AJ Finley (via. Ole Miss Athletics)
AJ Finley Brings High Expectations For Ole Miss Defense Into Season Opener
OXFORD, Miss. -- Defensive back AJ Finley is one of the unquestioned leaders of the Ole Miss Rebels defense, and he is expecting a big season under new defensive coordinator Chris Partridge.
Finley has been in the Rebel program for years, but he was made available to the media on Tuesday to discuss his side of the ball and what he believes will be a strong season in Oxford.
"I feel like we're going to do great under Chris Partridge," Finley said. "The energy has shifted, and we all fly around. It's a different defense. Saturday, it's obviously fun to get back out with the guys. You look forward to not beat up on the same guys over and over.
"It's kind of tough to compete against the same guys every day, so I feel like it's good for everybody."
One hallmark that could make the Rebel secondary efficient this season is its depth. Finley has noticed throughout fall camp that Ole Miss is deeper across the board in his area of the field.
"I think we've got a lot more depth than last year," Finley said. "We've got guys at almost every DB position that can rotate in and be a starter if they needed to. I feel pretty comfortable going into the first game that we're going to be pretty good in depth."
When Finley came to Oxford, the Rebels were coming off an NCAA investigation that led to a multi-year postseason ban. Now, on the heels of back-to-back bowl appearances and a Sugar Bowl berth, he has seen firsthand how the mindset around the program has shifted in recent years.
"The expectations have definitely risen," Finley said. "Coming into my freshman year, I feel like the expectations weren't really that high. We didn't have a bowl game to look forward to. I feel like the culture has changed since then."
One area of emphasis for Rebel head coach Lane Kiffin during fall camp has been meshing together new faces from the transfer portal with returning players off of last year's roster. Kiffin himself has noted progress in that area, and Finley echoed his coach on Tuesday.
"I feel like that's all gone out the window during camp," Finley said. "Getting to play with the guys and the reps in camp, that takes care of that. Seeing how everybody plays and fits into the scheme, I feel like that took care of it."
The Rebels will begin their season on Saturday against the Troy Trojans at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. on SEC Network.
You can follow John Macon on Twitter at @JMakeGillespie.
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