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| C.J. Johnson could have a breakout year. |
September 2013 is a long way off, but it's going to be fun looking forward to it.
After watching a young team fall just short against Texas A&M, LSU and Vanderbilt, and still finish 6-6 it's hard not to start thinking about next year, when the nucleus of a much-improved Ole Miss football team returns.
On defense, Nick Brassell, who Freeze calls "an NFL corner" should return from junior college and take the position opposite senior Charles Sawyer and Senquez Golson. Trae Elston and Cody Prewitt will be return to the safety positions and suddenly Ole Miss should have a defensive secondary that is among the SEC's best, or at least formidable.
Up front, a freshman All-American named Issac Gross with a few more pounds on him will be reeking havoc in the middle. C.J. Johnson and Channing Ward will have their ears pinned back at the defensive end positions. Johnson was getting better and better with each and every game, and 2013 could be a breakout year for him. With a full off-season of conditioning and practice Ward will be more like the five-star defensive end who was signed a year ago, and there's the possibility that a very talented freshman could be rotating in.
Roaming the field behind that improved line will be leading tackler and freshman All-American linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche along with senior Mike Marry.
Next year's defense is setting up to be a good one.
On offense, running back Jeff Scott will lead a young talented backfield hungry for carries. A seasoned Bo Wallace will have all his receivers back including future NFL player Donte Moncrief and an under-rated Vince Sanders and Ja-Mes Logan. Matt Luke loses only A.J. Hawkins off his offensive line, and he'll have the depth to replace him. The key will be in Wallace's development in the off-season, his ability to refine his game and eliminate mistakes. If that happens the Ole Miss offense should be prolific.
This brief team synopsis doesn't even include the talented freshmen being targeted by Hugh Freeze. There are a few who, if they sign, will be on the field next year and could be very special players.
After spending the entirety of spring and summer 2012 looking at the season through the cracks between the fingers covering my hand-shielded face, this coming off-season is looking much, much more fun.