When Hugh Freeze was hired, after misguided initial shock and dismay (myself included) fans developed an expectation that he would be an offensive coach. He wouldn't have much success or innovation defensively (particularly after such a "bush league" defensive coordinator hire LOL), but on the other side of the ball, the team would move quickly, spreading the ball around and making things difficult for defenses. The Rebels returned more offensive playmakers than many coaches and fans realized, and the signing of Bo Wallace would put a player under center who could generally get the ball to them.
Last year's Ole Miss defense was, in terms of points allowed, the best in the SEC and in the top five in the entirety of Division I.