Game Notes – Ole Miss

The game notes are out. With the information coming out of fall camp, there’s not a lot of information we didn’t already know. But this is – at least for me – the first official look at the two-deep.

Some thoughts from glancing at the list:

1. Chase Dixon reportedly had a great fall. Apparently it was good enough to pass Thomas Hart for the #1 tight end spot.
2. Alec Willis, redshirt freshman, is the backup to our new center, Corey Howard. Conque has said Howard has really done well with the position switch. We’ve never seen Willis, so let’s hope Conque isn’t just trying to inflate Howard’s/our confidence.
3. Clay Murphy is back. I don’t know that I’ve ready one word about him since 2010. But, after redshirting last season, he’s listed as Dominique Croom’s backup.
4. The battle at the defensive end position is apparently too close to call. We knew these four would all get significant amounts of time. And if all are really good enough to start, their ability to stay fresh could be a real factor throughout the season.
5. Dillon Winfrey and Darius Reed are the only two true freshmen on the list. They are listed as “(or)” backups at corner and free safety, respectively.
6. With both guys from 2011 leaving after finishing up their eligibility, I have been wondering who was going to be back for kick returns. Looks like it’s Grandy – no surprise – and Croom – moderate surprise. That means two of our starting receivers are also back on special teams.

And the always helpful (especially when comparing kickers), often deceiving (bigger isn’t always better, right?) Tale of the Tape:

And if you need a reason to believe, this team – granted under Houston Nutt’s leadership – averaged scoring a whopping 16.1 points per game last season while giving up 32.1 per.