By Brad Greer

Sports View

For me personally, July has always been the longest month waiting in anticipation for college football to kickoff in August.

The wait ended this week as the unofficial start of the season began with the SEC Media Days press conference in Hoover, Ala.

One highlight of every year is when ‘King’ Nick Saban takes to the podium. Every rabid Crimson Tide fan from Gulf Shores to Fort Payne was listening in a zombie-like trance to learn how the Tide will bounce back from last season’s 44-16 skull drudging at the hands of Clemson in the national championship game.

Another question that could be solved is after three season’s have we FINALLY found a way to understood what Ed Orgeron is saying? To some probably not. Maybe it’s just for LSU fans anyway.

A little bit closer to home, questions abide for the two in-state schools Ole Miss and Mississippi State. With its three-year probation now over, the Rebels are now at full strength recruiting wise and can earn bowl eligibility again.

Third-year head coach Matt Luke made wholesale changes within his staff by hiring Rich Rodriguez to run the offense and Mike MacIntyre as his defensive coordinator.

The Rebels must replace eight starters on the offensive side of the ball which includes NFL bound A.J Brown, D.K Metcalf and DaMarkus Lodge. Ole Miss must also replace quarterback Jordan Ta’amu.

Luke looks to be throwing all of his chips in and banking on redshirt freshman signal-caller Matt Corral to lead the Ole Miss offense.

Luke along with Corral, junior linebacker Mohamed Sanogo and senior offensive linemen Alex Givens took the stage in Hoover this week.

Meanwhile in Starkville, second-year head coach Joe Moorhead took seniors Farrod Green and Darryl Williams along with junior linebacker Erroll Thompson.

Much like Ole Miss, the Bulldogs must replace quarterback Nic Fitzgerald and the entire fount four off a star-studded  defensive unit that was one if not the nation’s best.

Last season, Mississippi State ranked No.13 in the SEC in passing offense, but was No. 2 in rushing with 223 yards per game and can be just as potent this year.

The question is can the passing game be capable of complementing it in order for the ‘Dawgs be balanced?