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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Practice Report: Rebels Conclude Fall Camp
8/23/2019 | Football
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Jeff Koonz, Qaadir Sheppard, Austrian Robinson, Jon Haynes Meet with Media
OXFORD, Miss. – The final week of fall camp is in the books for Ole Miss football, and game week is finally upon us as the Rebels are now just a week away from their August 31 opener at Memphis.
In the final media opportunity of camp, linebackers coach Jeff Koonz, outside linebacker Qaadir Sheppard, defensive lineman Austrian Robinson and defensive back Jon Haynes met with the media to look forward at the start of the 2019 campaign.
REBUILDING THE LINEBACKERS
When Jeff Koonz arrived in Oxford and assumed leadership of the inside linebackers, things immediately changed in the position room. Koonz wasted no time dwelling on the past and quickly focused on getting the most out of his group.
"I didn't take one second to watch any of the film from the past. It wasn't about that," Koonz said. "I was more ingrained in getting into my guys' lives, getting into them, getting ahold of the room, learning the details of them, what makes them tick and, moving forward, what Coach MacIntyre needs in the system and what Coach Luke needs in the program. My focus has been on the future and what they can do, not what they didn't do in the past."
Just three days into camp, Koonz used another interesting tactic to get the attention of his linebackers. The inside position isn't devoid of leadership with a senior and two returning juniors on the depth chart, but Koonz shook that depth chart up. The result was an increase in competition and urgency for perhaps the most important spot in the 3-4 defensive front.
"We got some attention really early in camp," Koonz said. "We switched some stuff up, changed some things up in the depth chart, got their attention, and I think they saw, 'Ok, he's serious about the expectation and the standard in the room.' Every day since, we talk about selfless brothers push each other, and they have been unbelievable to embrace that competition and allow it to improve their game. If you do that, you have the chance to get the maximum output out of the entire room.
Q'S CLUB
The outside linebacker position was also forced to come together and build depth when one of its leaders, senior Qaadir Sheppard suffered an injury to his left hand injury early in camp.
"I did a chop move on a pass rush. I came down, pow! My finger was stuck (crooked). I couldn't lift the pinkie up," Sheppard recalled. "I finished practice, so it wasn't hurting that bad, but I knew something was wrong in there."
Sheppard underwent surgery, had a plate put in his hand and has been sporting the club, a heavy wrap, on that hand ever since. However, the work never stopped for the senior out of The Bronx, New York. He was quickly back on the practice field fighting through the injury, and he has liked what he has seen from the new-look Rebel defense going into 2019.
"Since we've got that 3-4 now, the outside linebackers, my group, we're coming most of the time. Then our D-Line, I feel like our D-Line is one of the best in the country. I feel like we're going to be in the quarterback's face every game," Sheppard said. "Against the run, we're just really focused on closing out space. We're not going to give them a chance to come out of the backfield."
DEEP ON THE D-LINE
Depth has also been the key word on the interior of that defensive front. While Sheppard and Sam Williams are ready to wreak havoc on the edge, the three down linemen are ready to do the same, featuring a deep rotation, which is sure to keep the Rebels fresh as they seek disruption and pressure in the middle.
"We went nine-deep today, so we'll have 8-10 for sure. Before we played like eight at most, but now since we have so much depth, you can just play hard, come out and go back in," said Austrian Robinson. "It makes it easier for you."
Robinson and the rest of the Rebel defense are projecting confidence as they are just a week away from game action. The excitement is palpable around the Manning Center, and more than anything, Ole Miss is ready to put all its hard work out on the field.
"We can't wait for next Saturday," Robinson said. "We're tired of hitting each other. We're ready to go hit somebody else."
In the final media opportunity of camp, linebackers coach Jeff Koonz, outside linebacker Qaadir Sheppard, defensive lineman Austrian Robinson and defensive back Jon Haynes met with the media to look forward at the start of the 2019 campaign.
REBUILDING THE LINEBACKERS
When Jeff Koonz arrived in Oxford and assumed leadership of the inside linebackers, things immediately changed in the position room. Koonz wasted no time dwelling on the past and quickly focused on getting the most out of his group.
"I didn't take one second to watch any of the film from the past. It wasn't about that," Koonz said. "I was more ingrained in getting into my guys' lives, getting into them, getting ahold of the room, learning the details of them, what makes them tick and, moving forward, what Coach MacIntyre needs in the system and what Coach Luke needs in the program. My focus has been on the future and what they can do, not what they didn't do in the past."
Just three days into camp, Koonz used another interesting tactic to get the attention of his linebackers. The inside position isn't devoid of leadership with a senior and two returning juniors on the depth chart, but Koonz shook that depth chart up. The result was an increase in competition and urgency for perhaps the most important spot in the 3-4 defensive front.
"We got some attention really early in camp," Koonz said. "We switched some stuff up, changed some things up in the depth chart, got their attention, and I think they saw, 'Ok, he's serious about the expectation and the standard in the room.' Every day since, we talk about selfless brothers push each other, and they have been unbelievable to embrace that competition and allow it to improve their game. If you do that, you have the chance to get the maximum output out of the entire room.
Q'S CLUB
The outside linebacker position was also forced to come together and build depth when one of its leaders, senior Qaadir Sheppard suffered an injury to his left hand injury early in camp.
"I did a chop move on a pass rush. I came down, pow! My finger was stuck (crooked). I couldn't lift the pinkie up," Sheppard recalled. "I finished practice, so it wasn't hurting that bad, but I knew something was wrong in there."
Sheppard underwent surgery, had a plate put in his hand and has been sporting the club, a heavy wrap, on that hand ever since. However, the work never stopped for the senior out of The Bronx, New York. He was quickly back on the practice field fighting through the injury, and he has liked what he has seen from the new-look Rebel defense going into 2019.
"Since we've got that 3-4 now, the outside linebackers, my group, we're coming most of the time. Then our D-Line, I feel like our D-Line is one of the best in the country. I feel like we're going to be in the quarterback's face every game," Sheppard said. "Against the run, we're just really focused on closing out space. We're not going to give them a chance to come out of the backfield."
DEEP ON THE D-LINE
Depth has also been the key word on the interior of that defensive front. While Sheppard and Sam Williams are ready to wreak havoc on the edge, the three down linemen are ready to do the same, featuring a deep rotation, which is sure to keep the Rebels fresh as they seek disruption and pressure in the middle.
"We went nine-deep today, so we'll have 8-10 for sure. Before we played like eight at most, but now since we have so much depth, you can just play hard, come out and go back in," said Austrian Robinson. "It makes it easier for you."
Robinson and the rest of the Rebel defense are projecting confidence as they are just a week away from game action. The excitement is palpable around the Manning Center, and more than anything, Ole Miss is ready to put all its hard work out on the field.
"We can't wait for next Saturday," Robinson said. "We're tired of hitting each other. We're ready to go hit somebody else."
Players Mentioned
DB
/ Football
DE
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
OLB
/ FootballPRESSER | Caleb Odom (04-16-26)
Thursday, April 16
PRESSER | Izaiah Hartrup (04-16-26)
Thursday, April 16
PRESSER | Antonio Kite (04-16-26)
Thursday, April 16
PRESSER | Pete Golding (04-14-26)
Tuesday, April 14