Kiffin: Ole Miss readying for Bama defense coordinated by Travaris Robinson, not Kevin Steele
Kevin Steele is listed as Alabama’s defensive coordinator.
But a Steele-led defense isn’t what Ole Miss is preparing for this week.
Fourth-year Rebel head coach Lane Kiffin said Sunday the Rebels (3-0) are working this Alabama (2-1) week as if Crimson Tide cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson will serve as Nick Saban’s primary defensive play-caller on Saturday.
The teams kicks off in Tuscaloosa at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.
“We’ve been against Kevin a number of times,” Kiffin said. “Worked with him at Alabama and against him at Auburn and LSU. There seems like there’s been a change there. I don’t know what happened after the Texas game, but our guys watching the TV copy and schematically in this last game, certainly seems like T-Rob’s now calling the defense.
“We played him before at South Carolina, so we’re preparing accordingly for him calling the defense. He’s done a good job, too, and they’ve got really good players.”
Ole Miss is coming off a 48-23 win over Georgia Tech, and Alabama a 17-3 win over USF.
The Rebels this week continued to climb in Top 25 polls. Ole Miss was No. 15 in rankings released Sunday by the AP. Alabama is No. 13.
“I thought the guys finished really well, especially offensively,” Kiffin said, in recapping the win over Georgia Tech. “Kind of opposite of last week’s game, Tulane game. Kind of sitting after the game thinking the same thing — good win, good finish. But weren’t pleased with how we executed on offense a week ago. We weren’t pleased how we played defensively.
“Give them credit. Georgia Tech’s offense played really hard and had some really good schemed stuff. Their coaches did a really good job. We’ve got a lot to work on. We didn’t tackle well, didn’t play really physical. Surprising, ‘cause that had not been an issue for the most part the first two games.”
