By james art It’s an odd statement for a football team led by coach Lane Kiffin, but defense appears to be the strength of the Ole Miss Rebels for 2024. Taking it a step further, it’s the defensive line that gets much of the credit.
Of course, Ole Miss’ secondary also has plenty of talent. Names like Trey Amos, Brandon Turnage and John Saunders Jr. are key in defending the Sky against SEC opponents.
But who is the best friend of the talented second? Fierce front seven.
Saunders was made available to the media earlier this week, where he discussed what it’s like to play behind a defensive line that includes tackles like Walter Nolen and JJ Pegues, as well as outside linebackers like Princely Umanmielen.
“It’s unbelievable, man,” Saunders said at a press conference. “The first few quarters [vs. Oklahoma]they held and got pressure, but the last couple of possessions, it was unbelievable. We had to cover about two seconds each time. It makes our guard work a lot easier and frustrates the quarterback and wears out their whole team.”
Last week against the Sooners, the Rebels racked up a whopping 10 sacks, including several late in the game that helped prevent an Oklahoma comeback. It was at these moments that Saunders and the secondary didn’t have to guess much; they knew that a pass comes with every play.
“Definitely, and with our front and how we stop the run every week, we always feel like a pass,” Saunders said. “We know the game is up to us. We have to make the play that comes to us.”
Ole Miss’ frontcourt and secondary will be tested in a new way this week, however, as they travel to face the Arkansas Razorbacks. Hogs quarterback Taylen Green is the definition of a dual-threat signal-caller, and defensive backs can be vital in slowing down his tackles.
“We have to use everybody on defense now to stop the run,” Saunders said. “We have to be mindful of the quarterback on every play. When we get a chance to hit him, we have to make him feel us.
“They’re a good attack overall. We just really have to focus on us and make sure we do our job. If all 11 of the defense are doing their job, we are a force to be reckoned with.”
Saturday’s kickoff between Ole Miss and Arkansas is set for 11 a.m. CT and will be televised on ESPN.