5 Keys to Beating the Ole Miss Rebels

1. Throw the ball on first, second, third and fourth down.
This just in. The last time that Ole Miss could effectively stop the pass was when Ken Lucas was playing corner for us. That was a long time ago. Every time the ball is in the air, I get scared. We had to convert a running back and a wide receiver to cornerback just to get "four deep" at the position. I put four deep in quotation marks because there’s only one player who I like at corner, Dustin Mouzon, and he doesn’t even start.
Seriously, our secondary made Chris Smelley look like Jevan Snead was hyped to look. I shudder to think about what JPW will do against us.

2. Stop Dexter McCluster
McCluster is our entire offense. If you can stop him, you can stop us. Unfortunately, McCluster is a player by whom we live and die. The biggest playmaker on the team with the ball in his hands, McCluster is a budding SEC star.
If you can somehow take McCluster out of the equation, you remove most of the YAC yardage that Jevan has. Absent a deep pass to Shay or Mike, we’ve got no playmakers other than McCluster. Sure, other players have had moments, but when it’s 3rd and 8, I want to throw to Dexter McCluster underneath and let him pick up the first.

3. You don’t have to disguise blitzes.
Jevan Snead appears to be unable to spot blitzes even when defenses leave him with plenty of time to change plays. He just snaps the ball, gets flustered and has to throw it away.
Really. How many times have we seen a linebacker or corner creep up to the line with ten seconds left on the play clock only to see Jevan fail to adjust and end up with a blitzing defender right in his face? Sure. If the called play is a screen, this is a great situation. If it’s a play action pass though, this is terrible. He has to pay attention to the opposing defense to make that next step.

4. Double team Greg Hardy and Peria Jerry.
Yeah. I know that means you have to block Hardy with an OT and a TE, but that’s just what you’re going to have to do. I don’t care if Andre Smith is God’s gift to man. He can’t take Greg Hardy one on one for an entire game.
But Hardy, as you know, isn’t the only one to worry about. Peria Jerry is a monster this season. I would like to see a defensive line with Greg Hardy, Peria Jerry, Jerrell Powe and Kentrell Lockett. The speed/size combination there would be strong enough to get through any offensive line.

5. Show up to the stadium.
We have beaten Alabama twice in Tuscaloosa. Twice. With the rebels’ inability to win games against teams with equal talent, it’s extremely unlikely that Ole Miss could take the superiorly talented Crimson Tide. I feel like Alabama only has to attend the game to win. If I end up eating my words for some reason, I’ll be absolutely thrilled, but it’s not going to happen.