Now the questioning begins in Mississippi...

[56Hog]

Talking points: Ole Miss 45, Memphis 14
Posted 9/7/2009 1:17 AM CDT on clarionledger.com

OXFORD - We've changed up our gameday coverage a little at The Clarion-Ledger, and one of the big features is four talking points from the game from the beat writer's perspective. Here's the four that will appear in Monday's print edition:

So which Jevan Snead was the real one on Sunday afternoon? If Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead was trying to endear himself to the folks who vote for the Heisman Trophy, Sunday's first half was a brutal start to say the least. He threw two interceptions in the first half, nearly single-handedly helping Memphis get back into the game. On the first, he simply threw a bad pass to Dexter McCluster. On the second, he made a bad decision, trying to find Shay Hodge in double coverage. But just when Ole Miss fans were about to go into full panic mode, Snead reversed course and threw two TDs in the fourth quarter to salvage an otherwise forgettable game. So was Sunday's first half a blip on the radar, or has Snead regressed a little since last season? The coaches don't seem worried, but more consistent decision-making is paramount in the future.

Is Bradley Sowell really the Ole Miss left tackle? For now, the jury still appears to be undecided. Bradley Sowell, the 6-foot-7, 310-pound sophomore, wasn't terrible against Memphis, but the one time quarterback Jevan Snead got sacked, it appeared to be his fault. And more than once, he ran off the field to an angry offensive line coach Mike Markuson, who gave Sowell an earful that would probably make most men blush. Coach Houston Nutt said Sowell's performance wasn't bad for the first game. And Sowell himself said he thought he'd grade out pretty good once everyone looked at film. But there's little doubt that the Rebels would really like a sure bet over on the left side protecting Snead's blindside, and right now, Sowell simply isn't able to give the team that kind of security.

Can the Ole Miss secondary turn into a strength? At least for one weekend, the Ole Miss secondary was the least of the team's problems on the field. Junior safety Johnny Brown was outstanding in his first game as a regular starter, making 15 tackles with one tackle for a loss and one interception. Also, in the secondary, safety Kendrick Lewis (9 tackles), safety Fon Ingram (6 tackles and a game-changing interception) and cornerback Jeremy McGee (5 tackles, including 2 sacks) were productive. UM's starting cornerbacks Cassius Vaughn and Marshay Green didn't allow the big play, though Green was called for a questionable pass interference. But all in all, it was a very encouraging day for the same unit that was last in the SEC in passing defense last season.

Is the Wild Rebel becoming less Wild in the college game? Ole Miss ran its acclaimed Wild Rebel formation several times during Sunday's game with varying amounts of success. But one thing appears certain - it doesn't make opposing defenses freak out like they did last season. Anyone who watched college football this weekend saw that dozens of teams across the country are employing some sort of "Wildcat" formation. And with more offenses dabbling in the formation, defenses aren't fooled by what's coming. Luckily for Ole Miss, it has speedster Dexter McCluster to run the formation. His playmaking ability can offset any lack of surprise. But once again, the Rebels didn't throw a pass out of the formation, which calls into question how effective it can be the entire season without any threat of an air attack.

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