A lot of Ole Miss fans looked at last season’s 4-8 record as a disappointment. Head coach Ed Orgeron saw it as a steppingstone.

Half of the Rebels’ losses were by a touchdown or less, including overtime setbacks on the road against Alabama and LSU. The close losses, as well as a young team, have Orgeron optimistic about the Rebels’ chances in 2007, the coach said before speaking to the River City Rebels alumni group Monday night at the B’nai B’rith club on Clay Street.

&#8220We had 17 freshmen and 64 scholarship players. I think we are making improvement,” Orgeron said. &#8220We have to create depth so we can play better in the second half. I think that got us in some of those games last year. But to go into those stadiums and play well gives them confidence. We showed we were a play or two away from winning those close games.”

The schedule won’t be any easier this fall than it was last. Ole Miss will again open with Memphis on Sept. 1, and hosts Missouri before jumping into SEC play with Vanderbilt and national champion Florida on Sept. 22. The Gators do come to Oxford, but that won’t make it any easier.

&#8220Obviously, any time you play the national champion there’s going to be some excitement,” Orgeron said. &#8220We have to start fast. We have to be ready to go right away.”

Ole Miss will also have to replace a stellar linebacking corps that was the heart of a subpar defense. Conerly Trophy winner Patrick Willis was selected with the 11th overall pick of the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, and former Vicksburg High star Rory Johnson elected to turn pro after a strong junior season.

The duo combined for 231 tackles in 2006 – Willis led the SEC with 137 total tackles, and Johnson was sixth with 94. Willis was a senior and wouldn’t have been back anyway, but Orgeron said he felt Johnson could have used another year of college ball. Johnson was not selected in the draft and signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers.

&#8220It upset the apple cart,” Orgeron laughed when asked how Johnson’s departure would affect the 11th-ranked defense in the Southeastern Conference. &#8220If Rory would have stayed he could have been a big part of our defense. With conditioning … He came in in August and didn’t know the system and still played well.”

Orgeron wasn’t the only Ole Miss coach at Monday’s gathering. New women’s basketball coach Renee Ladner was a late addition to the program and also made a speech.

Ladner, who was an assistant at Ole Miss the past four seasons, assumed the head coaching duties when Carol Ross resigned. Ladner said she was hitting the banquet circuit to better connect with fans.

&#8220I’m just traveling around, getting an opportunity to talk about something near and dear to my heart, which is Ole Miss basketball,” Ladner said. &#8220It helps to be able to put the face to the name.”

Ladner will have a tough act to follow. Ross became an Ole Miss legend first as a player, and then as a coach. She also went out on top, leading the Lady Rebels to the elite eight last season. Ladner joked that fans will find out right away if she was ready to take over for her longtime friend and mentor.

&#8220I guess we’re going to find out,” Ladner said with a laugh. &#8220The good news is, the transition has been good. We have a good group of players and a good group of assistant coaches. We have a good nucleus of players, and that’s going to help.”