‘Young Savages’ growing up quickly for Rebels
Competition is fierce among DBs
The Clarion-Ledger USA TODAY Sports
Ole Miss entered preseason camp with several inexperienced safeties stepping into larger roles, but those “Young Savages” appear to have grown up quickly.
True freshman Myles Hartsfield and sophomore Zedrick Woods figure to start at strong and free safety, respectively, and true freshmen Deontay Anderson and Greg Eisworth and redshirt freshmen Montrell Custis and Armani Linton could play quite a bit.
“We call ourselves ‘Young Savages,’ ” Custis said. “We know one day it’s going to be like our secondary. We’re just back there just helping out the team.”
Hartsfield began impressing the coaching staff as soon as he enrolled in January, quickly gaining weight and being described by coach Hugh Freeze as a possible sleeper in the recruiting class.
Hartsfield beat out junior C.J. Moore for the starting role at strong safety before Moore went down with a possibly season-ending pectoral injury. Anderson will be Hartsfield’s backup.
“Myles puts me in the mindset of Mike Hilton,” nickel cornerback Tony Conner said, referring to the former Ole Miss defensive back who could play multiple positions. “He can play husky (nickel cornerback), he can play rover, and I think he can play safety or corner. I think he’s doing a great job with that coming in as a freshman and learning the defense as a young guy.”
Woods will start at free safety over junior C.J. Hampton, with Linton behind those two.
Those two young starters — as well as the rest of the young players — have developed in camp because of the most experienced member: Conner, a senior.
“Us young guys, we’ve got to fall in his footsteps,” Custis said. “Learn what he does all the time to add to our game so one day hopefully we can be either like Tony or even better. The older guys are setting a great example. They tell us what to do and we just fall in line.”
Junior A.J. Moore figures to be Conner’s primary backup, with Custis the third-stringer.
Those two might play a lot early in the season as Conner works his way back from two right knee surgeries. He recently described the injury as 90-percent healed but is confident Moore and Custis will cope.
“Montrell and A.J., they’re doing a great job,” Conner said. “They come in the film room every day. Those guys, they do a phenomenal job with (lining teammates up). They’re out there making plays as well. We just stay on each other just trying to do the right thing.”
All of those young players appear ready to fill their roles this season.
“Throughout fall camp, everyone in our room got better,” Woods said. “In our minds, we think we’re probably going to be the strongest group on the team.”