Defensive Notebook: Rebels Shut Down Central Arkansas in Week 2

The No. 22 Ole Miss Rebels did not give the Central Arkansas Bears a fighting chance on Saturday.

Carleigh Holt-The Grove Report

OXFORD, Miss. — The Ole Miss Rebels beat the Central Arkansas Bears 59-3 on Saturday night in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium thanks to a dominant showing from the Landshark defense.

The Rebel defense got off to a scorching hot start, allowing zero points and just 79 yards of total offense in the first half. Ole Miss went into the locker room at halftime with a comfortable 31-0 lead over Central Arkansas. 

Ole Miss safeties Otis Reese and Tysheem Johnson were all over the field Saturday night and led the Rebels in tackles with five each. Ole Miss linebacker Troy Brown and defensive lineman Tywone Malone also recorded five tackles versus Central Arkansas. 

Brown also led the team in pass breakups with two. 

For the second week in a row, Ole Miss linebacker Khari Coleman led the team in TFLs. Against the Bears, the junior out of New Orleans, La., recorded two total tackles, a half sack, and 1.5 TFLs. The former TCU Horned Frog continues to find his way into opposing backfields. 

Ole Miss safety Isheem Young led the Rebel defense in interceptions versus the Bears, snagging his first pick of the season at the end of the first half. 

Ole Miss safety Ladarius Tennison led the Rebels in sacks in Week 2 with one takedown.

Tennison also recorded the first defensive touchdown of his career, scooping up a bad punt snap and taking it to the endzone. Tennison spoke with reporters after the game about the dominant performance from the Ole Miss defense.

"We just played our scheme and techniques and were prepared," Tennison said.

The Ole Miss defense surrendered 182 total yards of offense and just nine first downs against Central Arkansas. 

Ole Miss is undefeated going into its first road game of the season in Week 3. The Rebels will travel to Atlanta, Ga., to take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 2:30 p.m. CT.

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You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.

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