Only five SEC teams gave up fewer than 130 rushing yards per game last season. Ole Miss ranked fourth in the conference in rushing yards allowed, giving up 127.1 per game.

Coincidence or not, the two SEC teams to beat the Rebels, Florida and Arkansas, were also in the top five. Ole Miss (nine) and Alabama (seven) were the only two teams to allow fewer than 10 rushing touchdowns, something only four teams in the nation can claim.

2015 STATS

Rushing yards allowed per game: 127.1 (4th in SEC, 23rd in the nation)
Most rushing yards allowed in 2015: 215 (Alabama, Sept. 19)
Rushing touchdowns allowed: 9 (2nd in SEC)
100-yard rushers allowed: 3, Derrick Henry (Alabama), Alex Collins (Arkansas), Leonard Fournette (LSU)

FRONT SEVEN

The glaring hole is left by Robert Nkemdiche’s departure, ending that nightmare for consistently outmanned offensive lines.

However, there are plenty of returning forces along the defensive front. That starts with Marquis Haynes. The junior defensive end finished fourth in the SEC with 10 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. Fadol Brown at the other end had only one sack last season but got to the quarterback 10 times.

At tackle, senior D.J. Jones and sophomore Breeland Speaks combined to start only five games but both showed flashes of potential, each with 5.5 tackles for loss. DeMarquis Gates popped on the scene at linebacker when Denzel Nkemdiche fell off the wagon. In four starts, he racked up a team-high 76 tackles, leaving a load of expectations on his head for 2016.

WHO IS THE SECONDARY ENFORCER?

Huskie corner Tony Conner doesn’t say a whole lot. He makes up for it with his fierce style of play. The potential 2016 first-round draft pick saw his season cut short by a meniscus injury and finished his junior season with only 17 tackles in five games.

Conner will be playing with a chip on his shoulder, leaving not much room for celebration when runners get past the experienced front.

GREATEST CONCERN

Kendarius Webster and Tony Bridges started 24 games at corner last season, but the Rebels lost Trae Elston and Mike Hilton at safety, leaving room for testing the secondary when the season opens against the likes of Florida State, Georgia and Alabama.

In the spring, sophomore Zedrick Woods and junior C.J. Moore were playing the Rover, with junior C.J. Hampton at free safety, backed up by redshirt freshman Armani Linton. Without Conner in the spring, three freshmen in Greg Eisworth, Myles Hartsfield and Montrell Custis were playing Huskie.

Conner and Hampton are the vets, saddled with passing the early tests.

ONE STAT THAT MUST IMPROVE

There aren’t a whole lot of blemishes when you rank as high as Ole Miss did in rushing categories in 2015. But one that could use some improvement came in third quarters.

Offenses averaged less than three yards per carry in the first and second quarter, a stat that rose to nearly four yards (3.8) in the third quarter. Five of the nine touchdowns the Rebels allowed on the ground came in the third quarter.

They gave up eight plays of 20-plus yards in the period, more than double the total allowed in the first and second quarter combined and equal to the total over the other three quarters.

BETTER OR WORSE IN 2016?

It’s hard to get a lot better, but unless you’re first, you’re not first and Ole Miss was 23rd nationally in run defense.

Losing Nkemdiche is damaging. He was a force double-teams couldn’t overcome. But Gates popped on the scene at the right time, and Haynes has All-American potential. Issac Gross’ return for a fifth season is a luxury, and with the young front seemingly growing by the day, there’s no reason to think Ole Miss can’t be even better against the run post-Nkemdiche.