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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Quotes from SEC Football Media Days
8/1/2001 | Football
Aug. 1, 2001
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -
HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE
"Most of you realize we have a very young football team. Only 12 scholarship seniors return, and those 12 are going to be good leaders. They have proven that through winter and spring. We have unproven players in critical areas. One of things that frightens me the most is being so youthful in the kicking games. We lost our kicker, punter, placekicker and holder. We're talented there, but the guys haven't done it yet. That's a big issue.
"When you play in the Southeastern Conference, there are a lot of close games that are decided in the kicking game. That weighs heavily on my mind. We're going to play the kicking game hard. We spent a lot of time this spring on our kicking game. We'll work at it a lot this August. We're talented, but I still have the question in my mind `what may happen?' I can't answer that. Lee Rogers and Jonathan Nichols (kickers) are competing head to head. There may be some others get involved with that.
"We had a good winter and as good a spring as I've been around. There is great enthusiasm on this team, but a lot of questions will have to be answered in August. We have a big challenge in front of us as we do every year with our SEC schedule, but we're looking forward to the opportunity."
On Defense:
"We're not very big again on our defensive front, but we were not very big a year ago. We kind of got banged up in the middle last year when we lost Eddie Strong (LB) for the season. I think one of the most underrated players in the league is Anthony Sims. He was hurt a year ago. Anthony Sims is gong to be as productive and as good a defensive front player as there will be in the league. He'll be drafted and play in the NFL. He has to stay healthy.
"Don Lindsey (new defensive coordinator) is one of the most creative defensive coaches I've been around. Eddie is back and full speed. He was as hungry as any player I've seen this spring after having football taken away from him last fall. We'll use him in a lot of different ways. We'll be different on defense. We'll roll the dice a little bit and take some risks. We have to do that to be as good as we can possibly be because we're not a very big football team. We're having fun playing defense. We haven't been having a lot of fun playing defense, but we're going to get back there. Our kids are enjoying the aggressive approach. I know our kids will play hard with a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of energy."
On Eli Manning:
"Comparing Peyton and Eli Manning is somewhat difficult because of the different tasks. Peyton was thrust into being a starter for us as a true freshman in 1994. Eli has been in our system two years. He's a very prepared football player, but he hasn't played a game yet. Experience is a tough teacher. The last time he started a football game was at Isadore Newman High School in New Orleans. There are some things he'll have to learn. By the end of the year as a freshman, Peyton was really playing great. He played great against Virginia Tech in the bowl game. Eli can play really well early, but he just doesn't have games under his belt. Experience is our best teacher, sometimes it's a cruel teacher."
On the skill positions:
"I think our backfield is a real plus. One of the strengths of our team is having some players in the backfield. That is an area we have people back who have played well. Joe Gunn has played well in this league, and Robert Williams has played well in this league. Our receiving corps. has talent, but we don't have as many people there who have made plays. They're a lot like Eli. They have some ability and talent, but they have to go do it in games."
On receivers:
"Ratavious Biddle is a very talented youngster. Like all freshmen, some of the finest I've been around didn't transition as easily to college football as you would think. He's got great speed and size. He's over in Oxford now, and Eli has great things to say about him. We've got redshirt freshmen Bill Flowers and Trey Fryfogle. Both had great springs to go along with players like Omar Rayford and Jamie Armstrong, who are our most experienced players."
On Syniker Taylor:
"He's one of our best football players period. He's played offense some, and he's played cornerback and safety. Last year he got banged up some, and we cleaned up his knee in the offseason, thank goodness.
"We thought we had more people who can step in and play corner for us than could play safety. And Syniker is a playmaker. By being able to play corner, he's freed us up. We have some physical football players, some young people who can play safety. It's a big deal that he's able to do that and give us some experience at corner."
On defense:
"Sometimes change in itself is positive. From a creative standpoint, a lot of people are doing a great job in our league and other leagues of being creative on defense. It's been tough to coach against Don. He's a very enthusiastic guy, and we wanted to get back to having fun on defense. We had discussions about my expectations before he took the job, and they're in line with his philosophies. We think the risks we take will be good calculated risks."
More on Eli Manning:
"Our team talks about that (Eli's attention). We're dealing with that like we would any other situation. We're honest about that. Eli knows his teammates, loves his teammates and enjoys being a part of the Ole Miss team. If he maintains that attitude, and he will, it won't be an issue. If he remains focused on being the best he can be, a lot of other things will take care of themselves."
On Robert Williams:
"He's a heck of a football player, and he may be our starting tailback. Joe Gunn has some serious competition. Robert is bigger, he's 200 pounds, I just think he's a tremendous football talent. I'm anxious to see how that competition is going to go. He was our best special teams player last year, and he's certainly going to be in the picture at tailback.
On Terrence Metcalf:
"Terrence Metcalf is as good a player at his position as there is in the country. He's had a plate and screws in his leg since he's been there, and we went in there this summer and took it all out. He is a big strong football player. He's taking his role as a captain very seriously. It's hard to tell Terrence Metcalf no. I'm really glad he's a part of our program. He's going to leave our program better for having been there.
"We talked prior to the season being over, and I have straight, honest talks with those guys. I can't think for them when it comes to making a decision for coming out to the NFL or coming back to our football team. I tell them the truth. I make them ask me questions rather than offering information. I tell them what I think is the truth. We let him get involved in all the processes you can get involved with in projections and gave him the information. It didn't take him long. He was convinced he wanted to come back and be part of this football program for another year. It may be different for someone else down the road."
On being picked low in the Western Division:
"It's really fine. The last place team has been beating the first place team at the end of the season. Not to belittle it, I understand why we are. It makes sense when you look at it on paper, but it doesn't faze you because you know at the end of the year there's not much difference between No. 1 and No. 6. It's fun being part of that. We know we have a challenge, and we talk about it. But what an opportunity we have to be involved in that shootout in the West. I'm looking forward to it."
On BCS:
"I'm a big fan of regular season football being so intense. If you're going to win the national championship, you better go 8-0 in the Southeastern Conference. It's been proven you can accomplish that. We want to be a part of the BCS, but we've got to earn the right and put ourselves in that position. It is the hardest national championship in all sports in my opinion. We've come real close to determining a rightful national champion each year. We're in a tough league, but if you're good enough you will find a way. Our focus is on the Southeastern Conference championship. That trip to Atlanta... I wouldn't want to lose that, and I wouldn't want to take that away from the players."
DB SYNIKER TAYLOR
On the Auburn game:
"That is going to be an early game for us. We are hoping to win and gain confidence for the rest of the season."
"Coach Cutcliffe talks to us as a father as well as a coach. He does what is best for us. He is a guide for us both on and off the football field."
"A lot of improvement has occurred during the spring and summer. We are still working hard. By having a good spring and summer, we think it is going to be a special year. Our goal is not just to go to a bowl game, but to go to a big bowl game."
On their scheme:
"We are putting players where they can make plays. We are just going to be flying around and using the players we have to make the best team."
Thoughts on Mississippi State:
"I think they are a good football team. It is a huge rivalry between the players. They have good players and so do we. It is always an all out dog fight. It is not so much hate, but it is wanting to be the best. We know if we lose we will hear it all year, and that is something we don't want to happen."
OT TERRENCE METCALF
On Eli Manning:
"Eli is an intense competitor and an all-in-all good guy. We have a lot of confidence in him because he knows the calls and completely understands the plays. We have been working with him since May with the plays and schemes, and he teaches us what we don't know about them. He is not your typical young quarterback. He is very comfortable with the offense and does not shy away from making plays happen. I am very excited about the season and I know that Eli will do a great job."
On avoiding the danger zone in off-season workouts:
"We have five trainers out with us all the time and there is water at the each end of the field. If you get tired and need a drink then you can go between drills to get some water, so we have the water and medical attention there if needed. Of course the strength coaches want you to push yourself and get it all but you do have to be careful not to enter that danger zone."
Expectations for the season:
"Fans always have high expectations in Oxford because it is a football town. As a team, we know that fans want a great season, so we have to know to a tee what we have to do with plays. We have to play to our best ability and understand what needs to be done to reach those expectations."
