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Q&A With Red Cup Rebellion For The Kentucky vs. Ole Miss Game

Red Cup Rebellion is the outstanding Mississippi Rebels blog for SB Nation, and they thoughtfully asked us to do a Q&A with them about tomorrow's game.   I have to say, after doing Q&A's and a radio show with these guys for the last two years, they are the SEC bloggers I would most like to party with at a game.   They are just plain fun people.

Below, you will find my questions and their answers.  My questions are in bold, and their answers in italics.  Hop on over to RCR's site to see my answers to their questions.

1.  Who is Ole Miss' best offensive player, and why?  Defensive?

Ole Miss' best offensive player is Brandon Bolden, I suppose. He has done well but only in limited action due to an ankle sprain he suffered against BYU during the opening week. Still, game after game since then he has continued to look faster and shiftier. I'd say he's probably 90 to 95% healthy headed into this weekend. He runs aggressively, breaks tackles very well, has good vision, and is a threat in the passing game as well.

On defense, our best player is defensive back Charles Sawyer. He leads the team in interceptions and has showed great versatility by playing both at safety and corner. He isn't the best tackler (that isn't to say he's a bad tackler) but he always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

2.  What went right against Auburn for you to have such a good game against them.  Do you think that game was an epiphany, or just a blip on the radar?

We play so well in the first half. Against Alabama, we scored first and limited them well enough on offense to make it competitive - during the first half. Against Arkansas, we built up a double digit lead by playing creatively on offense and intelligently on defense - during the first half. Against Auburn, we established a ground game and made appropriate defensive adjustments after their scores - during the first half.

I don't know what it is about this team (or coaching staff) that causes this team to fall flat on its face in the third quarter, but it does. Against Auburn, we ran very effectively behind good line play and alongside a decent passing attack. We were also playing smartly enough on defense to force turnovers and limit the Auburn advancement. We just couldn't keep it together is all.



3.  What's the temperature of Houston Nutt's seat these days?  What are his odds of returning?

His seat should be scalding his buttcheeks by now. I give him a 15% chance to return. I'm fairly certain he's well beyond fired at this point. If he somehow keeps his job though, I won't be shocked, only because crazier things have happened in Ole Miss athletics.


4.  The Rebels are just barely ahead of Kentucky in scoring offense, and behind on scoring defense.  Explain the problems you've been having.

On offense we've had pretty inconsistent offensive line play. That, coupled with our coaching staff's inability to determine who exactly should quarterback this team until four weeks into the season has been our downfall. On defense, we just don't have a great push up front. The defensive front, aside from a handful of veterans, is very, very young. There are some freshmen and sophomores that have a ton of promise but aren't yet experienced or big enough to be powerful SEC defenders.

5.  Predict the score, and why.

Ole Miss and Kentucky both need wins here, so I am guessing it winds up being fairly close. I'll say 27 to 21, Ole Miss wins. I think the Ole Miss offense will be competent enough to move the ball just a bit better than Kentucky's.