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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Press Conference: 09.15
9/15/2014 | Football
Ole Miss football head coach Hugh Freeze and senior quarterback Bo Wallace met with the media Monday to discuss the Rebels' 56-15 win over Louisiana-Lafayette and the upcoming Memphis game (Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m. CT, FSN).
Head Coach Hugh Freeze
Opening statement…
"First, obviously many of us went to the funeral today of Stan Sandroni. It's been amazing the outpouring of love and support the Rebel family has shown Chris and Glenda (Sandroni). Certainly tough times are ahead dealing with the loss of a great man and it's obviously a tough time for the Ole Miss family here, as well. We want to let Chris and Glenda know we are here.
I'm proud of our team. I feel like the last two weeks we've had a business-like approach. I don't like always having to be emotional, but you go about your business and find a way to win the last couple of weeks. Obviously there are games coming up where we'll need to be sharper than we were the last couple Saturdays, but watching the film you see those things, but you also see the good things. We just have to continue to do that. I wish we were playing this week really, but having a week off is never a bad thing. We have a couple guys who are injured, so hopefully this week will help. I'Tavius (Mathers), Jordan Wilkins and Deterrian Shackelford all three might be limited this week, so I don't know if they'll practice, but hopefully they'll be healthy this time next week. We have to get ready for our next game."
On being ranked No. 10 nationally in the Associated Press poll…
"That's an interesting question. It's obviously exciting for everyone, to our kids, to our people here, but really to me, every day has a life of its own. Every play in a game has a life in its own, today is a life, tomorrow, too. The trouble with being ranked is it's a good thing, but all you ever worry about is the rankings or the scoreboard and what it says, you lose sight of the process and it's just result-oriented, and that's certainly not what we are about in our program. We hope those things go our way, and we hope those things stay that way, but I've seen already in a short period of time a lot of people that love this program so dearly get really caught up in that, and we've got to maintain our focus on the process. That's what we want to be about and treating each play as a life of its own and each day and then looking up and seeing what the end result is. But if that's all you worry about and that's the single goal, man, you miss the joy of the journey. The joy is in the daily enjoyment of things. Just two-and-a-half years ago this program was winless in this league, so in that amount of time our kids and people around this program and our administration deserve a lot of credit for being recognized for that. Is it deserving of that? I don't know, but we'll find out with the games to come. If you look in our half alone all seven teams should be ranked in the top 25. The SEC West is that strong. I just want to be sure our kids and everyone hears the message that it is great and awesome, and we've come a long way in a short amount of time, but let's not lose sight of enjoying the journey and keeping our eyes focused on the process and not so much the results."
On the bye week…
"We do the same thing every off week. We'll study ourselves and the next opponent or next two opponents if we can. And we'll recruit. That's what we do in the off week Tuesday to Thursday. Some of our coaches will hit the road Wednesday night and be places Thursday and Friday. Today through Wednesday we'll study ourselves in the morning and then Memphis in the afternoon and then recruit at night some. That's what we'll do every open week."
On keeping the team focused…
"I don't know if it's totally possible (to keep the team from looking ahead to Alabama.) Certainly the process is what I'll reiterate to them. It's about today and not what didn't go right yesterday. It's about what we do today to make sure we're prepared for next step in this journey which is September 27. We'll constantly remind them of that, and hopefully we continue to have some maturity with leadership that helps us in the locker room because it's certainly distracting to hear about things that aren't next in the journey."
On Ben Still…
"With the mental side of it he's been good. He struggles at times with some things we've asked him to do and certain types of defenses, but I don't think it's from a lack of effort or him not wanting to do well. The more he sees it and the more he recognizes what's happening because he's a sharp football player, he'll get better. The snaps have been solid. Only one has really cost us. He's a tough kid that loves to play the game. He's been solid. He's played more snaps than anybody on the offensive line. We need to help him there some, but he graded out 72 percent last game. He's been pretty solid."
On using Laquon Treadwell…
"I'm pleased with our offense. I'm pleased with what he's doing to free up other people. Do you wish you could get him the ball some more? We line him up in different places trying to get him the ball. We did that the other night and they caught us in some tough looks with it, and then when he's by himself he's getting a lot of attention. We're not going to start trying to force it when other things are open which obviously work for Bo (Wallace) to have the day he had. I hate the kids have to deal with all that stuff all the time. It goes back to it being about the team and the we before the me. Everywhere you read some of it, but I'm glad he doesn't feel that way. He's one of the best receivers in the country and we'll continue to try to use him and get him the ball everywhere we can, but we're going to be smart about it."
On Rod Taylor…
"He didn't grade out as well as I thought he might, but he has the talent and really is an athlete and stays on his feet. He gets confused a little bit sometimes with movement, and that caused him some minuses, but he had some very critical blocks that helped us have really explosive plays and showed how good he can be. The more he plays the better he'll be. I was very encouraged seeing him move around out there and how he played with energy and fire. He played good football."
On the heavy package…
"It's been very efficient. If you look at success I don't know if it has failed a single time, to be candid, at this point. I don't remember it if it has. I always carry a heavy package, always have. I didn't use it as much the last couple years as you're seeing this year, but you find the best people for that, and we decided to try Carlton (Martin) and he's been really good. He had some physical blocks the other day, and obviously having Jeremy (Liggins) makes that easier to go to a heavier package. We're always trying to improve short yardage situations and red zone situations. That's something that can help us. It has already. It could work (outside the red zone). I started to use it the other day, but it was late in the game and I had only prepared certain linemen, and I had already pulled Laremy (Tunsil), and I wanted to see, but I didn't want to throw the starting linemen back in there when the game was clearly in hand. It's something you could see us run first down from the 20-yard line and see what happens."
On Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade …
"Extremely pleased with Ryan at Vandy. I thought he was really poised and did some things that don't come totally natural, and they did to him. He sees the field well and then he didn't get as many opportunities (Saturday). He had a drop, and it was a good pass and a good read by him. Then he had a handoff that resulted in a touchdown, and we had told them we were alternating possessions. DeVante gets in there and has a 12- or 13-play drive and before you know it it's over, so Ryan didn't get a lot of chances. I thought DeVante played well. We didn't ask him to do a whole lot, but he made some good reads on some zone read stuff and hit some bubbles right on target. I thought he played solid and made a big run on third down when it didn't look like he had a chance, and he made the play. I've been pleased."
On injuries…
"I'Tavius (Mathers) has a toe injury, and it's an ankle injury for Jordan Wilkins, but the knee is also swollen, so he's having some tests today. Deterrian is an ankle injury. DeMarquis Gates has a deep thigh bruise. Those are the four, and then we may hold Aaron Morris out some this week. There's nothing wrong, but that knee he had surgery on Pat (Jernigan) is thinking about doing some kind of treatment on it that will help some soreness and tendinitis get out of it. We have to decide if we want to hold him some this week to do that. We were busy with the funeral this morning and I didn't ask about Collins Moore. I hope by next week he'll be ready to try it. That was the plan. I don't think he'll go this week in practice."
On if any injuries are a concern…
"Any time you are waiting on a test to come back they concern you. I'Tavius should be OK, but it may take a couple weeks. With Jordan we have to wait and see what comes back. Deterrian doesn't concern me. It's a low ankle sprain. The quad bruise is something that takes a little time."
Senior Quarterback Bo Wallace
On game against Louisiana-Lafayette...
"I made one throw I probably shouldn't have made. Cody (Core) bailed me out on it and made a really good catch on the sideline between two guys, but that was the only throw I can think of I would want back."
On looking ahead to Alabama...
"We don't at all. We have a mature group that knows. We know what's at stake. We know what's coming up, but no one is satisfied with the way we are playing. You don't see us celebrating after beating these teams. We're taking a business-like approach to these games and trying to play our best game."
On the progression of the program during his tenure...
"We haven't done anything yet. We've won one SEC game, meat of the schedule is coming up. We're playing good ball but nowhere close to perfect, and that's what we're trying to be. We can stand back and look at first three games, but we have to bring it every single day."
On being 3-0 last year...
"No it's not (something the team has talked about), but I've thought about last year and feeling good about it. I don't think we lost focus or anything like that, but we have to pay attention to details. I don't think we paid attention to little things as much last year, but I love this team being mature and taking things one thing at a time. That's not just us saying that. That's really how we are as a team."
On Ben Still...
"He's done a great job. We had a couple snap issues early in the season but haven't had any issues lately. He's done a really good job and filled Evan (Swindall's) shoes well. Evan was a four-year starter, so he's played really well."
