The Ole Miss pass defense had a tough time in Gainesville on Saturday.
The defense has performed well in all of the previous match-ups, but without junior safety Tony Connor, the secondary struggled in containing the Gator receivers and tight ends and allowed 271 yards through the air and four touchdowns.
With Connor out, the secondary is trying out a significant shift to try and make up for his loss.
“We struggled a little at the Huskie position the last couple weeks, not because of a lack of effort or having the experience Tony had, or the tackling skill or physicality,” head coach Hugh Freeze said. “We have struggled there a few times. We’ll probably bring Mike Hilton in there and see how it goes the next few weeks.”
Moving Hilton, a senior who has started at the Rover safety for each game this season, would completely change the other safety spots as well.
“We would put Trae Elston (at Rover) and C.J. Hilton would play free safety. Chief (Brown) would back up C.J. (Johnson), and we’d move Zedrick (Woods) back to Rover,” Freeze confirmed.
Elston said moving to Rover wasn’t a big deal, as he started there in each of his three previous seasons with the Rebels.
“You do whatever to help the team, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Elston said. “I think we’ll just have to see how it goes.”
Like Elston, Hilton also has experience at his new position, but unlike Elston, Hilton will be playing Huskie for the first time since his freshman year.
“I shouldn’t be too rusty, but that was two or three years ago, so I have to get back in the groove of things. And of course I have to be in the box more also,” Hilton said. “It’s a lot more to it.”
Hilton explained the move and how long the lineup could reflect that change.
“It was the defensive coaches’ decision,” Hilton said. “They try to get the best players on the field, and they were confident in A.J. (Moore). They still feel that he still has some work to do, so they’re moving me to Huskie for the week. And I’m going to be there until Tony (Conner) gets back.”
Hilton would be replacing sophomore A.J. Moore in the starting lineup and understands he has to keep helping Moore improve.
“It was tough on him. He felt like he’s been doing his job and everything, but he knows the game and he’s willing to do whatever,” Hilton said. “He knows I’m not a guy that’s really going to be like ‘I’m ready to take your position.’ I’m still going to be there to coach him and make sure he’s on top of it in case anything happens to me.”
Hilton was confident that the secondary would be able to handle the position changes.
“It’s not much of an adjustment because we work with each other,” Hilton said. “In film, we don’t just pay attention to one safety. We make sure we know all and movement happens. Now it’s time for other guys to step up at certain positions.”
