New coach has Ole Miss thinking about a turnaround
Ole Miss won’t win the SEC title any time soon, but all the pieces are there to be a big thorn in everyone’s side.
It’s not like former head coach Ed Orgeron was kicked out with an empty cupboard. He did a decent job of bringing in some good talent at key spots, and new head man Houston Nutt will benefit as he gets to mold a veteran team that never quite came together in any one way under Orgeron. How fast can the turnaround come, and even more important, can it come?
All SEC fans have a die-hard attitude when it comes to their teams, but for an Ole Miss program that kicked out David Cutcliffe after one down year, and nipped the Orgeron era in the bud after failing to come close to turning the corner, it’ll be interesting to see how much time and patience there will be now. After all, 47 lettermen and 17 starters are back from a team that lost to Florida, Alabama and Mississippi State by a total of 12 points.
There’s just enough talent across the board to shoot for a bowl game. Greg Hardy will be one of the nation’s premier pass rushers, as long as his head is screwed on straight, and the star of a defense loaded with experience. OT Michael Oher’s decision to return for one more year gives Nutt a strong O-line to work around, and former Texas Longhorn Jevan Snead is the quarterback the program has been waiting for since Eli Manning was under center.
foxsports.com
8/12/08
