Insight and analysis on Ole Miss and MSU sports from Daily Journal beat reporters

New episodes released on Thursday afternoons

Double Coverage

Double Coverage

#95: Bulldogs finally get road win; Rebels still seeking one – 02/01/18

by Leave a Comment

The Mississippi State men finally picked up an SEC road win on Wednesday, defeating South Carolina in a hard-fought battle (1:45). Logan discusses that game, in which the Bulldogs had trouble closing it out until Aric Holman sealed it. MSU now has back-to-back SEC wins and a little momentum heading into a meeting with Georgia.

Ole Miss, meanwhile, lost at home to Auburn (5:57). There remain RPI opportunities for the Rebels, but Parrish says there is nothing he’s seen to indicate they can actually make anything of those opportunities.

On the women’s side, No. 2 MSU has a big rematch with No. 7 South Carolina coming Monday (11:10), but first up is a trip tonight to No. 15 Missouri. The Bulldogs had a blowout win last week at Ole Miss, although coach Vic Schaefer wasn’t happy with his team’s mental toughness after building an early lead.

Ole Miss continues to struggle at 1-7 in the SEC and faces another struggling team, Vanderbilt, tonight (20:20).

The guys also hit on baseball. MSU will open the season soon at Southern Miss (22:09), which it eliminated from the NCAA tournament last year. Ole Miss will open against Winthrop (26:01), and Parrish is interested to see if the offense can take a step forward this season.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

#94: Freeze speaks; MSU women keep winning – 01/25/18

by Leave a Comment

Hugh Freeze is back in the news.

On this episode, Parrish talks about the former Ole Miss football coach’s recent visit to Liberty University (3:06), where he spoke for the first time to a live public gathering since being fired on July 20. During his talk, Freeze admitted to his personal misconduct and said he was “broken.” Parrish and Logan discuss how much privacy Freeze should have in this situation, and what might be next for him in his career.

On the hoops front, the Ole Miss women continue to struggle, but the MSU women keep rolling (14:30). The Bulldogs are 20-0 and ranked No. 2 in the country after beating Tennessee on Sunday. On the men’s side, MSU’s road woes continue (10:01), with recent losses to Alabama and Kentucky. As for Ole Miss, it has a chance to pick up a much-needed road win Saturday at Texas (17:19). The Rebels are coming off a win over Alabama, and Terence Davis has been playing better of late.

The guys also talk some baseball. Ole Miss is getting a lot of preseason love despite missing the NCAA tournament last season (20:37). The Rebels are counting on last year’s top-rated signing class and a deep pitching staff to get back on track. MSU is also in the preseason rankings (22:39), but there is some uncertainty on offense with Brent Rooker gone, and the weekend pitching rotation is still up in the air. Logan also provides an update on the Dudy Noble Field renovations.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

#93: Recruiting, Freeze, and hoops – 01/18/18

by Leave a Comment

Hugh Freeze to Alabama? That possibility is intriguing, and Parrish discusses it (8:33) on this week’s episode.

The former Ole Miss head coach reportedly interviewed in Tuscaloosa and could wind up there as an offensive analyst. Parrish says it would be an odd look but could be just what Freeze needs to start getting his career back on track.

Speaking of football, the second signing day is drawing near (2:23), and the guys discuss what Ole Miss and MSU have left to do with their 2018 signing classes. The Rebels are looking to restock at receiver; MSU got three good ones at that position during the early signing period.

Logan also looks ahead to the fall, when Dan Mullen will return to Starkville as Florida’s head coach (15:00). A lot of State fans are still bitter about Mullen’s departure, and Logan examines the possible reasons for that.

On the basketball court, the Rebels – who are coming off a tough loss at Texas A&M – need to start picking up some SEC road wins (18:32). The guard play hasn’t been quite as good as expected, but juco transfer Bruce Stevens has been an impact player in the post.

As for the Bulldogs, two of their three SEC losses have come after blowing big leads, but they head into the Alabama game this weekend coming off a win against Vanderbilt (22:27).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

#92: MSU women, Ole Miss men win rival games – 01/12/18

by Leave a Comment

The Mississippi State women rolled past rival Ole Miss on Thursday, a few days after the Ole Miss men topped MSU.

On this episode, Logan recaps the No. 4 Bulldogs’ win (2:55), which was keyed by a fast start. The MSU women remain unbeaten, but how far they go in the postseason could be determined in large part by their depth, which has improved of late.

Parrish looks back at the Ole Miss men’s win over State (11:48). Breein Tyree hit some big shots late and has been the Rebels’ best player the last few games, but more is needed from Terence Davis as a date with Florida looms.

The Bulldogs’ big problem has been a tendency to shoot – and miss – quick 3-pointers instead of passing the ball (21:47). Logan looks at that, plus he compares the fan support for the men versus for the women (9:25).

Also, Parrish examines the booster culture at Ole Miss (16:48) and what the school is doing in regards to disciplining rogue boosters. There can be a tricky balance between disassociating from donors who have helped the school improve its facilities, but Ole Miss administrators believe disassociation won’t have a big impact on private giving.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

#91: Bulldogs get bowl win; rivals meet on hardwood – 01/05/18

by Leave a Comment

It might be January, but there is still some football to talk about.

Logan takes a look back at Mississippi State’s surprising win over Louisville in the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida (3:28). True freshman QB Keytaon Thompson out-dueled 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, who was intercepted four times – three times by Mark McLaurin.

Parrish says assistant coach Greg Knox should be commended for sticking with the team after head coach Dan Mullen left for Florida (8:21), and he’d like to see more coaches do that during such staff transition periods – like new Nebraska head coach Scott Frost did at UCF.

Speaking of new coaches, Ole Miss has hired one of its former players, Charles Clark, as defensive backs coach (2:13).

There is certainly plenty of basketball to discuss today, what with the MSU and Ole Miss men meeting at The Pavilion on Saturday (11:45). The Bulldogs are 13-1 but have played a pretty soft schedule, although they picked up an impressive win against No. 22 Arkansas this week. Brothers Quinndary and Nick Weatherspoon had big games for State.

If Ole Miss is to win Saturday, Parrish says it will need to get more production from Terence Davis, who would do well to attack the rim more often in the halfcourt set. Parrish also notes that Memphis grad transfer Markel Crawford has had a big impact so far.

The Rebels struggled during non-SEC play, losing to some mid-major teams, although they were good mid-majors (22:38). This is an important season for Andy Kennedy, who hasn’t taken the Rebs to the NCAA tournament since 2015, and the slow start might not bode well for his future.

MSU lost a post player when Schnider Herard decided earlier this week to transfer (21:34).

The guys also briefly discuss the Ole Miss and MSU women (25:41).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

#90: Rebels, Bulldogs have solid signing days – 12/21/17

by Leave a Comment

Wednesday marked the beginning of the new early signing period for football. Ole Miss and Mississippi State both made out pretty well.

The Rebels were aided by a couple of flipped commitments (10:22), including Callaway defensive end James Williams (from MSU) and California quarterback Matt Corral (from Florida). Corral is a four-star prospect with a live arm and will help shore up the position behind Jordan Ta’amu.

As for MSU, new coach Joe Moorhead signed 15 players, nine of them on the offensive side (16:28). There was an emphasis on the wide receiver position, with three four-stars signed there. All three are tall and should help Moorhead employ a downfield passing game. This class, which also includes Tupelo’s Jett Johnson, is ranked as high as No. 17 in the nation by Rivals.

The guys also talk some basketball. The Bulldogs will face Southern Miss in Jackson on Saturday (2:10). They’re off to a good start, albeit against a relatively weak schedule (8:57). The women keep rolling along (7:12), with Teaira McCowan flashing a hot hand and Victoria Vivians becoming more efficient.

The Ole Miss men are 6-5, which is a worse record than usual for them during non-conference play (3:25). Coach Andy Kennedy wants a greater sense of urgency from his players, and he’s also looking for the Rebels to develop a stronger post game and be more consistent at the guard positions.

The Ole Miss women, after a fast start, have lost two in a row (6:10).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

#89: Bulldogs hiring coaches; Patterson to Michigan – 12/14/17

by Leave a Comment

New Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead continues to add to his staff, while Ole Miss must deal with the loss of its former starting quarterback.

Those are just two of the topics discussed on this week’s episode. Logan looks at the hires Moorhead has made thus far (1:08). The former Penn State offensive coordinator recently added former Ole Miss player Marcus Johnson and also brought in Mark Hudspeth, who was an MSU assistant earlier in his career. Those two bring valuable recruiting connections in Mississippi and across the South.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs continue bowl game preparations (11:39).

Ole Miss, as expected, lost quarterback Shea Patterson, who is transferring to Michigan (6:14). And while it’s a big loss, it’s eased a good bit by the way Jordan Ta’amu played this season after Patterson was injured.

There’s also plenty of basketball talk. The Ole Miss women are on a roll, having won seven in a row (14:18). The Rebels have been winning despite two key players being out with injuries, and up next is a trip to Oregon on Sunday.

MSU’s women beat Oregon on Wednesday in a top-10 matchup (18:02). The Ducks put up a lot of points, as they tend to do, but the Bulldogs got 35 points from Teaira McCowan and 30 from Victoria Vivians.

On the men’s side, Ole Miss snapped a three-game losing streak (23:17), getting solid play in the post from Bruce Stevens in Wednesday’s win against Sam Houston State. MSU suffered its first loss of the season (26:59), at Cincinnati, despite a double-double from Aric Holman.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

#88: Moorhead assembling staff; Luke losing players? – 12/07/17

by Leave a Comment

Mississippi State and Ole Miss both have their head coaches in place, but that doesn’t mean things are settled at either school.

New MSU coach Joe Moorhead is still putting together his staff (2:40), and he’s doing so while the current coaches prepare the Bulldogs for their bowl game. Moorhead & Co. are also trying to establish relationships on the recruiting trail (8:05), especially in Mississippi.

At Ole Miss, Matt Luke – who recently had the interim tag removed from his title – might be taking a different recruiting strategy (5:32). Two of his 2019 commits are Tupelo High School standouts. Luke is also trying to hold on to current players, some of whom are considering transferring (15:58).

One question Parrish and Logan ponder is whether the Egg Bowl will become a less toxic rivalry with Moorhead and Luke at the center of it now (10:27). Dan Mullen was quick to poke the Rebels and pumped some life back to the rivalry, and then the NCAA investigation and Leo Lewis happened, making it even fiercer.

The guys talk some hoops as well. MSU’s men are undefeated (19:40), and Tyson Carter has a hot hand. Ole Miss suffered a pair of overtime losses last week (23:22) and needs to find some answers in the post.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

#87: Luke, Moorhead now in charge – 12/01/17

by Leave a Comment

Big coaching news came out of both Oxford and Starkville earlier this week, and Parrish and Logan break it all down on this episode.

Ole Miss has removed the interim tag from Matt Luke’s title, making him permanent head coach (3:09). The hire hasn’t sat well with all of the fans, but under the circumstances, Parrish said there are a lot of good reasons to like the move. Luke – a former player and assistant for Ole Miss – will be loyal, and he kept the team together during a trying season.

MSU had to replace Dan Mullen, who left after nine seasons for the head post at Florida. Athletics director John Cohen moved quickly, hiring Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead (13:13). In fact, Cohen had been planning for this possibility for months, and in Moorhead he found someone who might not be a big name but has drawn a lot of praise for his work at Penn State and, prior to that, as Fordham’s head coach.

The guys also look at the salaries for Luke and Moorhead, set against the current financial landscape of the SEC (21:16).

And, of course, they look back at last week’s Egg Bowl win by Ole Miss (24:48). The Rebels hit several big plays, and MSU had to play most of the game without quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who was injured early on.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS

#86: Egg Bowl Week – 11/20/17

by Leave a Comment

Double Coverage comes to you a few days early this week, due to the annual Egg Bowl being played on Thursday.

Ole Miss is looking to finish the season at 6-6, while Mississippi State goes for a 9-3 mark and a good bowl slot. A big part of this game, of course, is the matchups (11:05), such as MSU’s run game versus an Ole Miss defense that hasn’t had much success against the run the last couple years. And another is the Ole Miss pass game against MSU’s secondary – the Rebels need to take advantage of their strong receiving corps, and QB Jordan Ta’amu will need to be protected against a red-hot Bulldog pass rush (22:48).

Then there is the emotional aspect of the Egg Bowl (18:28). The Rebels have played hard for interim coach Matt Luke all season, but Dan Mullen has a history of managing the emotions of Egg Bowl Week.

MSU is coming off a tough game at Arkansas (3:29). Some early mistakes put the Bulldogs in a hole, but QB Nick Fitzgerald rallied them late for a 28-21 win. Ole Miss, meanwhile, saw its offense get shut down in the second half of a 31-24 loss to Texas A&M (7:33).

Once the Egg Bowl is over, there will still be plenty to keep an eye on, most notably the NCAA’s decision regarding its investigation of Ole Miss (25:36). Parrish says that could come early next week.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS