Ole Miss linebackers coach Bradley Dale Peveto met with the media on Tuesday to discuss his unit's play against South Alabama. There's been a tackling emphasis this week, as the Rebels prepare for UT Martin. Ole Miss also gets middle linebacker Detric Bing-Dukes back from his one-game suspension.

On Donta Evans’ performance against South Alabama

"I thought game one in his first start for a redshirt freshman, he embraced it and he did very, very well. I was very pleased with him. There’s so much that goes into it — communication, his eyes, I thought he tackled well and did a great job of setting our fronts and making our checks. I thought he did a really good job. That was his first game and it’s not easy under those big lights. We, me included, have a lot of improving to do. We have a long ways to go. They say you make most improvement between game one and game two, so we’re looking at making a big step. For his first game he played well."

On DeMarquis Gates playing well again

"In fall fairness to D Gates he played hurt last year. He played the last few games on a bum knee and had it fixed. In spring last year he was hobbling most of spring. I called him over one day and asked him what was wrong because he was limping. He didn’t even know it. He has fought and worked himself back. It’s a credit to him. He went out and had a nice game. He was physical and did well in drops with the pass game and blitzed well and communicated. Doing a good job leading our team. I was very pleased with him. We have a long way to go, and I was proud for him. To see him bounce back off rehab he deserved it and it helped our team."

On keeping middle linebackers in the box when you can

"They’ll get out in their drops and coverage and all but as far as the run goes (Wesley) McGriff had done a great job with his system, and we adjust everything with the back end and keep the box fixed with our linebackers. There are certain formations and personnel where we have to walk out and get in space, but it’s tough to get our Mike out of there. It’s what we believe in and what McGriff believes in. It plays to their strength to keep them inside as much as we can. There are times we get in space, and that’s football today, but we made plays when we were in space. We have to tackle better. We had a great tackling day today with a tackle circuit and we’ll tackle better. You’ll see improvement there."

On tackling in practice

“Tackling is technique and fundamentals. We had a circuit today with four different stations and every position was at that station for a couple minutes and everybody got that technique and drill and we drilled them hard. We’re going to do the circuit everyday, and that’s one of the things we circled. We have to be better as a tackling defense. It showed up on tape that we left our feet. When you tackle you leave your feet and lose your power. We did that some, so we had a drill today to work on that. Bringing our hips and driving our feet. Our tackling will improve because of that."

On Detric Bing-Dukes returning from suspension

"He’s back rotating and we look forward to seeing him play Saturday. Yes sir (he served his suspension well). He has a clean slate with us now."

On adjusting the rotation at linebacker

"I think we have a good system right now and we’re going to stay with it. In today’s game you are really playing two games a week. Back in the day when I played if you played 65 snaps on defense including specials teams that was a big day. Today there are defenses playing 95 or 100 snaps a game not counting special teams. You have to have numbers. This is a physical league week in and week out. Our philosophy is we are going to rotate guys and develop guys and bring them along. Some people rep the starts and get the twos some reps, but that’s not our philosophy. We rep everyone and develop and bring people along and I’ve seen a lot of progress. Long way to go, but there was progress."

On Willie Hibbler and Tayler Polk’s performances on Saturday

"They did some good things. I thought at the end of the game we could have played better and I could have coached better, but for the most part they played well."