As football season approaches, everyone is predicting how many wins their team will get. For Ole Miss, there is little doubt they will put points on the board with head coach Hugh Freeze running the show, but how will they be defensively?
The Rebels have a lot of talent on that side of the ball, especially with the incoming freshmen that will likely be asked to make big contributions in year one.
But what could push the rest of the defense to the next level? The defensive line. There are question marks at both defensive end and tackle, but there is also a lot of potential.
At end, Ole Miss is led by junior C.J. Johnson, who had a big year in 2012, totaling 55 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. The Philadelphia, Miss., native is poised for an even bigger junior campaign, but an ankle injury that he suffered in spring practice could slow him down early on. He should be ready to go for the start of fall camp, but with ankles, you just never know.
Senior Cameron Whigham is the next returning player at defensive end. Last year, Whigham started in 11 games and had 27 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. He’s not the flashiest player, but he gets the job done.
This fall, a lot of eyes will be on sophomore defensive end Channing Ward to see what kind of progression he has made. Ward, who had 21 tackles as a freshman, was at a disadvantage last season after getting cleared from the NCAA clearinghouse just a week before the season opener. However, he showed a lot of athletic ability and seemed to make more of an impact at the back end of the season. Year two in the system should mean he will play faster and make the impact everyone has been waiting for.
The Rebels will also be anxious to see how big of a contribution freshman Robert Nkemdiche will make at end. The consensus No. 1 overall recruit was the headliner of Ole Miss’ big recruiting class in February, but now he will have to prove his rating on the field.
Junior defensive end Carlos Thompson will also look to get into the rotation after redshirting in 2012. Thompson has yet to live up to the hype that surrounded him coming out of high school, but a year to focus on getting bigger could prove to be the difference.
Senior D.T. Shackelford and redshirt freshman Temario Strong are two linebackers that could slide down to defensive end for a few snaps. Shackelford is coming off two ACL surgeries that held him out of action the past two seasons.
At defensive tackle, the Rebels will be forced to replace some big bodies, but the top returner is sophomore Issac Gross. The South Panola product was a force in his first year in Oxford, racking up 40 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Ole Miss will also look for junior college transfer Lavon Hooks to play himself into the starting lineup early on at defensive tackle. Hooks was the among one of the top junior college players last season, tallying 51 total tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks last year at Northeast Mississippi Community College.
Juniors Bryon Bennett and Carlton Martin as well as sophomore Woodrow Hamilton will also be in the defensive tackle rotation.
Analysis
The defensive line is filled with talent, but their success will rely on their ability to stay healthy. It’s not as deep of a unit as the Rebel coaching staff would like, but it has the ability to be very good.
Last season, Ole Miss finished the year fourth in the nation in tackles for loss (7.92 per game) and 11th in sacks (2.92 per game). Those numbers should rise with the returning talent.
They lost a lot inside with Gilbert Pena and Uriah Grant graduating, but Hooks should be able to contribute in a big way this year. Also, Gross could be ready to have a breakout year after spending an entire offseason in the weight and conditioning program. Add some more weight to that quick first step he has, and that is a scary combination for any offensive lineman to deal with.
Johnson’s ankle shouldn’t give him problems, and teams won’t be able to double-team him if Ward and Nkemdiche can be the playmakers they are expected to be. If those two guys have the light bulb go on early, this defensive line will give opponents all they can handle.
It may take a few games into the season to see exactly how good this unit can be, but with a young secondary, I see them carrying the Rebel defense to their second-straight winning season.
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