Just rewatched every play (most a few times) focusing on just the offensive/defensive lines and LB's. So, I won't address some of the obvious stuff everyone else has already touched on regarding Pitts, Trask, Toney being a route runner, Davis looking explosive again, etc.
Here's what I saw in the trenches:
OFFENSIVE LINE
Heggie may not have missed a block. Absolutely great game.
Gouraige also had a fantastic game. Nearly all our big runs were to the left behind him and Stone.
Reese struggled all game long. He definitely made some good blocks, but overall a lot of missed blocks early and soft efforts in the running game. If the Reese/Delance combo doesn't improve, we will see a lot of adjustments to stack our left for the run and pass rush on our right. Not sure if there is a website that charts rushing yards vs side of the line, but this game was VERY unbalanced. I'm guessing over 7+ yards per carry to the L versus less than 3 to the R. To the extent runs to the left were not successful, it was frequently because Heggie & Gouraige blocked down, while Reese pulled and blocked no one.
The best play by the offensive line, with an assist from Pierce, was on the long Pitts TD. They had a safety blitz on the right side of the line outside the tackle (Delance). It started with Heggie, who passed the guy man up on him to Gouraige on the left, slid right to pick up the blitz side DT, the guard (Reese) slid right to get the DE, and Delance was confused, picking up no one (potential sack situation as he let the safety run outside him), but Pierce absolutely stoned the safety onto his a$$. The key to the play started with Heggie and Reese realizing they had to slide to help the blitz side. This play was also moronic by Durkin. It left man zero, with a LB manned up on Pitts. That guy had no chance.
Gamble had some good blocks in the run game, including on Davis' long 3rd quarter run, but also struggled in pass protection.
At least in this game, Pitts lined up as a true TE, or HB, not a WR like last year. He was in the TE/HB spot on his long TD pass and the TD pass he fought to win.
Ole Miss's DE's looked slow. Forsyth still seems slow in his back peddle and also completely missed the blitz pickup on the roughing play in the 4th. Gouraige was partly to blame for not recognizing a stunt early enough though. It was the only total Fuchs up by those two all game.
DEFENSIVE LINE AND LB's
Cox was the defensive player of the game in the first half. Not as effective after halftime, but we also rotated him out a lot more until the 4th when Ole Miss kept it too close. Still, 8 tackles, 2.5 TFL (including a sack) is a heck of a debut. Diabate played well in his role when given the chance, which was very little. Miller ultimately gets defensive player of the game, even though he had a number of missed plays and Cox really didn't. Side note - maybe in goalline D swap out Cox and Bogle at DEs? It didn't lead to the TD, but didn't help and makes no sense. I know we love this mid-field, but at least switch in goalline add some size.
I mentioned this is Cover's thread, but Burney just cannot get off a block. On Ole Miss's 2 play drive in the 3rd, he and Miller get absolutely stoned on Ole Miss's longish TD run. Little Reese gets manhandled at DE, but when he was at MLB, he slid, shed a block, and was more effective in limited action than our starter. He even looked ok in coverage on a back towards the end. Also, he is more likely to throw in a shoulder to prevent an extra yard at the end of a run, where Burney is often holding up. I came into last season expecting Burney to be dominant, in a Delpit or Delwin James mold. It hasn't happened and our coaches haven't helped him by putting him at MLB.
Dexter may be our best DT already. Very glad we are playing the freshman. Hope he plays more. Not sure why he barely did in the second half. As a freshman, he was never pushed backwards and was disruptive in pass and rush defense.
Slaton still seems to shoot gaps too much on running downs, giving up big lanes. That could be scheme though, so I can't tell if it is a flaw or sign of his speed off the snap. I suspect it is lack of discipline more than scheme though due to the number of times it is happening. He allows 1 lineman to block him by not holding any ground and always shooting gaps, which the linemen just use on runs to push him out of the way. On passing downs he demands a double team most plays. Dexter did too, unless Slaton was in. GD didn't play much in the second half. Hope he's ok.
Stiner played like a freshman, meaning slower than he really is because he is playing uncertain, which is awful when you are already on the slower side for an SEC safety. That is stunning for a guy with his experience.
McWilliams was listed as a starter, but was barely in afterwards. But when he was, he gave up a 40 yard pass.
OVERALL
I felt better about the OL, after rewatching each play, or at least the left side. If White can help improve, we could have a solid line (or Ole Miss has a bad DL). Pass defense against fast DE's is still going to be a real problem. But, the run blocking had better potential than I thought watching live.
DL just looked rough other than Cox and Dexter. Carter made a play or too, as did Slaton, but for the entire game, it is concerning. While Miller made a lot of plays, more frequently than not, he was getting pushed back on direct runs. Burney was made irrelevant on any runs between the tackles. We have real issues here at LB (I know, not exactly "news"). Lil' Reese looked good in limited action. Even Diabate looked ok. Having Slaton and Dexter demand double teams more on running downs would free up these athletic, but not so strong LB's to make plays, but we don't seem to take that approach. We could be looking at a few 200+ yard rushing games against us this year.
