It's time for The Mailbag, presented by The Westin Jackson, where I answer your questions from here and Twitter.
I asked. You delivered. So here we go...
From USP94: First off, I know the whole; “back up quarterback is everybody’s favorite player thing” and I know it was by necessity that Plumlee played ion Saturday, but just on the eye test alone:Is Plumlee the better fit for RR offense? He looks so much more comfortable doing what they try to do on offenseDo you think Corral is just pressing out there, trying to make too much happen? Looks like he’s squeezing it a little on the underthrows and he’s a little behind the timing in crossing routes They left a lot of yards in the field with throws that were behind receivers. The balls were caught but the YAC would have been so much higher if balls were thrown accurately. He just looks like he’s running around with his hair on fire out there
I can't say that yet. I'd like to see him in a more traditional setting. He came in down 15 points in the final minutes against a gassed defense playing some form of prevent defense. He did look comfortable and poised and he is one hell of an athlete. As for Corral, his mates didn't help him at times, not with bad snaps and drops and such. However, I agree; he must improve dramatically to be an upper-echelon SEC quarterback.
From fbelliot: I thought Plumlee did great Saturday! He looked very comfortable while in there. Granted it was a small sample size, but IMO the offense fits his skill set. My question is two fold, wasn’t Tisdale the listed #2 QB and will we see both he and Plumlee Saturday, if Corral can’t go against AL.
Tisdale was listed No. 2. Rodriguez went with Plumlee for the quarterback run and then left him in there when he excelled. I'd guess, especially if Corral can't go Saturday, we'll see both Plumlee and Tisdale against the Crimson Tide.
From SoDakReb45: With the fans trying to make a “statement” do you think Carter will be forced to make a decision for the University to fire Luke ASAP to try to get the fanbase to show up the remainder of the season and make some money? And then once a chancellor/AD is hired, the new AD hires the next football coach? To me, it sets the program back further. But the fans are clearly upset and we can’t afford only 35k fans at games. We are in a bad place right now
No, I don't. I can't imagine Carter is authorized to make such a change. I think firing Luke in midseason just to appease fans would be ridiculously risky. Look, you can't sabotage a recruiting class right now. You just can't. At the minimum, that foundation must be laid. Going with an interim right now isn't a good solution. That's just my opinion.
From As I Lay Dying: Scenario: Ole Miss finishes 3-9 and gets thumped double digits by Vandy, Mizzou, and State (the 3 most conceivable SEC wins remaining).New Chancellor is hired in early-mid November and new AD within a couple weeks of that, right around end of season.In that scenario, what % chance do you give that a change is made?
In that scenario, I think the chance would be decent. I don't know that I can put a number on it. However, I don't think that scenario is likely. I think Ole Miss wins at least four games but, more importantly, I don't think a chancellor and athletics director are in place by mid-November.
From Levi275: Why do threads about hiring the next coach always include Lane Kiffin? He’s failed to sustain success at each job. Most recently, he followed up an 11-3 season in year 1 at FAU with 5-7 last season. Is it simply fans buying into the bravado?
He's got a high-profile name and an interesting/fascinating background. He's fun to talk about. I think it's really that simple. I do think he gets another shot one day at a Power 5 program.
From DeuceMccluster22: what's your early thoughts on the Ole Miss/ Memphis basketball game?On paper, do we have a chance to win? That game will be played when a fan base will be more than likely depleted from a football season, 4 of them to be exact, how important could a win be for fan moral going forward through the season?
I think it'll be a lot of fun. Memphis will be talented but young. Ole Miss will have more experience and a dynamic backcourt. Kermit Davis will coach circles around Penny. It's a huge resume-enhancing opportunity for the Rebels. I can't really speak to fan morale. The Egg Bowl, and all of the emotions that go with it, will be days away.
From FireFighterReb: Luke gets the 2020 season. You are the chancellor (play along please) We finish 5-7, but have a top 20 possibly top 15 recruiting class if a couple of more recruits sign in December. Attendence is around 40,000 for the SEC home games, and around 30,000 for the non SEC home games. Do you give Luke the 2021 season?
It would be close. I'd have to see signs that his program was very close to turning the corner in that scenario. I'd want to see the lay of the land, so to speak. What do the losses look like? Are the players still playing hard? Is the program still solid off the field, as it is today? My initial thought is yes, I'd give him more time, but there are so many variables I'd have to know, including who I could get as a replacement, before I could make a definite decision.
From NorthMiss_Reb23: Replay has become a part of almost every sport in some shape or form. Why are we still missing obvious calls, and why do you believe replay is still limited in usage? VAR in EPL has been awful (implementation issue) College Football, fresh wounds from Cal gameCollege Baseball limited on what can be reviewedI just don’t understand why we complicate a simple solution to get call right. Common sense should prevail.
I don't know. I just think the human element is part of the college game. The officials aren't particularly good and hiring full-time people to make it better would be impossible. Major League Baseball umpires are full-time and they butcher the strike zone routinely. The problem with a more invasive form of replay in college football, in my opinion, is you lengthen the games further and make the product less watchable.
From Samminish: ++ When OM leaves the field on Sat just two scores down .. ..++ When your oldest child gives you a heartfelt weekend of adoration, appreciation and reveals that all she wants in her life is to be just like you .. ..== Will you be able to do any pods next week, or will you just confine yourself to the house and watch SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER, and smiling?? If you haven't seen it, I think you'll really enjoy it .. ..
I'm not sure I understand this question. I've read it multiple times and get lost over and over.
From nas5108: I know fans are very apathetic and a lot of people are calling for drastic changes but in your opinion how long should Matt Luke and company be given to try to turn the program around?
If I were making the decision, I'd give him next season. I'd let him finish this recruiting class and next season would likely tell me if the program was moving forward or not. I think drastic change right now would be a mistake. (I'll duck now)
From nas5108: Of these 4: Pegues, McKinley Jackson, Forbes, and Omari Thomas how many do you think OM ultimately signs?
Well, as of this moment, I'd pick all four to Ole Miss.
I do have some concerns _ how to phrase this? _ that the lack of fan/booster investment could lead to difficulty closing the deal on some prospects who remain undecided heading into the late stretches of the recruiting process.
From OrlandoReb: How would Apollo Creed in his prime have fared against Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago?
In his prime, Apollo Creed was the Master of Disaster, the King of Sting, the Prince of Punch and the Count of Montefisto. He'd have made easy work of Lang and it's my opinion, he would have danced around Drago and fought a classic 15-round battle that would've ended in a split decision of some sort.
From WildEagle06: Any grand theory on why traditionally solid programs like Arkansas, Tennessee, Michigan, and Florida State are a mess/underperforming? Is it all attributable to bad coaching hires? Are they simply in a down cycle? Have the Bama’s/Clemson’s/Ohio St separated themselves that much? Or is it something more systemic?
I think it's as simple as this: In today's environment, just because a program once dominated, there's no guarantee it will continue to dominate. I do think the elite programs today have changed the parity structure, but I think the programs you mentioned simply have made bad hires (Florida State is an enigma) and are paying for that now.
From larryjoe1979: do you eat your bread butter side up or butter side down?
I don't put butter on my bread. I try not to eat butter. Hell, I try not to eat bread.
From DiamondReb1083: Did all the students partying in the "Party Tents" distract you from covering the game Saturday? They seem to have been a real smash hit, and extra security may be needed for the remaining home games due to capacity issues. Thoughts?
I didn't cover the game Saturday. However, the tents don't impact me. I'm in the press box. I don't worry about all that stuff. It's not part of my job. They look weird to me, but again, I don't get into all of that.
From BigDogSaint23: Neal, as a follow up to this, why do OM fans have unrealistic time lines and expectations of rebuilding a program from the depths of NCAA hell?
Fans are fanatical. I think it's realistic to expect Ole Miss to be a consistent 7- to 8-win program that occasionally contends in the SEC West. I think it's realistic that it's going to take some time to rebuild to that level, regardless of who the coach is.
From randle4: Should I get regular socks or no-shows from Dead Soxy for my crocs?
Stay Soxy, my friend.
From eosiii: Give us your floor and ceiling regular season win totals for the basketball team. Other than injury, what's the biggest factor in achieving the ceiling vs. the floor?
Ceiling: 25-6. That's everything going their way.
Floor: 19-12. That's stumbling in the non-league a bit and losing a decent mix of road league games.
Biggest factor: I want to see how effective Khadim Sy and Sammy Hunter can be on the low post. Can they score efficiently and defend at a level that allows Davis' coaching to be maximized?
From BigSmoove32: Can we just fire the dude already? It’s year 3, surely his daddy and his good ole boys can see there has been no improvement. You can only say young and excited so many times in a press conference before you have to start producing. Wipe the slate clean
I disagree with you on the years. I don't hold the babysitting year against him. It's Year 2. They are young. However, it's not my call. If Ole Miss chooses to fire him, that's Ole Miss' prerogative.
From larryjoe1979: Would Luke be liked more if he coached from a dental chair or a hospital bed?
By some, yes, as crazy as that sounds.
From Naplesbeliever: What expectation should Ole Miss fans have in the coaching hire?
The season is one-third complete. There's no athletics director and no chancellor. There is no coaching hire to be had right now. That would be a realistic expectation. A scenario where there's a search late this fall requires a lot of moving parts to fall into place.
From Hottytoddy7: As a Cubs fan and OM fan, which team has a better case to be blown up and start over? (I am a fan of both as well. Saturday was not a good day.)
Neither is going to be blown up and started over. The questions this week are making me question my own sanity. I don't see it as going as bad as some of you do. I do believe in-game coaching needs to improve, but I think the product on the field is about what I expected.
The Cubs' issue was basically bullpen-related and a product of not enough contact in the lineup over the course of the season.
In general, I'd like to see college football adopt all NFL rules. It would make for a better product, in my opinion. But to answer your question, yes.
A ghost. Every bus has a ghost.
It's been great. I've been so proud of her. She's been diligent with her studying, gone to every class, gone to study halls, etc. She's maintained her exercise regiment, made a ton of really neat friends and had a lot of fun. She seems really happy. I felt no angst leaving Fayetteville Sunday. I know she's fine. You're right; all you want is for your children to be happy and to be OK. She is. I felt joy all weekend seeing how much she's enjoying her new life.
I'm not comfortable repeating what I've heard. I'll just say there were a number of schools, from Florida to Arkansas and beyond, that looked into him and went different directions.
From Fabius: Neal, you mentioned recently that Ole Miss mishandled the NCAA investigation. Obviously mistakes would include the head coach yelling at the investigator and not changing the deal with Barney Farrar's off-campus recruiting. What other mistakes were made, in your opinion? And do you ascribe any validity to the view that once Freeze (with help from some SEC programs) got the NCAA to target Ole Miss, the fix was in, especially after draft night?
There were a litany of mistakes, starting from the approach from Day One. As for a fix, I don't know. Freeze was sloppy. He ran a sloppy program. They had a booster's phone tied right into the Manning Center. They wanted Ole Miss and got it.
From wtcarr: I know you don't fire coaches in your content, which I respect, so let's just say Matt Luke accepts the upcoming Redskins' vacancy. Ole Miss now has a vacant head coaching position in November 2019. The school comes to you and begs you for three reasonable names for them to pursue. Questionable search process aside, what three names would you give them?
I would expect Pete Golding's name would come up prominently in that scenario. I would tell them to explore Graham Harrell. I'd look at Will Healy at Charlotte. I'd throw the bank at Brent Venables, fully expecting him to say no. I'd also look at Tulane's Willie Frist. He's interesting. That'd be a start.
From Kennuf22: More promising NFL future: Miles Hartfield or Octavious Cooley?
Cooley.
From olemissreb80: Hi, Neal. Olemissreb80 from Rebelgrove here. Can you talk about the overall mood around the Manning center? Do you sense as much apathy and general malaise around the coaches and or other people on the beat covering this “program” as there seems to be with the fan base?
Businesslike. They have a job to do and they're trying to do it. I don't sense imminent doom. As for the other beat writers, I think people sense the potential for shifting sands and are trying to read moods and tea leaves and all that. However, it's September, and I think everyone knows this season has a lot of football left in it.
From Bidge12: Have the last few seasons been your toughest/frustrating seasons to cover for Ole Miss.. is so elaborate on why.. if not what would be considered the toughest and why?
They certainly haven't been the toughest. Nothing will be tougher to cover than the last two years of Houston Nutt's tenure, when I was essentially a pariah out there. That was draining after a while. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I didn't think I was treated professionally. That was difficult.
The 2016 season was difficult because covering Hugh Freeze had become exhausting. However, that's all part of the gig. It's a job. I get paid for it. I wouldn't do it for free. Every job has some tough things.
Frustrating? I think the frustrating part, if there's such a thing, has been cumulative over the years. There's a temptation at Ole Miss _ and just about everywhere else _ to limit access to players. I'm not sure what the schools are afraid of. For example, John Rhys Plumlee is likely to be make his first college start Saturday. He wasn't made available after the Cal game, wasn't made available Tuesday after practice, and unless he's made available tonight, the media won't talk to him before his start at Alabama.
Plumlee has conducted hundreds of interviews, maybe even thousands, already in his young life. He's charismatic. Most importantly, he's who you guys, the fans, want to hear from.
I'm not one to get very frustrated. It doesn't matter to me on any personal level, so I'm sort of, like the kids say, "Whatevs."
However, if there's something that bothers me at times, it's that.
From DoubleBearel: You’re Theo Epstein.* Do you think a complete tear down is in order? If not, given that some form of a rebuild is certainly necessary at this point: (a) do you keep Maddon?; (b) who are three or four players on the current roster who you would consider essential to retain as your core?; and (c) who would be your top free agency targets for building around your chosen core?*This is hypothetical. The option of taking your millions and retiring to an island somewhere is off the table for purposes of this exercise.
No, I don't think a complete teardown is logical.
A. No. His contract expires Sunday. I'd likely let it expire. He had a hell of a five-year run. History will judge him favorably.
B. Anthony Rizzo, Javy Baez, Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras. That's my core.
C. I'd sign Nicholas Castellanos assuming the deal was reasonable. Then I'd throw huge dollars at Gerrit Cole.
The Cubs are a year removed from 95 wins. They're not far away from being an elite team.
This.
I don't think they're recruiting awfully. We simply differ there. I do think there's a gap between the top of the league and Ole Miss, but I don't think Ole Miss is alone in that boat.
It's getting closer. I can't remember Ole Miss people being more excited for a basketball season. It certainly hasn't happened in my time here.
Of those three, I'd hire Leach. Have a fuzzy parrot (like the Pirates' parrot) run around for a bit. It can't be worse than a lizard.
I don't disagree. I was one of the few in 2017 who advocated total change.
My guess: Reading this message board and thinking, "They thought I was crazy?"
I'm kidding. Sort of.
Not really. It tells you Kermit Davis and Co. are fishing in the deep waters (no, not a shark pun; I think the shark is ridiculous and try to avoid shark references). Brakefield is an elite player. Elite programs, like Virginia, are going to try to sign him. That's how it works. I still think Ole Miss gets him, but the Rebels will have to work until the end. The kid is a special player, a program-changing sort of prospect.
You know, Benjamin, my rule would be one you follow every day. My rule would be everyone had to have one act of kindness, preferably done in private, each day. People are generally good, Benjamin. They're not all as good and genuine and generous as you, but they're good. Imagine the difference we'd all feel if everyone did something nice for someone every day.
Now, back to the firing everyone conversations...
