Senior linebacker Ashanti Cistrunk brings experience to Ole Miss defense and is using that to mentor 5-star freshman Suntarine Perkins
OXFORD, Miss. — When Ole Miss hired defensive coordinator Pete Golding in the offseason, the Rebels knew they were getting a tremendous recruiter. But probably Golding didn’t expect to have to recruit the players already on the roster.
But he did, including senior linebacker Ashanti Cistrunk. The Louisville, Miss., native had entered the transfer portal, but after several conversations with Golding, the 6-foot-1, 240-pounder decided to stay in Oxford and withdrew his name from the portal back in February.
“Me and coach Golding, we sat and actually talked a lot. And over time, I just figured that the position for me was to stay here and not go anywhere.”
Ole Miss linebacker Ashanti Cistrunk
It’s safe to say Golding is very glad Cistrunk stayed. Last season, Cistrunk tallied 72 tackles (28 solo), one pass deflection, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack — all of which were career highs — and forced a fumble.
He’s listed by PFF as the fourth-highest ranked returning SEC linebacker.
Highest graded returning SEC Linebackers🔥 pic.twitter.com/ezrbedTkIn
— PFF College (@PFF_College) June 19, 2023
Over the course of his four-year career in Oxford, Cistrunk has recorded 137 tackles (59 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, four passes deflected, one interception, two sacks and three forced fumbles in 48 career games. Experience like that is invaluable not only for the team, itself, but also for the younger players who can soak in all Cistrunk has to teach.
One of those younger players is Suntarine Perkins, Mississippi’s 2022 3A Player of the Year and 5-star linebacker– who Golding recruited the conventional way.
According to Cistrunk, his teammate from Raleigh, Miss., native has unlimited potential.
“Perkins, for a freshman, he’s progressing a lot. He’s a crazy athlete and he’s just got it all. I have kind of taken him under my wing to help him progress more and understand the defense more.”
Ashanti Cistrunk on Suntarine Perkins
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin agrees with Perkins’ potential and he looks to give him the freedom to grow as a player. The Rebels’ coach talked about the expectations surrounding a 5-star freshman.
“They are what they are. (It’s) no different than a first round draft pick and they’re not going to change them, so don’t worry about them. Worry about what you can control, which is preparing really well and learning the system and taking advantage of the opportunities you get, which he’s done so far.”
Kiffin’s thoughts on Suntarine Perkins
As for Coach Golding, he’s made it clear he appreciates the mindset of Mississippi players like Cistrunk and Perkins.
“I think that (Mississippi) mentality goes a long way and I think it carries over to defense,” Golding said. “That spot the ball mentality, put the ball down, we’re going to play. I don’t care if it’s the parking lot, the playoffs, it doesn’t matter. That’s just who we are. A lot of guys that’s ingrained in them at an early age in this state.”
Defensive Coordinator Pete Golding
So, with less than two weeks until the season opener, Golding is not only keeping his eye on the recruiting trail, he is on the field with his defense. He has made a connection with his players not only mentally, but also personally.
“He’s such a smart guy that he instills his knowledge into each and every last one of us,” Cistrunk said. “So we know the defense, the ins and outs, so it’s pretty great and he’s a funny guy. You’ve got to be in there with him. It’s hard to explain, he’s a funny guy.”
Kiffin believes Golding’s experience will only improve the Rebels on the defensive side of the ball.
“I think it’s really competitive when you have a scheme that’s been tested over a long time,” Kiffin said.
“I mean it’s a little variable difference from Alabama but similar to the Alabama/Georgia defensive structure. So that presents a lot of problems and has a lot of answers to the problems you present to them so that makes everybody better when you have that type of defensive structure.”
Lane Kiffin on Golding’s defense
Another thing that is helping the defense is going against the Ole Miss offense each day in practice. For the defense, it normalizes the experience of facing an uptempo pace.
“Our offense goes at an unrealistic in practice,” Cistrunk said. “So when it comes to game time, it won’t be anything new.”
Fortunately for Cistrunk and his teammates, the regular-season schedule is soon upon them as classes began Monday and we are just a few days from the first game week of the season.
“I’m actually ready for camp to be over,” Cistrunk said. “This camp schedule is tough, it’s hot outside but we’ve been getting after it out there and I’m feeling great going into the season.”
The Rebels take the field for real Sept 2. when Mercer comes to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Steve Barnes
Steve Barnes joins The Rebel Walk staff as a senior writer and brings a trifecta of journalistic experience. As a writer, he has covered college sports for Rivals.com, Football.com and SaturdayDownSouth.com as well as served as a beat writer for various traditional newspapers.
He has been a broadcaster for arena football and several national tournament events for the National Junior College Athletic Association as well as hosting various shows on radio.
A former sports information director at Albany (Ga.) State University and an assistant at Troy and West Florida, he has helped host many NCAA conference, regional and national events, including serving five years on the media committee of the NCAA Division II World Series.
Barnes, a native of Pensacola, Fla., attended Ole Miss in 1983-84, where his first journalism teacher was David Kellum. The duo has come a long way since that time.
He will bring a proven journalistic track record, along with a knack for finding the out-of-the-ordinary story angles to The Rebel Walk.
Barnes continues to reside in Pensacola a mere ten minutes from the beach because he does have taste and a brain.
