Can Ole Miss' Offense Be Stopped This Season? | Barrett Sallee on Ole Miss in 2024

Locked On Sports Channel you are locked on Old Miss your daily podcast on the Old Miss Rebels part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day thanks for making the locked on Miss podcast your first listen every day we're free and available wherever you get your podcast including YouTube We're part of the locked on podcast Network your team every single day hello I'm Steven Willis from the locked on Miss podcast he is Barrett s from college football smothered and covered um that little podcast that he does he's a former employee at CBS was it CBS CBS BR college football news Fox sportset uh yeah there's a lot of them that's for sure yes serious man you've worked everywhere sir XM still work sirusxm but uh yeah a lot all over the place really yeah it's pretty cool indeed um we have been talking about what om Miss could be this season and the fan base you can imagine this being an old Miss podcast we've been pretty jacked up for about six months at this point about this season what are the National storylines that are out there that are about Old Miss that maybe we're not noticing I think it's a question of is this Sizzler or is this stake and you know I think you ask any a person and they can give you a different answer everybody has different opinions and I think there's a subset of people out there who think it's Lane kein it's all Sizzle it's no stake and then there are those of us who have been around college football for a long time that have watched Lane evolve as a coach and as a man and think and see oh wow yeah he's doing this the right way you know he's got the pieces in place so I think there is I think when you look at oh miss and you saw them you know they came out uh sixth in the preseason AP poll I think there are a lot of people that don't trust Lane that just sort of freaked out about it and then you look at the the teams behind them and it's like well yeah like they have to be somewhere and that that makes sense and so I think there's there's a a feeling out there that it's it's just it's not the right time but I think when you look at the way he's built this I think he's going to prove that yes this team in this situation with a 12 team playoff they're built to have that kind of success so I think that a lot of people just want to hate Lane I mean whatever like okay I I don't think that's fair but a lot of people do they have hate in their hearts whatever um so I think there's that part of it but ultimately I think um there's recognition that he's doing this the right way especially in the St age yeah and speaking of doing it the right way this is kind of a proof of concept year for the way that laye kein has built a roster being so reliant on the transfer portal when listen let's just be honest about it with rivals on three and 247 and all those there's an ecosystem around High School football that has been built up over the last 20 years yeah so anything that is different than that that's obviously going to be threatening their pocketbooks which means they're going to do whatever they College Football Roster Building Through Transfer Portal can to discount it and if Lane kein can make the college football playoff and if Miss host a playoff game building a roster through the transfer portal you think college football is forever going to change for programs like Old Miss well for programs like Old Miss this is the path right like I think that what Lane has done and really honestly what Lincoln did at Oklahoma with you know Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield Jaylen Herz like there's already a blueprint for that and and I think Lane has taken that moved it to the SEC and at a place like Old Miss this is not a slight against Old Miss but Old Miss is not Alabama they're not Georgia um they're not even Auburn or LSU in terms of the national draw so what do you do how do you Market yourself you do exactly what's L what Lane's done and he's done it at a point in time where yes he can dramatically change how all of college football operates but I think the problem is that if if he does that then it chips away at what makes him successful but it goes both ways because if Lane's able to make the playoff this year the first year of the 12 team playoff that opens the eyes to everybody around the college football world and will help him take those steps to become LSU or Auburn or Florida or Georgia whatever so it works both ways so the blueprints there for Lane he's using it to his Advantage if he's successful Bigger Better Batter teams are going to use it as well Veer more towards the all portal all the time crew which is going to hurt Lane but at the same time his his uh his market value will will increase so it's a it's a wild time to to be and it's awesome to see like you know look this is he's gone all in you know this Ole Miss Season Expectations year the poker chips are at the center of the table I can't wait to see what happens yeah and a lot of that has to do with we get to see the rarest of the rare and that is a year three lane kein quarterback in Jackson Dart yeah and FanDuel the official Sportsbook partner of the lockon network has him at plus 1500 to win the Heisman Trophy you look at all these watch lists it's like a who's who of Miss players that are popping up on every single one of them but Jackson Dart specifically has a chance to do something at old miss that has never been done if Miss has the season that they're expected to do we're just talking chalk through the um the odds this season and Miss makes the playoff he's going to leave Miss likely the winningest quarterback in Miss history with about 90 to 95% of all the quarterback records I compare him to Conor Shaw and everybody says no he's a more of an NFL guy than Connor Shaw that's not what I'm talking about Conor Shaw was just that super Elite unicorn that showed up at South Carolina and took them to 11- win Seasons multiple years yeah I think it's a fair comparison 100% and you talk to South Carolina people caror Shaw is a legend like he's a legend they they love that dude uh they will walk over burning coals for him and and I think that is that's a fair way to describe what what Jackson has meant to that program because you look at where Conor Shaw was he was coming after Steven Garcia there was kind of a the hot new name in the neighborhood and then Connor's like oh I can do this too and keep South Carolina competitive um it's kind of what what Old Miss has done albeit with a little bit of a break between um you know between Matt Luke and and or between I should say Hugh and then and then Lane but uh yeah I think he fits everything that lane wants to do and if you get if you get your hands on a guy and can mold him the way that Lan has he's going to be a superstar and I think watching him develop has has been awesome to see because you're talking about Tom luganville and I talk about him a lot um on sirusxm when when he was a high schooler his plight as a high schooler was wild you know he didn't play a lot of football then transferred and reclassified and went to USC wasn't necessarily go supposed to play got thrust into action and he goes to Old Miss and I think a lot of us around you know at that time were like I I don't know if that's going to work he showed us quickly that it does I mean he's a he's a he's a talented dude and I can't wait to see how he progresses because I I like you said I think he's more more NFL ready than a lot of other people that are you know maybe om Miss quarterbacks or people you can compare compare him to from a physical standpoint and yesterday in practice or I should say Monday in practice Lang Keon afterwards spoke and said that the most improved player on his football team was Trey Harris the wide receiver and if he is the most improved player to where he stood up that just scare the heck out of everybody well if Trey Harris is the most improved player and Juice Wells is on that wide receiving core I don't know how you stop it how do you stop it do you stop it because you're already talking about a guy who is a bnov finalist or potential pitov finalist going into the season I think everybody thinks Trey Harris can a star if he's gotten better than he was last year and he's going to get more help because there's another all SEC wide receiver along side of him and you got a quarterback who can deliver the ball and you have a running game with said quarterback that can take a pressure off of anybody that offense is going to be almost impossible to stop and it goes back to something that I've said for a long time and I think you know 10 years ago it was crazy talk but I think it it I've been proven right defense doesn't win championships just enough defense wins championships and that is correlated to with whatever kind of offense you have whatever kind of offense your opponent has or whatever so for Old Miss and I think for for uh for Lane and for other other uh coaches too um they want to find a way to have all offense and just enough defense and you Defensive Strategy in Football know the definition of just enough is is is is a little different um and so yeah um I think it's it's it's funny you say that because I read that read that lane said that I was like man if Trey Harris is is most improved how do you stop it yeah he was already pffs rating against single coverage the best wide receiver in all of college football if he's gotten better T night it's over and also this year they went and got Walter Nolan Prince Ley and manell and Chris pul those guys in the back key Lawrence to build a defense that looks like it could be pretty good so we might not have an Miss LSU game like in 2023 that was 515 you know those might be I love that game defensive coaches are like oh God stop something just stop anything you know the hilarious thing is you watch that game and that feeling was probably the same feeling that back in like 1969 that Bear Bryant John Bal had when that this game that was 33- 32 that was a normal Saturday in college football now yeah but back then there was like the joke was that bar Bryant smoked like smoked like um a carton of camels that night because he was so it was just worried just disgusted by it no I mean you mentioned like the defensive front like that's what any good program Championship caliber program has to have depth up front you got to rotate dudes but you gotta have different dudes right and getting you know I know Walter Nolan you know is he his reputation in terms of a high tal High highly touted uh Prospect in high school kind of preds himself the dude can play we saw that he can play we know that he can play and you put him like you mentioned with Prince you also had Ivy outside like you have a bunch of dudes who do a bunch of different things in the front seven and really all they have to be is adequate that's it and I mean man it's going to be fun to watch it's going to be fun to watch because I think this team and this is why I'm excited about him this is a team that I think is not just built to make the playoff it potential potentially could be a team that's built to win the playoff because those are two different definitions um based on just how much chaos they create in the in the opponent's backfield and I think they can create a lot based on that crew thanks again for making the lockon podcast your first listen every day when we come back we are going to move on to college football as a whole we're going to find out exactly what this new 2024 college football season might look like we'll talk about surprise teams and storylines as well but first I do want to let you know that Today's show was brought to you by game time game time is your place to get your tickets they have killer last minute deals all in prices views from your seats and the lowest price guarantee they take the guess work out of buying tickets there's not a bad seat in VA himing way Stadium we all know this but game time makes it to where you can see what the view is from every seat in that stadium before you buy they have the lowest price guarantee event cancellation job loss protection they take the guest work out of buying omma tickets with game time and with this being the most anticipated season in Miss history I might be able to help you out with tickets as well download the game time app create an account and use code locked on college for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account redeem code l c k d o n c o l l e g for $20 off download the game time app today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed and also are you watching Fox Sports or ESPN on your TV all day and you have to turn down the volume with all of that streaming make the switch to lock on sports today it's a free 247 sports streaming Channel programmed for you each and every single day to bring you the biggest stories without all of that screaming locked on sports today brings you can't miss analysis opinions and news streaming 24/7 on YouTube or the free Amazon Fire TV channels out part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day um Barrett had a little chuckle there about the game time Ole Miss Football Season read because it's true the Georgia not going to be many tickets available but uh you should definitely go to game time because they will have some yes and I I I would imagine that there will be people outside in the Grove at during games going man I should have got those tickets yes those tickets and game game time can hook you up because I think the Georgia game right now the pre-sale is like $1,200 a ticket it is it's absolutely ridiculous I'm telling you fans are unbelievably fired up un they should be they should be and you know what they never lose a party that's for sure no no they are undefeated when it comes to parties absolutely the only time that is a competition is when they play LSU they they'll give each other a run for the yeah I mean that's probably like a home and home thing I mean it's there's been some battles but in Baton Rouge it's uh man that jumai is good yeah night games yeah I'm one of those people that in our business that actually enjoys covering Sports and enjoys college football so I always go out like I got I have friends you know whether it be Oxford or Baton Rouge wherever I'm always like okay I got to go out there and see what they're uh what they're up to I have a friend who's from Baton Rouge he went to Auburn his dad has like a giant like vat like about a 12 by 12 giant bowl of John balai he has a step ladder and he just stirs it all day so good nice I love Cajun food I'm I'm a south Mississippi Boy so um there's a there's a little bit of that Louisiana flare um in the Mississippi Missippi people as well but this season is going to be different with the 12 team college football playoff all of the realignment is going to look different so how is this actually going to look to college football fans are we going to notice yeah if you're paying attention yes um to if you well if you want to to notice then you will if you don't then you're not going to really care all that much I think for for me I enjoy college football for everything I think what the four team playoff did is and this is mostly because of of of the contracts with TV networks all the focus shifted to the playoff the playoff the playoff the playoff I don't really care who wins the national championship I like college football for college football I like upsets I like Heisman races I like wild games I like everything about it the national championship is kind of secondary to me so for me I'm still going to enjoy that part of it if you care about a national champion then yeah you're going to have a lot of a lot more games that you're going to focus on um you know I guess it's in the eye eye of the beholder um but it's still college football no matter how you slice it and it's the greatest sport on Earth and I think when all is said and done people will find what works best in terms of their enjoyment but you're not going to see much difference you're just just not um you're going to see the big networks hyping up mid mid November games for bids and buys and things like that are they going to be as big as as other rivalry games no um are they going to be more defined in terms of what they mean yes I think that's a bug not a feature I like an upset happening in week three and having no idea what it means for the landscape of the Season others don't so just a little bit of everything it's a buffet of sorts for uh for storylines uh depending on you know depending on how you uh how you view the sport I think it would be interesting because let's talk about the Texas Anum LSU game for a second both of those teams neither one of them would make a top four playoff they're not going to be good enough to do that but that game is likely going to be a essential playin game for the college football playoff a 12 team League that they they could both be there and the fact that even they're in the conversation I think that's that's a feature of this you were talking about a bug before that's going to be the really cool thing because those atmospheres like Tiger Stadium at night and Kyle Field at night them being jacked up for a November football game I think that's good for the sports see I I disagree um they're gonna be that way no matter what those those stadium is going to be like that no matter what uh because I think a lot of those people enjoy college football because it's college football they enjoy that moment they enjoy that day they enjoy that quarter they enjoy everything that encompasses a college football game um as far as you know personally I think a a 10- two nine and three SEC team's not shouldn't be a national champion I like the two team system the four team system I was tolerable but um now I think right now when when you look at where this where I am I want to reward Excellence not Grant access um what you talked about would be Love for College Football granting access um which is still fun don't get me wrong it's college football it's still fun um good for the sport yes because it draws in the Casual sports fan good for the sport in the sense that it draws too much of attention to the postseason and not as much toward what make made it great before I think that's that's where I stand on it so you know it's Different Strokes for different folks but no matter what it's going to be hyped up and I can't wait to see it you know I think for uh for for SEC fans specifically there going to be a lot of games like that there going to be a lot of games like that so um you know I think with ESPN holding the SEC contract they're going to build them up even more and again that is good for the sport especially to uh to just sports fans who you know follow NFL or Nascar or whatever and don't really pay attention to college football uh like we do on a minute-by-minute basis so what are the storylines around college football this season maybe outside of om Miss maybe that they have haven't been paying attention to that they probably should about right now you know Ohio State to me is fascinating because I mean ol Miss obviously knows qu Johan junkins went there but you know Caleb DS but then you look at where they are that is a loaded roster except at quarterback they got will Howard from Kansas State I'm not a will Howard guy will Howard cannot win a National Championship Julian saan can Aon Nolan can Devin Brown can but will Howard I have my doubts on he makes too many mistakes so right now going into the season okay what is Ohio State gonna do at quarterback they have a relatively soft open to their schedule are they gonna let will Howard Cook or are they gonna let this thing sort of bleed into the season I think that's going to tell the Tale on whether Ohio state is is um a contender or Pretender I'm also fascinated with with Michigan um they have two of the best players in the country on that defense and everybody else on that roster is gone except for Donovan Edwards so like what are they you know Chiron Moore has experience obviously he led them to three wins at the end of the season he was with that staff you know especially early in the season when arbaugh was uh was suspended he was a big part of that staff so um I I think for to to find out exactly what what that school becomes is is awesome for for a grand scheme of things what happens with the big 10 because with USC in there now is USC going to take a step back is USC going to be one of these teams that just uh kind of Fades into Oblivion like it did in the Lan keiner and shortly thereafter it might in the Big 10 it might and then the Big 12 to me um I just I can't wait I can't wait for the Big 12 it's just like throw your hands up in the air who's going to be good I don't know could be Oklahoma State this week could be Kansas next week might be West Virginia just it's going to be if you like weird football the Big 12 is going to be for you what about Texas losing potentially both of their top running backs in Fall Camp yeah I mean the backer thing is tough he was supposed to be the 1A blue can still play um but the depth is is wearing thin and I think the one thing about it you can say yeah Quinn yur um you know is going to it's it's all on Quinn yers well yeah but I think it's more on their wide receiving core um and they don't have those dudes I mean everyone's talking about Isaiah Bond yeah he was good at Alabama I have heard lots of people say that they're not necessarily upset that he's not in tuscalo anymore for a variety of different reasons but it puts pressure on those guys um you know and I think for Texas also though the the Saving Grace is that it's got probably the second best offensive line in the country um behind LSU so I think Texas can handle it we've seen Sark build that program the way that SEC Championship caliber teams national championship caliber teams need to build their rosters uh there's some holds defensively a little bit up front but I think they'll be fine um because a great offensive line cures a lot of ills U before we get out of here what what are your surprise teams this year the the ones that nobody are really thinking of right now oh man I'm going to go out in this limb and say West Virginia West Virginia in the Big 12 I don't know what the odds Potential Surprise Teams are but I I know they're way far down those big 12 Championship odds schedule's tough do not discount the West Virginia Mountaineers in a wild unpredictable Vic 12 I think they gonna be very very good they open with Penn State do you think they can get that game yes I think they win it's in it's in it's in it's at West Virginia I mean that place they they're drinkers they're Drinkers and they're crazy drinkers like Old Miss classy like they're I'll BR your house down yeah exactly um so I think West Virginia is one of those uh that I would say okay that's you keep an eye on them and SMU SMU at in the ACC if you don't know the name Preston Stone get to know Preston stone that guy's a championship caliber quarterback a Heisman caliber quarter quarterback and SMU schedule's very easy and the ACC kind of sucks so I'm not saying SMU is gonna win the ACC but would I be surprised if they somehow make that conference Championship game I wouldn't be surprised at all I think I think they're going to be really really good so I know SCU has all the money they basically decided to go to the ACC for free um for a while but Rett Lashley survive another year in SMU oh yeah unless somebody hires him that's that's what I'm talking about um you know I would say like flid yeah he does well it's the thing Florida might go after him it does College Football Coaching Speculation dep it does depend on availability but I mean I I've talked to R he loves it there um and I think when when you're looking for the right guy at the right spot Rhett being in Arkansas n being in Dallas having ties to that area also having the money that you know they they they have at SMU I think he's gonna probably stick around um it's easier to win it's easier to win in the ACC it's easier to get to the playoff um if he goes to Florida it's gonna be tough so I I I think he's he'd be great higher anywhere he goes uh but I know he likes SMU a lot yeah who would have thought that SMU would have been really good in the nil eror who would have thought that D they're awesome and that's and like that program that program is so well run not just from Red I'm not saying this because I know it really well it actually going back really the June Jones era like they they know they they they've worked hard to get that thing fixed yeah and they also had a dry run 40 years ago of playing players they they haven't they have experience with payroll banking that's for sure yes so so when everybody else is trying to figure it out it's like oh y y'all using quick and we used that 40 years ago seriously what are y'all doing anyway thanks again for making the lockon Miss podcast your first listen every day we're free and available wherever you get your podcast including YouTube We're part of the lockon podcast Excitement for College Football Season Network your team every day Barrett s what do you got going on this week Bud well just uh continuing the podcast college football SM and covered writing some stuff at outkick and preparing to go to Dublin next week to cover the Florida state Georgia Tech game I am so excited the college football is back man yes I am too and I'm excited I get to go drink uh across the pond and watch some college football be careful because um you will quickly it'll feel like you're 19 in a sorority part or fraternity party and it none of that has actually happened you're just yeah that doesn't work anymore yeah yeah we we we've gotten to the age where we we can't do that yeah you wake up and you're like oh why do I get feel like I got hit by five trucks usually it's just one yeah anyway Barrett thank you very much buddy we'll talk to you later my pleasure Stephen