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, 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.”

Fisher went on to compliment Ole Miss for its ability to line up in an array of formations, both on offense and defense. The Rebels keep their opponents guessing, so Fisher said the only way to prepare is to “really study and examine how they do it and what they do.”

Perhaps the toughest task for the Aggies will be stopping Matt Corral, the Ole Miss quarterback who’s vaulted himself into Heisman Trophy consideration and should easily be a top-10 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Corral provides a tough matchup for defenses not just because of his ability to find his receivers in stride, but also because of his ability to run the ball.

Saturday marks the second consecutive game in which Fisher is tasked with stopping a dual-threat quarterback, and last week, against Auburn, he had no problem containing Bo Nix. Nix completed under 50 percent of his passes for just 153 passing yards and an interception, all while being rendered useless as a rusher. Fisher said that Texas A&M will have a similar approach as it looks to stop Corral.

“You’re going to have to do the same thing,” Fisher said, when asked how his gameplan for Auburn translates to his gameplan against Ole Miss. “That guy can beat you with his legs. He’s athletic. Now, they probably have as many called or planned runs as anybody. … [Corral] keeps plays alive, and let me tell you, he can shoot that ball down the field, too. It’s going to have to be a lot of the same principles, no doubt.”

Corral through Ole Miss’ first nine games leads the team in both passing and rushing; a budding star in Kiffin’s offense, Corral has completed nearly 67 percent of his passes for over 2,500 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Meanwhile, he supplements it with a team-best 528 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns.

As Kiffin fields a much-improved Ole Miss team against Texas A&M, Fisher tipped his cap to the Rebels’ head coach, who he commended for his ability to seemingly turn around the program in just his second season at the helm.

“They’ve gotten better. The team fits in. Of course, [due to COVID-19], they didn’t have spring ball the year before. But their numbers last year were crazy,” Fisher said. “Lane is a great offensive mind. He’s a very good offensive mind. Their OC is a great offensive mind, they combine well, they do as good a job as anybody.”