Football Just Around the Corner

Summer rallies in Jackson in mid-July signalled the soon return of the 2008 College Football season. Ole Miss and Southern Mississippi alums and boosters packed the Trade Mart. State, boasting the largest Alumni Chapter in Central Mississippi, packed the Coliseum.
Everyone is undefeated for now. Everyone is optimistic.
Sly Croom, with a lucrative new contract in hand, sees even better things this fall after leading the Bulldogs to a Liberty Bowl triumph after a season-ending come-from-behind triumph over Ole Miss, resulting in Ed Orgeron's five year plan being terminated after three dismal seasons.
With an impressive group of seniors in attendance Sly thinks the 2008 Maroons will be better than last year. His goal will to again beat Ole Miss, have another winning season, and play in a BCS Bowl. He thinks he can accomplish this mission.
Houston Nutt, succeeding Orgeron, after another winning season at Arkansas, including an impressive triumph over LSU, which went on to win the national title, is changing the attitude of his Red and Blue warriors. He wants them to think positively for four quarters.Last year, as alum Cosmo Lloyd pointed out, the Rebels were out-scored in the fourth period. Nutt reminded the Jackson audience that Ole Miss did not win a SEC game in 2007.
This was the first time I had seen Houston since he took over as head coach after seeing him at the Heisman Trophy dinner in New York. He has surrounded himself with a good staff, as has Croom and Southern's new coach Larry Fedora, who replaced Jeff Bower who led Southern to 10 Bowl trips in the last 11 years.
Fedora promises an attacking crowd-pleasing campaign built around super running back Damion Fletcher, the Mississippi Charlie Conerly trophy winner last year. His star defensive player middle linebacker Gerald McRath and Fletcher were chosen as Conference USA's out-standing offensive and defensive players in the pre-season selections.
Southern will kick off the new season after a Friday night Roast of former coach and player P.W. Underwood, a lad I personally recruited for Pie Vann while working as the Athletic Publicity Director and Director of Public Relations at Southern in the early 1950's . All=-American Ray Guy, back at his alma mater, has invited me to be one of the roasters.
The national champion USM unbeaten 1958 team celebrates its Golden Anniversary Reunion this fall.
At the three rallies in Jackson the Basketball and Basketball coaches for both men and women also gave reports on the upcoming season.
Greg Byrne, State's new Athletic Director, made an impressive appearance as did State's new Baseball coach John Cohen, who had very nice things to say about his college coach Ron Polk who had blasted Byrne for hiring Cohen rather than his recommendation. Cohen received a standing ovation from the State boosters.
Croom could be a strong candidate for national Coach of the Year honors if his team lives up to every expectation. The former Alabama football star and assistant to the legendary Paul Bryant came to State dedicated to getting the Maroon program rolling. He has accomplished part of his mission.
I feel that in Croom, Nutt, and Fedora State, Ole Miss, and Southern will be clicking on all cylinders this fall. All three could wind up in Bowl games. Strike up the band. The new season is practically here.
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