READ: The Ole Miss Spirit's All-Day AMA (Ask Me Anything)
The Ole Miss Spirit is holding its weekly, message-board-exclusive AMA (Ask Me Anything) on this busy Rebel Wednesday. Topics includes Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss football’s seemingly never-ending activity in the NCAA Transfer Portal, including their pursuit of decorated Michigan State transfer wide receiver Keon Coleman.
Coleman is currently in Oxford for a visit. Are the Rebels going to seal the deal?
Any and all subscribers are welcome and encouraged to chime in throughout an AMA day. Not a member? Join today! Our next question-and-answer session will be held next week.
But until then, and for the uninitiated, here are some of the highlights.
B.Smith asked …
The 2024 recruiting class is the best class the state of Mississippi has seen since…….?
BEN GARRETT (SpiritBen): The 2016 class was top-loaded with AJ Brown, DK Metcalf, Jeffery Simmons, Benito Jones and Raekwon Davis. The 2019 crop had the depth; Jonathan Mingo was, I think, the No. 11 prospect in the state that year as a four-star.
KJ Jefferson and John Rhys Plumlee were the next two spots behind him.
Johnny Rebel asked …
Are you still confident on Coleman? What if he goes on more visits??
BEN GARRETT (SpiritBen): I’m never confident about anything in recruiting. But the kid wants to play for Ole Miss as long as the Rebels hit his NIL number, and there’s been no evidence to this point of the Grove Collective not stepping up in such situations.
The dynamics obviously shift if he goes on other visits, but Ole Miss’ goal is to not let him leave until he’s a Rebel.
We’ll see.
MikeHiltonFan asked …
Who are the other teams in serious contention to land Keon Coleman?
BEN GARRETT (SpiritBen): (Ole Miss Spirit publisher) Chuck (Rounsaville) mentioned Texas A&M as a possible visit. He would know, but I haven’t heard that.
Coleman went to Florida State over the weekend, and the Seminoles thought they were getting his only visit. I guess that’s a round-about way of saying he’s considering any and all options if the NIL number is right.
But he’s currently zeroed in on Ole Miss. Let’s hope it stays that way.
813reb asked …
Next commit for football? Next commit for basketball?
BEN GARRETT (SpiritBen): Man, I hate making these kind of guesses, only because fans hold you to them if they don’t go Ole Miss’ way, but you asked and I am a man of the people.
Football – Keon Coleman
Basketball? Well, Cam Barnes popped, or he would have been my guess. Rashaud Marshall re-committed, too. I’ll go four-star Jazz Gardner, with absolutely no conviction as I’m making the pick.
RELATED: Four-star center Jazz Gardner to officially visit Ole Miss
RebelBagman asked …
Is there any growing optimism with the existing guys who are in the portal to return to Ole Miss?
BEN GARRETT (SpiritBen): Demarko Williams withdrew, which isn’t nothing. Ole Miss is thin at corner and he’s a rotational piece at least. I would have said JJ Hawkins, but he’s off to Colorado with what I assume is more committed NIL dollars than what Ole Miss offered for a rotational EDGE.
The only post-spring entrant left the Rebels would have interest in retaining is Markevious Brown, but his NIL ask, last I heard, is/was much, much higher than Ole Miss is/was willing to go. Both Brown and Tywone Malone got in initially to create leverage for renegotiating more lucrative NIL deals with Ole Miss. Ole Miss balked at both of their numbers.
Malone is now at Ohio State, which is fascinating to me.
Rebels3384 asked …
As it stands today, how would you stack-rank the SEC West football teams going into next season? I guess a quasi-power rankings, if you will. Thanks, Ben.
BEN GARRETT (SpiritBen):
1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Ole Miss
4. Arkansas
5. Texas A&M
6. Auburn
7. Mississippi State
JohnnyRebel asked …
Can you list (Ole Miss men’s basketball coach Chris) Beard’s assistants now, how many staff spots are left, and who you think fills those spots?
BEN GARRETT (SpiritBen): His three assistants are Al Pinkins, Wes Flanigan and Brian Burg. We’re working on the other spots.
I’ve got a line out particularly on Win Case. Case as of two weeks ago was still working at Ole Miss and waiting to hear about a potential spot on Beard’s staff. I’d heard a meeting was imminent regarding his future, but I haven’t gotten any clarification since.
I’ll try to dig around.
