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1. It's another day on the Jaxson Dart/Michael Trigg Jr. watch.
Ole Miss fans are reading Lane Kiffin's morning inspiration tweets, looking for hints in the form of emojis. On Sunday, Kiffin tweeted two puzzle pieces, a snow skier and a palm tree.
I mean, I laughed. A day earlier, he had three puzzle pieces in his tweet and he included a dog. Maybe the dog was Georgia transfer portal wide receiver Jermaine Burton, who Ole Miss had hoped to convince to visit Oxford this weekend. Burton didn't visit. Maybe the dog was representing former Oxford High School quarterback Jack Abraham, who was most recently at Mississippi State before entering the transfer portal and being granted a seventh year of eligibility by the NCAA.
I don't know.
It's likely Kiffin knows something and believes it's a matter of when -- and not if -- Dart and Trigg transfer to Ole Miss. But I suppose it's possible Kiffin is just being hopeful, perhaps trying to will the former USC duo to Oxford.
And I guess it's conceivable Kiffin is holed up at home, braving the chill while working on an actual puzzle.
The last day to drop/add a class at Ole Miss with a professor's permission -- as long as it's not sociology, I like the chances of getting said permission -- is Jan. 31. So there's still some time. But paperwork does take a minute, so resolution, if Trigg and/or Dart are going to go through the spring as part of the Ole Miss program, must come fairly soon.
2. My colleague, Chase Parham, and I have discussed the Dart/Trigg conundrum more times than I'd like to admit. He has a theory, and the more I think about it, the more I think it's possibly valid.
Realizing this could be outdated at any moment, but also wanting to enjoy a Sunday full of NFL Playoffs, I asked him to put it in writing.
So, here's Chase Parham:
The waiting game on Jaxson Dart — and to some extent Michael Trigg Jr. — has reached a week since they left the Ole Miss campus and the clock started ticking. A decision was expected a couple to a few days after the trip to Oxford, and that has now stretched out, despite consistent social media teasers from the USC quarterback to entered the transfer portal.
Dart visited Ole Miss and Oklahoma for full official visits and spent a day at home-state BYU, as well.The Rebels and Sooners have also visited Dart with in-home trips in the past week. The pitches have all been heard and now it’s up to Dart to make a decision.
What we know is that both Oklahoma and Ole Miss have academic calendars that require Dart to be in class within the next week in order to go through spring practice, so while there’s no clock to simply being eligible for the 2022 season, there is a time limit for getting to campus in time to acclimate this semester.
Former UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel is committed to Oklahoma, and his presence has hurt the Sooners in their pursuit of Dart. OU is pitching to Dart to be patient should he lose out to Gabriel in 2022 because it will hand him the keys in 2023 and beyond. Ole Miss, meanwhile, wants Dart to compete with Luke Altmyer, who got his first considerable action in the Sugar Bowl loss to Baylor.
Those are the knowns, but the lack of a decision already is somewhat weird, and it’s making me consider if a different quarterback connected to Oklahoma is holding things up.
Sooner Caleb Williams is the most sought quarterback in the portal, and while he’s been tied to USC and Lincoln Riley since even before he put his name in to transfer, there’s been no official movement in that direction. And while I still would guess that’s Williams’ eventual destination, his stalling could have an impact on Dart.
It’s just a theory at this point, but should Williams choose somewhere other than the Trojans, Dart could simply go back to USC and be the starting quarterback. While Riley seems to like Williams more and has the relationship with him, he, according to sources, was positive with Dart when they spoke and would be comfortable with him as the primary quarterback on a roster that doesn’t hypothetically include Williams.
If Williams does end up at USC, that’s a dead end for Dart and he can then choose his new destination. Williams and Oklahoma have officially separated at this point, so that’s no longer a concern for Dart, but with USC out there and Williams even speaking to Ole Miss multiple times throughout this recruitment period, it makes sense for Dart to get Williams out of the way before he picks a school.
Maybe Dart ends the drama as soon as we hit publish. Maybe he knows where Williams is going even though it’s not official. But if that’s up in the air, it could explain why there’s a pause that really doesn’t make a lot of logical sense.
Neal's amendment to Chase's thought: I asked my friend, Antonio Morales, who covers USC for The Athletic, about Williams. He said the last day for a USC student to drop/add courses is Friday. He also said USC sources had gone very quiet regarding backup plans if Williams didn't transfer.
3. Ole Miss is scheduled to bring in some 2023 targets this upcoming weekend. Given that the Rebels aren't expected to sign any 2022 prospects in the late signing period, which begins Feb. 2, we'll start to turn our coverage attention to the 2023 signing class imminently.
Keep this in mind as you read here and elsewhere about all of the "offers" being extended: No offers are official until Sept. 1, when they're put in writing. Further, given Kiffin's very apparent penchant to build at maybe as much as half of his program via the transfer portal, there's only going to be so much room for high schoolers.
I'll start to identify, profile and break down some 2023 targets here in the next few days and weeks as we get into the time of year usually saved for junior days and spring visits.
We'll touch on some 2024 targets, but given the prevalence of the transfer portal and the ever-changing picture of college football, those recruitments have far too much time left in them to dedicate any real time and/or energy to them from a reporting perspective.
4. Of course, when you discuss 2023 targets, the name Arch Manning comes up immediately.
No recruitment will be more closely watched than Manning's.
Manning made game-day visits to Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Clemson and Ole Miss last fall. After an absolutely unprecedented coaching carousel -- which continues to see assistants and coordinators shift places -- the five-star quarterback is fully immersed in basketball season and put the recruiting side of things on the back burner until later this offseason.
In Louisiana, basketball championships are played in early March.
"All of his visits will be after hoops," Newman head coach Nelson Stewart told Rivals' Sam Spiegelman. "He's not in a hurry."
Manning made visits to five programs during the fall and coaches from all five of said schools were Uptown this past week to see the elite 2023 quarterback. So were LSU and Oklahoma -- and the new coaches at both universities. The Ohio State coaches were on hand for Manning's basketball game on Monday evening.
Manning will likely see some familiar and some new campuses when he picks it back up. Cooper Manning, Arch's father, embraced the game-day visits in the fall and also maintained that his son would keep his options open throughout the process.
"He's only been to college football games at Ole Miss and LSU his whole life," Manning said before the visit to Athens last fall.
"What's next? Maybe we'll go to a place that he hasn't been to a game for. Maybe we'll pop back up somewhere (we've been). We aren't limiting anyone."
At one point, a spring decision was expected. There's more talk now that Manning won't pick his college home until closer to the fall. That is likely good news for Ole Miss, as people close to the process believe the Rebels have begun to gain some traction.
Specifically, I continue to hear two programs -- Georgia and Alabama -- are out in front for Manning's commitment. Georgia, which just won its first national title since 1980, has some familiar faces and Manning really likes Athens and the stability of Kirby Smart's program. Several people have told me Alabama would be in a great spot if legendary coach Nick Saban were a little younger. Saban will turn 72 during Manning's freshman season.
Ole Miss has made up ground. Manning's father loves Ole Miss and Oxford and has warmed to the idea of his son playing for Kiffin, per a source. The same applies to Manning's legendary grandfather, former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints star Archie Manning.
Clemson, considered the leader by many this time a year ago, has faded. Texas, which had tons of momentum last summer, is believed to have faded a bit as well.
In other words, it's shaping up as a cliffhanger of sorts, in case the Dart/Trigg drama leaves you wanting more.
5. Ole Miss lost twice last week, dropping a 25-point home decision to Missouri Tuesday and then losing by 18 at Mississippi State Saturday.
Ole Miss is now 9-9 overall and 1-5 in the Southeastern Conference. With the league slate one-third in the books, Ole Miss must now try to find a way to salvage something in the final seven weeks or so of the season.
Ole Miss trailed by just one point, 42-41, at halftime Saturday. The Rebels lost the second half, 36-19.
The Rebels lost the rebounding battle, 29-21. They committed 16 turnovers, five more than Mississippi State. In the second half, Ole Miss shot 33 percent from the floor while the Bulldogs shot 56 percent.
Depth is a problem. So are dead rooster spots. Whether it's evaluations or recruiting mistakes or a lack of recruiting resources, the roster isn't good enough to win in today's SEC. There is a strong young nucleus -- Daeshun Ruffin, Matthew Murrell and Jaemyn Brakefield -- to build around. This team badly misses veterans Jarkel Joiner and Robert Allen, both out with injuries. But it's the multiple roster slots that aren't contributing that's got this team trying to avoid disaster.
Of the remaining games, Ole Miss will likely only be favored in five or so. If the losses pile up, crowds will diminish. Seasons spiral. That's just how things go.
Ole Miss has three home games this week. The Rebels host Florida Monday, Arkansas on Wednesday and Kansas State on Saturday afternoon. I wrote on Tuesday night that this season was at the crossroads. I still believe that to be true. The direction the Rebels take from here, at least in my opinion, will be determined this week.
6. It's time for my weekly ranking of the SEC basketball programs, with NET rankings in parentheses.
1. Auburn (5) -- The Tigers play with spirit and passion. They're so enjoyable to just view.
2. Kentucky (10) -- I know the 'Cats lost, but that might be a different game had TyTy Washington not left with an injury.
3. Tennessee (11) -- The Vols are now 4-3 in the league after beating LSU at home -- and then trolling the hell out of them on social media. Goodness.
4. Alabama (21) -- The Tide seems to be figuring things out a bit.
5. LSU (8) -- The NET is fantastic, but the Tigers are 3-4 in the league.
6. Florida (39) -- Mike White's team heads to Oxford Monday with a little momentum.
7. Mississippi State (49) -- The Bulldogs are now 4-2 in the league and looking very much like a tournament club.
8. Arkansas (55) -- The Razorbacks just aren't deep enough to make a real run, but they've improved to 4-3 in the league headed to Oxford Wednesday.
9. Texas A&M (57) -- The Aggies are scrappy, but consecutive close losses to Kentucky and Arkansas have Buzz Williams' team in need of a win.
10. Vanderbilt (81) -- And here's the fall-off. Thank God for Commodore Care Week. That crap really worked.
11. South Carolina (112) -- I can't help but think Frank Martin's team, with a sub-100 NET, is going to pop a bubble here in the next few weeks.
12. Missouri (175) -- Not a bad week for the Tigers, really, beating Ole Miss by 25 in Oxford and then playing respectfully in Tuscaloosa.
13. Ole Miss (135) -- Depth -- and a lack of perimeter scoring -- is just killing the Rebels.
14. Georgia (225) -- Gross.
7. It's a pretty big week ahead for a handful of SEC teams. The league has a shot at nine bids, but to get there, the middle of the pack is going to have to avoid disaster and take advantage of opportunities.
Here are three games to watch early this week:
Mississippi State at Kentucky (Tuesday) -- The Bulldogs could really enhance their resume with a win at Rupp Arena. I mean, a win at No. 10 in the NET is a total game-changer for Ben Howland and Co.
Florida at Tennessee (Wednesday) -- The Gators have a big week. They can't afford a loss at No. 135 Monday, but if they can win in Oxford, they get a shot at No. 11 in Knoxville. Two wins really solidify the Gators' NCAA case.
Texas A&M at LSU (Wednesday) -- The Aggies played very well versus Kentucky and then stormed back from a huge deficit to force overtime in Fayetteville before losing. They need a win in Baton Rouge. Badly.
8. Oh, and in case you're wondering what Texas and Oklahoma bring to the table in men's basketball, it's impressive.
As of Sunday, the Longhorns are No. 19 in the NET. Oklahoma is No. 37.
The frustrated calls to just abandon basketball at Ole Miss and leave the sport to everyone else while focusing on baseball are foolish. There's no reason Ole Miss can't be competitive in everything.
But giving up on basketball? The entire concept, even when just expressed out of frustration, is idiotic. The league is about to get even better. Ole Miss has to figure out how to claim its space.
9. Ole Miss' women's basketball team made its strongest bid yet for a spot in the Associated Press Top 25 Sunday, winning at No. 23 Kentucky, 63-54.
The Rebels are now 17-2 overall and 5-1 in the SEC. It was their sixth road win of the season.
Shakira Austin led Ole Miss with 24 points and eight rebounds. Snudda Collins came off the bench to score 12 points. Madison Scott and Lashonda Mack had 10 points each for the Rebels.
Ole Miss has a week off before playing host to Georgia Sunday at 2 p.m.
After Sunday's game in Lexington, Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin discussed her team, the victory and more.
10. We'll have coverage of Ole Miss football recruiting, men's and women's basketball and whatever else may pop up this week on RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me -- and hopefully, to you -- for your reading pleasure:
Underdogs no more: Bengals' overlooked defense changes surreal to reality of AFC title game
Rexrode: Titans' loss to Bengals was a bitter dose of Ryan Tannehill truth
Shattering through the snow globe: Inside the 49ers' final-drive heroics to win at Green Bay
Tom Brady 'remains noncommittal' toward playing in 2022
Rosenthal: Vaccination decisions put two MLB coaches at a crossroad
'He doesn’t fold, because he’s been battle-tested': 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey keeps pushing
Late Nights with Les Grobstein are a treasure and will never, ever suck
How the Biden Administration Lost Its Way | Time
Biden leaves Democrats hanging as midterms burst into full swing
Police in this tiny Alabama town suck drivers into legal ‘black hole’ - al.com
