One return strengthened Ole Miss’ secondary. The next takes Denson home

Sharif Denson didn’t ease his way back into Ole Miss’ lineup.

He jumped straight into the deep end and looked like a player who had been waiting weeks to finally hit somebody again. After missing the first two games with a preseason injury, Denson made his Rebel debut against LSU and instantly became one of the most active defenders on the field.

He finished with eight tackles, seven of them solo, plus a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry. For a player who was supposed to be a starting safety back in August, it was the kind of return Ole Miss needed.

Denson said the extra recovery time mattered.

“It was definitely good,” he said Tuesday. “I just thank God that He allowed me to heal back up as much as I could and then be able to come out against LSU.”

Getting back on the field meant even more.

“It was amazing. I can only thank God. I can only thank God for allowing me to come back in that moment and play the way I played.”

For Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding, the biggest question wasn’t whether Denson understood the scheme. It was whether he could tackle in space after missing live reps for two weeks. LSU provided a tough test, and Denson passed it.

Golding said the return of Denson made a clear difference.

“I thought Sharif did a really good job from a communication standpoint,” Golding said. “I thought he tackled in space well. That was the big concern for me. I knew he understood it and had a lot of experience, but he hadn’t gotten a lot of live tackling reps against elite people after missing the first couple of games. I thought he did a really good job in space for the most part.”

Denson said having the secondary back at full strength matters.

“We’ve got all our brothers back,” Denson said. “Everybody is just playing together and playing for each other. We know we’ve got each other’s backs, so we’re just ready to play together.”

That unity will be tested this week, because Denson is headed back to where he spent last season: The Swamp. Few players know the environment better, and he didn’t sugarcoat what makes it difficult.

“Just how close and tight it is with all the fans,” he said of Ben Hill Griffin stadium. “It kind of feels like they’re on your back with all the noise and everything. But I feel like if we can go in there, execute the first couple of drives and delete the crowd and make them not a factor, then we’re going to be OK.”

Ole Miss needs that calm, experienced voice on the back end. Florida’s offense is built on motion, misdirection and forcing defenders to react quickly. Denson’s return gives the Rebels a safety who has seen it, played in it and understands how fast things can change in Gainesville.

His debut wasn’t just a nice moment. It was a big deal for Ole Miss. And with a trip to his old home stadium coming up, his experience might matter even more this week.