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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Houston Nutt Visits With The Media Tuesday
12/4/2007 | Football
Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt visited with the media Tuesday on his two new staff additions, recruiting and more.
On assistant coaches Kim Dameron and Ron Dickerson, Jr.:
Both these guys I have a long relationship with. Let’s start with Ron Dickerson, Jr. He is the guy that I coached. He is an excellent recruiter, a super person that comes from a coaching family. His dad was a coach. He grew up a coaches’ son, and I am kind of partial to coaches’ sons, being one myself. So he understands it. The good thing about Ron is his recruiting areas of
Q: Do you know what their roles will be?
Right now, what I am going to do is wait to see what happens exactly with my
Q: How important were these hires in recruiting?
It’s just the name of the game. We all know that and especially right now since I had to send my
Q: Were they making in-home visits last night?
Yes, they were making some in-home visits last night.
Q: How are the first couple days going?
It’s going good. We have touched base with a lot of the moms. We are still working on that process, but it is going pretty good.
Q: Is there a possibility of bringing more of your
Yes absolutely. It is a very delicate situation. I want them to concentrate on their bowl, but yet there are some that have gotten phones from
Q: What about the rest of the staff?
Right now, I really want to see what happens with the hires there, who is going to stay, who is going to come. I have a good feeling about who is coming, but I want to be sure and I want to wait and make it very, very clear.
Q: What are you hearing about the head coaching hire over there?
I haven’t. My nose has been on the grindstone for Ole Miss, so I don’t know. I hadn’t had time to look up. I am just worried about all the recruits right now and touching base with moms and players, especially the ones that have commitments to Ole Miss, the ones that committed early. We are just trying to go through those routes first. So I haven’t heard.
Q: What kind of progress have you made on that front?
It’s been good. We are making a lot of progress right now, and I can’t wait to get into to homes. I start getting in homes tomorrow night, so I am excited.
Q: Is it a shock to your system being in a new program?
No. Coaching is coaching, and it didn’t take long at all.
Q: You mentioned maybe going a little heavier with JUCO players than you did at
Yes, but I don't think we are looking at 10 or 15 or anything like that. I love getting freshmen in here and building that way. But where there is a need, we can go that route, especially in
Q: What kind of feedback have you gotten from the commitments so far?
A lot of enthusiasm right now. A lot of passion for the program, and I love hearing on the other end of the line the excitement they have. A lot who are committed are still committed, and that's exciting.
Q: What concerns do you have?
The biggest concerns for me right now are the numbers. You’re looking for linebackers, running backs, receivers. You’re just trying to piece it all together. We need to get a center, so now you’re are starting to figure out what our needs are. So that is the No. 1 concern with recruiting. You have these blinders on, and you’re going 100 miles an hour with one thing. It’s just recruiting, recruiting, recruiting, and you’re trying to feel your needs. Now I have a better feel of what we need.
Q: You mentioned a center. Are there any other needs?
Linebackers, centers, and we are going to have to get a couple more quarterbacks on campus. You always need at least four. Tight ends, safeties, corners, so we have a few holes there. But again, I don’t know everybody. I am just going by the numbers that I see, so the numbers tell me that we need tight ends, safeties, cornerbacks, a couple more quarterbacks. We are going to have a full recruiting class. It is very important that they are here in August.
Q: What are your plans for the one extra scholarship?
We hopefully have a person that is committed that we are getting ready to go see Sunday night. And he could be here next semester so that would be real good.
Q: How important are
The two I just hired have good
Q: Has information availability about the current team and recruits been good?
They have been excellent. Graduate assistants and the coaches that have been here, they have been very helpful, very open. And the film and organization of that has been outstanding. So it has been good.
Q: How much contact have you had with current players?
Probably not as much as I would like because of finals coming up. But I have had a few. We will get to know those guys very, very quickly.
Q: Have you talked to Jevan Snead?
Yes. I talked to Jevan not only once but twice. He has come by again, and boy I tell you, what a fine young man and I just love his personality and leadership. You can tell that he has presence, and boy he is really, really good. Yesterday he came by on his own unannounced, and that is what I told all of them. You don’t have to set up an appointment, just knock on the door and come on in. We will stop what we are doing, I don’t care what meeting we are in. That will be a good rule for all the coaches, that we will break a meeting for any player. He is so excited. He has asked about certain players that have visited here before. He is into it and you love for your quarterback to be into it.
Q: What is your recruiting philosophy with previous commitments?
I have to go back now and re-evaluate, and that is what is difficult. Because when someone does get offered a scholarship, it is a very difficult situation. But that is the world that we live in right now that you have to do what is best. It is like the coaches here. There are excellent coaches here, but you have to make changes. You have to do it to your way, and that is what is tough. We will be fair upfront, and let those young men know what is going on.
Q: Are there any grade risks?
I just don’t want to take to many chances on the ones that are so far down academically. I want them to be eligible and ready to go in August. So we will do a real thorough job of re-evaluating transcripts, seeing what they can do and what they can accomplish. It is really important that they are here and ready to go in August.
Q: How many do you plan on signing at midterm?
One for sure, possibly two.
Q: Have you talked to Jerrell Powe?
No. I am just learning more about that situation.
Q: Did you recruit Jerrell out of high school?
If we did, it was not for very long.
Q: Are the grade evaluations you are doing now with current commitments part of the situation you are in?
It is and that is what is slow-going, and you don’t want to base it on one film or one quarter. I really want to take our time and check transcripts along the way. That is why I can’t give you more information than what I can give you right now, because of that slow process. It will be a much easier time for us next year, because you will see them Friday night. But there are a lot of good athletes.
Q: Are you contacting commitments you have not made a final decision on yet?
I am waiting. We are in the process of calling and letting them know that we will be talking to them soon, to hang in there. But I want to have answers before I talk to them.