Ole Miss defensive end Jared Ivey looks at strengths of Rebels’ defense, talks upcoming game vs. LSU: ‘…Every game we go in with our standard in mind’
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss defensive end and team sack leader Jared Ivey took the podium Monday to discuss the upcoming matchup against LSU in Baton Rouge and how the Rebel defense is hitting its stride.
Defense alllll over the place 🗣️@jared_ivey1595 | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/PeBFdn92Be
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) October 5, 2024
Improving as a team
At this point in the season a year ago in 2023, the Rebels had questions on the defensive side of the ball, most notably their lack of size on the interior. But head coach Lane Kiffin and defensive coordinator Pete Golding addressed that situation by building one of the more elite defensive fronts in the country in 2024.
Ivey believes the growth of younger guys who were on the roster a year ago has been one key to the defensive line’s success.
“I feel like the depth is a lot stronger than it was last year. We have some younger guys that are a lot more ready to play than they were last year…with the transfer situation, I think we are just a stronger group top to bottom at this time this year compared to last year.“
~ Ivey on the Ole Miss defense in ’24 compared to in ’23
So far, the new and improved Ole Miss defensive line has paid off as the Rebels lead the country in sacks through six games, with 24 total on the year. This past Saturday in Columbia, the Landshark defense sacked South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers six times. Ivey recorded two of those, giving him five on the year and the team lead.
The Rebel defensive end said his unit is just playing to their standard and there is not much motivation needed.
“I think every game we go in with our standard in mind and with our week of preparations, all the things we keyed in on that week. We just go out there and try to accomplish all of those points. Coach PG (Pete Golding) gives us things to focus on, like this is what they are trying to do and here is how we are going to combat it. With a defense like ours, it can be anybody’s night. It can be the defensive backs’ night, the linebackers’ night. It was the linebackers’ night. TJ (Dottery) had 13 tackles; I think Get (Perkins) had 13, as well. It can be anybody’s night.“
~ Ivey on the defense tallying six sacks against SC
The linebacker unit for the Rebels did in fact show up to play on Saturday, combining for 32 total tackles between the four of them. TJ Dottery and Suntarine Perkins both had career nights finishing with 12 tackles each, and the sophomore Perkins received high praise from Ivey on Monday for it.
“He’s kind of a plug-and-play guy. You say ‘how have I seen him improve’? Not much. He already was just a stud. He already could do everything you can possibly do on the field. I think the biggest stride that he took was mentally, trying to cut back on mental errors. Being a young player and having a huge role like he did last year, it’s tough to keep up but he is fully there and caught up. He’s close to being all the way actualized.“
~ Ivey on Suntarine Perkins
Perkins was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his work against the Gamecocks.
SEC Defensive Player of the Week 🦈@suntarine | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/3uP9JjQ9u0
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) October 7, 2024
Another member of the Rebel defensive front who had his best game of the season so far is highly-touted transfer, Walter Nolen. The defensive tackle recovered a fumble early in the game and also added a game-high 3 tackles-for-loss and a pair of sacks. For his efforts, Nolen was named SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week.
Ivey explained what it has been like playing next to a player like Nolen.
“He’s a really disruptive guy. It will be times when he’s not really making the tackle but making the play, really just shaking things up and moving the line of scrimmage to give other guys opportunities to make plays. Obviously, he’s making the ones that come to him. I feel like our defense fits well together, it’s kind of like a puzzle piece and he’s a huge part of that. When he does his job, we are really hard to stop.“
~ Ivey on Walter Nolen
SEC Co-Defensive Lineman of the Week 🦈@WalterNolenIII | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/FoeDcsw15b
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) October 7, 2024
Matching up in Baton Rouge
Despite winning 2023’s matchup in Oxford, the Ole Miss defense was carved up by the soon-to-be Heisman winner and 2nd overall NFL draft pick, Jayden Daniels. The Tigers’ quarterback threw for 414 yards and 4 touchdowns while also adding 99 more yards on the ground.
LSU will have a different signal-caller during the matchup this coming Saturday as Garrett Nussmeier will be behind center, coming in as the SEC’s second-leading passer behind Jaxson Dart. Ivey explained the Rebels’ game plan for the LSU pocket passer.
“He’s a good player (Nussmeier)…He’s got enough speed to go get a first down. We are just preparing for him to be a pocket passer with legs to go get a first down when he needs to. They do a good job of pushing the ball downfield; they have some fast receivers. Just trying to keep the top on the defense, get a rush so they (the secondary) don’t have to cover all day.“
~ Ivey on Garrett Nussmeier
Protecting Nussmeier Saturday will be one of the highest-graded offensive lines in the nation with two potential first-rounders at left and right tackle. Those players are right tackle Emory Jones Jr. and left tackle Will Campbell. Campbell is a projected top-five draft selection as of now.
The LSU offensive line has given up just two sacks so far this year — and neither of those sacks were allowed by a starting offensive lineman. With Ivey being a veteran on this Ole Miss team, the senior says the experience they already have against these elite tackles will be the key.
“They are really good players. They were freshmen the first year that I got here. We got some experience in this room playing them and knowing what they are good at, what they struggle with. We’re going to do a good job in the film study room to find our keys and our points of stress we can harp on. There’s no doubt those are two elite guys, though.“
~ Ivey on the LSU offensive tackles
The Rebels have not won in Baton Rouge since the 2008 season, coming up short the last two times in Death Valley despite having early leads. Ivey believes the 16-year drought is just something for the fans and everything the Rebels are concerned with is on the gridiron.
“It’s exciting. We have played in those environments before, and we have had success. At Kyle Field we had success, and we just had success playing on the road last week. We feel like everything we need to worry about is between the lines and that is what we are doing film study on and what we are focused on going into Saturday.“
~ Ivey on playing in Death Valley
Up Next
A pair of Rebel players will be available again this morning for press conferences as Ole Miss continues their week of preparation. On Saturday, Oct. 12th, the No. 9 (AP Top 25) Rebels will travel to Baton Rouge to take on the No. 13 Tigers at 6:30 pm CT on the ABC network.
Kameron Wicker
Kam is an undergraduate at Ole Miss, currently pursuing a degree in Journalism. Even though he's from Delhi, Louisiana, that didn't stop Kam from growing up a diehard Ole Miss fan. He's a sports guru who watches and follows all sports at all times. He lettered four years in football and baseball in high school and is an avid Saints, Pelicans, and Astros fan. In his free time, you can find him watching sports or at the rec participating in them.
