Talk of Champions

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Daytime Fireworks: An SEC whip-around, including a stop in Atlanta for Ole Miss-Georgia Tech Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

In this edition of Daytime Fireworks, in association with the Ole Miss Spirit (On3), Zach Berry and Associated Press national reporter David Brandt recap the wild college football weekend and talk about what in the world Nebraska does now. They also do a whip around the SEC before previewing Ole Miss' road trip to Georgia Tech.

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Franchise Player: Lane Kiffin won't say Jaxson Dart is starting at Georgia Tech, so we will Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

Either Lane Kiffin has a killer poker face or he's genuinely undecided on Ole Miss' starting quarterback for Georgia Tech.

Because all signs point to Jaxson Dart.

Actually, as Chuck Rounsaville wrote recently, we at the Ole Miss Spirit and elsewhere are "comfortable saying" it'll be Dart that gets the nod for the Rebels' first road test in 2022.

Luke Altmyer was as limited as limited could be in the four practice periods the media was allowed to view on Tuesday.

Altmyer tweaked his shoulder in his start on Saturday, a blowout Ole Miss (2-0) win over Central Arkansas. Dart stepped in with less than a minute left in the second quarter and only left (for third-teamer Kinkead Dent) once the game was out of hand.

Altmyer, meanwhile, was never seen again.

Ben Garrett and David Johnson discuss in an all-new edition of Franchise Player, a site-crossover podcast of the Ole Miss Spirit (On3) and Inside the Rebels (247).

Franchise Player: Overreaction Monday! Dart could put Ole Miss QB race in a chokehold Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

It's Overreaction Monday in this edition of Franchise Player, a site-crossover podcast of the Ole Miss Spirit (On3) and Inside the Rebels (247).

Luke Altmyer got banged up in his start against Central Arkansas, a blowout Ole Miss win on Saturday, and Jaxson Dart, who replaced him at quarterback, shined.

Dart is expected to get the nod at Georgia Tech, and if he does, and shows out, he has a real opportunity to take control of what has been a months-long quarterback battle.

Ben Garrett and David Johnson discuss, as well as provide their thoughts on the little Ole Miss thinking currently surrounding freshman running back Quinshon Judkins.

Also, a head-turning commitment prediction has been submitted for four-star 2024 QB Walker White, and the Rebels had plenty to check off on their UCA to-do list. How'd they fare?

‘Not a great fix right now’: Keith Carter, Ole Miss trying to solve student-section puzzle Sep 09, 2022

Show notes

Ole Miss athletics director Keith Carter was satisfied with the game-day fan experience and environment for week one against Troy.

For the most part.

Carter and the rest of the Ole Miss administration remain fully aware of the weekly, student-section-sized mind-bender on their hands.

“I thought at kickoff it was really good,” Carter said. “I thought the crowd turned out, the student section turned out. Our marketing team has done a fantastic job over the summer coming up with some really creative and cool things to do. The DJ was really awesome. I thought it was good.

“Obviously we hope the people will stay. In the second half, it was hot, I get it, but we hope that people will stay through the second half and support the team. I feel like there’s a mental hurdle that our team faces when they come out of the locker room at halftime and a lot of the folks have left. We’re really hoping our students will come and stay.

“But I thought it was good for an opener against a non-conference team. It’s interesting the way our schedule works out this year. We have all four of our non-conference games at the beginning of the season. Usually for one of those non-conference games people kind of take it off. We’re hoping everybody shows up (Saturday) and will be there for that one and we’ll keep rolling.

“But I thought overall I thought the environment for week one was really good.”

Carter also covered SEC and College Football Playoff expansion, a potential M-Club Hall of Fame and other renovation projects in the podcast linked below.

Hit That Line: Week 2 may not have cache, but gambling intrigue is LOUD Sep 09, 2022

Show notes

In this edition of Hit That Line, Zach Berry (Ole Miss Spirit/On3) and the crew are back to pick some more games, specifically a week-two slate filled with intriguing money-making opportunities.

They deep-dive into the biggest showdowns, as well as give their locks, so you can make that guap.

‘We’re working at it every day’: Kermit Davis, Ole Miss have some real recruiting momentum Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

Ole Miss basketball has three commitments for 2023, including four-star forward Rashaud Marshall, and the Rebels hosted a pair of priority recruits (Josh Hubbard and Macaleab Rich) for visits last weekend.

Life is pretty good right now for fifth-year head coach Kermit Davis and staff.

“It’s been a great team effort,” Davis said, in this Talk of Champions Extra. “Our staff has done a great job. The assistants have worked like mad, and the support staff’s heavily involved. Your players have done an unbelievable job. Right now we’ve got three guys committed in the class and working like heck for a couple of others. Will continue to do that. Making a lot of in-roads on our 24s and 25s. A lot of 24s scheduled to come to campus officially, unofficially.

“We’re working at it every day. I can’t tell you how hard the assistant coaches have been working. Great group. Great camaraderie with the group. It’s been really fun. Everybody knows, that are Ole Miss fans, you get them to Oxford, and you get those families coming to Oxford, it sells itself. The people sell it. It’s been fun. A lot of hard work ahead of us, though.”

To be sure, though, the work is far from over.

Hubbard and Rich are both set to make their college decisions later this month, Ole Miss just rolled out its SEC slate for the 2022-23 season, and, off the court, Davis is a newly-minted papaw.

That's Suss! Run element could be deciding factor in Ole Miss QBs race Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

What's there to learn, really, about the Ole Miss quarterbacks on Saturday, when the Rebels host (and likely beat handedly, if we're being honest) Central Arkansas?

Possibly a little more than you think.

As reported, ad nauseum, for a week now, second-year signal-caller Luke Altmyer will start against the Bears, with Jaxson Dart set to come off the bench at an undisclosed time to relieve him.

The pair are flip-flopping their roles from a 28-10, season-opening win over Troy.

Central Arkansas isn't the same quality of opponent as Troy, obviously, so it seems doubtful head coach Lane Kiffin will eventually settle on a starter based off an inherently skewed one-to-one (or game-to-game) comparison.

Basically, the race is all but destined to drag on, regardless of what happens on Saturday, meaning each will get a chance to continue to make their case well into the weeks-long build-up to the Rebels' SEC opener against Kentucky.

What could possibly separate them?

Well, Ole Miss put the bulk of the offensive burden on Matt Corral last season, including designed quarterback runs that led him to finish in the Top 3 on the team in rushing yards.

Which of Dart and Altmyer is best positioned to push such a door open in a dead-heat race?

Ben Garrett (Ole Miss Spirit/On3) and Nick Suss (Clarion-Ledger) discuss in this edition of Talk of Champions, and the podcast gets testy when the topic of College Football Playoff expansion comes up.

Daytime Fireworks: An Ole Miss timeline where Ed Orgeron never happened Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

In this edition of Daytime Fireworks, Zach Berry (Ole Miss Spirit/On3) and David Brandt (Associated Press) are back together to cover myriad Ole Miss topics, including the team's pursuit of a 2-0 start, as well as the major takeaways from week one in college football.

Also, join us, friends, as we travel a branch in the Ole Miss multiverse, to a timeline where Ed Orgeron was never hired as head football coach.

The sleepers dare to dream.

What If? College football allowed trades and Ole Miss had to make a Sophie's choice Sep 07, 2022

Show notes

Ole Miss has a running back surplus and a pair of talented, if developing, quarterbacks in Jaxson Dart and Luke Altmyer.

What if college football allowed trades and the Rebels had to make a Sophie's choice with their in-state rival?

Ben Garrett and Bradley Sowell consider any and all options in this edition of Talk of Champions, powered by Thomas Chandler of Capital Financial Group.

Call Thomas today (662-296-0186), and tell him Ben sent you, for a no-cost consultation to get started towards financial independence today.

Other topics include Lane Kiffin's unenviable position, the post-week-one On3 SEC football rankings and a potential podcast charity golf tournament and revenge opportunity for Brad years in the making.

Franchise Player: Round and round the Ole Miss QB carousel goes. Where it stops? Only Kiffin knows. Sep 06, 2022

Show notes

The current state of the Ole Miss quarterback situation can pretty much be summed up by two questions.

Can one of Jaxson Dart or Luke Altmyer reach the level of play an Ole Miss roster constructed to win now needs by the Kentucky game? Or will the usual gradual and carousel-like nature of quarterback development require a full season?

The final win total in 2022 could very well depend on those answers.

Ben Garrett and David Johnson discuss in another edition of Franchise Player, a site-crossover podcast of the Ole Miss Spirit (On3) and Inside the Rebels (247).

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