Cody Prewitt tackles Arkansas running back Jonathan Williams during the game. Photo: Austin McAfee, The Daily Mississippian
Fresh off a win against Troy and a re-entrance into the Top 25, No. 24 Ole Miss will face arguably one of their biggest challenges of the season when No. 8 Missouri comes to town. However, this will be a unique challenge for a Rebel defense that has been able to hold opponents to just over 370 yards per game. Missouri enters Saturday’s contest averaging just under 500.
“They are very similar in a lot of ways to what Troy does,” defensive coordinator Dave Wommack said. “Quarterbacks are more athletic and they have those big receivers, but the scheme reminds me a lot of Troy.”
Wommack said he believes it could be an advantage for the Rebels heading into Saturday.
“There is some carry-over,” Wommack said. “We are doing some different things as well, but absolutely some carry-over from the past.”
One thing that catches the eye of many viewers is the size of the Tigers’ receivers. Their top three pass catchers on the year: Marcus Lucas, Dorial Green-Beckham and L’Damian Washington stand 6’5, 6’6, and 6’4 respectively, and will be a huge threat in the Missouri passing game.
“We’ve got to play basketball and jump balls,” Wommack said of trying to defend them. “We’ve got to go up and get the ball. They do a great job, especially as a group. All of them are tall and they all go get the ball. It’s a nice group of receivers, its easy to see when you put on the film where the strength is.”
Lucas is the team’s leader in receptions with 46, while Washington is the team leader in receiving yards with 680. Green-Beckham and Washington are tied for the team lead with nine touchdown grabs apiece.
Co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach Jason Jones will have his hands full this week getting his group ready to go up against the Missouri aerial threat, but he said his guys are excited for the challenge.
“The good thing about it is that we have some wide receivers here with (Donte) Moncrief, Ja-Mes (Logan) and Vince (Sanders), and those guys have some size,” Jones said. “So we get a chance to go against each other quite a bit in practice. It is a thing we worked on today and we will continue to work on this week. When the ball is in the air you just have to high-point it and go get it. I think they are excited about it. Missouri has a good group of wide receivers.”
— Matt Sigler
mcsigler@go.olemiss.edu
