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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Postgame Quotes vs. Georgia State
8/30/2025 | Football
OLE MISS HEAD COACH LANE KIFFIN
Opening Statement:
"I thought our guys did a really good job today. I don't take for granted these types of games. You know, maybe sometimes some people do, and fans, especially, understand that Georgia State is a much-improved player-wise from what they added in the portal, and they beat Vanderbilt last year. So, you know, to play 63-7, so what is that, 46-0 run after they scored. So, when you play 46-0 football, you're doing a lot of things really well on offense, defense, and special teams. So, really pleased by the offensive balance, 695 yards and 295 on the ground in a game that only had two returning serges on offense and two on defense. I thought our defense did really well outside of one play, but we got a lot to work on, too. You know, we had the two turnovers, and we have to tackle better. So, obviously, we have a huge challenge next week. So I'm excited to go back to work with these guys, and I think you saw a team that's got a chance to be good. You know, you look around the country and a lot of times these games, you know, are one- two score games and stuff. So, I was really pleased with that. I'm pleased with how our team played pretty clean today. So, good start."
On Austin Simmons' first start:
"Yeah, he had one really bad play. You know, the second interception. The first one's not his fault, the right guard gets beat, there were blown covers. We're going in to score a 75-yard touchdown, walk in the endzone, and the guy that blows the coverage picks it off. So, that's not his fault. The other one is. We've seen that before, young quarterback, kind of almost the same interception we saw Jaxson (Dart) threw at home to his right his first year. But I thought he did some really good things. Scrambled the way that we would want, you know, slid and took care of himself, but also showed that he could move around and make some plays with his feet. I thought Trinidad did a really good job coming in and so I'm really glad that both of those guys did well aside from one really poor play."
On how explosive Kewan Lacy is:
"Yeah, it was awesome. I mean, I'll just tell you how it is. We didn't have that, you know, a year ago, and so it was really good to have it back. I was looking forward to that. Kind of thinking he was going to play like that because that's how he practices, and he's got a unique skill set of speed and power. So, it's great to see where a ball can break and go score and not get caught. Makes it a lot easier not to call more plays afterwards, so that was great to see."
On how the offensive line did:
"Yeah, I thought, you know, you would think with the output, it would have been cleaner. We got beat a couple times at guard on both sides, and so I thought it was pretty inconsistent, but we saw some good things on Kewan's (Lacy) longer run and some good finish for some things. I'd say actually better in the run game than the past games at times."
OLE MISS QB AUSTIN SIMMONS
On how he did tonight:
"It really wasn't my first time, so I wasn't nervous and we scored two plays. I had some mistakes here and there, but I think that I did a pretty good job and I think we all did pretty well."
On what the coaches' message was after his mistakes:
"There really wasn't much said about it given it was the first game. They were just like, "that's unfortunate." It's just me playing ball: I go back out there, I snap the ball down field, and score. I just go back out there and score, that's what matters."
On his chemistry with Harrison Wallace III:
"He's just an overall baller, he will always get the ball. He is a really great talent to have outside and be the person to have in the entire unit. You are just going to see a whole lot of those plays in the outfield."
On how he was feeling:
"I wasn't thinking too much honestly. I just ran out there and prepared to step foot in the game. I just stayed calm, and prepared."
OLE MISS RB KEWAN LACY
On the first two touchdowns of his college career:
"It was great just experiencing it with my teammates. We had a tough fall camp, you know just being able to come out there and play a new opponent."
On what he thought of his offensive line:
"I think they looked great out there. I just can't wait to keep getting better everyday."
On the short yardage score:
"Just sticking to the details that I have been taught by my coach. My fundamentals and being patient and not in denial."
On what his performance showed him he could do at this level:
"It proved to me that I can play at this level. I just still need to get better and still work everyday."
OLE MISS LB TJ DOTTERY
On how important it was to make a statement on defense:
"It was very important, just for us in the room for confidence. A lot of doubt, a lot of people saying we lost a lot, so it was important to show that we are still the same and we are better."
On ranking Zxavian Harris's dunk:
"I gave him 50 points, 10/10. He broke the rim and I have never seen that before."
On a new looking defense:
"The excitement and hunger to play football. Everytime we have practice or are in games, you can just tell that everyone loves to play football and are happy to be out there."
On Jaden Yates:
"He is a baller. In the play book as well because he is very intellectual and smart. So, when I get out there with him, I am very comfortable. He being another voice out there to control the defense is huge."
GEORGIA STATE HEAD COACH DELL MCGEE
Opening Statement:
"First I'd like to congratulate Coach Kiffin and his staff for doing an outstanding job. They were well prepared. Their tempo gave us a lot of issues defensively. Couldn't really get anything going on offense. We had some opportunities for momentum plays, missed a field goal early then could've cut the game to 14, just kinda spiraled out of control to start the second half. They are to be commended for what they did. We are gonna go back to the drawing board as a staff, as an organization and get back dialed in and look at what we did well, look at the things we did wrong and take a real good self analysis with the plan and all three phases and making sure we are getting the right players and giving those players the right opportunity to be successful in all three phases."
On the struggles with the downfield passing game:
"We didn't really try as much as we should have. They put a safety over the top a lot so they kinda predicated those situations. So we have to do a better job of scheming things up, putting them in the slot where the double team won't be as significant. The third down offense has to improve drastically. Way too many three and outs and just third down conversions not to the standard. I was pleased with our defense for having some big stops, big picks but way too many blown coverages, didn't tackle well, missed a lot of tackles. Lots of knockback opportunities that we didn't maximise. Just a lot of clerical things that come from our first game with a new unit and as the leader of this organization I have to make sure we improve in all areas."
On where the quarterback room stands with the second half change:
"It was nothing about the pick. We just wanted to make sure we played Cam and we actually played a lot of other young guys the back half of the third quarter and fourth quarter. We wanted to see what guys could do and what they could process in a game atmosphere and it ended up being a deal where lets take our older guys out and lets see what these younger guys can do and see what they are capable of doing to try and develop our roster and like I said find an identity and find out who can play winning football and playing against Ole Miss, you know bigger school, better athletes, it was a great test for our guys. When you play a team like this you can't give them anything and they didn't give us a lot. They gave us the two interceptions, we earned the two interceptions, but when you're outmanned in a certain sense we gotta make sure we maximise those opportunities and keep the momentum going. Third quarter we lost the momentum and I decided to play other guys and see who could do what and there were some bright spots in there but we just gotta go back, look at the tape, make corrections and get better as coaches."
On how the team will regroup:
"Yeah, like I said, we played a lot of guys, and there were some positives here and there, and that was just more so we can learn from the mistakes that we made, and that's coaches included. For us to plan who we're expecting to do certain things, we are really looking at what this player can do and what this player is not capable of doing. Like I said, it's going to be a deep dive by everybody, and that's what it's supposed to be. We are not here to put a product on the field and have it look the way it did tonight."
