There was an unfamiliar feeling in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the Rebels’ 31-17 win over Arkansas on Saturday.
As the Rebel faithful cupped their hands together and yelled “O” on third downs, resulting in the Ole Miss defense swarming to swat down passes or swallow ball carriers in the backfield, fans all over the stadium felt a nostalgic excitement circa 2014.
That feeling that has been absent in Oxford in recent years comes from the memory of the famed Landshark defense, formerly feared by all offenses.
The defense hit rock bottom under the direction of Wesley McGriff in 2018, ranking close to the bottom of the FBS in almost every defensive category.