Georgia was the overwhelming preseason No. 1 group. Texas is the highest-ranked SEC group within the Faculty Soccer Playoff at No. 3. Alabama has extra Prime 25 wins this season than the CFP’s prime 5 groups mixed.
However the SEC group that nobody desires to play proper now could be one which isn’t even within the prime 10.
“If you happen to ask me proper now which group I’d least need to face, it’s Ole Miss,” mentioned an SEC defensive coordinator of a Prime 25 group. “They’re now probably the most gifted defensive group within the league. They’ve all these difference-maker move rushers and a real lockdown nook in Trey Amos.
“They only obtained all these dudes up entrance. Three guys within the prime 5 of sack leaders within the SEC (Suntarine Perkins, 10 sacks and No. 1; Princely Umanmielen, 9.5 sacks and tied for No. 2; and Jared Ivey, 7.5 sacks and tied for No. 5). That’s loopy! (J.J.) Pegues was a featured man for them final 12 months; he’s nonetheless actually good (11.5 TFLs, two sacks) and he’s not even one in every of their prime three! Walter Nolen can also be actually good. An inside man with 4 sacks is fairly dang good. It’s actually spectacular.”
The opposite a part of this that a number of SEC assistant coaches famous was that Ole Miss beat up Georgia regardless that the Rebels have been with out their greatest participant, Tre Harris, a large receiver who has been coping with a lower-body harm. Harris’ 141 yards per sport leads the nation.
Final Saturday the Rebels held Georgia to its fewest factors of the Kirby Good period (10), its fewest complete yards in seven seasons (245) and its fewest dashing yards since 2021 (59). Ole Miss leads the SEC in yards per play allowed in video games towards ranked opponents among the many 14 groups who’ve confronted at the least two Prime 25 opponents. Final 12 months, the Rebels have been useless final within the SEC at 7.81 YPP in these video games.
To say Ole Miss has a ferocious defensive entrance is an understatement. It’s why defensive position coach Randall Joyner, a Larry Johnson protege, is making a superb case to get Broyles Award consideration. That award is given to the nation’s prime assistant, however, after all, Rebels defensive coordinator Pete Golding can also be making a compelling case. Ole Miss has 23 extra TFLs than anybody else within the SEC (103) and 18 greater than anybody else within the nation. It additionally has 13 extra sacks than another group within the SEC.
4 gamers have already got double-digits in TFLs, and Ivey is shut at 9.5. Final 12 months, they solely had one man in double digits (Ivey with 11.5) Eight Rebels have at the least 4 TFLs.
A giant piece of that influence is because of the dedication Ole Miss made this offseason to upgrading its expertise within the trenches by the portal.
Umanmielen, who transferred from Florida, and Nolan, who transferred from Texas A&M, have been the large headliners. However different transfers are making an announcement: prime tackler Chris Paul Jr. (74 tackles, 10 TFLs) from Arkansas; second-leading tackler T.J. Dottery from Clemson; Amos from Alabama; and defensive again John Saunders from Miami (Ohio). Some present leaders transferred three years in the past, just like the 325-pound Pegues (Auburn), Ivey (Georgia Tech) and linebacker Khari Coleman (TCU).
The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Umanmielen has had 11.5 TFLs and eight.5 sacks in his final six video games and has emerged as a dominant pressure for the Rebels.
“His fast get-off is phenomenal,” a Rebels coach informed The Athletic this week. “He units them up the place he desires to counter them, generally with a spin transfer, or he’ll go speed-to-power rush at instances. One of many (Georgia) tackles overset too shortly as a result of he was so apprehensive about Princely’s pace rush, so (Umanmielen) countered him with a spin transfer and was in a position to get a sack. He’s very good and does a superb job of learning the opposing tackles. He picks them aside.”
Umanmielen solely performed one snap in a 29-26 loss to LSU attributable to harm.
“If we had him, we win that sport,” mentioned that Rebels coach.
The 6-1, 210-pound Perkins, a former five-star recruit, has been one other nightmare for offenses.
“He’s so freakin explosive. He’s top-of-the-line QB spies within the nation,” mentioned the Rebels coach.
“He’s stronger than you assume on the level of assault for being a lighter man,” mentioned a rival SEC DC who has seen a number of Ole Miss on crossover movie. That coach has been very impressed with the job Golding has achieved this 12 months. “They run extra video games than he used to at Alabama. He’s been actually aggressive on first and second downs and he has actually lower that D-line free.”
Suntarine Perkins (4) has been a pressure of nature for the Rebels. (Petre Thomas / Imagn Photographs)
What else is on my radar
Traits within the teaching carousel
The teaching carousel usually follows perceived tendencies. This winter shouldn’t be anticipated to have a number of modifications, however one factor to observe is whether or not older, confirmed winners from lower-levels of soccer are in vogue. Why? Athletic administrators and search firm heads have taken notice of what has occurred at Indiana this 12 months, I’m informed.
Curt Cignetti has led the Hoosiers to a 10-0 begin. The 63-year-old started his head teaching profession in 2011 at Indiana College of Pennsylvania within the Division II PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Convention), the place he spent six seasons earlier than shifting on to FCS Elon within the CAA (Coastal Athletic Affiliation), the place he went 14-9. Cignetti was then employed at James Madison, the place that program elevated to FBS below him; JMU went 11-1 final 12 months within the Solar Belt. Cignetti follows within the success of Lance Leipold, a former Division III coach who has received huge in every single place he’s been whereas shifting up.
Cignetti’s established methods in working a program have paid off in Bloomington. It’s why Skip Holtz, who has spent over twenty years as a head coach exterior the Energy 4 and is now successful huge within the UFL, may very well be in play for the Southern Miss and Rice openings. Similar for Sam Houston’s Okay.C. Keeler, a 65-year-old who has received two FCS nationwide titles. Keeler took a group that went 3-9 in its first season within the FBS in Convention USA to a 7-2 mark that started with a blowout win at Rice in August.
Keeler, I anticipate, will probably be in play for the Rice emptiness in addition to USM.
SEC QB draft inventory
Georgia QB Carson Beck’s draft inventory isn’t the one one in an attention-grabbing spot. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier, a redshirt junior who spent a lot of the earlier two seasons on the sidelines watching Jayden Daniels, had begun to emerge as the highest quarterback prospect within the 2025 class, in response to our NFL draft knowledgeable Dane Brugler. However that modified since halftime of the Tigers’ loss to Texas A&M final month.
Nussmeier, the son of Eagles QB coach Doug Nussmeier, ranks No. 30 on Brugler’s newest Prime 50 Huge Board. “With solely 10 collegiate begins on his resume, Nussmeier can be clever to return to high school,” Brugler wrote.
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In current weeks, defenses have continued exhibiting him totally different photos and giving him totally different seems, whether or not that meant to point out six up and produce stress, or drop out folks off the sting.
Nussmeier has thrown 5 INTs within the final two video games — each double-digit losses. Nonetheless, his arm expertise is tantalizing.
“I do assume he’s probably the most gifted,” a long-time NFL scout informed me. “If I have been a GM, I might choose him over all these guys. He simply must play much more. I believe he’s seeing issues that he’s by no means seen earlier than. He’s obtained 11 begins and it’s beginning to present. (Texas A&M coach Mike) Elko did some stuff to him, and he seems confused.”
“I believe he’s nearly as good as any of them,” one other SEC DC mentioned. “He’s far more aggressive than Carson Beck. He’s a real gunslinger, the place he’s like, if my man is roofed, I can throw him open — and 70 % of the time he’s gonna be proper. He’s additionally price his group at instances as a result of they’re a lot extra one-dimensional than Georgia is.
“This child might be taking a beating proper now. This child is like Brett Favre. He’s a freaking gunslinger. If he figures it out, in one other 12 months or no matter, he can have a very nice profession. I’m telling you: In huge moments, in two-minute drives, you’re like, ‘Holy shit, this dude is nice.’”
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A wild-card QB prospect
The most important wild card within the 2025 NFL quarterback draft class is Louisville’s Tyler Shough. The 6-5, 230-pounder started his profession at Oregon earlier than transferring to Texas Tech earlier than transferring once more to Louisville. He’s thrown 20 touchdowns and 5 INTs this season and has thrown 9 TDs and simply two picks in 4 video games towards Prime 25 opponents.
“The man with the most effective tape by way of the bodily instruments is Tyler Shough,” mentioned an NFL scout. “If you watch him in comparison with the Riley Leonards, Will Howards and Kurtis Rourkes, throw Mark Gronowski in there, Shough’s arm expertise seems head and shoulders higher. I do know there are some age and sturdiness questions on him. He’s by no means completed a season, so knock on wooden, I hope he makes it by this 12 months. He can actually chuck it. If you happen to have been to inform me 4 years from now that he’s been in a position to keep wholesome and is a successful starter within the NFL, I wouldn’t be shocked by that.
“It’s a bizarre (quarterback) class.”
(Photograph illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Photographs: Wesley Hitt, John Bunch / Icon Sportswire by way of Getty)
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