1. The recruiting dead period comes to an end at the end of the day Thursday. My anticipation is Ole Miss will be extremely active between Friday and the Feb. 5 signing date.
It appears Ole Miss will bring in official visitors over the next three weekends prior to the signing period. I also expect Lane Kiffin and his staff to use the Jan. 31 weekend to bring in a handful of 2021 targets.
What’s left of 2020 is finishing off a transition class; any splash created is, frankly, bonus. Anyone who judges Kiffin or this staff based on what happens over the next three-plus weeks is doing so with an agenda. No matter the result, this class will be a transition class.
The 2021 class, however, will be the litmus test for Kiffin and his staff. It’s absolutely critical that class is deep and impactful. My expectation is it will be. Here’s reality: If the Kiffin era is going to progress at an accelerated clip, it’ll have to be.
2. Meanwhile, Kiffin, at least to my knowledge, hasn’t finalized his coaching staff just yet. Kiffin has two spots open on his staff, as my assumption is Freddie Roach will be a holdover from Matt Luke’s staff in Oxford, at least through the late signing period. As of late last week, Kiffin’s pursuit of Tennessee assistant Tee Martin was still ongoing. However, most connected to Martin believe he will ultimately remain in Knoxville.
That appears to be the case as of late Sunday. The Ole Miss Spirit reported Sunday former Ole Miss running backs coach Derrick Nix has been hired as a wide receivers coach. I cannot independently verify that report, but the Spirit is tight with Nix and there's no reason whatsoever to doubt the veracity of that report.
If that's the case, it leaves just one vacancy, almost certainly on the defensive staff. I’ve heard names _ I reported chatter about Kansas cornerbacks coach Chevis Jackson Friday _ but to this point, nothing has checked out. It’s certainly possible Kiffin is waiting for this week’s AFCA convention in Nashville to meet with candidates. As stated above, the dead period extends through Thursday night, so he still has time. Further, assuming coaches won’t really hit the road recruiting until Sunday, he has a week before any “deadline” comes into play.
I realize the lack of information is frustrating for fans, but this bears repeating: Kiffin isn’t going to run this program precisely like his predecessors. He’s going to march to his own beat. Further, and I’ve stated this repeatedly, Kiffin has told numerous confidants over the years that he knows the importance of getting his staff right the first time. He’s going to be deliberate. He’s not going to rush.
So while he’d likely (I’m guessing here) prefer to have his staff in place in the coming days, it’s not truly imperative that he have a full staff in Oxford until the start of spring drills. Do I think it will take that long? No, I don’t. I just believe it bears repeating that any Friday “deadline” others speak of is 100 percent artificial.
3. Mississippi State hired Mike Leach Thursday as Joe Moorhead’s successor. The Bulldogs turned to Leach after multiple overtures toward Louisiana-Lafayette’s Billy Napier were rejected and after something fell apart during the courtship of Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.
Regardless, in the end, the Bulldogs hired Leach, who has been successful at Texas Tech and Washington State. There will be a debate about what kind of fit Leach is or isn’t in Starkville. Personally, I’m looking forward to see how it works out. He’s a bit eccentric; he’ll be culture shock for the media corps that covers Mississippi State. His teams throw the football all over the field, score points and play unconventional football. His teams’ defenses are typically porous. That’s the polar opposite, at least in my opinion, of what most Mississippi State fans value in their program.
However, Leach is a hell of a coach, and he makes the Bulldogs more interesting than they’ve been in years. I do believe he and Kiffin are going to the defuse the Egg Bowl rivalry a bit, and they’ll do it without actively trying to do it.
For the past few seasons, Ole Miss and Mississippi State have been kind of boring. That is no longer the case, not by a long shot. Personally, I find it refreshing. For the past few seasons, the two programs were also incredibly predictable. That trait is gone as well, and for fans, that alone should be exhilarating.
4. Ole Miss blew two double-digit, second-half leads this week, losing at Texas A&M Tuesday and at home to Arkansas Saturday night. The Rebels are now 9-6 overall and 0-2 in the Southeastern Conference. If you’re still hanging on to NCAA Tournament hopes, Ole Miss is down to No. 99 in the college basketball NET rankings. The climb back to the bubble is going to be brutal.
Ole Miss can’t afford to think about that right now. To get back on the winning track, the Rebels have to fix things on both ends of the floor. They also need reserve guard Bryce Williams to get back from a groin injury that has limited him the past couple of weeks. Without Williams available, Ole Miss is having to overextend both Breein Tyree and Devontae Shuler. Tyree, never an elite defender, is having to carry way too much on the offensive burden and his tired legs are evident late in games. Shuler, meanwhile, is a better on-ball defender than Tyree. However, his minute load is weighing on him late in games as well.
Ole Miss needed Blake Hinson and KJ Buffen to step up their games as sophomores. They’ve been sporadic. Khadim Sy has been inconsistent and has had trouble finishing plays at the rim. Austin Crowley and Franco Miller haven’t been impactful and freshman Sammy Hunter has to get stronger to be effective at the SEC level. Throw in a (likely) season-ending injury to Luis Rodriguez and it’s been an imperfect storm for Ole Miss.
Elite guards, most recently Arkansas’ Isaiah Joe, are punishing Ole Miss in the second half of games. Turnovers are a problem. Defensive lapses on set pieces have been killers. Kermit Davis has tried every conceivable lineup combination. Nothing has worked consistently.
Davis recently called this season a re-set season. Matthew Murrell has looked terrific at the high school level and should make an immediate impact next season. I suspect some recruiting plans have changed based on what has transpired in the first 15 games of this season.
For now, however, this team is what it is, and if it doesn’t want this season to become a nightmare, a handful of guys are going to have to step up. In a league where there is just one dominant team (Auburn) and no horrific teams, no one is going to feel any pity.
5. Speaking of, Ole Miss has a brutally difficult week ahead. The Rebels travel to Gainesville to face Florida on Tuesday. The Gators are No. 54 in the NET after losing at Missouri Saturday. The Rebels then return home to face LSU on Saturday night. The Tigers, unbeaten in SEC play, are No. 29 in the NET after beating Mississippi State Saturday.
Florida will be desperate for a win and LSU has the type of size and rebounding prowess in the low post that could give Ole Miss nightmares. Like I said, no one is going to feel sorry for Ole Miss, not in a league this is likely to get 5-6 bids in the NCAA Tournament.
6. Here’s my weekly ranking of the SEC, with NET ratings in parentheses:
1. Auburn (6)
2. Kentucky (23)
3. LSU (29)
4. Arkansas (25)
5. Alabama (60)
6. Georgia (53)
7. Missouri (58)
8. Florida (54)
9. Tennessee (69)
10. Mississippi State (80)
11. Ole Miss (99)
12. South Carolina (126)
13. Texas A&M (124)
14. Vanderbilt (133)
7. Ole Miss honored the voice of the Rebels, David Kellum, prior to Saturday’s game against Arkansas. Kellum has been broadcasting Ole Miss sports for 30 years. He’s traveled all over the country, calling football, basketball and baseball. Simply put, his voice is synonymous with Ole Miss sports.
Here’s what I can tell you about David: He is a genuinely good person. He’s one of those guys who always take a moment to say hello, ask how you’re doing, check on your family, etc. I’ve never once seem him big-time anyone. Win or lose, no matter the circumstances, he does his job with enthusiasm, always cognizant that at every moment, he’s serving as the eyes of some fan trying to keep up with his or her favorite team.
I thought it was cool to see Ole Miss take a moment to honor him on Saturday.
8. The Baltimore Ravens lost to Tennessee Saturday night, ending Lamar Jackson’s season with another disappointing playoff loss.
By Sunday morning, the Internet was full of the hottest of takes regarding Jackson. Suddenly, after a year in which he dominated the league and likely will win MVP honors, Jackson isn’t good.
Give me a break. Look, Jackson wasn’t sharp Saturday. He was 31-for-59 passing for 365 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He had a QBR of 31.9. He rushed 20 times for 143 yards.
Mark Ingram, nursing a calf injury, rushed for just 22 yards. Early drops were a problem. Tennessee played a brilliant game and was very efficient on offense.
Does Jackson deserve blame? Of course. Is the loss an indictment on his career? Hell, no. Stop. Full stop. Lots of quarterbacks _ Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, for example, say hello _ struggle in their first few appearances in the playoffs.
Has Jackson revolutionized the quarterback position? No, and the people who made that argument _ I know I flirted with it _ were premature. However, Jackson is a tremendous player and an absolute weapon on the field.
I suspect he and the Ravens will learn from what happened Saturday and be better prepared the next time they play in January. However, the overreactions to Saturday’s game are ridiculous. The NFL remains a quarterback league, and there aren’t many franchises who would pass up an opportunity for Jackson to be their signal-caller.
9. It’s cold and wet outside, so it’s a perfect time for a warm meal. With that in mind, here’s Burton Webb with Taste of the Place, Lesson 19: Hamburger Steak au Poivre (OH - P-wah-ver):
Finding a treasure that you weren’t expecting is well, great! If you take the “hamburger” off of the title, you have one of the most classic French dishes there is. When you are from the South and love hamburger steak, what if you just changed it up a little. This got me to thinking and then I went into the kitchen. I think I did jump up and down after I ate the dish. So let’s get right into this fusion dish that you should serve with mashed potatoes and make as soon as possible. Tidbits always first.
Tidbit #1: When you are toasting the peppercorns in your sauté pan, do so on medium heat or just residual heat. They have the potential to pop if the heat is too high. Also, the peppercorns will be soft because of the cooking process. Yet, if you would not like for them to be in the sauce, you can strain them out.
Tidbit #2: Never put a sauce that is intended for a meat, directly on top of that ‘said’ meat item. You always want the meat to be above the water…not drowning in it.
Tidbit #3 (Last One): We are going to be changing the cooking temperature frequently throughout this dish for different aspects being that we are using just one pan. So read over the procedure once or twice to understand it a little bit more.
Things you will need:
2 People to eat or just go back for seconds
Mashed Potatoes with Sautéed Red Onions in Butter
A piece of French Bread
Time to Goodness: 20 Minutes
Equipment Needed:
1 Work Surface
2 Side Plates
1 Small Sauté Pan
1 Spatula
Measuring Cups of 1 Cup, 1/4 Cup, 1 Tbsp, and 1 Tsp.
1 Small Metal Strainer (Optional)
1 Stove Top
1 Scale
Ingredients Needed:
2 Hamburger Patties of 4.5 ounces each
1 Cup of Beef Broth
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tbsp Cognac
1 Tsp Green or Multi-Colored Peppercorns
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Cold Butter
2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
Salt
Black Pepper
Directions:
Step 1: “Mis en Place” all of your items. Next, put your pan on medium high heat.
Step 1.1: With one of your side plates, add the flour. Salt and pepper your patties and then flour both sides of each in your flour plate.
Step 1.2: Pour the oil into the pan and then sear each side of your hamburger steaks for 2 minutes per side. Remove and put on the ‘other’ side plate.
Step 1.3: Remove you pan from the heat and add the black peppercorns, sauté for 1 minute.
Step 2: Place your pan back on the stove top on medium heat and add the cognac. Let the mixture come to a bubble.
Step 3: Add your beef stock to the sauté pan and bring to a boil, cook for 2 minutes.
Step 4: After, add your cream and reduce the heat to medium low. Let cook for 3 minutes.
Step 5: At this step, pull your pan off of the heat. Add your patties back to the pan along with the butter. Now swirl the pan around until the butter has completed melted. Add a pinch of salt, swirl one more time…and there you go! Yes, how to make full-proof mashed potatoes will be coming soon. From the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appetite!
10. We’ll have coverage of Ole Miss football recruiting, basketball and whatever else comes up this week on RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me _ and hopefully, to you _ for your reading pleasure:
LSU's Ed Orgeron giving his Cajun people a reason to celebrate - Sports Illustrated
Clemson vs. LSU may be the best matchup since 2006 Rose Bowl
Trevor Lawrence: Meet last team, QB to beat Clemson star - Sports Illustrated
How LSU's Derek Stingley Jr. became one of football's brightest young stars
NFL playoffs: 49ers’ Richard Sherman proves himself right - Sports Illustrated - si.com
Nolan Arenado decision looms for Rockies | MLB.com
Jupiter is flinging asteroids at Earth 'like a sniper', top scientist warns
Mysterious radio signal is coming from a nearby galaxy, scientists announce
First potentially habitable Earth-size planet discovered by TESS mission | CTV News
PowerMizzou - Tragedy averted: "We just saved someone's life"
How the ‘Bachelor’ Franchise Became an Influencer Launchpad
Ricky Gervais has given Hollywood the thrashing it richly deserves | Coffee House
