Two years ago, when athletics director Ross Bjork informed defensive coordinator Dave Wommack and the rest of the Ole Miss coaching staff that they’d be opening the 2016 season with Florida State on a Monday night, he was ecstatic, until he figured out who the team played the next week.
“I said ‘man that’s great , that’s awesome’ then he said we play a 1-AA that next Saturday,” Wommack recalled. “I said ‘who is it’ and he said Wofford and I and I said ‘oh my gosh.’”
Why? because the Wofford Terriers run the triple option offense, and pose a unique set of problems for any defense with five to six different personnel groups and almost 90 different formations. It is difficult to defend. In fact, Ole Miss spent 3-4 days during fall camp learning how to defend it.
“They’re just so multiple in their formations,” Wommack said. “It’s about getting lined up and keeping it simple defensively.”
Ole Miss will need to be disciplined against an attack that you don’t see much anymore in major college football, but it can certainly bite you if you aren’t prepared.
“It’s cliché, but it’s putting your eyes in the right place and playing assignment football,” Wommack said. “We played some option in Georgia Tech three years ago, but the guys that are playing now haven’t done that, so the other thing is keeping it simple because we are in such a short window getting ready for the game.”
Despite giving up 45 points and over 400 yards passing last week, there was a bright spot on the Ole Miss defense and it was the defensive line. The line pressured freshman quarterback Deondre Francois, sacking him twice and were able to get off the field quickly. It was one of the biggest reasons Ole Miss took a double digit lead going into half time.
D.J. Jones dives to takle Dalvin Cook during Monday’s game against Florida State at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL. Jones mentioned as a defense, they love to stop the running game and look forward to this weekend against a heavily run-oriented Wofford offense. (Photo by: Cameron Brooks)
“The first half we played physical and we brought the fight to them,” senior defensive tackle D.J. Jones said. “The second half, as a defense we got complacent. As a team we got complacent.”
Part of it could have stemmed from fatigue. The Rebel defense was on the field for more than two thirds of the game, which can take a toll.
“It’s not frustrating when it’s for your team,” Jones said. “Turnovers happen, things happen. You’ve got to get on the field. They’ll (the offense) will be on the field more than us sometimes.”
But it did benefit from depth as it returned Issac Gross who missed all of last year with an neck injury.
“His get-off, I love watching it. I’d rather be on the sideline watching that,” Jones joked. “It’s exciting. He’s got the best get off in college football, there’s not arguing that.”
Wommack seemed to agree.
“Issac to me, Ive said this before, it’s so good to have him back Wommack said. “His explosion and getting off the ball is so critical to us. I thought our defensive line really played well in the game.
The defense will have a much different challenge this week as it takes on a heavily run-oriented team.
“As a defense we love to stop the run,” Jones said. “Stop the run and then you have fun, as they say. So, stop the run and let them pass the ball a few times and see what we can do in the air.”
