Coach Sumlin, coordinators Jake Spavital and Mark Snyder and select players met with members of the media Tuesday at the weekly football press conference inside Kyle Field.
Quotes are available below. Audio and video clips are available to the left.
“Obviously we're coming off a tough weekend, a disappointing loss last week at Mississippi State. We talked about that after the game and talked with the players yesterday. The way this league is now you've just got to move on. Our players understand where they are and what we need to do, and the challenges that we're facing, and so does our coaching staff. As quickly as you talk about last weekend you don't have any time to look back because Ole Miss is a team playing very, very well right now. They came off a big, big victory at home. For us it will be good to be back at Kyle Field. This will be our fourth SEC football game and the first one at home. It's something we'll draw a lot of energy from, being at home in front of our fans. We've had great support on the road and in Dallas, and had great support for the home games we've had here. For us, being back at home couldn't come at a better time. Our guys are anxious to get back out on the field and prove who they are. Our team right now is a little disappointed, but certainly Mississippi State had a lot to do with our inconsistency last week. Fortunately that hasn't been indicative of the type of football we play around here. I think our guys are anxious to get back on the field and play.”
On the wide receiver drops…
“When you look at the video, we had 11 drops. 15, if you're being real salty about it. Part of your job as a receiver is to catch the football and we didn't do that.”
Evaluate the offensive line play over the last few weeks…
“Looking back at our game last Saturday I thought we were fairly efficient in what we did. We had no penalties on offense. I thought we were able to run (the offense) efficiently. Not great, but efficiently. The protection for what we had to do to try and get back in the game, throwing it all the time, was decent. We got into a different kind of football game. When you get behind like we were, you have to be able to pass protect and everyone knows it. Then you get different looks and blitzes. I thought we handled it pretty well.”
Has being away from home for so long been more daunting than maybe you thought it would?
“I don't know…maybe Arkansas took more out of us than we thought, the whole experience, with the young guys. It certainly did from a physical standpoint with some guys not being able to play (at Miss St) or not play much. But that's not an excuse. Everyone's in this deal now. People talk about the SEC and us being in the part of our schedule that's the gauntlet. The good news is we're part of that gauntlet. We've brought the program to the point where we're not only running the gauntlet, but we're in the gauntlet. You have to play like that to be there. Is it difficult? Yeah. But that's what you want. Our guys are excited to have the No. 3 team in country here in front of 106,000 people on national TV at night. It doesn't get any bigger than that. I like our attitude right now. Going through the season and this stretch I think everyone knew this would be difficult. It shouldn't be a surprise. How do you react and how do you deal with it? That's where the challenge comes. That's not just for us—that's for everyone in this league. Particularly in the west.”
How much do you expect Kenny to learn from and respond to last week?
“If you just look at the numbers, you can draw one conclusion. If you look at how the numbers were put up, you will draw another conclusion. A couple of the interceptions were off of us…they basically hit our hands. We were put in a position to have to throw it every time, and they knew it. To operate the way he did with the number of drops that happened…it wasn't a poor performance by him. Just like it took a complete team to beat Arkansas the week before, it took a complete team for the performance of last week. Our challenge is to correct the mistakes whether you win or lose, and keep (Kenny's) confidence at a high level and play at the level he's accustomed to and for our other players play at that level. He has to get better, which he understands, but it's more than just him on the field. “
How do you evaluate your linebacker play at this time?
“Obviously we're limited, with AJ Hilliard being out. Jordan (Mastrogiovanni) coming off an ankle (injury) has been okay. Shaan Washington…getting him back was big. He's really only had a couple of games where he's been thrown right into the mix. He's given us a real shot in the arm. Donnie Baggs has, for what we've asked him to do, much improved over the last year. From a depth issue that's probably the one area on our football team where we don't have as many players as we do at every other position. Those guys are playing more plays than anybody and the injury to AJ really pushed things back. Justin Bass has been a jack of all trades in there and that has really helped us. He gives us the opportunity to get Jordan and Shaan off the field some, which we need to do in this league.”
Do you have an update on Malcome Kennedy?
“Probable.”
Ole Miss' defense…what did they show you against Alabama?
“Their first-string defense has given up one touchdown all year. Alabama got 10 points. They got one defensive score to get to 17. They are leading the league and No. 2 nationally in scoring defense. They are giving up 10.2 points a game, less than that if you just go with the first-string guys out there and take away defensive touchdowns. They're playing very, very well. This is a talented team. You're watching the nation's No. 1 recruiting class from a few years ago. They took their lumps a bit but they're growing up now. The defense is playing well as a unit and with a lot of confidence. They're playing very well offensively with a veteran quarterback. Defensively, they've been really stout. They lead the league in interceptions and giving up the least amount of points. You better pay attention to that.”
You've had two big battles with Coach Freeze … any similarities in the two programs that you've built?
“Hugh is a good friend. I've known him a long time. We came into the league it seems like yesterday, asking each other what to wear in the first meeting. We've certainly had some close games. I'm just happy we're playing at home. I thought we'd be three straight years going over there. He's done a fabulous job. Look at where that program has gone since he's been there, in a short amount of time. Looking back three years ago, I don't think at that time when both of us were hired anybody would have thought in year three you'd have No. 14 and No. 3 playing at 8:00 at night in front of 106,000. A lot of things have changed in three years. He's done a fabulous job with that program. To be where they are right now takes a lot of planning and leadership and good players. He's done that at (all levels). He's done a marvelous job.”
What's your biggest concern when you look at Ole Miss?
“Everything. Shoot, they're undefeated. There are only, what, 10 teams left that haven't lost a game? You don't get to this point in the year playing one-sided football. They lead the league in defense. They are second nationally in scoring defense. They have a veteran quarterback who has played a lot of football. We've played against him every year. Last week he made plays to win the game. He's surrounded with talented players offensively and defensively that are explosive. They've done everything they've needed to do to be where they are right now, including takeaways. They lead the league in interceptions. You don't get to this point in the year midway through season and play the kind of competition they have played and it be a fluke. They are a good football team.”