‘Back to the old me’: Young hoping to rediscover all-league form in second Ole Miss season
Ole Miss veteran safety Isheem Young was, admittedly, frustrated after his debut Rebel season.
Frustrated with the on-field results: Ole Miss won seven of its first eight games, only to lose five of its last six. The Rebels, defensively, climbed as high as No. 11 in college football in total defense. They finished in the mid-70s.
Frustrated with his individual play: Young was sixth on the team in tackles, but he felt he left far too many plays on the field.
Spring practices did little to lift his spirits.
Young — again being his own worst critic — said he was “shaky” in the first practices under new defensive coordinator Pete Golding. Now-fourth-year head coach Lane Kiffin in the off-season hired Golding away from Alabama.
Ole Miss is sticking with its base 4-2-5 defense, so there’s familiarity for Young. But the terminology is a little different, and Young is learning all three safety positions.
“This fall camp, what I’ve got to do for myself is get better at everything,” Young said, in a one-on-one sit-down with the Ole Miss Spirit this week. “Footwork, hips, knowing the route concepts.
“I’ve got to go back to the old me — how I was at Iowa State. I’ve got to bring that back.”
Young was an All-American at Iowa State.
He was the Big 12’s Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2020.
The Rebels’ summer program has helped Young better settle in. He also has 13 games as a Rebel under his belt, primarily as the team’s starting free safety.
He could fit in any number of spots this season. Ole Miss brought in 20 transfers out of the portal, including seven defensive backs. Young’s just ready to compete. He’s in a routine. This week, Ole Miss, after a brief holiday break, returned to its summer strength and conditioning program.
“Now that I’m getting comfortable, now I can really show what I can do,” he said. “Like how I was at Iowa State — my hitting ability, my ball skills.
“Now that I’m playing man, I can show them I’m really a versatile safety. They’re going to see the best Isheem Young come August.”
RELATED: Forecasting the Ole Miss defense depth chart a month out from fall camp
Ole Miss safety Isheem Young
Young has gotten reps at MONEY.
MONEY is the defense’s hybrid linebacker/safety spot and where Young is getting some run in man-to-man coverage. Five-star-plus 2023 signee Suntarine Perkins is working there, too — further evidence of the heightened competition in Young’s second Ole Miss season.
His responsibilities in man include guarding an Ole Miss tight end room stocked with decorated Memphis transfer Caden Prieskorn and returning starter and former USC transfer Michael Trigg.
“I feel like we’ve got one of the best tight end (rooms) in the country,” Young said. “Guarding them every day in fall camp, once we get to games, it’s going to be easy to guard tight ends. You’re competing against the best all fall camp. That’s the best part about it.
“Going against our offense? We’ve got some of the best of the best in the SEC. Better yet, college football.”
The Ole Miss defensive line is apparently making life easier for Young and his fellow DBs.
“Our defensive line is probably one of our greatest strengths,” Young said. “Our d-line is like that. But our linebackers is also like that — the ones and twos. Same with our DBs.
“Our depth is going to play a big part this season. Defense wins games. I feel we’re definitely going to win a lot of games with our offense scoring just like they were last year.”
The post ‘Back to the old me’: Young hoping to rediscover all-league form in second Ole Miss season appeared first on On3.
