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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Press Conference: 10.13
10/13/2014 | Football
Ole Miss football head coach Hugh Freeze and senior quarterback Bo Wallace met with the media Monday to discuss the third-ranked Rebels' upcoming Homecoming game against Tennessee on Saturday (ESPN, 6 p.m. CT).
Head Coach Hugh Freeze
Opening statement...
"It was a great atmosphere to play in at Kyle Field. I'm really, really pleased with the way our kids prepared and the way they handled the environment, and obviously, the start we got. We were very, very solid defensively for the better part of three-and-a-half quarters. We asked them to take too many snaps there in the second half. We didn't play quite with the same passion at the end of the game. To go in there and set the tone early, play a sound game and win the turnover battle and protect the football was vital for us. Played well enough offensively to manage the game and let our defense win it. To play back at home against Tennessee is exciting for us. We love playing in front of our home crowd. That team is eerily similar to our journey. They are a very, very talented team. They are hungry. It's one of those scary games that you know they have good enough athletes to beat you. The job that Coach (Butch) Jones and his staff have done is really admirable. They are quite talented. Again, they're hungry. They've played some really quality teams very, very close. I know it's going to be a tough challenge on Saturday. I'm glad we're at home and get to play in front of our fans."
On Robert Nkemdiche picture circulating the Internet…
"I'm very aware of the picture. I'm also aware of when it was taken and where it was taken. We test our entire team on our drug testing policing at the beginning of the season. Then we have our other follow-up tests throughout the course of the year. I'm super confident that we handle each one the same. We enforce our policy very consistently. There's not one time that I do not always bring in our athletic director and talk about and make sure we're being very consistent in that. Our kids make social decisions all the time, just like my kids do, and I've made mistakes. We are going to help them navigate life, but we're going to hold them accountable for actions that are not what we want representing our university, or program or themselves. I'm very confident that we deal with all of them in the same manner. We will continue to do that."
On talking to Butch Jones about Tennessee…
"I haven't. The only time we've seen each other is at the SEC meetings. He's a very personable guy. I can see why he is recruiting well. We haven't sat down and shared notes. Just by watching, he really doesn't need my help. He's doing a fine job and is putting together a really good team there."
On punt returns…
"Happy is relative. You have to look at what's going on nationally with punt return and the new spread system. If they get any kind of hang time over four seconds you better be willing to catch it and take a shot if you don't fair catch it. That's dangerous. The most important thing after a punt return is that we have possession of the ball. The thing I do not like is the hidden yardage because of balls that hit the ground that I think were catchable. Those are the ones that you cannot allow to happen. We've had a couple of those. As far as fair catching them, when we sense that that clock is going off in our head, I don't have a problem with that. I want possession of the ball."
On Tennessee's defense…
"They're very athletic. They do a solid job. They're in the right places. I always watch a big play reel on (the next opponent). They don't give up explosive plays. They're really talented at corner and Mike linebacker. Their defensive line is extremely active and athletic."
On Ole Miss' defensive improvements…
"The first thing that popped in my mind was (cornerbacks coach) Jason Jones deserves a lot of credit. Obviously Dave (Wommack)'s schematics has a lot to do with it. They do a great job. With our corners, I don't know that I remember a deep ball this year that we weren't in position. That certainly doesn't mean we've made every play. I think we were in position. Even the one where they hit on the little skinny post the other night, our freshman (Kendarius) Webster was right in position, he just has to make a play on it. That hasn't always been the case. Obviously recruiting helps that. The second thing that popped in my mind was we haven't given up explosive plays. I've always been a believer from being an offensive coach, if you make an offense have to drive a consistent drive, over and over again for 60-70 yards, we make mistakes on offense. You're going to block a look wrong or something. It's very difficult if you don't get explosive plays. When you get explosive plays, those drives get easier. If you really have to grind out first down after first down and then convert in the red zone, it's difficult. Our team has given up very few explosive plays and then we've been stingy when it does get in the red zone and made people settle for field goals. There are a lot of reasons; the scheme, the coaches, but most of all, the players."
On Bo Wallace performing better in the second half of games…
"Probably I've called better plays for him. He probably would have made the same play in the first half if I was smart enough to get it called. Sometimes it takes us a little longer. My mind can only remember so far back. I'm thinking the last two games, we didn't call some of that stuff against Alabama in the first half. We were trying to manage the game. One thing he's done for us, when our defense is playing well, we're really trying to manage the game. His numbers the other night could have been a lot better because we had some things in the passing game. In that environment, when you're playing in front of 110,000 that are itching to be a factor in the game, the last thing I want to do is give them anything to be excited about. We got really conservative, maybe too much. I certainly was not going to give them anything. I think Bo has done really well. I've probably just given him better options in the second half. He hasn't turned it over in SEC games yet. That's something that you have to do to win in this league."
On defense improving throughout the season…
"Boise (State) was pretty good that night. They were pretty solid. I think Boise is a decent team. Certainly, we've improved. Individuals have improved. I see Lavon Hooks making plays the other night. I know Marquis Haynes has improved and continues to. C.J. (Johnson) is getting healthier. Fadol Brown has improved. Bryon Bennett is having a very solid year and Keith Lewis, also. Ken Webster got a lot of snaps the other night because of Trae (Elston) being out. Mike Hilton has been solid. We've improved. We were playing a pretty good offense the other night at their place. Over the last three years, they've probably been the No. 1 offense in the nation in yards and points, top three for sure. I would have to say we've improved. You're only judged by your last game, as we all know."
On Kendarius Webster…
"He's going to be a really good player. He handled himself really, really well. On the big play he gave up, he was in perfect position. That receiver just made a really good play. They couldn't take a lot of shots. We were able to drop seven or eight guys and still get a decent amount of pressure. When you're doing that, it's hard to take shots deep. That benefitted our DBs. When he was called upon to win a one-on-one, he did. He blew one coverage and we got by with it. Those things happen."
On freshmen…
"We have to get Rod (Taylor) more snaps for sure. He's a little different and more athletic than some of the guys we've had in the past. He's going to be a really special player. We have to get him more snaps. C.J. Hampton continues to come on. Cody (Prewitt) is playing so well (at free safety, where Hampton is the backup). We're happy with his progression, also. The Moore (A.J. and C.J.) twins continue to show up, as well as (DeMarquis) Gates in special teams. They're also improving in their positions. Hopefully we'll continue to stay healthy, but all those kids are improving."
On Texas A&M's success with short passes…
"You can't take away everything every single play. If that's their plan, we'll make adjustments to it. If you'll go back and watch the film, they took advantage of us and the scheme we had called in the last part of the second quarter. At halftime, we made a change. That's not one that can beat you immediately. It did give them a couple of third-down conversions. I was OK with that at that point. In the second half, we took that away, too. With every coverage, there are holes."
On the sophomore class…
"They're very mature. Laquon (Treadwell) and Laremy (Tunsil) are two of the more mature kids that I've ever coached, as well as Tony Conner. You don't think of them as just young sophomores. They really are mature young men. They're kind of the leadership of that class. I'm very pleased with the way they're going about their business."
On Deterrian Shackelford…
"Hopefully he'll be ready to go this week. We could have played him more. With the way the game went and the type of offense, Keith (Lewis) was better suited for that. His knee was bothering him all week. We decided to play him the least amount of snaps so the faster his health would come back. We don't practice today and we actually did not practice yesterday because of getting into bed at 5 a.m. Sunday morning. We just met and didn't watch him run around."
On injuries…
"Nothing that we think will hold anyone out for any amount of time."
Senior QB Bo Wallace
On playing better in the second half of games…
"I really don't know. It's not a different mindset or anything. We're just getting in a rhythm. It's nothing that I've changed or anything like that."
On Tennessee…
"It's no secret that I grew up loving the Vols. I had on my orange every Saturday. It's going to be fun getting to play them. Where we're at right now, it's just the next team that we play. We have to go out and perform to end the season the way that we want to."
On beating A&M for the first time…
"It felt good because that was the only team in the West that we hadn't beaten yet. We definitely wanted that one. All of that is secondary to what we're trying to do. We're right in the thick of things and control our own destiny. If we keep winning, we're in. That's the goal each week."
On contact from Tennessee during recruiting…
"In junior college they came and were impressed with the first game I played. (Tyler) Bray was there. He ended up leaving his junior year. I didn't even have interest in going there if they would have (offered)."
On no turnovers in SEC games…
"I feel so much more relaxed going into games. I know if we punt the defense is going to go out and make a stop. I'm going into games confident and feeling good. I'm definitely not trying to force any balls."
On the development of the offensive line…
"Just like the rest of our team, we're confident. We have a great mindset. I think it just shows how close we are as a team. I kind of get hit and those guys protect me. One of my favorite plays of the game was Fahn Cooper getting on that guy that pushed. It makes me know those guys are caring about me. They've really done a great job."
On playing against his home state's team…
"It's just like I'm going to go into every game from here on out. I'm going to have the mindset of not making a mistake and really letting the defense do what they do. Offensively, I'm not going to force anything. Eventually, we have enough talent that we're going to put up some yards or pop a touchdown. I just have to take care of the ball."
On Tennessee's defense…
"I haven't seen much. I watched a couple of clips before I came in here. I've looked at the stats, and they're really good on third down. We weren't great on third down last week. It's going to be a test for us. When you're feeling good about yourself offensively and you look at their stat sheet, you know you're going to have to bring it this week."
