Weakest link? Nope, Ashanti Cistrunk and the Ole Miss linebackers aren’t buying it
Ashanti Cistrunk and his fellow Ole Miss linebackers have heard the chatter.
Their position group is the biggest question mark for a resurgent Rebel defense that rebounded in a big way last season and has only gotten stronger through myriad recruiting reinforcements.
A few of the NCAA Transfer Portal additions are considered potential plug-and-play starters.
One of them, Central Michigan’s Troy Brown, is competing directly with Cistrunk to start at middle linebacker. Ole Miss is attempting to replace four of its top five linebackers from last season, when the Rebels were 10-3 overall and reached the Sugar Bowl.
For starters, Chance Campbell and Mark Robinson are gone.
The pair finished first and second on the team, respectively, in total tackles in 2021.
But that’s just the tip of roster-red-alert iceberg.
Veterans Lakia Henry and Momo Sanogo have left, too. Campbell (Tennessee Titans) and Robinson (Pittsburg Steelers) are entering their rookie NFL seasons, while Henry exhausted his eligibility and Sanogo transferred to Louisville.
Even still, you can miss Cistrunk with any and all noise.
“We’re working hard every day,” Cistrunk, who had the fourth-most tackles (30.0) of any Rebel linebacker last season, said.
“We’re just going to let them say what they have to say. We know when we show up September 3rd what it’s going to be. We’re working hard every day.”
Ole Miss held five practices this week, the first of fall camp.
The Rebels closed out the week with their first session in pads, held Saturday. The defense had another good day, with Brown/Cistrunk sandwiched in between fellow starters Khari Coleman (outside) and Demon Clowney (joker). Coleman is a transfer from TCU.
This early, though, the linebacker depth chart is very much written in pencil.
“We’re just getting rotations, letting everybody get a feel for it,” Cistrunk said. Ole Miss opens the 2022 season against Troy September 3.
“We’re still just rotating. We don’t know who may start (or) who might start. We’re in a rotation. Everybody gets a piece of it (and) everybody has a chance.”
Cistrunk named three newcomers who have impressed him so far.
“The defense, we’re trying to show multiple things and have everybody all around. I feel pretty good about,” he said. “We’ll be able to show different looks.
“It’s a lot of guys standing out. Among the freshmen, Davison Igbinosun, he’s been standing out to me. Tyler Banks and Jaron Willis. All those guys.”
