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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Head Coach David Cutcliffe's Weekly Press Conference
10/2/2000 | Football
Oct. 2, 2000
Unfortunately, I am going to start this day by making a statement that the football world lost another outstanding person and outstanding coach in Keith Daniels who formerly coached here at Ole Miss. We are all saddened by that and want to wish his family the very best.
I would just like to talk about our squad briefly in last week's game. I really thought our team played with great emotion and great effort and with intensity. There are many, many things we have got to improve on still. But to tie up, I thought from a team effort and intensity standpoint, it was certainly the best we've played. It was fun to watch our team play. We've got a challenging game with Arkansas State, who's had some rough luck to this point, but they've got a good football team. We fought hard last year to beat Arkansas State. They've got outstanding talent. Obviously their running was key on offense in the game they had against us a year ago. They have many people that can run and hit you on defense and they're a team that competes and plays hard. So our football team has a big challenge to go back on the field. And as I've said, we've got a lot of things to correct in a short period of time to get it done, so I'm anxious to get back started to work.
Q: Talk about the injury situation.
A: Anthony Magee's x-rays were negative. We'll have to see how his ankle responds. He's not going to be able to get any work done today. But we'll see and know a little more midweek about what it looks for him. Chris Collins will be able to get some work today. No structural damage with his shoulder and he's sore, but hopefully we'll get that soreness taken care of and get him back into the swing of things rather quickly. With Ben Claxton, we still don't know what the situation is going to be with him. We're at a point now where we may be reaching. I don't know if you would call it day-to-day but week-to-week to see what he can get done, so we'll know a little bit more each day on Ben as well. But we still have a lot of people bumped and bruised, but that's pretty much the specifics on the injuries.
Q: Was the Kentucky game reminiscent of last year's Arkansas game?
A: Our defense certainly set the tempo in both with sacks and turnovers. Unfortunately, we turned it over offensively. What pleased me the most was that we continued our intense play for four quarters. We hadn't seen that kind of consistency from our team at this point in the season. Now the challenge is to build on that and not just maintain, but improve.
Q: After three emotional games, are you concerned about a letdown?
A: We all pay attention to that in the coaching profession. Conference games have that intensity for everybody. There's only 11 regular season games. Our team has to certainly be focused on Arkansas State, but focused on Ole Miss as well. I expect to see a very hungry football team on the practice field today. If we go out there and work how we're supposed to work, we shouldn't anticipate any sort of letdown, particularly after they see Arkansas State on tape. We also played them last year, so they know the quality of athlete they have.
Q: Talk about the defense against Kentucky.
A: Our defense was in the right place at the right time on a consistent basis. If they were throwing the ball, we had people around their receivers. We had consistency in pressure, tackling better, and doing all the little things. Those things are improving, and they've got to continue to improve to get better for us to be successful. But you certainly see progress. We played with great intensity. We ran to the football, and played as a team extremely well.
Q: What progress has the team made since the Auburn game?
A: First of all, some young players have grown up and played in some battles and gotten snaps that have made them better. We've made a real focus on communicating, being where we need to be when the ball is snapped, understanding what we're doing, and all the little things that you have to do to play well on defense. All those things are starting to come together, and I think are staff has done a tremendous job of preparing them to do that.
Q: Talk about Deuce's situation.
A: He was a little bit sick yesterday, but he came through the game well. And I hope he will continue to get better. We're just trying to overcome soreness. I thought he did a tremendous job of pushing himself through this, and I think he'll be better this week.
Q: Were you happy with the running game against Kentucky?
A: We needed to be more consistent running the football, and we did spend some time running the football. After we kept the ball so long - which we had a beautiful drive to open the third quarter where we ran the ball well, and then they kept it a long time, I realized we're in the fourth quarter with a 35-3 lead. We didn't respond as well as I'd liked offensively at that point. I challenged our offense to be physical and take care of the football. I knew we needed to run some clock. When you've got a lead like that with a dangerous offensive team, you need to limit their possessions. I was interested in seeing that clock run.
Q: What were your recollections of Coach Daniels?
A: I certainly remember him from coaching in the league and being in the coaching profession a long time. We was an outstanding creative coach and a good person. It's a sad loss for all of us.
Q: Does Grant Heard and Derrick Burgess bring an added leadership having come from such distant places?
A: I think that's an interesting statement about college football - we have a lot of people from a lot of different places. It's a very diverse background when you look at the football team. Derrick and Grant have been here for quite some time, and I'm sure they feel a part of the University of Mississippi community, this football team and Oxford. They've been good leaders. They've grown to love this place. It's one of the great statements about college football and college athletics in general - it brings young people together from all different areas and all backgrounds and brings them together as a team.
Q: Talk about the development of Grant and Derrick.
A: I thought Derrick played as well Saturday as I've seen any player play individually on the defensive line. He's just gotten better and better. When we came here, he was not a healthy football player. We met with Tim Mullins, and we put a plan together to get Derrick well. Derrick and I spent a lot of time together talking about his past and a lot of things that have gone on with him. We refocused everything he was doing toward getting well athletically, academically and challenging himself to be as good as he can be. He has done that as well as any player I've been around. What he has accomplished as a player and a person is very evident to everyone that knows Derrick.
Grant Heard has gone through a similar circumstance. He was injured during preparation for the first Independence Bowl. It had been a long time since he had played football. I thought Saturday he looked more comfortable and more aggressive than at any time. It's been great for Grant to get more confidence back in his health and his learning of the system, and being able to compete and play again.
Q: Could you still not relax with the 35-3 lead?
A: I've seen Kentucky up close score 21and 28 points in a hurry. I've been asked a number of times why didn't you play Eli Manning or this guy or that guy. Really, I never felt completely comfortable. I talked to Eli after the game. I might should have played him in retrospect. I trust him immensely. He had his best week of practice as a matter of fact. I just commented that to him after the game, and his time will come. It was just one of those games where there was a lot happening and a lot of adjustments. Kentucky actually came out and ran a defensive scheme I had never seen them run in the entire time I have watched them. We practiced for them for two weeks, and they never ran anything like what we practiced against during that two week period, which was highly unusual. It's not like I'm just seeing Kentucky for the first time. I've seen most of every game they've played on tape since they've been there. Why they did it - I know they were a little frustrated, and they lost one of their starters. So they just changed their whole scheme. So there was a lot of adjustments during the game and a halftime. It was never a real comfortable time to make a change. And like I said, Kentucky with their ability to play fast offense and score quickly just makes me uncomfortable. I started watching that clock, and I was more interested in getting that game over.
Q: Will involving the other receivers create problems for opposing defensive coordinators?
A: I hope so, because we've got to continue to do that more consistently. Our wide receiver corp got much better this week. I had commented on that during preparation for the Kentucky game, and we got the production we needed. We've got some improvement to do in every area, but we have some quality there. And we have to utilize those people. If we do that, it certainly makes us a different team in the eyes of any defensive coach.
Q: How does Doug Zeigler fit in that?
A: We've been able to use Doug when he's been healthy, but unfortunately he's been unhealthy a good part of the year. He's back feeling good and running good. He's a guy that is going to come into play there. I think that always helps the wide receivers when you have a good tight end.
Q: Talk about L.J. Taylor.
A: L.J. Taylor is just a fighter. He loves to compete. I think he really loves to practice, although he might not admit that around his teammates. He goes full speed all the time, and manages to find a way to make plays. He's very quick and much more talented than a lot of people think. He's just not a real big guy, but he can run, catch and make plays.
Q: Talk about the steps Romaro made from the Auburn game to the Kentucky game.
A: He's much more consistent. He really played well the entire Kentucky game. That's what you want to expect from a senior, and that's what he expects from himself. I continue to expect to see him improve. He made some really good decisions and some really good throws. He stood in and took a hard hit on a throw he made to Chris Collins at the one yardline. He took a hit and threw a strike, like you want a big time quarterback to do. I've said all along that Romaro is a warrior. He'll come to work everyday and get better, and that will show up on the game field as well.
Q: Talk about Shawn Johnson.
A: Shawn is one of those guys that plays as hard as he can play all the time. He's very intense, and he's pushed through a lot of injury and pain to continue to practice and play. He just makes plays. He's a very explosive hitter. Shawn is a guy that comes to play every week.
Q: Talk about Chris Collins and Lanier Goethie.
Chris Collins is a really, really fast football player. He is explosively fast, and now that he knows what to do, that speed is becoming more evident. And that's part of the progress you see with any young receiver. They've got to learn, and now he can use his physical skills. He catches real well. He's a tough guy. He can catch it in traffic, and he's very strong. He's a tremendous athlete with an extremely bright future in front of him.
Lanier Goethie is finally healthy. Lanier has had severe problems with his foot in the past, beginning in his senior year of high school. I've watched Lanier play high school ball on tape. I haven't seen a guy play faster and make more plays, and now you're seeing that on the college field. He's extremely fast and a very competitive young man. He's a very, very strong guy. He's just not very tall. He can run, and he's got great strength and explosiveness. I love his intensity. He loves to play, and he's a good leader for us on the field as a young player.
Q: Talk about what rotating the three fullbacks brings to the offense.
A: We have some talent there. Charles Stackhouse is a very physical player, and he's improved his skills. He's finally healthy. He's a good runner and catches the ball very well. He has a lot of big plays in his career as a receiver. He is a punishing blocker, and he enjoys that role. Toward Sanford has become more of a blocker, and he's an extremely talented, fast, skilled athlete. So is Tremaine Turner, who is a very talented guy. All of those guys could play tailback in a pinch, which is a plus. They are all three unique in their own way, and they're becoming more and more physical players. That's what you want at fullback.
Q: Is blocking the most important skill you look for at fullback?
A: I think they have to be able to block in our offense. But when we're out recruiting one, we look for a great athlete. You really like in our offense to recruit a fullback that can catch a football and be part of the passing game. And certainly we do like to run the fullback, in particular when certain defenses or situations dictate that.
Q: Talk about Charlie Perkins.
A: Charlie Perkins has performed like you hope a senior would. He competes hard and very smart. He just quietly goes about doing his job. He's very unselfish and very much a team player. He is the epitome of what you talk about when you say close ranks and keep them marching. He has certainly done that in the absence of Ben Claxton.
Q: Talk about Arkansas State.
A: They are a very capable football team. They've got a lot of talent and experience on offense. They just didn't get on track against Oklahoma and TCU. But they play top 25 caliber football teams with that schedule. They had a game in-hand this past week against Richmond that slipped away from them. Richmond made some big plays late to get back in the game and ultimately win. They are a very well coached football team and a very physical team. They play with great intensity. They just come up on the short end of the stick sometimes, but they have a good football team.
I'm sure they have incentive against us. We're a familiar foe, and we're a Southeastern Conference foe. I'm sure they're excited about the opportunity they have. I'm sure it's a big game. They play in a lot of big games, so they're used to that tempo. Facing players from a regional area usually means something to a player. I'm sure they will have some motivation in their players, although I think they are a very motivated football team. They are very impressive that way.
Q: Are you expecting any more trick plays?
A: I'm sure we'll have to be alert. Last year was one of the best executed fake punts that I've seen in my career. They just out-executed us in that situation. Every week in this game you have to be ready for any number of things. We try to do that on defense as well as in the kicking game.
Q: Talk about last week's SEC games.
A: I think it's typical of our conference now that in most of those games, either team could have won. There were a couple of lopsided scores, but any given day in our league, you've got 12 teams that are good enough to beat any of the other teams in the league. There are certainly teams that separate themselves as the year goes on. There's a lot of good football being played. It's exciting to see. I think it's good for our conference. I just hope we can survive it.
Q: Does the parody hurt you in the national championship picture?
A: A team has to truly have one of those special years, and we've had quite a few national championships through the 90s. If a team comes out of the SEC undefeated, it's going to play for a national championship, which is a plus. If you come out of this conference with one loss, you still have a chance to be playing for a national championship, which becomes a plus because excellence as a conference is recognized nationally.
