Expect To See More Sacks In 2007

In the biggest move of the Ogerzook tenure John Thompson was hired as defensive coordinator for the Rebels. Thompson brings solid credentials to the position and should immediately upgrade the defensive side of the football and help the Rebels next year more than any recruit that Ogerzook could sign.

Some argue that his schemes are figured out like Joe Lee Dunn. I don't see it and don't know what the basis for that is. His two failed years as the head coach at East Carolina? Joe Lee's problem was that he failed in the one true test for how good a coach is and that is that he failed to evolve his system to what players he had. It wasn't as much that he was "figured out." People always knew how to handle his defenses. It's just that it took a lot of speed to run his defense. Speed he didn't have at the end of his State years and never had a Memphis. The true test for Thompson is whether he can take the players on campus and run an effective defense with them. If the answer is yes than expect even bigger things after he has a bigger imprint on the players brought to campus.

However even if Thompson flops horribly this shows me that we have a chance to move in the right direction and get better. It shows that Ogerzook will place his ego aside and do what's best for the team. If Thompson doesn't work than we'll hire another defensive coordinator. This is a move that Ogerzook would not have made two years ago when Mazone was not allowed to run his own offense. He's realized that if he wants to get better he has to surround himself with coordinators that free him to do his job, be the head coach. It also shows that his desire to win and be a make Ole Miss successful is stronger than his personal desires and he will make decisions that are in the university's best interest while not technically his. Or maybe I'm reading to much into this.

Either way today his made a huge step in the right direction. And that direction is hiring a defensive coordinator. Luckily the defensive coordinator is someone I think highly of and think will bring immediate respect to this defense.