Dylan Rubino (@drubino11), Cody Thomason (@thecodythomason), and Browning Stubbs (@BrowningStubbs)
1. The injury bug is going around for the Rebels. Where do you see that having the biggest impact for the team going forward?
Dylan – The defense as a whole is something I’m keeping an eye on for the rest of the season. Losing senior middle linebacker C.J. Johnson is certainly a big loss, but the loss that is really slowing down the defense is Tony Conner. Conner’s presence shows on the field, and without him, the defense can’t cover and communicate as well in the secondary. A.J. Moore and C.J. Hampton did not play well in place of Conner against Florida, and the team will need better play from both of them. Tee Shepard leaving the team hurts the depth of the secondary as well.
Cody – The offensive line has been ravaged by injuries the whole season, but the secondary might be struggling even more with injuries right now. Many thought the secondary would be the strong spot of the defense, but the injury to Tony Connor has set the team back. The secondary is pretty thin with the possibility of cornerback Kailo Moore missing the game due to injury and Tee Shepard leaving the team. They will have to reshuffle a bit to compensate for it. Mike Hilton and Trae Elston are switching safety spots, so the secondary will look very different Saturday.
Browning – It’s obviously the offensive line. The line was already a mess without Laremy Tunsil. Now, Ole Miss is expected to play without Justin Bell, Robert Conyers, and Javon Parterson against New Mexico State on Saturday. Ole Miss is going to have to stay healthy at that position or you’re likely going to be disappointed with the season’s outcome.
2. With all of the injuries on both sides of the ball, who do you see stepping up Saturday against New Mexico State?
Dylan – With C.J. Johnson out, I expect his replacement, junior college transfer Terry Caldwell, to have a big game at middle linebacker. Caldwell originally came to Ole Miss as an outside linebacker, but made the transition to middle linebacker in fall camp. Caldwell played almost 30 snaps in the game against Florida; his in-game experience shouldn’t be a problem. Caldwell came to Ole Miss touted as a great athlete who can make tackles anywhere on the field. The team will need that to replace Johnson.
Cody – There’s going to be a great opportunity for freshman cornerback Cameron Ordway to make a name for himself on Saturday. If not for injuries and Sheppard’s departure, Ordway probably would have been redshirted, but I think he will get into the rotation against New Mexico State. It’s also a great chance for Eugene Brazely. If Jaylen Walton misses the game Brazely will slide into the speed back role with a change of pace for Jordan Wilkins and Akeem Judd. Brazely’s patience and explosiveness should give him a chance to break some long runs.
Browning – Even setting my Memphis roots aside, I’m going with Jordan Wilkins. When you look around the SEC, you see big and powerful backs like Derrick Henry, Leonard Fournette and Nick Chubb. When you look at Wilkins, he’s got similar size. In his senior year of high school at St. Benedict in Memphis, Wilkins suffered a knee injury that may still bother him to this day. With a chance to revitalize his career in a starting role, expect huge things from Wilkins Saturday.
3. After the offense’s struggles against Florida, do you expect more of a big outing from the passing game or running game?
Dylan – With the possibility of Jaylen Walton getting fewer carries or missing the game altogether, I expect a pass-heavy offense for the Rebels Saturday. Quarterback Chad Kelly struggled against Florida going 26-40 passing for 259 yards with one touchdown, one interception and one fumble. The offensive line struggled to protect him at times and Saturday may be the same. I expect a lot of quick and short passes to give Kelly some confidence and to take away the duties of a depleted offensive line.
Cody – The passing game has been the stronger part of the offense all year, and that should continue against New Mexico State. With the possibility of lead back Jaylen Walton seeing fewer carries or missing the game altogether, the running game won’t be as strong as normal. That being said, the Rebels should still have a great day on the ground and have good contributions from a number of backs. Overall, the passing game will likely be the strongest if they can hit the deep passes like they did in the first two games against competition similar to the Aggies.
Browning – I think the passing game will be huge. The Rebels must prepare for a Memphis Tigers team that can sling it. Ole Miss needs to gain confidence by putting big points on the board Saturday. However, Ole Miss must give plenty of carries to their young running backs as well.
4. When the game ends Saturday, what will be the headline story for Ole Miss?
Dylan – Rebels right on schedule. I think the Ole Miss offense cruise to a blowout win. This is the perfect opportunity to regroup and give guys necessary playing time in order to perform well against Memphis and Texas A&M in the following weeks. I see the offense putting yards and points in bunches and cruising to the finish line.
Cody – I expect a big win for the Rebels. New Mexico State is 0-4 on the season, and even with The Rebels’ injuries this should still be a lopsided victory. It’s a good game for the Rebels to get healthy, shake off the Florida loss and get back on track before tougher games against Memphis and Texas A&M. I expect the headline story to be a bounce back victory for a Rebels team that should look closer to itself than it has in the past two weeks.
Browning – Back on track. I think the Rebel offense will find a groove early and cruise to an easy win. They need a bounce-back performance, especially after two struggling games in a row on offense, and Saturday provides a perfect opportunity for that.
