Lane Kiffin compares Texas A&M defense to NFL unit

Heading into Saturday night’s SEC showdown between Ole Miss and Texas A&M, the Aggies’ defense is allowing under 15 points and 320 yards per game. When giving his thoughts on the defense his team is about to face, Rebels’ head coach Lane Kiffin had nothing but good things to say.

“It really looks like when you watch NFL defenses where basically everybody’s a really good player that looks right,” Kiffin said Monday of Texas A&M’s defense. “A lot of times you go to play somebody and you can tell right away after a few series, ‘OK, this player shows up as a weakling, or this player’s short, or they’ve got a small D-tackle’ … something like that.

“I was watching [the film] thinking Jimbo [Fisher] figured out coach [Nick] Saban – recruit the best defensive players in the country, get them on your team and it helps you be a really good head coach. That’s what these guys have. Really, really special players that are dominant.”

Looking at Texas A&M’s defense, the Aggies have six different players with 40 tackles or more – led by graduate linebacker Aaron Hansford, who’s registered 64 total tackles, seven tackles-for-loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery through nine games in 2021. Just behind him is sophomore defensive back Antonio Johnson with 58 tackles and five tackles-for-loss.

While holding their opponents to the aforementioned impressive numbers, the way Texas A&M’s defense has performed this year is a big reason why Fisher’s squad is 7-2 overall and 4-2 in SEC play. And although it puts up 37.8 points and 524.2 yards itself, it’s no secret that Ole Miss’ offense will be tested by the Aggies.

Jimbo Fisher explains challenges of defending Ole Miss’ offense

After its midseason win over Alabama, Jimbo Fisher’s Texas A&M Aggies are still in contention in the SEC West; though their SEC Championship game hopes may fall in the hands of Alabama dropping a game unexpectedly, Fisher is doing everything in his power to ensure that the Aggies don’t do the same.

The first task for Fisher will be stopping Lane Kiffin’s offense as Texas A&M travels to Ole Miss Saturday and brings College Gameday along with it. No. 11 Texas A&M opened up as a slight, one-point favorite over the home No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels in what projects to be a very even-keeled matchup.

“We’re getting better, and we better be. Because we play a heck of a team this Saturday,” Fisher said Monday in Texas A&M’s press conference. “Playing up [at Ole Miss] is tough. That night game is tough. They’re playing really well. Offensively, they’re outstanding. Their quarterback is a great player, offensive line does a really good job, their skill guys — they can run. You’d think they [only] throw the ball but their run numbers are through the roof. They can run the football up front.”