The Mailbag, pres. by Whitney McNutt/Tommy Morgan Inc Realtors: Edition 167
It's time for The Mailbag, presented by Whitney McNutt of Tommy Morgan Inc. Realtors, Edition 167.
I asked for your questions. You delivered. So here we go...
From blakelydylan: Assuming we secure a QB and Tight End, is the offensive line the biggest depth concern Ole Miss should have next season?
No, I still think defensive line is an area that must be addressed before Ole Miss can feel great about things. It feels like there is a need to land another defensive tackle and someone off the edge who can rush the passer.
From RebCJ: Do you believe fan support for hiring Barney has been heard inside the Manning Center?
I honestly don't know. That's not a topic I've broached. I continue to hear there will be additions and changes and redistributions of labor within the recruiting portion of the football operations. What does that mean? I don't know. I'm not sure, as of this moment, they know. But if they do know, they're not talking.
From Usp94: Three questions:Once NIL is regulated, and it will be, do you think the transfer portal eventually becomes the Great Equalizer that the 85 scholarship rule was meant to be? Recruiting will always be dirty business, but does the existence transfer portal give bag men a slight pause before investing in a prospect who may or may not be at their program more than 1 season? I know what NIL is supposed to be about, but Isn’t it, in actuality, just the Bag Man doing the dirty work out in broad open view?
I think it absolutely could become the Great Equalizer, at least to a large degree. Your point about "investing" in freshmen who could walk in a year or less is a good one. I mean, what are you going to do about it.
"Hey, NCAA, Jimmy Joe Jones took my $200,000 and just transferred to Minneconsin A&M."
That likely wouldn't get your money back.
But no, NIL isn't the Bag Man doing dirty work in the open. NIL is a player getting money for his name, image and likeness in exchange for a work product. Here's the thing no one is reporting yet. Some of the players don't want NIL. They want the under-the-table cash. They don't want to actually do a work product and get paid and file tax papers and whatnot with the school's compliance office.
NIL is legitimate, but even with it in place, the Bag Man is still doing dirty work.
Is West Virginia in the south?
No, it's in the West, obviously.
From BroWallace: Let’s assume Ole Miss MBB doesn’t win another game and Keith is forced to let Kermit go.If you’re Keith who do you target. If not someone specific, what are you looking for in general in a coach?
First off, I like Kermit Davis. He's a very nice person, and he's been nothing but fair and good to me. He's also a very good basketball coach. There's a lot of season left and prematurely writing about the end of his time in Oxford would be unfair and unprofessional.
This season would have to bottom out, I suspect, for a change to be made. If that happened, I'd go the Kiffin route, frankly. I'd hire someone who could make a splash, not only with fans but also in the transfer portal and, ultimately, with the AAU and Nike people. That's easier said than done.
At the risk of triggering certain subscribers, I'll reiterate this. Andy Kennedy and Kermit Davis are damn good basketball coaches. You can agree with that or not. I don't care. I know. They're damn good basketball coaches. Assuming this team doesn't make the NCAA Tournament, they would have combined to make three NCAA Tournaments in 16 years.
It's a very difficult gig. That said, Ole Miss can't punt basketball. Football is king, yes. It's the great money-maker. It must be given top priority. However, punting on basketball, the only other college sport that ever captivates the nation, is just stupid. A school can get far more traction and exposure from basketball than it can baseball. That's just a fact. The whole idea of giving up on basketball and putting even more resources into baseball is short-sighted, and that's being kind.
From M.O.B. Rebel: From your 10 Thoughts:I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: This mode of roster-building might be a mistake. There’s no doubt about that. Building chemistry matters, and it’s not a given that happens with guys transferring in from programs all over the country. However, it’s possible this is cutting-edge at a program like Ole Miss, one that has repeatedly shown it can compete at an elite level but has yet to show that it can consistently land a haul-full of five-star recruits.In the new era of the portal/NIL, is this not where we are? College basketball has been building/supplementing with the portal for a couple of years now. OM basketball and to a degree OM football don't have the resources to consistently haul the 5-stars out of high school, as you mention. And I'd argue that the mode of building your roster with roughly 40% 3-star high school projects has proven to be a "mistake" (though there wasn't another option) for us at Ole Miss. I'm beginning to think the portal can be a very good thing for Ole Miss football. Of course, you have to have a coach and staff who maintains good/positive relationships. And you must also have a good strength/developmental program. I've seen the chemistry issues and bad apples come from high school and Juco too.All that to say: I think it boils down to this... do you keep building your roster with 1/3 of your class being high school projects or do you save those scholarships for more experienced P5/G5 transfers with hopefully multiple years of eligibility? At a place like Ole Miss, I lean towards the portal. It probably will vary with each OM staff moving forward. But with Lane, I lean portal. As you say, it will be fascinating to watch unfold.More of a pick your brain, than question, so I apologize. Just curious of your overall, general thoughts on this.
Right or wrong, good or bad, I think Lane Kiffin will use at least half of his allotted scholarships on the portal moving forward. Like I wrote the other day, it's like watching an experiment unfold in real time. It appears to be working, but it's too early to say anything definitive. Your post is a good one full of strong points.
I laugh at the people with these set-in-stone opinions on this, one way or the other. It's still very new and coaches are figuring out just how much they want to wade in. Kiffin appears to be one of the guys just diving in to the deep end of the portal. Again, maybe that's brilliant. Maybe it's stupid. We'll see.
From secREtsaBanScout: If I told you in 2025, Matt Corral is an MVP/Offensive POTY candidate. What team would you think he was drafted by?Also, what is a realistic expectation of both Jerrion Ealy's and Snoop Conner's NFL careers?
I'd probably go with the Steelers in that scenario, as he would've benefited greatly from that franchise's stability.
I think Jerrion can be impactful in the return game and as a third-down back. Snoop is going to be a very good special teams player at a minimum. If he can learn the art of pass protection, he's got a very high ceiling.
From strongrebel: Percent likelihood the SEC creates its own playoffs now? The SEC has seen the money potential from the networks for a 12 game playoff? The risk for the ACC and Pac12 is that the SEC makes the move independently to produce its own wildcard and divisional playoff, and the Big 10 will follow and then the two conferences automatically just play their top 2 teams and keep all the revenue between the two conferences which will then create the next realignment shuffle. Who would you say could make the jump at that moment? USC, Norte Dame, North Carolina, ..? Maybe Washington, Virgina,? Does the Big 10 take Stanford or BYU?
I don't see that happening. I just think that's a bridge that's too far away to even plan for at this point. As for realignment, I've long had my eyes on USC. Notre Dame could pick up the phone and join the SEC or Big Ten tomorrow. It has that sort of sway. I think Washington and Oregon are potential Big Ten targets, and if that happened, and the ACC began to fall apart, I think everyone knows the SEC covets North Carolina and Virginia.
From walnutreb: After you got out and saw some more areas did you wish you'd went to somewhere different for college? I think southern kids typically view colleges very regionally.In hindsight I think I'd went to one of those small new England schools or a school in the middle of a large city.
I don't know. I make fun of ULM a lot, but those two years were really fun. I was intimidated at Ole Miss and would've been intimidated at Alabama as well. I grew up an Alabama fan (both of my parents have degrees from there and I was born there, etc.), but when I visited Tuscaloosa, I remember being intimidated by the students.
I'd have likely had a much better college experience at ULM or Louisiana Tech, but I probably needed to get out and get uncomfortable to prepare for life.
So I'm not sure I'm the one to answer that question. For a lot of people, college consists of four great years where they make lifelong friends. That was not my experience.
From um98rebl: Regarding OM, given the injuries to starters wouldn’t it seem to make sense to go completely young the rest of the season to see what you have in the other freshman? It seems that in the best case scenario the ceiling for this team was always a NCAA bubble team and that isn’t happening. As a fan, watching and seeing what the young kids look like might be the only interesting story line left this season.
I think Davis has to play them. However, here's the rub: If they're not ready and you play them, two things happen. One, you possibly hurt their development. And two, and this is just keeping it real: You open yourself up to more criticisms regarding your evaluation and recruiting. I don't think he can go 2-16 or 3-15 or something and hang on, not in today's environment. So while I do think those guys need to get minutes at some point, he's got to play guys to win games.
From rezrebel: Does OM have the "resources/network" to have CFB playoff (12) and Seeet 16 basketball teams?
Yes. Simple as that. Yes.
From randle4: Will the Big 12 still be considered a Power 5 conference in 2025? Is that the motivation behind Bowlsby wanting it to get the playoff expansion completed sooner rather than in a few years when they are less attractive? I know they will probably still get an automatic qualifier in the expansion, but do they lose some merit?
It's kind of complicated, I think. Will it be a "Power-5" league in name? Yes. Will anyone really consider it as an equal to the SEC or Big Ten? No. Will it get an AQ to a playoff? Yes. Will it ever get an at-large bid? Likely not.
From InvernessReb: As a 74 year old lifetime Cubs fan who grew up in south central Illinois (@100 miles east of St. Louis) it was easy to develop a really strong dislike for the team with the birds on the bat uniform. I had to almost annually hear the constant boasting of their fandom. I find it odd that someone growing up in Ruston, Louisiana, would have the same or even more so, animosity to that team and organization. I would be curious as to why you have such hatred for them, or is just being a Cubs fan enough reason on its own?
I've been a Cubs fan forever (though the pandemic has impacted my fandom quite negatively, as the Cubs' wokeness has been a bit of a turnoff), to the point that I didn't have the emotional capacity for other fandom. The Cardinals, more often than not, have been the proverbial fly in the ointment. They win and my God, their fans don't shut up about it. So the hate develops. I'm sure it's nothing like the distaste someone from south central Illinois feels, but it's there. I can't stand them.
From chattreb: I understand that covering recruiting has been a boom for the business that you are in. To be honest with you, it has spurned interest in the athletic departments which can provide liquidity at the end of the day. That being said, is covering recruiting fun for people in your industry and do the coaches like having to discuss it with fans and boosters who get worked up about 4 to 5 star rated kids that they have likely never seen?
I don't know that I can speak for people in my industry, especially on the recruiting side of it. Do I find covering recruiting fun? No. Is covering recruiting important for sites like this one? Yes. Do coaches like having to discuss recruiting with fans and boosters? I'm not sure a broad brush would be the way to answer that.
From Levi275: Why is there fan support for hiring Barney Farrar? Anytime something like this is suggested I’m reminded of the expression “you can’t solve today’s problems with yesterday’s solutions.” Why do Ole Miss fans only remember the positives from certain coaches’ tenures and only the negatives from others?
Sentimentality. He's a wonderful guy who poured his heart and soul into the program during a time of renaissance. He knows everyone in Mississippi and truly has a heart of gold. Is he part of the answer for Ole Miss? I guess he could be, depending on approach. He's obviously help with Mississippi kids and he can connect with boosters and alumni, which is vitally important for NIL and such.
As for negatives, Barney has the NCAA thing hanging over him, but everyone with the slightest bit of electrical activity in his or her brain knows he took the bullet following the coaches' code.
From kylethehoss: How will the Georgia fans view Mark Richt coaching tenure now that Georgia has won a title? Do people think Kirby is the best coach ever at Georgia?
They'll be even more sentimental now. Hell, when the Cubs finally won, I stopped hating Dusty Baker for mismanaging the hell out of the 2003 season. Winning a championship changes everything.
From jchmcl09: In evaluating success in the Transfer Portal, shouldn't we also look at the players lost as opposed to the players gained? Ole Miss has only lost Henry Parrish as best as I can tell as a player who would see significant action this fall. I suspect Ole Miss will pick up 7 to 8 starters once all is said and done and lose only one part-time starter. Who else will "net" that well?
I think so. I think you look at what was lost to graduation, to the NFL, to the portal, etc. and then look at what was brought in and try to figure out a net gain or loss.
From nyc-tup: NIL violation question:In the bad old days, if booster X paid player Y $50k to attend school Z this he school could be punished even if the school didn’t know because that was Lack of Institutional Control. In the brave new world, if Yancy’s Professional Massage Service (and Grass Sales) pays recruit Y $10k for an interview how can the school be blamed? Institutions are allowed to play players, a player could be told by compliance that all NIL $ must be approved… but how can a school be nailed for the behavior of a recruit when the NCAA said NIL is ok? The grey areas are immense.
There's a lot there and I got lost. If the owner of Yancy's Professional Massage Service was a representative of a school's athletics interest and he paid a prospective student-athlete money to represent his business in an interview with a media outlet, I'm not sure how that would be handled. I suspect it would be deemed a violation.
From hman478: Portal question that you may have the answer to.Are the kids in the portal taking classes at the school they are “leaving”? IMaybe it’s me and I know the first week is Syllabus week, but how are they going to qualify if they are missing classes/dropped from class while visiting other schools?USC’s classes started last week. Also if they are taking classes, who is paying for it? It thought once you entered the portal your scholarship was pretty much toast.
It usually depends on how they handle it and how the school feels about it. It's in everyone's best interest for the student-athlete to be in good academic standing. Guys like Dart and Trigg are no longer enrolled at USC. They are at home, choosing new schools to transfer to. Their scholarships expired when the fall semester ended.
From SaladThunder: Say you’re at a bar and you bump into other beat writers and TOS writers. You realize they could be a threat for whatever reason so you have to establish your dominance. Do you kick a tree and fart on David Johnson? If not, how would you do it? I know some men stick their chests out. Some talk loud. Some order a boiler maker. How would @Neal McCready establish his dominance among other beat writers?
If I walk into a bar and see other beat writers, I turn around and go to a new bar. I have no interest in establishing dominance. I just want to sit in peace and enjoy a drink.
From LaPenn5: Ok... say Carson just graduated HS, and now you & Laura have an empty nest. Sorry, not trying to rush that on you, but life...You tell Chase, its been fun man, but that's it, I'm done. Laura and I are happy, etc, etc... I'm going to semi-retire and write a book. First of all, I have too much respect for you to even make a hypothetical to say it would be a book about just 1 other school.BUT, having the nationwide contacts you have, in both college & professional sports, and being a veteran in this business. What are you writing about, and what's the title?
First, thank you for the kind words. I don't know what is next for me. I have a difficult time right now thinking past this week and certainly past the next three years. I do know what's not next, however, and that's writing a book. I'm simply not a good enough writer to write a book. I know there will be jokes made about certain other authors, but the truth is, if I were to publish a book, I'd want it to be something that wasn't ridiculed. I'd want it to be something my children would view with pride. My career hasn't been interesting enough to write some introspective. So, no, as I've said many times, a book isn't happening.
From gorverebs18: In your estimation, how hot is Kermit’s seat right now?
Today, on a scale of 1-10, I'd say it's about a 4. Could it heat up fast? Sure. The next few weeks feel very important.
From Mosesfrommemphis: Neal,Thanks for what you do and that goes for Chase as well.In regards to Ole Miss Baseball, does the new NIL landscape allow Ole Miss to level the field with a Vanderbilt or Arkansas? The fun follow up question is: If that is true, does that lend towards giving Mike a new lease on life to evaluate him as a recruiter and coach?
Part 1 of the answer is yes, to some degree. To what extent? It's too early to say. What if, while you get to Arkansas' current level, they create new revenue streams for their players? Then what? It's just unsettled territory at this point.
Part 2 of the answer is no. Whether he should or shouldn't he doesn't get a new lease. This is Year No. 21. The first 20 count.
From walnutreb: How much of an excitement factor do you get from Michael Trigg from what you've saw? I think he's gonna be dare I say Kyle Pitts light in this offense
Whoa, slow your roll just a bit. Trigg looks like a beast, yes, but Pitts is a top-10 NFL pick. Let's wait a minute before we go there.
From dawsonreb: This is just an industry curious question and not to put anyone or you on the defensive. As a reporter, what is the line you draw when you know “a source” is feeding you bad or misleading information on a question, but it’s a question you are asked about repeatedly? The example would be Dillion Gabriel’s visit to Oxford while Lebby was leaving for Oklahoma. Everyone knew Gabriel was following Lebby, but all we heard from everywhere was “we are told Lebby’s leaving will not hurt Ole Miss’ chances with Gabriel. Lebby is actually pitching Ole Miss to him and helping” (not and exact quote). We asked and you (and others) answered with what you had, but obviously you knew the opposite. At what point do you say I know this is BS and will not pass that information along.
The specific answer regarding Lebby/Gabriel is, at the time, there were a couple of things happening. One, Oklahoma was holding out hope Caleb Williams would stay, and if he did, Gabriel wasn't going to Norman. Two, I believe Kiffin at least put out feelers to Kendall Briles, and Gabriel might have transferred to Ole Miss in that scenario. There were reasons, beyond "sources," we believed Gabriel might go to Ole Miss anyway.
AS for sourcing, different sources hit for higher averages. We get lots of information we never use. And sometimes, especially in coaching things, stuff that is right on Wednesday is wrong by Friday. Sometimes people test us, I think, but we do try to corroborate everything.
And sometimes, someone has an agenda, we know it's BS and we just move along.
From hamslam12: Any advice for a new shelter dog owner?
No, just kudos. That's a very kind thing to do.
