Deantre Prince was “glad to see” LSU storm the field Saturday. Further proof times have changed.
Deantre Prince could barely believe his eyes.
Fans poured in from the stands and onto the field merely minutes after Ole Miss suffered its first loss of the 2022 season Saturday at LSU. Sure, the outcome, on paper, was an upset. The Tigers were the lower-ranked team. Ole Miss went into Death Valley in the Top 10.
But rarely, if ever, has LSU celebrated in such a way when defeating the Rebels, who the Tigers have beaten 20 more times than they’ve lost in a series dating back to 1894. Ole Miss last won in Baton Rouge in 2008.
The times? They are a-changin’.
“Our attitude has changed,” Prince said this week. “I never experienced in 2019 (opposing fans) running onto the field after they beat us. It always felt like they knew they were going to beat us at that stage.
“But now, actually, I’m glad to see it, because they now know we’re coming. Every year we’re coming with something different, and we’re going to get better and better each year.”
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The fact there’s any disappointment at all after a 7-1 (3-1 SEC) start to the year is an example of shifting expectations.
Coaches, players and even fans are all in lockstep. Ole Miss controlled its postseason destiny and sat alone atop the SEC West just last week. The Rebels were even floated as a potential sleeper for the College Football Playoff.
No one batted an eye, either.
They still have everything in front of them, so long as they win. Up next is a road trip to Texas A&M (3-4, 1-3). Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
“I was very frustrated at the end of the (LSU) game,” Prince said. “But that’s a part of bodies breaking down (and) mentally not being locked into what we have to do and executing our job to the best of our abilities. You’ve got to be mentally strong. I feel like it was a mental thing. When we bust coverages we’ve been running all year, that just means you’re tired or you’re out of it or you’re just injured.
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“Our bye week is next week. We’ve gone eight straight weeks, no recovery. We’re recovering one day. A bye week is getting your body back, even though I feel like, all of us, we’re good. We’re not 100 percent how we could be.”
The primary reason Ole Miss is no longer undefeated is the recent struggles of the defense.
Prince is one of the few exceptions to the overall downturn in production. He’s the team leader with eight pass break-ups, and he’s also responsible for one of the team’s six interceptions on the year. He has 23 total tackles.
As such, he’s trying to step up and lead that much more as Ole Miss stares down the barrel of a tough slate to close out the regular season. Alabama, at Arkansas and Mississippi State follow Texas A&M and the bye.
“We’re trying to get back to that defense — having fun and not taking it as a drag,” Prince said. “Everyone at this point in the season, bodies start to tear down. We’re just trying to get back to that having-fun stage and execute better.
“A lot of leaders stepped up last year. We were expecting a lot of leaders to step up this year. We have (Ole Miss safety) AJ (Finley) to step up, but a lot of other guys are coming along, like myself. I’m trying to be more vocal with the guys and become great leaders and execute the right way.”
