Last year Ole Miss safety Cody Prewitt put together a solid season, totaling 80 tackles as well as getting two interceptions. This year he has elevated his game to another level, as he is currently second on the team in tackles with 42 and is leading the SEC in interceptions with four, and the junior has been crucial to getting Ole Miss to a 4-3 start.
Prewitt listed several reasons for his jump in interceptions, including the help of defensive coordinator Dave Wommack.
“I have tried to focus on it,” Prewitt said. “I mean last year I should have had more interceptions, turnovers and stuff like that. Coach Wommack does a great job of setting up game plans and putting the players in the right place to make plays.”
Prewitt shared his keys to success in forcing these interceptions.
“I guess you can say it’s a little bit of instinct and intuition,” he said. “The more comfortable you get on the field, you kind of get a feeling of where the ball’s gonna be and where the play’s gonna go, the tendencies of the offense and where you need to make plays. It’s intuitive but also a lot of practice and repetition and knowing what they are doing.”
Head coach Hugh Freeze and Wommack both commended Prewitt’s play this season.
“He’s a leader of our defense, on the back end of it,” Freeze said. “He knows what we’re supposed to do, and he’s executed it. I think he’s had a really solid year. I think he’s the type of player you want from all aspects. He represents our program very well.”
Wommack thinks Prewitt’s ability to put in the work in the film room studying the game has helped him shape into the player he’s become.
“He’s so smart, and he doesn’t make a whole lot of mistakes. I’m proud of him,” Wommack said. “I think he’s a hard worker, he loves the game, he’s a competitor and he’s tough.
“He’s usually where he’s supposed to be, and I think that’s why he makes plays. He’s normally a good tackler, sometimes he struggles in space, but normally, he’s a good physical tackler.”
Prewitt’s interception in Ole Miss’ 27-24 win over then-No. 6 LSU this past Saturday was key for the Rebels’ victory, especially with an injury-plagued defense that relied heavily on young players filling the injured player’s roles.
“We really just had to get on the younger guys and say, ‘Look, y’all have to step up. You have to focus and have a great week of practice. You need to practice like you’re gonna play,’” Prewitt said. “We pushed our younger guys all week and even Saturday we made sure they stayed focused the whole game.
“They played each play the best that they could, and they have plenty of talent you know, all of them are gonna be great players. They just need someone there to push them and keep them focused and keep their mind on now.”
This week, Ole Miss gets a break from their tough Southeastern Conference schedule, as the Rebels face a much easier opponent in the 1-6 Idaho Vandals. Despite this, Prewitt feels the team needs to approach this game with the same intensity as a bigger game.
“I think this week instead of just trying to keep us healthy, we are really trying to push the full throttle on the season,” Prewitt said. “We need to turn it up a little bit, and I think that’s how we’re attacking the game plan. We’re treating them just like they’re another SEC team, like they’re another top ten team. That’s how we’re gonna prepare, and that’s how we’re gonna play them. I think that’s what you’re supposed to do.”
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