Ole Miss found itself in a battle against the unranked Arkansas Razorbacks until very late in the fourth quarter. Chalk it up to a hangover from the LSU game, or playing down to the level of their opponents, but the Rebels escaped the fierce battle to move to 5-1 on the season.
Through all the struggles, though, there were many things that stood out in fairly positive ways that Ole Miss fans can look forward to going into the bye week.
Defense with an impressive first-half stand
The Rebel defense stepped up tremendously after giving up a season-high 49 points to LSU last weekend. Arkansas’ monstrous backfield consisting of quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders were well contained and had to battle for every inch in the run game.
Ole Miss allowed only one touchdown in the first half and kept the Razorbacks under 50 yards rushing. The Rebels stepped up when it mattered most and made plays to keep their team in the game.
For the first time this season, the Ole Miss defense outplayed the offense, which largely struggled all night. This is a good sign to get a defensive performance like this under their belt before travelling to Auburn in two weeks.
Quinshon Judkins is adjusting
Sophomore running back Quinshon Judkins has been a known force in the Southeastern Conference, yet he has had a slow start to the 2023 season.
Every week he has increased his impact on the Rebels offense in a stacked backfield. Judkins opened up the night by scoring on fourth and goal from the wildcat position, a play the Rebels have turned to more and more.
This same play would be used throughout the game during fourth down situations, and Judkins converted nearly every time. Shortly after a fourth down conversion in the fourth quarter, Judkins erupted for a 34-yard rush that reignited the stadium. Ole Miss would score on that drive, which was carried on the back of Quinshon Judkins.
The moral of the story is that Judkins is being used in a variety of different ways compared to last season. It has taken a bit of time to see production, but the star-studded RB has strung together a nice stretch of good games as of late.
Offensive Adaptability
Ole Miss’ offensive play calling has been under immense criticism this season being led by Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., but Weis has generated a masterful two weeks of football ranging back to the LSU game.
The Rebels’ offense has been operating like a well-oiled machine, and they were especially efficient against the Razorbacks, despite how choppy the game may have looked.
Instead of going to its usual strategy, Ole Miss adapted and created new opportunities to score. The coaching staff put the team in new formations, and old plays were refined throughout the course of the game.
It will always be exciting to see what Weis and Head Coach Lane Kiffin cook up every week for this extremely talented Ole Miss team.
