Graham Doty is one of the top young announcers in the business and does a tremendous job with the Ole Miss Sports Network. Amongst his many duties, Graham is the Voice of Ole Miss Women’s Basketball. One of my good friends in the business and the league, Graham and his wife Brittany are expecting their first child soon. A favorite in Oxford, my sharp dressed friend is kind enough to offer his insights into Saturday afternoon’s huge battle in Oxford.
What do you like best about this Ole Miss team?
The strength of this Ole Miss team is the defensive line and front 7. Ole Miss invested heavily in this area in the off-season and it’s a mix of key returners from last year’s team and transfer portal additions. At the time of this writing, Ole Miss leads the SEC in scoring defense (11 PPG) and has only given up one rushing TD this season.
Can you talk about the energy and prestige Lane Kiffin’s success has delivered to the program?
Lane Kiffin has completely turned around the Ole Miss program. He has won double digit games multiple times and is the first head coach in Ole Miss history to win 11 games in a regular season. The enrollment at Ole Miss has increased every year he has been on campus and the city of Oxford is quickly growing and is the fastest growing city in the state of Mississippi. He has made a huge impact on and off the field as far as excitement from Ole Miss fans. Kiffin is a lightning rod and attracts and brings a lot of eyeballs and exposure to Ole Miss and Oxford.
What would a win over Georgia mean for Ole Miss?
A win would be huge. The September home loss to Kentucky was such a deflating loss to Ole Miss fans. Most Ole Miss fans didn’t think Ole Miss would have this many losses by the time Georgia rolled into Oxford. A win would be huge and keep Ole Miss’ slim playoff chances alive.
What does Ole Miss need to do to beat Georgia?
The big thing is turnovers. Costly turnovers have been a killer for the Rebels this season, especially in both losses this season. On offense, Ole Miss will have to try to find a running game. Ole Miss is 13th in the SEC in rushing yards per SEC game (120), which is the lowest since Lane Kiffin has been the head coach. Ole Miss will also have to get some guys healthy. Tre Harris didn’t play in the second half of the LSU and missed the Oklahoma game. He was leading the NCAA in receiving yards when he got injured. The Ole Miss offense is dramatically different when Harris is on the field versus when he isn’t. Ole Miss has had several OL missed games this season, including three starters. If the Rebels want to have a chance, the OL will need to get some guys back healthy.
What is your take on Georgia?
Georgia has been the best program in the country the last four years. They always have athletes all over the field and they are led by the defense. The defense is lights out and Kirby Smart is fantastic at in game adjustments. On offense, it seems like Carson Beck is trying to figure out who he can trust to throw the ball to. It feels like Georgia is starting to put an emphasis on running the football and Trevor Etienne is one of the best running backs in the SEC.
How does Jaxson Dart rate for you amongst your favorite Rebel quarterbacks?
He is definitely towards the top. My favorite will always be Eli Manning because I was in middle school when he was at Ole Miss and he was such a huge deal to me at the time. Jaxson is a three year starter at Ole Miss and first since Bo Wallace. Jaxson is tough as nails and always gives everything he has. He has represented Ole Miss and the Oxford community really well since he has been on campus and he has been a great leader on and off the field.
Let’s talk tailgating and fashion, is Georgia and Ole Miss in Oxford the ultimate spot for both this season?
I would think so! These two fan bases are very similar in how they enjoy tailgating and fashion. Ole Miss fans are incredibly spoiled with The Grove and just how much fun it really is. The Grove is a great place to hang out with your friends and make many new ones. Fashion wise, expect both fan bases to dress to the nines and have a great weekend in Oxford.
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