdue joy to what has been an otherwise unwelcoming football season for SEC fans.
ESPN recently released a list of all the college coaches along with their favorite bands. Sure, it’s not hard hitting journalism by any stretch, but if you’ve read anything I’ve written over the past two years (and my affinity for anything pop culture) you had to know I was going to be piggybacking off that article.
So, here’s how it’s going to go. Obviously, I’m just going to focus on the SEC coaches, and instead of talking about what band they chose, I’ll assign a group/artist that I think they are most like. In order not to stray too far, I’ll attempt to stay within the same genre.
In alphabetical order, according to school:
Nick Saban. ESPN: Eagles. JJ: Led Zeppelin. Zeppelin is not only considered one of the greatest bands of all time, but their music was in your face and unapologetic, especially whenever they played live. Sound familiar?
Bret Bielema. ESPN: The Temptations. JJ: The Dramatics. Neither are bad, but both are easily forgotten compared to their peers.
Gus Malzahn. ESPN: The Cars. JJ: Maroon 5. I didn’t think either would still be relevant going into 2017.
Jim McElwain. ESPN: Earth, Wind, and Fire. JJ: Earth, Wind, and Fire. McElwain could master all three and Florida fans still wouldn’t care unless he mastered an SEC Championship too.
Kirby Smart. ESPN: The Rolling Stones. JJ: Slash’s Snakepit. Slash left one of the biggest bands in the world and formed the Snakepit. I don’t need to explain the similarities, right?
Mark Stoops. ESPN: Toby Keith. JJ: Sam Hunt. I don’t listen to Sam Hunt and I don’t watch Kentucky football.
Ed Orgeron. ESPN: Creedence Clearwater Revival. JJ: CCR. There’s nothing wrong with Creedence, but much like Orgeron, I have to believe that people in the bayou think much more highly of them than anywhere else in the country.
Dan Mullen. ESPN: U2. JJ: Dan Wilson. If you listened to music at all in the 90’s you had to have heard Semisonic’s “Closing Time”. Wilson was the lead singer of Semisonic. He’s had some minor hits as a solo artist, and has written songs for other groups (Dixie Chicks), but nothing has been as big as that late 90’s song. 2014 is Dan Mullen’s “Closing Time.”
Barry Odom. ESPN: Blake Shelton. JJ: Jason Aldean. Basically, they look like they could be brothers.
Hugh Freeze. ESPN: Chris Tomlin. JJ: Chris Tomlin. Considering the NCAA sanctions Ole Miss may face, Freeze needs to get as close with God as possible.
Will Muschamp. ESPN: George Strait. JJ: Taylor Swift. I’m juvenile and I think it’s funny.
