Texas Tech Football: Ole Miss expert gives insight about the Rebels

This week, we spoke with Daniel Skipper of Ole Hotty Toddy to get an insider’s perspective on the Texas Tech football team’s first opponent, Ole Miss.

WER:  Unfortunately, Ole Miss football is still being linked to the Hugh Freeze scandal.  How has this controversy impacted both the psyche of the fan base as well as the overall product on the football field?

"OHT: Of course, the Hugh Freeze scandal had a huge effect on the team initially but I believe the 2017 seaosn was a huge step forward for the program. Plus we wound up with a good coach in [Matt] Luke who is also a great recruiter. As bad as the Freeze situation was I think the Rebels players and fans have responded well since Luke was named head coach."

WER: How does the Ole Miss fan base feel about the promotion of Matt Luke to full-time head coach after a season spent under the interim tag?  Did this hiring excite the Ole Miss faithful and what do you expect a Matt Luke team to look like on the field?

"OHT: Honestly he wasn’t on most Rebels fans lists for the head coaches spot. However, he is an Ole Miss Alumnus and former player whose brother and father both also played for the Rebels. Ole Miss has always been about family so of course that helped. However, the way he has been able to recruit has impressed a lot of fans into their support for Luke. Still there are those critics which have to see it on the field this season."

WER: The Rebels are expected to be one of the best offenses in the SEC and possibly the entire country this year.  Where does the strength of the offense lie and are there any potential weaknesses on that side of the ball?

"OHT: Without a doubt the Ole Miss offense works so well because of the fast pace and having a very good dual threat QB to throw to one of the nations top receiver groups. The Rebels have one of the largest offensive lines in the nation which boasts 103 combined career starts. If there is any chink in the Rebels’ offense it would be the rushing game. We lost our 1,000 yard rusher from last season to the NFL Draft but have some really good backs still fighting for the starters job.More from Wreck'Em RedTexas Tech football: Red Raider fans need to know about these MountaineersTexas Tech football: Red Raiders land first commit for class of 2025Texas Tech football: Why have the Red Raiders struggled on the road under McGuire?Texas Tech football: Why the Red Raiders can compete for a Big 12 titleTexas Tech football: Plenty of questions remain as conference play arrives"

WER: Conversely, the Rebel defense was suspect last year ranking just 116th in the nation in total defense.  What is Ole Miss’ weakness on defense and do you expect there to be significant improvement on that side on of the ball this year?

"OHT: The biggest weakness the Rebels have on the defense is at LB depth. There is a lot of young raw talent but they don’t have a lot of in-game experience. The defensive line will be solid and deep and the secondary returns the entire starting group from 2017 so we are expecting the Rebels defense to look significantly better."

WER: The new Ole Miss on-field mascot is…a landshark…what the hell?  Seriously, is there more to the story or is this just the ultimate example of college wackiness taken to an entirely new level.

"OHT: Ah the Tony the Landshark. Actually there is a good story behind behind the onfield mascot for the Rebels. Former Ole Miss player Tony Fein who played line-backer at Ole Miss in 2008 and 2009 made a huge play and threw up the very first FIN. Thus the Landshark Defense was born via their aggressive ‘blood in the water’ style of play. Over the years it has stuck and we had to get rid of the bear so it seemed to work out. Hopefully the Landshark D shows up for the new mascot this season."

WER:  Finally, what is your prediction for this weekend’s game?

"OHT: Ole Miss vs Texas Tech prediction: 42-31 Ole Miss"

For all things Ole Miss, follow @olehottytoddy  on Twitter.