Two Ole Miss defensive players enter transfer portal after change at defensive coordinator

Only 24 hours from the breaking news that former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding would take the same job at Ole Miss, two defensive standouts have announced intent to transfer.

Davison Igbinosun and Tysheem Johnson both announced via Twitter they would enter the transfer portal. Both players played integral roles in Chris Partridge’s defense at Ole Miss this past season.

Johnson totaled 78 tackles in the 2022 season, but he also tallied 47 tackles, one sack and an interception in the 2021 season. The Philadelphia, Pa. native seemingly had some local ties with Partridge and will be looking for a new destination.

Igbinosun went a little further in his announcement specifically calling out some uncertainty in the current coaching staff. The No. 1 player in New Jersey out of high school in the class of 2022 had 36 tackles for the Rebels this season.

Now, the Grove Collective NIL had tweeted both of these players re-signed to stay at Ole Miss just minutes and hours before these announcements, so maybe both of them are hedging their bets in case the marketplace of college football does not give them a better location. I have a feeling they will find some interest, which is not great news for Ole Miss.

With the transfer of Miles Battle already, the Ole Miss roster is suddenly thin in its secondary with these two announcements plus the expected departures of Otis Reese and AJ Finley.

If Pete Golding needed a shock to his system that he’s no longer at Alabama, this might just be it. The newly minted defensive coordinator needs talented corners and has just a few months to find them and convince them to come to Oxford.