OXFORD, Miss. — Lane Kiffin’s view of Oklahoma’s defense this week sounded less like coachspeak and more like acknowledgment of a program hitting its stride under Brent Venables.
At least that’s how the Rebels’ coach avoided any headline-grabbing attention of the Sooner’s defense. He probably sees them as enough trouble without extra motivation.
Ole Miss, ranked No. 8 in the latest Associated Press poll, visits No. 13 Oklahoma on Saturday for an SEC matchup expected to test both lines of scrimmage.
The Sooners lead the nation in total defense, allowing only 213 yards per game, nearly four fewer than second-ranked Ohio State, and have been dominant against both the pass and the run.
“They’ve got great players now that he’s had a couple of years to get these guys in there and get them trained and coached,” Kiffin said Monday. “They’re playing better than any defense in the country. They’ve basically shut everybody down. Phenomenal.”
Venables, now in his third season back in Norman, has reestablished the Sooners’ defensive identity after years of offensive flash overshadowing inconsistency on the other side. The Sooners rank third nationally in rushing defense (80.4 yards per game) and lead the country with 28 sacks, tied with Western Kentucky.
Senior edge rusher R Mason Thomas anchors the group with 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. Redshirt sophomore Taylor Wein has added 3.5 sacks, and sophomore Jayden Jackson has chipped in three.
The defensive line’s depth, Venables said this week, is the product of sustained player development and the willingness of younger contributors to embrace physical football.
“We’ve recruited to a standard,” Venables told reporters in Norman. “Our guys have bought into that, and they play for each other. That’s what defense should look like.”
The matchup could be shaped by conditions as much as schemes. Forecasters predict lingering rain and soggy turf through kickoff at 11 a.m. If that holds, both teams may need to lean on the ground game, an area where the Sooners’ front has thrived.
Ole Miss, however, won’t back away from running the ball.
The Rebels average 187.7 rushing yards per game, seventh in the SEC, with sophomore back Kewan Lacy pacing the offense and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss providing dual-threat balance. Chambliss ranks second on the team with 323 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
If the field limits passing, Ole Miss’ zone-read packages could stretch Oklahoma’s edge defenders, forcing linebackers to chase laterally rather than push vertically.
“They’re coached very well,” Kiffin said. “They’ve had some backups come in and look similar with how fast they get off the ball. That’s a really good combination in a very aggressive defensive mindset.”
Ole Miss’ offensive line has been among the SEC’s most reliable, allowing just seven sacks through seven games, the second-fewest in the conference behind Vanderbilt. That stability will be tested by an Oklahoma pass rush averaging four sacks per game.
Oklahoma’s defense has held six of its seven opponents under 300 yards, with only Texas (378) breaking that barrier in a 27-20 loss Oct. 12. The Longhorns’ 136 rushing yards remain the second-highest total allowed by the Sooners this season, behind Michigan’s 146 in Week 2.
Kiffin’s admiration for Venables isn’t new. During Venables’ tenure as Clemson’s defensive coordinator, his units routinely finished among the top 10 nationally in efficiency and sacks. Kiffin has noted that Oklahoma’s defense mirrors those Clemson teams in discipline and physicality.
“Brent’s done an awesome job whenever he’s led the defense,” Kiffin said. “Every year but one they’ve had Top 10 finishes, which is just a phenomenal job of how hard he gets them to play.”
Venables, for his part, returned the respect.
“Lane’s one of the best offensive minds in the game,” Venables said Tuesday. “He understands spacing and tempo as well as anyone. They’re a big challenge.”
Both programs enter Saturday with postseason implications. Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1 SEC) remains in contention for the SEC West title in its first season in the league. Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1) is chasing a New Year’s Six bowl bid and its second consecutive 10-win season.
The winner will stay within reach of the College Football Playoff picture as November approaches.
Whether the weather allows for offensive fireworks or forces a bruising trench battle, Kiffin said his team must match Oklahoma’s intensity from the start.
“It’s going to come down to who plays harder longer,” Kiffin said. “That’s what their defense does every week. It’s on us to meet that standard.”
