Sneak peek: Ole Miss
AUBURN | Year two of the Bryan Harsin era gets underway with a couple of warmup games before a Big Ten opponent kicks off three crucial home contests. Four of the final seven games are on the road including trips to Georgia and Alabama.
Today, we continue an early look at Auburn’s 2022 schedule with a second consecutive road game.
WHO: Ole Miss (10-3 last season, 6-2 SEC)
WHEN: Oct. 15, TBD
WHERE: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (64,038)
SERIES: Auburn leads 35-11
WHAT’S NEW: Lane Kiffin hired a number of new assistants for his staff including co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Charlie Weis Jr., running backs coach Marquel Blackwell, co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Maurice Crum and cornerbacks coach Sam Carter. The Rebels have added more than a dozen transfers in the offseason including many expected to play right away such as USC quarterback Jaxson Dart, TCU running back Zach Evans, UCF wide receiver Jaylon Robinson, Louisville receiver Jordan Watkins, Mississippi State receivers Jacobi Moore and Malik Heath, USC tight end Michael Trigg, WKU offensive lineman Mason Brooks, Auburn defensive tackle J.J. Pegues and safety Ladarius Tennison, TCU edge Khari Coleman, Georgia Tech edge Jared Ivey, CMU linebacker Troy Brown and Vanderbilt safety Dashaun Jerkins.
WHO TO WATCH, OFFENSE: Senior wide receiver Jonathan Mingo caught 22 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns in six games last season, missing the second half of the season with a broken foot. With the Rebels’ needing to replace their top three receivers from last year, Mingo will be counted on as the playmaker of the group.
WHO TO WATCH, DEFENSE: Junior Cedric Johnson from Mobile, Ala., is back after totaling 33 tackles, 8.0 tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks last season. He added one pass breakup, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
OUTLOOK: A number of the top players from last year’s historic team, which won 10 regular-season games for the first time in school history, have moved on. But Kiffin brought in one of the nation’s top transfer classes to reload for 2022. Dart is the likely starter at quarterback after starting six games for USC last season. The top two running backs will likely be Evans and another transfer. The wide receiver position was also fortified with transfers with Mingo the returning star and Watkins likely to make an immediate impact. The offensive line should be a strength with three starters returning and the addition of Brooks. Johnson and defensive tackle KD Hill give the Rebels a couple of good defense linemen and four starter in the secondary return. The rest of the defense will be fortified with transfers. Brown should be a starting linebacker and two former Tigers, Pegues and Tennison, should be a part of the playing rotation. Ole Miss must replace its punter and top placekicker Caden Costa remains a question mark after being suspended last season due to a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs.
This is an interesting Ole Miss team with a lot of their success dependent on the play of Dart or sophomore Luke Altmyer at quarterback and how quickly the skill position transfers fit into the offense. By Week 7 against Auburn, however, you’d expect them to have most of their issues figured out. Like the AU-LSU matchup a couple of weeks earlier, this is a key game for both teams and will have a big say in how the SEC West shapes up.
MORE SNEAK PEEKS:
Sept. 3 Mercer
Sept. 10 San Jose State
Sept. 17 Penn State
Sept. 24 Missouri
Oct. 1 LSU
Oct. 8 Georgia