opponent preview: Ole Miss defense

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Auburn opponent preview: Ole Miss defense

ByJason Caldwell

5-6 minutes

4-star DL Khurtiss Perry in action

One of college football's worst defenses in 2020, the Ole Miss Rebels have taken significant strides forward this season and are coming off perhaps their best performance of the year in a 31-17 win over LSU last Saturday when the Tigers ran for just 77 yards and finished with just 326 yards of total offense. 

After allowing 519 yards of total offense last season, the Rebels are giving up 422 yards per game in 2021. While the improvement has shown up in the numbers, in four SEC games Ole Miss is allowing 480 yards and 34 points per game with teams averaging 214.8 yards on the ground with 11 touchdowns in four games. Prior to the LSU game, the Rebels allowed 210 yards and four touchdowns to Alabama, 350 yards and four touchdowns to Arkansas and 222 yards and a pair of scores to Tennessee.

Even with the struggles at times, the Ole Miss front four is much improved with more depth and size than in recent years. There is a definite Alabama flavor to the group for the Rebels with senior Sam Williams the playmaker of the group with a team-high seven and a half sacks. The Montgomery native is a 6-4, 265 senior and a game changer off the edge.

On the other side is 6-3, 255 sophomore Cedrick Johnson with junior KD Hill (6-1, 310) from Eufaula High School the middle as the nose tackle. Junior college transfer Isaiah Iton (6-2, 295) is listed as the starter at defensive tackle with another Alabama native, 6-4, 325 junior Jalen Cunningham, one of the top reserves for the Rebels. Another top reserve is former Auburn signee Jamond Gordon (6-2, 290, So.).

The linebacker position is one of the most improved of any unit in the Southeastern Conference with the addition of Maryland transfer Chance Campbell in the middle. The 6-2, 240-pounder leads the team with 56 total tackles this season and is second with four sacks. Veterans Lakia Henry (5-11, 230, Sr.) and MoMo Sanogo (6-1, 230, Sr.) provide experienced voices on that side of the ball for the Ole Miss defense at linebacker. Also a key player is 5-11, 235 senior Mark Robinson. A transfer from Southeast Missouri, Robinson has 51 tackles and a pair of sacks. 

One of the stars on defense for the Rebels has been nickel Otis Reese. The 6-3, 215 senior and Georgia native is second on the team with 54 total tackles and also has a forced fumble to his credit. Behind him is athletic 5-9, 205 true freshman Tysheem Johnson, who has 36 tackles and one interception.

In the secondary senior safety Keidron Smith (6-2, 210) has been the top playmaker for the Rebels with 37 tackles and a team-high two interceptions. Mobile native A.J. Finley (6-2, 210, Jr.) has 43 tackles and a forced fumble as the starter at free safety for the Ole MIss defense. Outside, the Rebels have solid size at cornerback with starters Jaylon Jones (5-11, 200, Sr.) and Deane Leonard (6-0, 195, Sr.) along with reserve Miles Battle (6-4, 205, Jr.). 

Preview of the Ole Miss Offense

DE 

33 Cedric Johnson (6-3, 255, SO-1L, Mobile, Ala., Davidson)

97 Jamond Gordon (6-2, 290, SO-TR, Meridian, Miss., East Miss. CC)

22 Tariqious Tisdale (6-5, 290, SR-3L, Lexington, Tenn., NW Miss. CC)

DT 

96 Isaiah Iton (6-2, 295, SO-TR, Houston, Texas, Hutchinson CC)

60 Jalen Cunningham (6-4, 325, JR-2L, Odenville, Ala. St. Clair County) 

NT 

55 KD Hill (6-1, 310, JR-3L, Eufaula, Ala., Eufaula) 

94 Quentin Bivens (6-3, 305, JR-3L, Waynesboro, Miss., Wayne County)

DE 

7 Sam Williams (6-4, 265, SR-2L, Montgomery, Ala. NE Miss. CC)

95 Tavius Robinson (6-7, 265, SR*-1L, Guelph, Ontario, Guelph)

90 Tywone Malone (6-4, 310, FR-HS, Jamesburg, N.J. Bergen Catholic)

OLB 

0 Lakia Henry (5-11, 230, SR-2L, Vidalia, Ga., Dodge City CC) -

OR35 Mark Robinson (5-11, 235, SR-SQ, Leesburg, Ga., Southeast Missouri)

36 Ashanti Cistrunk (6-1, 230, JR-2L, Louisville, Miss., Louisville)

MLB

 44 Chance Campbell (6-2, 240, SR*-TR, Ellicott City, Md., Maryland)

46 MoMo Sanogo (6-1, 230, SR*-4L, Plano, Texas, Plano West)

11 Austin Keys (6-2, 240, FR-RS, Collins, Miss., Seminary)

NB 

3 Otis Reese (6-3, 215, SR*-1L, Leesburg, Ga., Georgia)

27 Tysheem Johnson (5-9, 205, FR-HS, Philadelphia, Pa., Neumann Goretti)

4 Tylan Knight (5-7, 175, SR*-3L, Pearl, Miss., Pearl)

CB 

31 Jaylon Jones (5-11, 200, SR-5L, Allen, Texas, Allen) -

OR5 Deantre Prince (6-0, 180, JR-TR, Charleston, Miss., NE Miss. CC)

SS 

1 Jake Springer (6-1, 205, SR-SQ, Kansas City, Mo.)

20 Keidron Smith (6-2, 210, SR*-3L, West Palm Beach, Fla., Oxbridge)

FS 

21 AJ Finley (6-2, 210, JR-2L, Mobile, Ala., St. Paul’s Episcopal School)

25 Trey Washington (5-10, 205, FR-HS, Trussville, Ala., Hewitt-Trussville)

CB 

24 Deane Leonard (6-0, 195, SR-1L, Calgary, Albert, Calgary)

6 Miles Battle (6-4, 205, JR-3L, Houston, Texas, Cy Creek)

4COMMENTS

28 Markevious Brown (5-10, 180, FR-HS, Pahokee, Fla., IMG Academy