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1. Prior to his dad’s Pro Day workout Wednesday at Ole Miss, Sam Williams Jr. played gleefully inside the Manning Center.
An hour or so later, his dad likely cemented his spot as a fairly early selection in next month’s NFL draft.
Hours later, father and son were at the podium, addressing local media.
Williams, who played a huge role in Ole Miss’ 10-3 season in 2021, enjoyed another strong workout in Oxford on Wednesday. The road to the NFL has been a difficult one at times, but the former Ole Miss defensive end has grown up so very much since becoming a father. That maturity is about to pay off.
“I’m just going to be happy for this guy right here,” Williams said, pointing to his little boy, who was trying to find a good spot to lay his head for a late-afternoon nap. “It’s all for him. I’m not doing it for myself. Every decision, ever day I wake up, I know I’m not living for myself. It’s all for him. Hopefully one day I can tell him my story about Ole Miss and the journey had to (take) to get where I am and he’ll understand everything his dad has done for him. I know emotions are going to be high because it’s been a bumpy road to get here.”
Williams said he’s heard a lot from Dallas, Green Bay, Atlanta, Miami and the New York Jets. The Cowboys were actively attentive Wednesday.
“I’d love to be a Cowboy but whatever happens, happens,” Williams said.
2. Meanwhile, former Ole Miss running back Jerrion Ealy has some mixed emotions as the NFL draft looms closer.
“I’m looking to go Day Two or Day Three,” Ealy said Wednesday, admitting NFL teams are telling him he’s likely to be a complimentary back in the league, a third-down option who could play a big role in the return game and possibly get some time in the slot.
“Trying to cause numbers against the defense,” Ealy said.
That’s not what Ealy had in mind when he declared for the draft, he admitted. Still, Ealy will almost certainly hear his name called, and when he does, he’s pretty sure he knows what he’ll feel.
“It’ll be a little bit of anger, a little bit of happiness and a little bit more angry,” Ealy said. “I personally believe I’m a Day-One guy and I should be going on Day One, but it’s out of my hands. I’ll be happy with whichever team I end up with and I’m going to be angry I didn’t go before.”
Ealy said he plans to use that anger as fuel.
“Of course,” Ealy said. “Of course. One hundred percent.”
3. The next iteration of Ole Miss football is being developed now. The Rebels began spring drills Tuesday and are now three practices into a 15-practice schedule that will conclude with the Grove Bowl on April 23.
For Otis Reese, there’s a sense of urgency — for a variety of reasons. First, he knows there are lots of new faces, both on the field and on the sidelines. Secondly, he’s ready to put what he views as a subpar performance in 2021 in the rear-view mirror.
“We’re trying to attack everything,” Reese said. “We don’t have much time. The season will be here before you know it. We’re trying to build our chemistry with each other, the staff and the players.”
The chemistry, Reese said, is “something you have to work on. I feel like it’s a vibe, an energy you get when you walk in the facility. It’s been great. The new guys have come in and worked real hard. I’m excited.”
Reese played a role in the Rebels’ transfer portal efforts, leading the way in Ole Miss’ successful pursuit of former Central Michigan linebacker Troy Brown.
“I wanted Troy,” Reese said. “My brother (Quan Jameson) played ball at Central Michigan. He played ball with Troy and he used to always tell me how good Troy was. I wanted him to come here. He made a decision and I’m glad we have him. Troy is really special, man.”
Reese, meanwhile, is fueled by the desire to improve in 2022. He knows the NFL is watching and he’s eager to make up for, at least in his self-evaluation, a disappointing 2021 season.
“Last year didn’t go the way I wanted it to go,” Reese said. “Those are things I’m not going to speak on, but this year, I’m going to get back to being me and people are going to see. …It’s my last year, man. I’ve got so much to fulfill. I’m blessed to be here.”
4. Cedric Johnson emerged as an All-SEC caliber defender last season. Johnson recorded 32 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 2021, but he did it with opposing offenses focused on Williams.
In 2022, Williams will be playing on Sundays, but Johnson feels he’s ready to build on his success. In fact, Williams will be serving as inspiration, even though he won’t be in the Rebels’ defensive huddle.
“I feel like I’m putting more pressure on myself than anybody else would, just to fulfill my expectations, really,” Johnson said.
What are those expectations?
“Be better than Sam,” Johnson said. “I feel like my sophomore year I got a lot more comfortable. This year, I’m going to take over. I got stronger, got more confident in my pass rush. It’s a lot of things.”
Johnson said he senses the Ole Miss defense, under the direction of Chris Partridge, is going to do big things this fall.
“Everybody’s ready to buy in,” Johnson said. “It’s not like a new coordinator coming in. We already knew C.P., so his taking over is just everybody trying to be better. We’re not changing the whole scheme. We’re just making a few tweaks.”
5. Nick Broeker gave real consideration to going pro after the 2021 season. However, a number of factors led to his return to the Rebels.
“There were certain days I thought I was going to do it,” Broeker said. “There were certain days I was definitely coming back. It was really tough.”
First, the NFL feedback Broeker received indicated he would be best-served to move inside from left tackle to left guard. Second, something nagged at Broeker.
“I just think there’s a lot more than can be done, not only for myself but (also) for the team,” Broeker said. “I think there’s a lot more I can accomplish, a lot more that I can do. You know, being around the guys for one more year, having the chdance to compete for a national championship, those are things we really strive for. I want to win the Joe Moore Award and I definitely want to get my degree.”
The Joe Moore Award is given annually to college football’s best offensive line.
“It’s kind of always on our mind,” Broeker said.
Broeker said it’s something he believes the Rebels can win, thanks to bonds off the field and talent on it.
“That’s something that’s really helped us — the friendships off the field, watching extra film with each other, has made the transition smooth to this point,” Broeker said, referring to an offensive line revamp that has moved Jeremy James to left tackle, Broeker inside and the addition of Western Kentucky transfer Mason Brooks at right tackle.
“He’s really impressive,” Broeker said, referring to Brooks. “He’s a really good athlete, really long. He looks the part, too. You can tell the way he plays he is very fundamentally sound. Adding him was really big.”
Line play is always critical, but it’s even more so this season, as Ole Miss looks to replace Matt Corral at quarterback. At least at this point, it’s a battle between Luke Altmyer and USC transfer Jaxson Dart.
“Every time you take the field, you don’t really know who’s going to be in the huddle,” Broeker said. “In a way, it’s kind of fun. It’s like a little surprise, but they’ve both done a really good job so far, not only on the field but off the field, being a quarterback, leading the locker room. It’s been really cool to see that, especially with them being so young.”
6. The reconstruction of Ole Miss' basketball roster is underway. So far, two players have hit the transfer portal, and the smart money is on that being just the start.
It's funny, I suppose. People take criticism of the way I roster was put together as some sort of personal attack, and it's not that at all. The bottom line for Ole Miss is this: By signing four high school players last season, only one of whom was ready to contribute at the SEC level, it put the onus on the veteran members of the Rebels' roster. When some of those players couldn't step up their games, the thinness of the roster was exposed.
Throw in some injuries and it was -- in basketball terms -- catastrophic.
It's really that simple.
And yes, it makes the wondering if signing four more high schoolers in this cycle sets up the possibility of a repeat of last season fair.
It does appear Matthew Murrell and Daeshun Ruffin will return next season, and that's a helluva backcourt to build around. Jaemyn Brakefield will return, and while the Duke transfer didn't play like the phenom some advertised him to be, I thought he was pretty good at times and showed real promise to be a strong piece on a good team.
After that, there are question marks. Kermit Davis indicated in an interview with On3.com's Ben Garrett that Robert Allen would return next season. Allen suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the 2021-22 campaign. Tye Fagan, Jarkel Joiner, Luis Rodriguez, Sammy Hunter, Austin Crowell and James White all have eligibility remaining. Do the math. If Ole Miss is going to attack the transfer portal as it has said, multiple players from that group must move on.
What Ole Miss can't afford to do, at least in my unsolicited opinion, is add players who essentially are duplicates of players already on the roster. The Rebels need a post presence to replace Nysier Brooks, who did a solid job replacing Romello White. They need an impactful stretch-4 and/or an athletic wing. And they need shooters who help space the floor for Ruffin, whose strength is dribble penetration that forces defenders to collapse into the paint.
Unless several of the four incoming freshmen are ready to be impactful, that doesn't leave a lot of margin for error. It's a critical offseason. Everyone knows that. How Ole Miss manages the roster in the coming weeks will determine whether next season is one of redemption or a repeat of past frustrations.
Speaking of college basketball, the Final Four is set. Here are my predictions for next weekend in New Orleans:
Kansas over Villanova
Duke over North Carolina
7. The second weekend of Southeastern Conference baseball is in the books. I've made myself watch as much as possible, knowing it's a hot topic around here and on the daily podcast I co-host this time of year.
It's just two weeks, which is a silly small sample size, but I'm going to warn Ole Miss fans a little here. Yes, Tennessee is the best team in the league, and I'm not sure it's particularly close. However, the bottom of the league isn't as bad as I've seen people trying to convince themselves.
Here's my ranking of the league's programs after one-fifth of the conference schedule is completed.
1. Tennessee -- The Vols are flawless, a true national title contender.
2. Arkansas -- And here's the thing: The Razorbacks are solid but there's nothing spectacular so far for Dave Van Horn's team.
3. Vanderbilt -- Again, the 'Dores have a lot of talent, but they're flawed, as was seen when they dropped two of three to South Carolina.
4. Georgia -- Just because of some front-end pitching, but the Bulldogs lost two of three at Kentucky, which should send shivers down Ole Miss' collective spine.
5. LSU -- The Tigers can out-hit you. That's about all they do well right now, but it's something.
6. Florida -- The Gators got walloped on Saturday and Sunday by LSU. They have to hope the Tigers' bats are that special.
7. Ole Miss -- At 2-4 in the league, the Rebels can't afford a bad weekend in Lexington.
8. Mississippi State -- The Bulldogs are 3-2 in the league and they're showing that comeback ability the program is sort of known for. Are they national title good? No. Can they take a series from you? Absolutely.
9. Auburn -- This is about to get redundant, but Auburn was supposed to be a bad team. It isn't. There's a theme coming.
10. Texas A&M -- See, here's my point. The Aggies are supposed to suck. They don't. They fight. They're not special or anything, but they won't roll over.
11. South Carolina -- The Gamecocks are likely a very average team, but that means they're more than capable of taking two of three in a series. Ask Vanderbilt.
12. Kentucky -- A trip to Lexington might not be the get-well recipe some expect. Ask Georgia, who lost two of three there this weekend.
13. Missouri -- Here's the best example. Mizzou gave Arkansas all it wanted this weekend in CoMo. It was cold and windy. The Hogs had to create their own energy. The Tigers aren't awful. If you're Ole Miss and you're looking at that series like it'll be a sweep, you might be disappointed when it's over.
14. Alabama -- The Tide is plucky, too. It won't be an easy weekend for Ole Miss when it encounters Alabama. Should the Rebels win? Yes. Could they sweep? Sure. It won't be a walk in the park.
8. Last week in this space, I gave my sure-to-be-laughably wrong American League predictions. Today, I shift to the National League as the start of the season is now less than two weeks away.
National League East:
1. Atlanta Braves
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. New York Mets
4. Washington Nationals
5. Miami Marlins
National League Central:
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Cincinnati Reds
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
National League West:
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. San Diego Padres
3. San Francisco Giants
4. Colorado Rockies
5. Arizona Diamondbacks
9. It's time to eat. Here’s our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste Of The Place, Lesson 128 — Mussels with Chorizo and French Fries.
These steamed things are amazing to eat. Normally in the United States, you pair them with grilled bread. I would rather add fries to mine as the French do because potatoes and seafood are an excellent combination.
Tidbit #1: These are easy to cook, just make sure to have your mise en place prepared in advance. Also, take off the “beard” while cleaning them in cold water.
Tidbit #2: Sear the chorizo sausage first in the pan and take it out to let drain on a paper plate with napkins. Then you will start the process of onions and garlic.
Tidbit #3: The mussels need to steam, so you will need to cover them with a lid. If the lid is not heavy, it will have the potential to fall off during cooking. So you can wrap the top of the pot with plastic wrap.
Tidbit #4: Once most of the mussels have opened, that is when you will turn off the heat, and you are good to eat!
Things you will need:
4 People
Preparation time - 5 Minutes
Cook time - 15 Minutes
A glass of Pinot Grigio
Utensils needed:
Worksurface and chef’s knife
Stovetop
Stockpot with lid (or plastic wrap)
Side plate
Spatula
Ingredients needed:
4 lbs mussels (without the beard)
1 Whole link chorizo sausage
1 Onion diced
4 cloves garlic sliced
1/2 cup Pinot Grigio
1 cup chicken stock
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
French Fries
Mise en Plac
Step 1: Place the pot on medium heat and start by searing the sliced chorizo. Once completed, take from the pot and set on the side plate.
Step 2: Add in the onion and cook using the grease from the chorizo for 2 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-high and add in the garlic. Continue to cook for 1 minute before adding in the wine.
Step 2.1: Let the mixture cook for 2 minutes and then with it hot, add in the mussels and chicken stock. Mix around use the spatula and then cover with the lid. Cook until most of the mussels have opened (around 5-7 minutes) and then turn off the heat.
Final
Step 3: Toss back in the cooked chorizo and chopped parsley. Mix and then serve up in big bowls with the fries to the side. Make sure to dip the fries in the jus…it is absolutely wonderful. A.B.S.O.L.U.T.E.L.Y.
From the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appétit!
10. We'll have coverage of Ole Miss baseball, football and whatever else may come up this week on RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me -- and hopefully, to you -- for your reading pleasure:
Inside the Warriors' decision to make a seismic starting lineup change weeks before the playoffs
Does Anthony Rizzo have regrets about his contract?
The biggest remaining needs for all 32 NFL teams after the first wave of free agency and trades
Crackers, cupcakes and the mall: How the Bengals and Joe Burrow landed La’el Collins
Remembering John Clayton and the idiosyncrasies that made him one of a kind – The Athletic
Lloyd: Deshaun Watson, the Browns and the fight to clear both of their names
Florida State Player Sits Out Practice Because Of NIL, Then Transfers – OutKick
Chelsea and the Stamford Bridge dilemma facing any new owners
20 days in Mariupol: The team that documented city’s agony | AP News
Humans could live up to 150 years - will you make it beyond a century?
Researchers think they've found the last surviving Pilgrim ship
Jeffrey Epstein's 'Pedophile Island' set to hit market for $125M
'I Don't Want To Lose Memories' -- A Father's Mission To Remember His Son Through 365 Days of Catch
