OXFORD – The numbers might not give the best impression of Ole Miss’ rush defense so far in 2025. But there’s more to it than pure statistics, Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin said. And at the end of the day, Kiffin believes his run-stopping group is up to the task.
No. 17 Ole Miss (2-0, 1-0 SEC) returned just two starters on defense and has surrendered 30 total points over two games. While the pass-defense metrics are stellar – the Rebels are 18th nationally at 128 yards per game allowed – Ole Miss is last in the SEC and No. 113 in the nation at 181.5 rushing yards per game allowed. The Rebels were second nationally last season at 80.5 rushing yards per game allowed.
In a 30-23 win at Kentucky, Ole Miss surrendered 172 rushing yards, including 93 yards and two touchdowns to Seth McGowan. Georgia State ran for 191 yards in the opener.
Context is key, however, as Kiffin pointed out Monday. The Panthers, for example, ran for 76 yards in the fourth quarter of an Ole Miss blowout win against backups, 49 of which came on a single carry.
“A lot goes into those things. People get lost I think sometimes in statistics on certain things and, you have to understand that people play different games different ways,” Kiffin said. “Like, on the other side we were run heavy in the game and took the ball out of their (hands). … So, if you look, our passing numbers weren’t that big. I think sometimes on defense that can be misleading.”
This weekend will provide a new challenge in the form of Arkansas and dual-threat quarterback Taylen Green. The Razorbacks are fourth nationally at 591 yards of offense per game, including 257.5 yards per game on the ground. Ole Miss hosts Arkansas (2-0) Saturday at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
The Rebels defeated the Razorbacks 63-31 in Fayetteville, Arkansas last year, a game where wide receiver Jordan Watkins set school records with 254 receiving yards and five touchdowns while quarterback Jaxson Dart threw for 515 yards and six touchdowns. Arkansas has not won in Oxford since 2017.
Ole Miss added three former Arkansas players this offseason – sophomore defensive back Jaylon Braxton, junior tight end Luke Hasz and junior offensive lineman Patrick Kutas.
Green is tied for the national lead with 10 touchdown passes and is third in total offense at 376.5 yards per game. Green and running back Mike Washington average a combined 193.5 yards per game rushing on nearly 11 yards per rush each.
“We’ve done some really good things in the run game. Now, we missed some tackles and, also, we have backups in at the end of the first game where the long run goes,” Kiffin said. “And then we give up some safe-long rushing yardage at the end of the first half of this game. … We’ve lost contain a couple times and some big plays have happened, but we’ve also schematically done certain things for the opponent we were playing.”
Ole Miss junior wide receiver Cayden Lee, who led all Rebels returners with 57 catches and 874 yards a season ago, has three catches for 21 yards through two games; he had eight catches for 142 yards through two games in 2024. As was the case with the rush defense numbers, Lee’s production has been partially stunted due to the circumstances of the games, according to Kiffin.
“Sometimes that’s not play calls. There’s twice he’s been down the middle and Austin’s been hit both times trying to get him the ball for big, explosive plays, and we missed him on a third down,” Kiffin said. “So, sometimes – and we took the air out of the ball, so there’s not a lot of receptions for anybody last week, and even in that first game, those guys were out early. So, I wouldn’t think too much into that. He’s a great player and he’s going to make a lot of plays for us this year.”
Carneiro receives SEC honor
Ole Miss junior kicker Lucas Carneiro was named the Co-SEC Special Teams Player of the Week. Carneiro, a first-year transfer from Western Kentucky, hit 3 of 4 field goal tries in the Rebels’ win at Kentucky and is 5 of 6 overall this season.
Ole Miss-Tulane time announced
The Rebels and Green Wave will kick off at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 20 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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