Kennedy's REbels Travel to PMAC to Take on Tigers

Ole Miss will travel to Baton Rouge to play the No. 16 ranked LSU Tigers tonight at 7 pm. The trip to LSU is the first of two road games this week, both coming against Final Four teams from a year ago. The Rebels will also travel to Gainesville to play defending national champion Florida on Saturday. Ole Miss is 1-2 in Southeastern Conference play, but is coming off of 74-72 home win over Arkansas. The win snapped a three-game losing streak, and gave the Rebels confidence before going to play the Bayou Bengals. "I've got a fragile group," head coach Andy Kennedy said. "Tonight I could see a relief come over them because now they know. Arkansas is as good as anybody in our league they've proven that to this point. "[Saturday's] effort despite our inefficiencies sometimes at the end of the game showed what we're capable of doing. So know we'll get lined up prepared for a very good LSU team and grind them out one at a time." Ole Miss point guard Todd Abernethy echoed the sentiments of his coach. "Its helps us so much mentally. Having lost three games in a row, and two in the SEC, a win [against Arkansas] just takes care of everything," said Abernethy. "We have a tough stretch with LSU and Florida." LSU stands at 1-1 in SEC. The Tigers lost at Alabama 71-61, but hung on to win at home 65-63 over Auburn. The Tigers are led by Glenn Davis who is third in the SEC in scoring (19.2 ppg) and leads the conference in rebounding (10.9). Tasmin Mitchell joins Davis to form a formidable frontcourt by averaging 14 points and 7 rebounds a game. Terry Martin made his first career start for LSU against Auburn, and may have helped the Tigers find a replacement for last season's point guard Darrel Mitchell. Martin made five three-pointers and scored 23 points in the win. Despite the big difference in the records between Ole Miss and LSU, the Rebels gave the Tigers all they could handle in both meetings last season. In the first meeting Ole Miss led by as many as 10 points in the first half, and had the game tied at 71 with two minutes remaining before losing 79-73. LSU made 20 of 26 free throws to beat the Rebels 55-52 in the final regular season game. The backcourt trio of Abernethy, Bam Doyne and Clarence Sanders has carried Ole Miss through most of the season, but the frontcourt stepped up in the win over Arkansas. Dwayne Curtis, Kenny Williams, and Jermey Parnell combined for 35 points after only scoring 27 in the first two SEC games. According to Williams, if the frontcourt can continue to improve, it will be the key to winning games in the SEC. "We know LSU with Big Baby [Glenn Davis] and Florida with Al Horford. Our frontline just needs to keep picking it up everyday, that is our main goal. As long as our backcourt keeps coming and stepping up, and we get a little bit off the bench we can at least be .500 in the conference."

Russell Named Manning Award Recipient

January has been an exciting month for LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell. The first week of the New Year had the junior being named the Sugar Bowl MVP following LSU’s 41-14 win over Notre Dame.
A week later, Russell announced that he was going to bypass his senior season with the Tigers to make himself eligible for the NFL Draft in April. Many think that Russell could be the first player picked in the draft after his performance against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.
Now, three weeks into the New Year, Russell is getting more headlines as he’s been named the recipient of the Manning Award, the Sugar Bowl Committee along with the Manning Family announced on Tuesday. Russell learned of the news on Tuesday morning when Archie Manning called him with the news.
“(Archie Manning) called to congratulate me,” Russell said. “He told me good luck in the future and wished me the best.”
“This is a tremendous honor. To win an award named after the Manning family, a family full of great quarterbacks, is wonderful. And, to be mentioned alongside some of the past winners of the award is also an honor. This is very special, but I couldn’t have done this without my teammates.”

Gary Crowton Named LSU Offensive Coordinator at LSU

Today's big news to report is that Gary Crowton has been hired as LSU's new offensive coordinator to replace Jimbo Fisher. Crowton runs a wide-open offense that often features four wide receivers, but he also runs a balanced attack. Below are just last year's stats alone. I can't think of an offense more fitting for an athlete such as Joe McKnight: FIRST DOWNS135 rushing 151 passing RUSHINGAttempts- 471Avg per rush- 5.0 Avg rush per game- 182.2Rushing td's- 26 PASSINGAttempts- 486 Avg per catch- 10.9 Avg per game- 241 Passing td's- 18 TOTAL OFFENSEAvg per play- 5.7 Avg per game- 423.2 This year, Oregon's offense was ranked 9th overall in the country. Some have said that all Coach Crowton does is pass, but that isn't necessarily true. Oregon's rushing offense was ranked 14th in the nation, averaging almost 182 yards a game. As a comparison, LSU's offense was ranked 11th overall in the country and their rushing offense averaged 166 yards a game, which was 31st best in the country. Crowton had success as a head coach at LA Tech from 1996-98 and LSU wide receiver coach Todd Monken was the wide coach at LA Tech at that time. In my opinion, the hiring of Crowton will increase LSU's chances of signing both Terrance Tolliver and Joe McKnight.

Rebels on Short List of Top Rated Recruit

The numbers don't sound very gaudy for one of the nation's top prospects, but John Curtis Christian coach J.T. Curtis said take a closer look.
Sure, his prized player, running back Joe McKnight, only rushed for 709 yards as a senior. But he scored 14 touchdowns. And he did it on just 45 attempts.
Now quick, do the math.
"It's right at 15 (yards a carry)," Curtis said. "When we got up in games, Joe was out of the game. He played on a team that was talented and had other good players."
McKnight also caught 24 passes for 735 yards and 13 touchdowns. He averaged 30 yards a reception. In all, McKnight averaged more than 20 yards every time he touched the ball for the New Orleans school.
Ole Miss doesn't need a calculator to gauge its interest during the final month of recruiting. The Rebels, like other elite programs, want his signature on a national letter of intent on Feb. 7.
Ole Miss kicks off recruiting's final month by hosting one of the nation's elite prospects this weekend. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound McKnight is rated No. 1 in the nation by ESPN.com. He's also rated No. 4 by Scout.com and has drawn comparisons to players like New Orleans Saints all-purpose back Reggie Bush and Ohio State's Ted Ginn Jr.
"He's a difference-maker with the ball in his hands or on the other side of the ball," said Scott Kennedy, recruiting analyst for Scout.com. "His size, speed and athleticism is something we saw this year in Teddy Ginn, Jr. ... (Ohio State) got the ball in his hands and used him in as many ways possible. (McKnight) is a very, very similar type of prospect."
The Rebels are on a list that includes big-time suitors like Southern California, LSU, Texas and Notre Dame. Ole Miss is his first trip this month and will be followed by official visits to USC, LSU and Arkansas.
But is McKnight's interest in Ole Miss sincere? Curtis said it is because of his familiarity with Ole Miss running backs coach Frank Wilson, who was a long-time high school coach in New Orleans. There's also a connection with Orgeron, who recruited Louisiana when he was an assistant at USC.
Kennedy believes USC is the leader for McKnight but said "any time you can get them to campus you've got a shot." The publicity will help Ole Miss, which currently has 27 oral commitments, either way.
"It brings a lot to the program," Kennedy said. "Even if you don't get him, there's a bunch of people that say, 'Well, heck, Joe is looking at them. That's a good thing.'"
But make no mistake, the Rebels want McKnight to come to Ole Miss.
Curtis said the running back - who can also play cornerback or safety - probably won't make any decision until close to signing day. But he could take as many as five trips in the next four weeks and will make a splash wherever he lands.
"He's looking forward to it," Curtis said. "It will be his first trip, so he's obviously a little anxious. We sat and talked about the things he needs to be observant of and what to look for and I think he'll do a good job of that."

Here is a list of Ole MIss Signees & Committments:

Mark Jean-Louis
OL
6-3, 325
Cerritos (Calif.) CC
Commitments
Jamariey Atterberry
CB
5-10, 165
Kosciusko
Allen Bell
CB
6-1, 195
Independence (Kan.) CC
Lionel Breaux
WR
5-11, 185
New Orleans McDonogh
Johnny Brown
RB
5-11, 190
Charleston
Lamar Brumfield
LB
6-2, 235
Compton (Calif.) CC
Larry Dennis
DE
6-2, 265
Compton (Calif.) CC
LeRoy Diggs
CB
5-10, 185
South Panola
Robert Elliott
RB
6-1, 195
Okolona
Dion Gales
DE
6-7, 288
Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
Jeramie Griffin
FB
6-1, 220
South Panola
Paul Henry
OL
6-7, 265
Ft. Smith (Ark.) Northside
Jamison Hughes
S
6-1, 200
Oxford
A.J. Jackson
WR
6-6, 226
College of the Sequoias (Calif.)
Rishaw Johnson
OL
6-4, 320
Hammond (La.)
Ted Laurent
DT
6-1, 285
Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern
Eric Nicks
FB
6-1, 258
Northwest Mississippi CC
Stanley Porter
DE
6-3, 240
West Bolivar
David Rue
TE
6-6, 250
Monroe (La.) Richwood
Justin Sanders
DT
6-5, 276
New Market (Ala.) Buckhorn
Isaiah Smith
LB
6-0, 220
Columbia (Tenn.) Central
Cannon Smith
QB
6-1, 175
Olive Branch
Bradley Sowell
OL
6-7, 345
Hernando
Chris Strong
LB
6-3, 255
South Panola
Alex Washington
OL
6-5, 360
Monroe (La.) Carroll
Alex Williams
OL
6-5, 300
New Orleans O. Perry Walker
Darnell Williams
WR-DB
6-2, 180
Winter Park (Fla.)
Marshall Williams
LB
6-2, 200
Decatur (Ga.) Southwest Dekalb

Rebels on Short List of Top Rated Recruit

The numbers don't sound very gaudy for one of the nation's top prospects, but John Curtis Christian coach J.T. Curtis said take a closer look.
Sure, his prized player, running back Joe McKnight, only rushed for 709 yards as a senior. But he scored 14 touchdowns. And he did it on just 45 attempts.
Now quick, do the math.
"It's right at 15 (yards a carry)," Curtis said. "When we got up in games, Joe was out of the game. He played on a team that was talented and had other good players."
McKnight also caught 24 passes for 735 yards and 13 touchdowns. He averaged 30 yards a reception. In all, McKnight averaged more than 20 yards every time he touched the ball for the New Orleans school.
Ole Miss doesn't need a calculator to gauge its interest during the final month of recruiting. The Rebels, like other elite programs, want his signature on a national letter of intent on Feb. 7.
Ole Miss kicks off recruiting's final month by hosting one of the nation's elite prospects this weekend. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound McKnight is rated No. 1 in the nation by ESPN.com. He's also rated No. 4 by Scout.com and has drawn comparisons to players like New Orleans Saints all-purpose back Reggie Bush and Ohio State's Ted Ginn Jr.
"He's a difference-maker with the ball in his hands or on the other side of the ball," said Scott Kennedy, recruiting analyst for Scout.com. "His size, speed and athleticism is something we saw this year in Teddy Ginn, Jr. ... (Ohio State) got the ball in his hands and used him in as many ways possible. (McKnight) is a very, very similar type of prospect."
The Rebels are on a list that includes big-time suitors like Southern California, LSU, Texas and Notre Dame. Ole Miss is his first trip this month and will be followed by official visits to USC, LSU and Arkansas.
But is McKnight's interest in Ole Miss sincere? Curtis said it is because of his familiarity with Ole Miss running backs coach Frank Wilson, who was a long-time high school coach in New Orleans. There's also a connection with Orgeron, who recruited Louisiana when he was an assistant at USC.
Kennedy believes USC is the leader for McKnight but said "any time you can get them to campus you've got a shot." The publicity will help Ole Miss, which currently has 27 oral commitments, either way.
"It brings a lot to the program," Kennedy said. "Even if you don't get him, there's a bunch of people that say, 'Well, heck, Joe is looking at them. That's a good thing.'"
But make no mistake, the Rebels want McKnight to come to Ole Miss.
Curtis said the running back - who can also play cornerback or safety - probably won't make any decision until close to signing day. But he could take as many as five trips in the next four weeks and will make a splash wherever he lands.
"He's looking forward to it," Curtis said. "It will be his first trip, so he's obviously a little anxious. We sat and talked about the things he needs to be observant of and what to look for and I think he'll do a good job of that."

Here is a list of Ole MIss Signees & Committments:

Mark Jean-Louis
OL
6-3, 325
Cerritos (Calif.) CC
Commitments
Jamariey Atterberry
CB
5-10, 165
Kosciusko
Allen Bell
CB
6-1, 195
Independence (Kan.) CC
Lionel Breaux
WR
5-11, 185
New Orleans McDonogh
Johnny Brown
RB
5-11, 190
Charleston
Lamar Brumfield
LB
6-2, 235
Compton (Calif.) CC
Larry Dennis
DE
6-2, 265
Compton (Calif.) CC
LeRoy Diggs
CB
5-10, 185
South Panola
Robert Elliott
RB
6-1, 195
Okolona
Dion Gales
DE
6-7, 288
Mississippi Gulf Coast CC
Jeramie Griffin
FB
6-1, 220
South Panola
Paul Henry
OL
6-7, 265
Ft. Smith (Ark.) Northside
Jamison Hughes
S
6-1, 200
Oxford
A.J. Jackson
WR
6-6, 226
College of the Sequoias (Calif.)
Rishaw Johnson
OL
6-4, 320
Hammond (La.)
Ted Laurent
DT
6-1, 285
Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern
Eric Nicks
FB
6-1, 258
Northwest Mississippi CC
Stanley Porter
DE
6-3, 240
West Bolivar
David Rue
TE
6-6, 250
Monroe (La.) Richwood
Justin Sanders
DT
6-5, 276
New Market (Ala.) Buckhorn
Isaiah Smith
LB
6-0, 220
Columbia (Tenn.) Central
Cannon Smith
QB
6-1, 175
Olive Branch
Bradley Sowell
OL
6-7, 345
Hernando
Chris Strong
LB
6-3, 255
South Panola
Alex Washington
OL
6-5, 360
Monroe (La.) Carroll
Alex Williams
OL
6-5, 300
New Orleans O. Perry Walker
Darnell Williams
WR-DB
6-2, 180
Winter Park (Fla.)
Marshall Williams
LB
6-2, 200
Decatur (Ga.) Southwest Dekalb

Thompson Possible Addition to Ole Miss Staff

John Thompson's lengthy career has led him to defensive coordinator positions at Southern Miss, Memphis, Arkansas, South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana Tech and Northwestern State.
His next stop could be Ole Miss.
Thompson said Thursday he has spoken with Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron about a position on the Rebels' staff.
Thompson, 51, is the athletic director at Central Arkansas - his alma mater - but is considering a return to the coaching ranks.
"Let me just say that we've talked," Thompson said. "Coach Orgeron is a friend of mine and we've been friends for a long time and, yes, we have talked."
Thompson coached Orgeron in his first season as defensive coordinator at Northwestern State in 1983. Orgeron also worked as a graduate assistant under Thompson in 1984.
It was one of several coaching stops for Thompson, who has 20 years of experience as a defensive coordinator. In addition, Thompson also had a two-year stint as East Carolina's head coach.
Thompson's last coaching job was as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at South Carolina under Steve Spurrier in 2005. Thompson moved back to his home state as Central Arkansas' athletic director last spring.
"It is fairly public that he has been approached by Ole Miss and that is a tribute to his ability," Central Arkansas president Lu Hardin said. "Obviously, my understanding is his name has been mentioned for many defensive coordinator jobs. We hope he stays, but understand opportunities have to be examined."
Orgeron, who has served as his own defensive coordinator the past two seasons, wouldn't talk about specific possible staff changes on Thursday.
Neither would athletic director Pete Boone.
"This time of year, there's a lot of great guys that are available," Orgeron said. "There's a lot of great coaches that would like to be at Ole Miss and in the SEC, so we have a lot of options. I'm going to do what makes our staff stronger to take us to the next level."
Ole Miss has one staff opening after receivers coach Matt Lubick resigned to accept a position at Arizona State last month.

DT Dorsey to Return for Senior Season

LSU All-America defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey said Sunday he's staying at LSU for his senior season.
Dorsey, 6 feet 2 and 299 pounds, said that an injured shin is one of the reasons he's returning. He played with the injury in the Tigers' 41-14 victory against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3 at the Superdome, and he said it would have hampered him in the NFL scouting combine.
"I'm coming back," Dorsey said. "The injury won't require surgery, but I think I can come back and have a chance at being a higher draft pick next year. I'm at peace with my decision. It's the best decision for me and my family. I thought about it, prayed about it, talked to my family about it and got as much information as I could."
Dorsey said the NFL advisory committee told him he might be a No. 1 pick. In his first season as a starter, Dorsey had 54 tackles, 8 1/2 for losses, and three sacks. He got off to a fast start and spent the rest of the season fighting off double teams.
NFL analyst Chris Landry said Dorsey probably would have gone in the first round. Now Dorsey gives LSU a chance to improve on its No. 3 finish this past season.
"I'm anxious to come back and have a chance to win the national championship," Dorsey said. "We have a great chance to do that."