Rebels Safety Tysheem Johnson Discusses Focusing On Fundamentals

Sophomore safety Tysheem Johnson emphasizes the importance of playing smart and tackling with good technique in preparation for his team's game against Kentucky.

OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss Rebels look to bounce back from a sloppy performance against Tulsa as they head into Week 5 of the 2022 season.

Ole Miss plays the No. 7 Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday morning in what looks to be its most challenging opponent so far. The Wildcats are the only ranked team the Rebels have had to prepare for.

The Rebel defense is going to be facing several explosive playmakers next week. Wildcats running back Kavosiey Smoke has rushed for 263 yards on 5.3 yards per carry and a touchdown this year. Wide receivers Dane Key and Tayvion Robinson have been consistently taking the tops off of opposing defenses.

Key has 15 catches, 241 yards and three touchdowns on 16.1 yards per catch this season while Robinson has 20 catches, 349 yards and two touchdowns on 17.5 yards per catch. He is coming off a monster game against Northern Illinois in which he had seven catches, 147 yards and two trips to the end zone.

Defensive back Tysheem Johnson is ready for the challenge and knows his defense has to come prepared.

“They have some very explosive receivers that can take the top off a defense,” Johnson said. “They have a good quarterback, so we have to be ready to stop the run and the pass.”

Last week against Tulsa, the Rebels had a few busted coverages and missed tackles.

“We just need to get back to the fundamentals,” Johnson said. “We are actually tackling after practice and focusing on hitting the bag. We need to make sure what happened last Saturday doesn’t happen this Saturday.”

Johnson doesn’t want the fact that the Rebels’ defense has a large amount of transfers to be an excuse, but he is aware that the group needs to play more games together.

“I feel like we are still a work in progress,” Johnson said. “We keep trying to improve every game.”

Ole Miss hosts No. 7 Kentucky on Oct. 1, and the game will have an early 11 a.m. kickoff on ESPN.

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