HOOVER, Alabama – MoMo Sanogo, Ole Miss’s leading tackler from a year ago, is ready for a new era of Ole Miss defense under the direction of coordinator Mike MacIntyre.

“For some years now, everybody talked about how bad the defense was before I got there and how bad the linebacker core was,” Sanogo said on Tuesday. “Now we are looked at as one of the strengths on the defense and we are trying to move into the positives for Ole Miss.”

Sanogo and his new defensive coaches believe the difference between last year’s defense, which gave up nearly 37 points per game, and the 2019 defense will not necessarily be entirely based on size and skill. Instead, it will be the “knowledge of the game” that they hope makes a difference.

“We have only had one spring with MacIntyre so far and everybody in is the right spots and the right places,” Sanogo said. “The guy is a defensive genius. I’ve been excited to get under his wing and try to take advantage of that.”

Looking back at 2018, many of the problems not related to talent revolved around the fact that communication was lacking all over the field which caused a plethora of missed assignments and blown coverages. A year later, many, including Sanogo, believe that the return of seasoned veterans will help the overall health of the defensive know-how and their work ethic.

“Jacquez Jones has made strides, huge strides,” Sanogo said. “I also think that our work ethic this summer has been exceptional compared to the past two summers. Everybody just has a different mindset whether that has to with being tired of the current state or whether it has to do with the bowl ban being lifted now having that little extra thing to play for. It has definitely been a culture change shifting more toward hard work.”

Sanogo said the program bowl eligibility to motivate this year’s quest for a postseason berth. Ole Miss, ineligible for the postseason the past two years due to NCAA sanctions, has not been to a bowl game since the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2016.

“There are a lot of guys on the team who have not been to a bowl game,” Sanogo said. “The seniors, this year, they have never been to a bowl game and I just cannot sit right with that.”

In addition, the defense is changing to a 3-4 scheme. For Sanogo, that means more freedom than he’s had in his Ole Miss career.

“It’s a different defense so I don’t have a set gap,” Sanogo said. “It’s more ebb and flow, fit where you need to fit, based on what the offense does and what the front does in front of you. So, for a linebacker, it’s a good defense to be in because I can make things happen. There’s also less happening from side to side because of the flanking outside linebackers that should turn the ball back in.”

Qaadir Sheppard and Sam Williams will likely be two players who will see a good bit of time at the stand-up outside linebacker position, which will have run stopping, pass rushing, and coverage responsibilities.

The hybrid between defensive end and outside linebacker should also benefit the defense when trying to disguise play calls against opposing offenses “making them block every run scheme they have, as if we were in a bear front,” Sanogo said. “Really, as if we have five down linemen because those outside linebackers are such a presence. They’re in that intermediate zone where they can basically be anywhere.”