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Ole Miss LB Jaden Yates says the new-look Ole Miss defense benefits being 'thrown in the fire' in Week 2

11by: Jake Thompson14 hours agoJakeThompsonOn3
NCAA Football: Georgia St. at Mississippi
Aug 30, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels linebacker Jaden Yates (30) waits for the snap during the third quarter against the Georgia State Panthers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

This time last year Ole Miss was still three weeks away from playing its first Southeastern Conference game of the season, but this season it is preparing for its second SEC opponent in the first three weeks.

A massive shift in the schedule has the No. 17-ranked Rebels (2-0, 1-0 SEC) wading into the deep waters early in their 2025 campaign. Last week it left Kentucky with a 30-23 road win to open up SEC play and on Saturday Arkansas comes to Oxford.

Then after a step out of SEC play with Tulane coming to town next weekend it is No. 3 LSU coming to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 27.

None of these facts are new but for an Ole Miss team that is essentially brand new on both sides of the ball, minus four starters, this experience now is going to pay off as the season gets deeper.

“I think that was maybe a big thing, definitely for defense and the offensive side of the ball, as well,” linebacker Jaden Yates said on Tuesday. “A lot of new faces on each side of the ball. Kind of being thrown into the fire early on into this season, week two. I know they’re some teams out there who, I’m sure, might not start (conference play) until week three, four in whatever conference they be in.

“I think definitely in the long run we can look back in week seven, eight, nine, look over that game and go over the self-scout. What kind of needs corrected can kind of be corrected earlier on because of that instead of us having to deal with it later on down the road.”

The Ole Miss defense held Kentucky to a 33.3 percent success rate on fourth down attempts (1-of-3). The week prior Georgia State had a 50 percent clip (2-of-4).

Having the an increase in success on fourth-down defense against a SEC opponent in the experience bank is another thing to lean on for this unit as it continues to mesh.

“Get off the field, by any means. We view fourth down as essentially a turnover,” Yates said. “It’s the same, maybe not exactly the same, as a pick or a fumble. You’re getting the ball, probably most likely putting your offense in great field position. When we see the fourth down go up on the stick it’s all about getting off the field, making sure our offense doesn’t have to go the length of the field and it’s also a pride thing.”

Watch Jaden Yates full press conference from Tuesday below.

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