Ole Miss completely revamped its secondary this offseason, bringing in several experienced players through the transfer portal.
This year, the Rebels' defense has allowed 233 passing yards per game (12th in the SEC). At times, the secondary has looked lights-out. At other moments, they've looked vulnerable and Pete Golding is left searching for answers.
Despite Ole Miss' tough loss to the Texas Longhorns, Golding may have found a solution.
Mississippi Rebels head coach Pete Golding. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Crawford made a massive impact on Saturday's game. In the first quarter, Arch Manning delivered a hanging throw to the far side of the field, and Crawford jumped the route for a diving interception. Trinidad Chambliss threw an interception on the next play, but it was still an impressive play by Crawford.
In the fourth quarter, Manning tried to connect with Emaree Winston, but Manning overthrew his receiver, and Crawford intercepted Manning's pass for the second time. Pete Golding praised Crawford's performance on Monday.
"So you know, I thought Jay Craw coming in, I thought he played his best game," Golding said. "Wasn't perfect but came in and played really well and starting to show who we thought he was."
Crawford was relatively quiet before Saturday's breakout performance. Edwin Joseph's injury has opened up an opportunity for Crawford, and the junior is seizing it. His emergence is giving Golding another player to depend on while Joseph is on the sideline.
Golding can take as much defensive consistency as he can get. This unit has experienced ups and downs and Golding is hoping for better performances moving forward.
"Yeah, I think it's been very inconsistent. You know, I think it's been hit or miss kind of like we've talked about. There's been drives, there's been games that we've played extremely well and it's what I thought it would be. And then there's been a lot of times of disappointment," Golding said.
This week, Crawford will line up against his former teammates. The Rebels will host the Auburn Tigers. Crawford spent the last two seasons at Auburn, where he earned All-SEC Freshman Honors.
Crawford was a highly touted high school prospect. He was a top-20 cornerback in the 2024 class. Now, Crawford may finally get the consistent playing time he's been looking for. If he continues to make game-changing plays, Crawford's spot in the secondary will be safe regardless of injury.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/olemiss as Ole Miss Cornerback Jalyn Crawford is Beginning to Earn Pete Golding's Trust .
