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

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Double Coverage

Double Coverage

#114: Rebels look to stop run; Bulldogs look to go deep – 08/23/18

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The college football season is drawing near for Ole Miss and Mississippi State. On this week’s episode, Parrish and Logan have updates from each team’s respective preseason camp.

Parrish looks ahead to the Rebels’ opener against Texas Tech in Houston (4:59). There is a quarterback competition, among other drama, in Lubbock this preseason. A big key for Ole Miss in this game will be its ability to stop the run, which was a huge trouble spot last year. It looks like coaches are going to lean on youth at that position.

Parrish also examines the running back position (17:59), which has several unknowns, including who will be the No. 2 back behind Scottie Phillips.

MSU held its final scrimmage of the preseason on Wednesday (11:47). New coach Joe Moorhead had the Bulldogs simulate their game day routine, including the Dawg Walk. Logan said one big question mark for MSU this fall is whether it can throw the deep ball, which is a big part of Moorhead’s offensive philosophy.

Logan also takes a peek at MSU’s opener against Stephen F. Austin (14:16).

The guys discuss the new redshirt rule and how coaches might decide to implement it (16:40). They also talk about two walk-ons – Ole Miss receiver Floyd Allen and MSU safety Stephen Adegoke – who recently were granted scholarships by their coaches (21:46).

Oh, and because Texas Tech is on the menu, Parrish and Logan have some Mike Leach stories to share (2:14).

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#113: Inside football training camp – 08/17/18

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Parrish and Logan are back after a summer break. And with the new season’s kickoff fast approaching, it’s time to talk football camps.

Logan said there isn’t a lot to learn at Mississippi State’s camp (2:15), where the biggest position battle is for the starting punter.

Meanwhile, Parrish said the most intriguing battle at Ole Miss (6:58) is at linebacker. He also breaks down the running back situation and talks about offensive lineman Ben Brown.

Both reporters also talk about names to watch for MSU (17:15) and Ole Miss (21:20) this season.

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#112: Luke, Moorhead take on SEC Media Days – 07/19/18

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The annual SEC Football Media Days event was held this week in Atlanta, and Parrish and Logan were both on hand to hear coaches talk about the upcoming season.

This was the first Media Days for Ole Miss coach Matt Luke, but with one season as head honcho under his belt, he feels like continuity will be a big factor this fall (2:48). Another big factor for the Rebels will be their run defense, which was among the worst in the nation last year, and improvement there will hinge quite a bit on linebacker play.

Offensively, Ole Miss has the potential to be explosive (9:06). Jordan Ta’amu returns at quarterback and has one of the country’s best wide receiving corps, but the big question is who will lead the rushing attack.

This was also the first SEC Media Days for new MSU coach Joe Moorhead, who is having to deal with some big expectations (13:40). The Bulldogs return a load of talent and experience, including a stellar defensive line. QB Nick Fitzgerald says he’s full speed again, and he’ll get a chance to air the ball out in Moorhead’s offense.

Also today, Logan has a bit of baseball news, as MSU has hired a pitching coach (22:06).

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#111: Bulldogs win regional, Rebels come up short – 06/07/18

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Last weekend brought a couple of big surprises in the NCAA baseball tournament.

Mississippi State went down to Tallahassee and won that regional (:42) with the help of a walk-off home run by Elijah MacNamee against Florida State on Saturday. The Bulldogs went on to beat Oklahoma in the regional championship game, as their bats came alive. Some players who had struggled earlier in the season, such as MacNamee and Dustin Skelton (13:33), got hot at the plate.

Interim coach Gary Henderson has done a remarkable job, and if he keeps this up, Logan says the veteran skipper might push his way into consideration for the gig on a permanent basis (17:55).

Ole Miss, meanwhile, hosted a regional but was stunned by Tennessee Tech (4:10), which got unusually good pitching. An Ole Miss offense that was the best in the SEC all season had trouble coming up with big hits.

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#110: Red-hot Rebels hosting, Bulldogs head to FSU – 05/30/18

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The Ole Miss and Mississippi State baseball teams are preparing for NCAA tournament play this weekend, so it’s all baseball talk on this episode.

Ole Miss is red-hot after winning the SEC Tournament title (8:46). While the Rebels didn’t hit it quite as well as they have all season, the pitching took a big step forward, and that will need to continue. Ole Miss is the No. 4 national seed and will host a regional (21:45). Visiting Oxford will be Tennessee Tech, Missouri State and Saint Louis.

MSU is headed to Tallahassee (17:33), where it will open play Friday against Oklahoma. The big question for the Bulldogs will be whether they have the arms to make it to the championship game and knock off host Florida State.

Speaking of big questions, State is still in need of a permanent head coach, and TCU’s Jim Schlossnagle could fit the bill (1:46). He’s taken the Horned Frogs to Omaha five times in 15 years. And while interim coach Gary Henderson might have his age working against him, Logan says he should be lauded for how he’s handled a tough situation this season.

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#109: Remembering Billy Brewer – 05/16/18

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Former Ole Miss football coach Billy Brewer died Saturday. On this episode, Parrish and Logan reflect on the career of Brewer (6:21 and 15:43), who led the Rebels back to relevancy and pulled off some big wins despite often fielding the less talented team. His teams were not only competitive, they were an example of racial harmony just a few years after integration.

There is plenty of baseball talk today as well. Mississippi State has a good shot at making the SEC Tournament field (:40), and can do so by winning one game against No. 1 Florida this weekend. Even if the Bulldogs are swept, they can sneak in if Tennessee wins its series with Missouri. Logan previews the Florida series (12:16) and says MSU pitcher Konnor Pilkington needs to find smoother sailing in the early innings of his starts.

Ole Miss, meanwhile, is coming off a big sweep of Auburn (17:58). The Rebels got good starting pitching in the first two games, and they’ll need more of the same this weekend against an Alabama team that is better than its record indicates.

The guys also have updates on tennis, softball and golf (3:55).

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#108: Rebels, Bulldogs look to strengthen postseason positions – 05/10/18

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As the baseball regular season nears an end, Ole Miss and Mississippi State are both looking to solidify their postseason positions.

This week, Parrish looks at where the Rebels stand in regards to getting a national seed (2:32). After losing two of three at South Carolina, that’s probably out the window, but hosting an NCAA regional is still very much a possibility. Up next is a series with Auburn, which like Ole Miss is 13-11 in SEC play.

The Rebels are a bit shaky on the mound, with Ryan Rolison struggling at South Carolina (11:53).

MSU is coming off a series win at Alabama (4:48) and, at 11-13 in conference, has improved its odds of making the SEC Tournament field. But there were some issues with pitching in Tuscaloosa, and the Bulldogs are still looking for a reliable Sunday starter.

The guys also take a look at some postseason projections (17:21).

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#107: Rebels in good shape; Bulldogs have work to do – 05/03/18

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Parrish and Logan have a lot of baseball to talk about, as just three SEC weekends remain before the postseason begins.

Ole Miss is in solid position with a 12-9 conference mark, although it’s 5-7 in games decided by two runs or less (2:55). Heading into this week’s road series against South Carolina, the Rebels have seen some encouraging signs from its bullpen (9:55), with former closer Dallas Woolfolk showing recent improvement. Parrish says the hitting lineup has shown some impressive depth.

MSU, meanwhile, is trying to assure itself a spot in the SEC Tournament field (4:34). The Bulldogs travel to last-place Alabama this week and need to do well there, especially considering that the next two series are at Kentucky and home vs. Florida. MSU might go with a different Sunday starter this weekend.

Logan has a basketball update, too. Men’s coach Ben Howland called a press conference this week to express his excitement about next year’s team (18:37). All the players who initially declared for the NBA Draft decided to return to school, and a top-15 signing class is headed to Starkville, which is creating high expectations among national experts.

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#106: Bulldogs heating up; Rebel Road Trip hits Tupelo – 04/26/18

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Mississippi State’s baseball team has been hot of late. On this week’s episode, Logan looks at what went right for the Bulldogs in a series sweep of Arkansas and then a walk-off win versus Ole Miss in the Governor’s Cup (2:10). MSU has revived its NCAA tournament hopes thanks to timely hitting and the improved play of several newcomers.

Ole Miss, meanwhile, saw its bullpen woes continue in that loss to MSU on Tuesday (8:27). Closer Parker Caracci appears to be coming back to Earth, and the Rebels as a whole have been struggling.

Parrish also looks at the Rebel Road Trip’s stop in Tupelo (15:34). He said there was a different feel to this year’s event, which isn’t surprising given all the new faces, including football coach Matt Luke, who wasn’t yet head coach this time last year.

And Logan offers his thoughts on MSU’s spring football game (20:19), which didn’t reveal a lot about the Bulldogs. But he was impressed by several players, including receiver Austin Williams and running back Nick Gibson.

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#105: Bulldogs wind down spring; baseball teams look to rebound – 04/19/18

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Spring football winds down in Starkville this week.

On this episode, Logan checks in on the Bulldogs, who have finished the installation process and are readying for Saturday’s spring game (2:38). New offensive and defensive schemes have been put in place, including a 4-2-5 defense that emphasizes getting speed on the field.

On the baseball diamond, Parrish looks at an Ole Miss team that has cooled off the last couple of weekends (9:44). Bullpen issues have plagued the Rebels of late, in particular the set-up relievers. On a positive note, however, the offense continues to improve behind the hot bat of Ryan Olenek (13:23). Up next is a series against Georgia.

MSU welcomes Arkansas this weekend and hopes to move past a blown opportunity at Auburn (16:40). Reliever Cole Gordon has struggled mightily as the first man out of the bullpen, and Logan wonders if someone else might be better suited for the role. Offensively, the Bulldogs have shown improvement.

The guys also discuss the Rebel Road Trip, which starts next week (21:11), and the Road Dawgs Tour, the details of which have not yet been released (23:03).

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