Ole Miss safety Trey Washington says execution was the key versus Arkansas
What a difference a week made for the Ole Miss defense.
The difference between the defensive effort against LSU, who scored 49 points and rolled up 640 yards of offense, and Arkansas, who could only manage 20 points and a little over 300 yards, was night and day.
Granted, LSU’s offense is extremely potent, one of the best in the nation, but Arkansas – with headliners K.J. Jefferson and Rocket Sanders – is no slouch when they possess the ball.
So what put the Ole Miss defense over the top against the Hogs, who just two years ago with Jefferson at the helm put up 51 points on the Rebels and scored in the 40s last year?
“We executed better,” said junior safety Trey Washington. “We took advantage of the opportunities that came to us. When there were plays to be made, we made them most of the night, especially against the run.
“We also had two interceptions and 4 or 5 sacks. We disrupted what they wanted to do most of the night.”
Coaches talk about it constantly – execution. All coaches can do it put players in position to make plays – the players have to carry out their assignments and make the plays.
The Ole Miss defense did against the Razorbacks.
So far, Trey is happy with the defense, provided they continue to improve.
“Last week, we emphasized cutting back on penalties and executing our assignments and we did better in those areas,” he noted. “I am confident in where we are as a defense. We have a lot of guys playing at a high level and as long as we keep working and improving each week, we will be a good unit.”
Washington is the leading tackler for the Rebels halfway through the season with 42 stops, 2 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.
“I didn’t even know I was at the top. I’m just trying to be the best player that I can be and help the team anyway I can,” he said modestly. “I’m just looking to improve and trying to do my part to make sure the defense keeps improving.”
Related: ‘He calls you out’: Lane Kiffin challenged the locker room the last two weeks. Ole Miss responded
Fellow safety Daijahn Anthony, a transfer from Liberty, has also left his mark in the Rebel secondary with 23 tackles, 5 passes broken up and an interception and yet another safety, John Saunders, Jr. has 32 tackles, a pick and 5 PBU.
“I’m not surprised with either of them,” Washington said. “They have been elite since they have been here. They just make plays and that’s what playing in the secondary is all about – playmaking. Daijahn comes to work every day and has been a leader in the workout room since he has been here. John too.
“When you come to do your work every day, those guys usually produce in games.”
The bye week will be mostly about Ole Miss, not the next opponent – Auburn – yet.
“We will just be correcting our mistakes, resting some, healing some, focusing on us for now,” Washington continued. “We will have some install this week, but mostly it’s about us.”
Asked where the Rebs are right now compared to where they thought they would be, Trey chuckled and said the obvious of the 5-1 Ole Miss record.
“We thought we’d be undefeated,” he smiled. “We are one game short of our goal, but it is what it is and we just have to keep fighting and improving.”
