OXFORD — For all the good things No. 7 Ole Miss is doing this season, tackling is one that could stand to use some improvement.
After fairly solid tackling grades in the first four games of the season, Pro Football Focus has given the Rebels (7-0, 3-0 SEC) tackling grades of 44.9, 56.5 and 54.2 against Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Auburn, respectively. Their previous low was 65.2 against Tulsa. The rating is on a scale of 1-100.
Ole Miss missed 16 tackles against the Tigers and has 49 missed tackles total the last three weeks. The Rebels missed 40 tackles total over the first four games, though strength of competition and caliber of player in SEC play certainly didn’t help the Rebels’ cause.
That being said, junior defensive end Jared Ivey knows the team needs to be better by the time Ole Miss plays at LSU on Saturday afternoon.
“We just have to come play more physical, be able to make our checks, make our reads, and just go out there, play more violent,” Ivey said. “There’s a lot of things we do. We do bag work … we do a live period on Tuesday with the tight ends. So, just anything we can do to get some tackling in, we take full advantage of that time.”
Ivey has been consistent this season but took his game to the next level last weekend, culminating in SEC defensive lineman of the week honors. Ivey had a sack, forced and recovered a fumble against Auburn and leads Ole Miss with 3.5 sacks. He is Ole Miss’ highest-rated defensive lineman this season with an overall grade of 81, according to PFF. He also has the best pass rushing grade and is third on the team in pressures as well.
Ivey was also responsible for the crucial strip-sack of Kentucky quarterback Will Levis in a tight win over a then top-10 Wildcats squad.
“You get those first couple game jitters out and then, obviously, we’re getting adjustments in and we’re working hard throughout the week to prepare each week,” Ivey said. “ … And just trying to get better everywhere, just week by week.”
There is, however, the issue of who actually forced the fumble against Auburn.
Ivey and senior defensive end Tavius Robinson got to quarterback Robby Ashford almost simultaneously, to the point where it wasn’t immediately clear who jarred the ball loose. The two have been laughing about it, Ivey said.
“We have been fighting over it. Tavius, I feel like, loosened it, and then I, like, drove through the tackle and knocked it out, I feel like. He doesn’t feel like that,” Ivey said with a smile. “There’s an angle where it looks like it was all him, and then there’s an angle where it looks like it was me.
“ … We met at the quarterback. Party at the quarterback, doing our thing. So, either way it was a positive.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 31 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 31 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Join the Discussion