Quotes From Coach Cutcliffe's Monday Teleconference

Nov. 8, 1999

"I think that we played well on Saturday. We were proud of the staff and proud of the team. It really gives us something to build on. It proves how important it is to win late in the season. I think our biggest challenges lie ahead of us. We're down to a two-game season, and we have to remain focused on Ole Miss and continue to get better. We have an opportunity before us. We're facing an outstanding and very talented Georgia team. It will be a great challenge for our team.

Q: Talk about the off-week schedule.
A: We're giving them a day off the field to look at the game tapes and get all the meetings out of the way. We'll be on the field Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We won't go back on the field back to work until the following Monday. Those three days this week will be pretty intense work, but I don't see us doing anything beyond that.

Q: What are you looking for out of this off-week?
A: There are three things we are looking for out of our open date. One, we want to stay sharp and continue to improve. I'm going to challenge us offensively and defensively to stay ahead. I think you have to keep improving. The second thing is to get some people healthy. And the third thing we'll try to get out of it is working some young people. The more reps we can get those young people, the better we are going to be. If we can get those three things accomplished, we'll feel good about what we are doing.

Q: How much will Syniker Taylor and Ken Lucas practice on offense, and will that take away from their defensive reps?
A: We're not going to take away any of their repetitions on defense. We'll get all that worked out. We'll rotate them for a period or two when the defense is focusing on something else so that they don't miss any time. If they don't have the maturity to handle it, you don't do it. But I think they do and they showed that last week. I think it helped them focus as players. We're going to need to continue to work them more and more into the package, where they are blocking and doing all of it. And if we can't get some people back healthy, we'll need them over there. But I do think those guys can eventually handle that and be able to play some both ways for the rest of their careers possibly. We'll just see. You just take that week to week and see how they are physically.

Q: Would you rather play the Georgia game this week, or are you glad you have the open date?
A: I'd rather have the open date if given the choice. We're still a beat up football team, and need to get some people back. We need Armegis Spearman, Adam Bettis, Maurice Flournoy, Jamie Armstrong and Kendrick Clancy.

Q: Talk about Al Rice's play on Saturday.
A: He knows how to celebrate a birthday. Al really played well. Not only did he have the big plays in the game, but Al had a good football game in general. It's great to see a guy come on and play like that his senior year.

Q: Talk about Shane Grice and Amzie Williams.
A: Shane Grice has played well all year long. He had a very solid spring and good summer and fall. He's been a consistent football player. He's a physical player and that's what you are looking for. I think he's going to continue to get better and better as he plays longer in the system. He's as consistent as anyone we've had.

I think Amzie came in and made some big plays. He's done a lot of things for us. Amzie plays on special teams and spots on defense, always trying to make things happen. I thought that was an awfully big sack he had early in the game, helping set the tempo against Arkansas.

Q: After their play in Arkansas game, does the secondary have more confidence knowing they face Quincy Carter next?
A: I think they're confident, but I think they understand you can only maintain that confidence if you maintain your focus. Because of how they prepared for Arkansas, they played well. But it doesn't stay that way. They have to continue to work that hard. I hope it gives them confidence to know if you're really focused and really well prepared, you are going to get better. And we certainly got better, which is a great tribute to coach Lavigne.

Note: Les Binkley was named as one of the top 20 semi-finalists for the Lou Groza Award, given to the top NCAA Division I kicker, and Deuce McAllister was selected as the SEC Offensive Player of the Week.

A: I think on both counts, they are much deserved. Les certainly is deserving of that role. He's at least in the top 20. Deuce's game was quite an individual effort. I know he was quite complimentary of his teammates after the game, which he should be. He had players playing well around him. It was as solid an individual effort as I've seen him play. I'm really proud of both of those young men.

Q: Since you have a short week after Georgia, do the coaches start looking at preparing for two games?
A: I think you have to pay attention to the short week, and we've already got a lot of breakdown done for both games. We've been looking ahead to this and knowing it was coming, so we would have a lot of work done prior to that game week. Right now, we'll focus on Georgia, and then jump on Mississippi State soon after the Georgia game. But we've already got a lot of preparation-type work completed.

Q: What has made this team really come together these last few weeks?
A: I think it's truly because we are getting better on the practice field. We're focusing harder, learning how to practice better, understanding what we're doing on offense and getting better on both sides of the ball. And we're getting better in the kicking game. But the key is this team is realizing if we do work that hard, we will reap the benefits. The biggest thing is this team's maturity and understanding of that. They're making opportunities count. From a skills standpoint, I don't think it's been one particular thing. We've just become more consistent.

Q: Would you rather keep this momentum going or have the open week?
A: Playing two games in 12 days, you can't help but want an open date. After the game, I might have a different opinion. Right now I'm glad we have it.

Q: Did you see a big jump after the last open week?
A: I thought our practices were really good that week. I thought the offense and defense really pushed each other, and we had great focus on some things we really needed to focus on better. I really believe the open date helped us, and I hope we can get as much out of it or more this time.

Q: Talk about Shawn Johnson.
A: I think getting Shawn playing time has made him better. He's getting more comfortable with what he's doing. He's a very intense young man and a very physical player. He told me the other day he was feeling better. And I think the feeling better part may mean he is also getting more comfortable and he's getting better with the increased playing time.

Q: Do you expect to have Armegis Spearman back for the Georgia game?
A: I expect it, but I don't know anything for certain.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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