Just how much better did Ole Miss’ defense get in Year 1 under Pete Golding? A lot.

Dec. 1—OXFORD — While Year One under defensive coordinator Pete Golding wasn’t perfect, it was a step in the right direction for an Ole Miss team that recently lacked a firm defensive identity.

After starting the 2022 season 7-0, Ole Miss lost five of its final six games, including four in a row to end the season. The offense didn’t always hold up its end of the deal — particularly in the red zone — but the defensive collapses down the stretch were a big reason the Rebels stumbled to an 8-5 record and unranked finish.

Over the final seven games of the 2022 season, the Rebels surrendered 35 points per game. After giving up a total of 87 points over the first six games, Ole Miss gave up 245 over the final seven. Five of those final seven opponents scored at least 30 points, and three scored at least 40. While the per game average for the defense wasn’t particularly eyebrow raising — 25.5 points per game allowed was a solid 56th nationally — it came against a schedule that ranked 36th nationally according to ESPN’s College Football Power Index. That, according to the FPI, was the weakest schedule in the SEC.

Head coach Lane Kiffin decided to make a major change following the 2022 campaign, hiring Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding to take over for defensive signal caller Chris Partridge. Golding had a stellar resume with the Crimson Tide under Nick Saban, with his defenses surrendering less than 20 points per game in four of five seasons and ranking in the top-20 in points per game allowed each year.

Would that defensive style work outside Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with brand new players and fewer five-star recruits immediately on hand? After 12 games and a bowl game to come, the answer appears to be a resounding “yes.”

Despite facing a regular-season schedule that ranks fifth overall in ESPN’s 2023 FPI…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/just-much-better-did-ole-200500725.html

Author : Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo

Publish date : 2023-12-01 20:05:00

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