LIVE! From the Manning Center: Ashanti Cistrunk and the next step for the Ole Miss defense
The Ole Miss defense had its issues, too, but it was far down the list of reasons the Rebels laid an egg at Alabama last weekend.
The score was 7-6, in favor of the Rebels, at halftime. They turned over Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe and sacked him enough. Actually, they kind of made life in general difficult for the Crimson Tide on the day.
Of course, we all know what happened next, including a pair of back-breaking bust plays in the passing game that led to Alabama points, and, eventually, a 24-10 win. The Rebels fell to 3-1 (0-1 SEC) on the season.
“We’re capable of a lot,” Ole Miss veteran linebacker Ashanti Cistrunk said, when asked Tuesday of the defense’s next step. “I feel like the next step for us is completely shutting down the offense, and we’re able to do.
“After watching film from the ‘Bama game, like, it was small, mental mistakes. All we have to do is clean those up, and I don’t think anybody can mess with us.”
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Cistrunk and his defensive running-mates will certainly have to put it all together on Saturday.
Ole Miss — which fell five spots, to No. 20, in this week’s AP Top 25 poll — hosts No. 13 LSU at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN. The Rebels will be getting another shot at Tiger quarterback Jayden Daniels, who, last season in an LSU rout, dropped five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) on the heads of Cistrunk and his fellow Rebel defenders. Daniels is just the sixth quarterback in NCAA history to throw for 10,000 career yards and rush for 2,000 career yards.
“He’s developed a lot as a quarterback,” Cistrunk said. “He’s a very dynamic player. We’ve got to stop him in every way.”
Cistrunk was one of three players who met with local media on Tuesday. The others were wide receiver Jordan Watkins and linebacker Ladarius Tennison. Here’s all the trio had to say, in videos provided by Ole Miss Athletics.
