Mississippi defensive back Senquez Golson (21) watches a replay during the second half an NCAA college football game against Alabama in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014. The replay showed a Mississippi interception to stop a potential Alabama scoring drive late in the fourth quarter. Ole Miss won 23-17. (DM Photo | Cady Herring )
Perhaps the strength of the surprising Ole Miss football team is the defense. Ranked second in the nation in total defense, the secondary has been a huge part, intercepting the second most passes in the country with 12. Cornerbacks coach Jason Jones spoke to the media Wednesday to discuss the secondary’s performance this year.
“I’m pleased with them. They come in to practice everyday ready to work,” Jones said. “They come spend extra time watching tape and things like that, and it’s starting to carry over on gameday.”
One of the big reasons for the improvement in the secondary is senior cornerback Senquez Golson. While his coaches have stated that he has had less effort and off-the-field concerns in the past, this year they’ve said that he’s bought in to the program, and it shows on the field. Golson is second in the NCAA with five interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.
“He would show flashes of his athletic ability at times, and we had a long talk this spring and before fall camp, and I just asked him just to commit himself and do the right things off the field also,” Jones said. “Putting the extra time in, studying tape, and he’s done those things, and he’s having the success that he’s having now. He’s doing all the little things right, and it’s starting to come together for him.”
Also helping the secondary is the emergence of freshman cornerback Kendarius Webster, who saw significant time last week against Texas A&M after starting corner junior Mike Hilton had to play safety in place of the suspended junior Trae Elston.
“In practice, in fall camp, we put (Webster) up against Laquon (Treadwell) just to see how he would hold up and things like that, and at times, he held his own,” Jones said. “I think if he continues to work the way I think he will, he’s going to end up being a really good player for us.”
Hilton will move back to his cornerback role this week, but Jones said that Webster being able to step in and start at cornerback, if necessary, is big for the defense.
“It just gives us flexibility with different things that we may want to do down the road and also if an injury occurs or something like that, we can put Mike back at Rover and put Kendarius in at corner, and we can keep going defensively and won’t miss a beat,” Jones said.
The secondary has had multiple injuries already with junior safety Chief Brown, and cornerbacks junior Carlos Davis and sophomore Tee Shepard, a junior college transfer expected to contribute a lot this season.
“Tee is physical for a corner. He also has really good ball skills. Before he got hurt, going into fall camp, I think he had like four or five interceptions,” Jones said. “He’s long and rangy, and he can go up and play the ball when it’s in the air going against those big wideouts and things like that, so he would’ve been a huge asset to us if he could play.”
Shepard tore a tendon in his big toe during fall camp and had surgery to repair it but will miss the entire season.
“The reports that we’re getting from our doctors is that he’s going to recover 100 percent. He’s going to come back, and everything’s going to be fine,” Jones said. “I know that he’s working out already, I think, in his rehab. He’s jogging and things like that. He says it feels great, so we’re expecting a full recovery.”
