Rippee Writes: Tuesday Scoop

Football is back, sort of. Sweet 16 set.

Brian Scott Rippee

Mar 23, 2021

Photo credit: Ole Miss Athletics

Happy Tuesday. Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss will hit the practice field today to begin preparation for the 2021 season.

A few football thoughts to ponder:

What does QB2 look like?

It will be baseball first for John Rhys Plumlee this spring, meaning his presence at spring practice will be limited. Plumlee’s yet to publicly commit to moving to receiver full time or that he will even be here in the fall. The last part is purely speculation. I think he will be at Ole Miss in the fall, but it wouldn’t stun me if he tries his hand at quarterback somewhere else. With all of that being the case, there is quarterback drama this spring, just not the kind that moves the needle. Kinkead Dent and true freshman Luke Altmeyer seem like the most likely candidates to battle this out. How does that shape up by spring’s end?

How does the tight end position shake out?

As you saw last year, a productive tight end is vital in Kiffin and Lebby’s offense. grad transfer Kenny Yeboah was a perfect fit last season. With Yeboah gone and a void to be filled, all eyes are seemingly on Casey Kelly and Chase Rogers to step into the spotlight. Kelly showed flashes at the end of last season after Yeboah opted out and Rogers is a transfer from Louisiana-Lafayette that the staff is high on. Corral lost his two biggest weapons from 2020. Who does he lean on next fall?

Lane Kiffin @Lane_Kiffin

LFG 🔥🔥🔥 Ole Miss Football 2021.... it starts today #ComeToTheSip #ProMindset

What does life without Elijah Moore look like?

Here’s one last obnoxious reminder to fully appreciate the insanity that was Elijah Moore’s 2020 season. He caught 86 passes for 1,193 yards in eight SEC games, a remarkable feat. How do the Rebel replace him? What an impossible question. Directly, my guess is it’ll be Plumlee and true freshman J.J. Henry in the slot. But who emerges as a reliable pass catcher on the outside? This question and a lack of a consistent threat plagued Ole Miss at times last year. Remember how painful the LSU game was to watch? Even with all the yards and points, Corral threw five picks largely because guys couldn’t get open. Dontario Drummond is back for his COVID-senior year, so is Braylon Sanders. Jonathan Mingo flashed in spurts last year, but never became a consistent threat. Jadon and Dannis Jackson each have potential and Mark Britt is a talented newcomer in the 2021 class. The receiver position will go a long way in determining this offense’s ceiling.

Is the kicker making kicks?

Laugh all you want, but Ole Miss had better solve this issue for the sake of Mississippi’s collective blood pressure.Luke Logan has mercifully graduated. I would assume true freshman Caden Costa is the man for the job, but I don’t think he will arrive on campus until the summer. Jackson Academy alumnus and world-renowned scholar Land Gebhart, along with Cale Nation are the other two kickers listed on the roster. I have no idea what will come of this in the spring or if anything will be decided, but the ball should go through the uprights more often than it did in 2020

I don’t remember covering vigorously covering kicking battle in my time as a reporter. Hell, the Matt Luke years were so boring I should have maybe should’ve started a controversy at some point. The closest I got to doing so was one time I did a story a story on Gary Wunderlich late in his senior year. I was talking to Australian punter Will Gleeson about Wunderlich and I asked: “Could you fill in and kick if it was ever needed?” to which he responded, “Hell no, mate. I can’t kick for shit.”

Neither could Ole Miss in 2020. It needs to fix that.

How do the defensive line newcomers fit in?

The biggest challenge this coaching staff faced then they took over was replenishing the talent pool on the defensive side of the football. The 2021 signing class helped remedy just that and there is no greater need for better talent than on the defensive line where the Rebels were hapless last year. Ryder Anderson hit the transfer portal and a trio of newcomers in Isaiah Iton, Jamond Gordon and Tywone Malone are all likely going to get a crack at significant time this fall. Who emerges on this defensive line and where? You’ll likely get a hint in fall camp.

We’ll have more football here throughout the spring, but those are some thoughts to ponder as it gets underway today.

Be sure to go see Greg at LBs. Free pound of spicy ribeye sausage is going through Thursday, with another special on the way after that.

Romello White sets record:

I don’t have much to add to this other than that this is a pretty incredible stat. I’ll reiterate that White was a treat to watch and it sucks he never got a normal year to endear himself to the fan base. He had nothing to play for last week in the NIT and showed up to the gym and played as hard as anyone on the floor. He will be missed dearly by Kermit Davis and the staff.