Ole Miss defense builds off 2021
Rebels allowed just 24.7 points per game
OXFORD — Ole Miss football finally got its defense where it needs to be last season. This spring, the goal is finding ways to keep it there.
After allowing an Sec-worst 38.3 points per game in 2020, the Rebels defense allowed just 24.7 points per game in 2021. That 13.6 points per game difference was the second-biggest turnaround of any Power 5 team last season, behind only Big Ten champion Michigan, and the biggest year-over-year turnaround any SEC team has experienced since the league expanded to 14 teams in 2012.
"There's a standard now," junior defensive tackle Isaiah Iton said.
Setting the standard wasn't easy. Keeping the standard will be even harder. The Rebels lost eight of their 12 leading tacklers from last season. That list includes last year's leaders in sacks, tackles for loss, quarterback hurries, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.
Lane Kiffin and his Ole Miss staff have seemingly revamped the defense the same way it was built originally. None of the stalwarts on the 2021 defense — Sam Williams, Chance Campbell, Mark Robinson, Jake Springer — started their college careers at Ole Miss. Williams came from junior college, Robinson came from an FCS school and Campbell and Springer entered via the transfer portal.
Looking at the defense this spring feels like looking at that squad in a funhouse mirror. Transfer portal adds are everywhere. Defensive linemen Jared Ivey and JJ Pegues. Linebackers Troy Brown and Khari Coleman. Defensive backs Ladarius Tennison and Isheem Young.
Throw in junior college linebacker Reginald Hughes and freshman defensive backs Davison Igbinosun and Jarell Stinson and the list of new faces almost outnumbers the returning contributors.
"We're getting a lot of new moving parts," Kiffin said. "We go out there at times and it's like Transfer U on defense. That's a work in progress."
Defense has been the big winner in scrimmages so far and it will be something to watch during the spring game on Saturday (noon, SEC Network+). The pass rush has lived in the backfield and the secondary has made a habit of intercepting quarterbacks Luke Altmyer and Jaxson Dart. The Rebels are thin at linebacker because of injuries and the transfer portal, but three freshman reinforcements will arrive in the summer to help with depth.
Kiffin does add the caveat that injuries on offense have made it hard to give the defense a proper look. This is particularly true in the secondary, where Ole Miss veterans like A.J. Finley and Tysheem Johnson have thrived against young, inexperienced receivers running with the first team.
The looks might not be great, but the defense is still treating every big play like it's a victory.
"The defensive room, they want guys to have fun doing what they love," junior defensive lineman Jamond Gordon said. "Get a sack, go celebrate with your team. There's some stuff you've got to celebrate. It's stuff like that we choose to come together and celebrate."
Gordon said fun is one of the keys to keeping last year's success alive. Another is remembering the lessons imparted by some of the Rebels' past leaders. With Williams, Campbell and Robinson gone, Gordon said everyone has taken a step forward with being vocal, but Finley has been the central figure taking over leadership duties.
The 2021 season was Gordon's first since coming to Ole Miss as a junior college transfer. He and Iton signed with the Rebels when they were coming off a stretch of five bad defensive seasons. Now they head into their junior seasons on the longest active Power 5 streak of games allowing 21 points or fewer.
The lesson? Treasure every day. "Playing around the guys we had last year, you only have that team for one year," Gordon said. "There's no telling that everybody's going to come back or knowing who's going to transfer. You can't take those moments you have with each other for granted. You have to build while you can."
Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or nsuss@gannett.com. Follow @nicksuss on Twitter.