Football '10 forecast

Despite the loss of two-year starter Jevan Snead, the Rebels may just end up with improved passing numbers from last year. While Snead did throw for 2,632 yards last season, he only completed 54.4 percent of his passes and offset 20  touchdowns with 20 interceptions.

Sophomore Nathan Stanley seems the likely candidate to take the majority of the snaps for the 2010 campaign as the competition for the starting job enters the offseason.

Stanley took the majority of the first-team snaps in the spring while freshman Raymond Cotton battled injury and soreness caused by a torn labrum in his throwing arm.

Stanley, a 6-foot-5, 215-pounder, looks like a good fit for a Houston Nutt, traditional offense that mixes the pass with the run.

Cotton has 4.5 speed and benches an Ole Miss quarterback record of 365 pounds. He has the potential to fill in great as the “Wild Rebel” replacement the team needs after the graduation of Dexter McCluster.

Possibly the most anticipated newcomer, junior college transfer quarterback Randall Mackey will help to provide depth to the young Rebel core. Mackey led the nation last year for East Mississippi Community College with 3,122 yards passing and ranked third with 283 yards per game. Mackey also is considered another option for the “Wild Rebel” attack.

The biggest loss to this Ole Miss squad is Dexter McCluster. One player cannot replace his contributions, because of the rushing attack he provided as well as the ability to split out wide. McCluster rushed for eight touchdowns while also catching three. He is the only player in the history of the Southeastern Conference to rush for over 1,000 yards and receive for 500 yards in a single season.

Veteran junior running back Brandon Bolden will try to fill the void in the Rebel backfield. While Bolden’s 614 yards and four touchdowns on 129 carries may have been a bit of a disappointment last year, he also caught 20 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps Bolden’s most memorable game as a Rebel came in the 2009 Cotton Bowl victory over Texas Tech in which he rushed for more than 100 yards on 11 attempts and a touchdown.

Enrique Davis is listed as the Rebels’ No. 2 running back on the post-spring depth chart. Fans had high expectations of Davis when he arrived two seasons ago, but he has only amassed 354 yards and five touchdowns and played sporadically.

Sophomore Rodney Scott should provide the depth to the position after he received limited snaps last year.

His classmate Jesse Grandy is another option for Rebels in the backfield after he showed his mechanics on special teams last year. Grandy will also help play a pivotal role for a receiving core that lost their leader and main target from last year in Shay Hodge.