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The University of Mississippi Athletics
David Cutcliffe's Weekly Press Conference Transcript
9/24/2002 | Football
Sept. 24, 2002
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Opening Comments:
I want to first reinitiate what we first talked about with the past game with our team. I thought really it was a special thing to see, after losing a 21-point lead, that nine-play, 80-yard drive that the offense pulled out towards the end of the fourth quarter. Then getting a big play, and getting Vanderbilt stopped when things started to look in doubt defensively. We made them earn their way, but coming up with big plays in the offensive drive. Certainly that huge play on that defensive drive. That was good to see our team pick its self up after being at our lowest point certainly of this season, giving up 21 unanswered points. I'm proud of that.
The injury situation has just continued to mount. Most of you are aware with where we are Doug Zeigler and Lanier Goethie. I understand that after both of those surgeries, the doctors felt good about the repairs. Doug is certainly out for the remainder of the season. More than likely, I think that may also be the case with Lanier. That may not be as definite so we will just have to wait and see. I will know more as I get more specific information over the next week or so. Robert Williams looks like it is just a sprain, so he is out right now. We will just have to see how long right now. We know that can be extended also. Eddie Strong is still out right now. He is listed as day-to-day. Toward Sanford is still out and is day-to-day. We are going to let Bryant Thomas do some work on the practice field today. He is ahead of schedule. That is a positive. I think Josh Cooper is going to be alright. He missed some playing time as the game went on because of his knee. But he looks fine now.
We will just go back on the practice field. We have a lot of little things to work on. I guess most teams do at this time of the season as you are continuing to learn about yourself each week. We have a lot of little things that we need to continue to do well. And we have a lot of little things that we need to do better. I'm anxious to get back on the practice field and see what we can get accomplished.
Q: What will be the primary area of focus this week?
A: I think, first of all, we want to tackle better on defense than we did. That's something that we were doing well early. We just didn't tackle near as well as we needed to or even could during the ballgame. Certainly attacking the line of scrimmage, getting off blocks, and just pure fundamental technique things that we have got to shore up. Things like alignment and assignment. Offensively, I certainly want to see us be consistently more physical. We were close to being able to run the ball. Just some little things. One player here on one play, another player here on another play. Consistently being a better 11-man football team. Everybody is doing their job well on offense. And even in the kicking game, again we are looking for consistency. We're doing some real fine things sometimes, and then at other times it seems we are losing our focus or concentration. So what I want to see in practice from our team is that from start to finish our team is good enough to be a winner.
Q: Was the tackling the primary reason for some of the big plays?
A: We missed some tackles that ended up being some big runs for them. If you get them stopped it may be at the line of scrimmage or even a two-yard loss. But the big chunks of yardage came after missed tackles. We have to play blocks better and get off blocks better. When you play in our league, you are playing against backs that will make one guy miss. So we have to work at getting more than one there.
Q: Talk about the tight end situation.
A: I haven't looked at it deeply. I spent most of the morning looking at things defensively. Offensively, we are faced with losing a promise player in our plans with Doug Zeigler. Eric Rice and Bo Hartsfield both did a good job. But what it does, even with our two tight end sets and maybe even our three tight end sets, is it makes us change some things. We have briefly discussed this morning some thoughts. But we are not deep enough in that to make any kind of comment about the plans.
Q: Tell us a little bit about both Eric Rice and Bo Hartsfield.
A: They have both played a good bit, which helps. Eric played as a true freshman and then redshirted. Bo redshirted and then played for us last year. They both have good hands. They are both good receivers. And they both have good knowledge of what we are doing. Bo is a little bit more physical than Eric. Eric runs a little better. They are a good combination. Both are quality young football players. But they are like any one else. The more snaps they get, the better they will be. But they have played, so it is not like we are sending somebody out there that hasn't played. And they have both played a significant number of snaps in the past.
Q: How does it change from Doug, who was more physical and athletic, to these younger role type players?
A: They both split the playing time, and will continue to split the playing time. We are not always going to one in here to do this and one in here to do that. That would be to easy to figure out after a while. They will compliment each other and we will try to use their strengths.
Q: Have you made a final decision about who will be your third guy?
A: I haven't really gone that far as to what we are going to do.
Q: Talk about the similarities in the two Manning boys that you have coached (Peyton and Eli).
A: First, from a physical standpoint, they are very similar. Obviously, their stature is very similar. Both are very tall. They have good feet. Nice quick releases. Very uncomplex throwing motion. It's easy for them and they can make all the throws. They are both very similar when it comes to seeing the field, using their minds. They are both quick thinkers and have an uncanny ability to formulate a lot of information in a very short period of time to become great decision makers when it comes to pulling the trigger. Special players are that way. They both are similar when it comes to being prepared. I tell people that they have a great work ethic. They were raised right by Archie and Olivia. They are not afraid of hard work, so they prepare extremely well. The differences all lie in just their base personality. They couldn't be more different. They are different from that standpoint. Their differences lie away from the field. They are more similar in the meeting room and on the field than people might think.
Q: Ever catch yourself calling one by the other name?
A: No, I don't make that mistake. I'm not bragging, but I just don't. That's a mistake I am not going to make.
Q: How much has Eli progressed since he stepped on campus?
A: Physically, he is an entirely different person. He had a lot of work to do physically and he has worked very hard at that. He is quicker and stronger, not even close to were he was when he first got here. He is throwing the football with greater velocity and has more command over the ball. All of that is related to the strength. Everybody grows as you learn the game and he certainly is proficient with our offense. He worked hard and learned it rather quickly. Experience is a great teacher and he is a master at most all the things we ask him to do now.
Q: Has Eli been doing something different over the past couple of weeks?
A: Not really. We have just executed better. Obviously, there are slittle differences in schemes. But nothing that has just thrown us out of kilter. Louisiana-Monroe was an unusually high number of zone blitzes, but that wasn't what threw us out of kilter. I think just playing, getting comfortable with everybody, and getting our people back in practice has been the biggest difference.
Q: Is it frustrating to be clicking like you were in the third quarter and all of a sudden just hit a wall? Or is that just part of the game?
A: I don't know if it's part of the game. If you had to answer, you would solve it real quickly. I don't really have the answer to that. I don't think I have ever been around losing a 21-point lead before. Maybe I have, but I don't recall it because it is just a shock. Sometimes, part of the game is momentum. Part of the game is trying to seize momentum back. That is more difficult to do than it is to say. Particularly when the other team is playing with great confidence and their level of play actually changes. Emotions are part of the game and emotions are part of what happens in that swing. That is what a good football team has to do. You have to be able to handle the momentum swings of the game. When it is going your way, you had better take advantage of it. When it is not, that is when you refocus, show your poise, and take it back. I think having those situations is part of the game.
Q: Do you have any positions that you are going to focus on this week? Maybe giving some people more playing time?
A: There are certain things. I spent most of the morning with the defense. We are looking. We are all the time looking. We want to see if there are people that can push people that didn't play as hard as we think they can. Or maybe there are people that didn't play as well as we thought they could. You are always trying to push the cream to the top. If there are changes in the depth chart, we will let you know. But it is too early to tell at this time.
Q: How much of this week will you spend correcting mistakes and how much will you spend getting ready for Florida?
A: We will start on Florida today. You are always correcting yourself. I don't know if I could put a percentage on it, but we are going to start on Florida. Today, if I had to put a percentage on it, I would probably say 60% Ole Miss, 40% Florida. And that will change as we go along.
Q: Did you change your routine by giving the team off on Sunday?
A: No. That is part of the regular routine. I gave them Sunday off. I was out of town all day yesterday (Monday).
Q: Do you think the turnover on the 4th quarter caused by the defense helped boost their confidence?
A: I certainly think it helps. I know they were exhausted in the latter part of the game. I haven't really been around the team since the ballgame. The more you sit back and think about, the more you are able to do to win a game when it is on the line. That often happens toward the end of the season. That is something to build on, there is no question about that.
Q: Does it boast the team's confidence after a win like that?
A: It makes it easier to practice as a winner, I do know that. I respect our attitude as one of being hungry. We have a lot of getting better to do. But understand, if we work on that practice field, we will get better. That is one of the things I emphasize after a game. If you want to get better at something, get out there on that practice field and work on it.
Q: Is the team where you thought it would be at this point in the season?
A: I don't know. The injury situation has not been pleasant, especially when it affect the leadership of your team. I felt like we were practicing well. I want to see us get better. I think there are a lot of little things that we can do better.
Q: Have you ever been in a situation in which you this many captains?
A: No. I'm sure Ben feels lonely.
JUNIOR QB ELI MANNING
Q: What has been the difference the last two games?
A: "I'm just more accurate right now and making better decisions with the ball. I'm really concentrating on my footwork in practice. Everything was a little out of whack my first few games. I've really settled down in the pocket and not moving around as much. I'm doing what I need to and just putting the ball in the receivers' hands."
Q: What's been your biggest improvement from last year to this year?
A: "I think reading defenses, and seeing what kind of blitzes they are doing and where the pressure is coming from. I'm able to better see what will work on certain defenses and getting back to the third or second receiver a little quicker and not hanging on my primary so long."
Q: Have you talked to Doug Zeigler since his leg injury?
A: "Doug is back at the apartment. He's hanging in there. He's feeling a little pain still. We're trying to get him to laugh and get his spirits back up high. It's going to take some time, but I think he'll come around."
Q: Do you think the long pass plays from the Vanderbilt game will stretch out the defense?
A: "Hopefully it will, knowing that we have some deep threats and some guys that can get down field and hit the big plays. It's something we've been working on and haven't been very successful at this year. It was good to hit some of those, and hopefully hit some more later on in the season."
Q: Was there something you saw in the Vanderbilt defense that made you go back-to-back with the deep passes?
A: "We had been throwing a lot of crossing route, especially on third-and-long. On the first one, we faked on the crossing route, and the safety really ran up thinking he had an interception. It was a play we put in on Thursday. It's not really a play we have. Going against their defense, we called it, and it worked. Coach signaled for it, and it took me a second to realize what he wanted. It worked like a charm. The second one was a play we ran earlier in the game, and I missed Espy on the post. I overthrew him then, so we came back to it. I had to move up in the pocket and hit him on the run, and he was fast enough to take it to the house."
Q: Is there a temptation to go deep on every play after having that kind of success?
A: "We came back to that same play in the fourth quarter on the last drive when we didn't score. I hit Hartsfield on it. You can run the same plays over and over, but you just have to look at what the defense is doing and giving up. They were guarding the post, so I had to hit the underneath guy. You have options to go deep on a lot of plays, but sometimes they're not giving it to you. So you take the underneath stuff."
Q: Do you have any idea why there has been so many batted balls the last two games?
A: "I guess one reason why is a lot of teams aren't getting to sack me or giving me a lot of pressure. I think their coaches might be teaching them, since I'm throwing the ball quick, that if they don't get in right away, to stand at the line, read my eyes and try to get their hands up and deflect the ball. It's a frustrating thing for me if you've got a guy open, and you know you're throwing good balls, for someone to get their hand in. I don't know how you work on it. It's hard to keep moving in the pocket, because you've got to be on time or the defenders are going to be closing in on it. I don't know how to fix it really."
Q: Did you experience that problem last year?
A: "We had some tipped balls last year, but not as many as this year. You try to teach the linemen to keep them so they can't get their hands up, but a lot of cases, the linemen are doing good jobs. The guys are just throwing up their hands and getting lucky and hitting balls."
Q: Does that force you to change your throwing motion?
A: I'm not throwing it from the side or anything. The ball is coming from a good angle, and I'm tall enough. It's not a problem that the ball is not high enough. These guys are getting hands up. On 10-yard routes, you can't throw the ball real high, or it will sail and get over the receiver."
Q: Do you think being so shallow in the pocket has anything to do with it?
A: "I think it's just timing. Throwing curls or something else, it's a five-step drop and we get the ball out. I'm six yards in the pocket. I guess it's something we could look at, but that's where I'm supposed to be. You don't want to get too deep, or it's tough for those linemen to protect you. Those defensive linemen can get wide and run by them. I have a place where I'm supposed to be in the pocket, where the linemen know where I am and that I'm not going to be deeper than that spot."
Q: Is that the same drop as last year?
A: "We're doing everything the same. People are just getting their hands up. We haven't given up a sack yet this season, but you have some tipped balls. I guess you just have to substitute those two things every once and while."
Q: How well do you know Rex Grossman?
A: "I got to meet Rex at this year's media days in Birmingham. We talked a little bit. I don't know him as a person. I've watched their games, where I'm watching Florida's offense against the defense of the team we're about to play. I've seen Rex play and he can throw it. He's competitive and a good football player."
Q: Talk about Florida's defense.
A: "John Thompson was at Arkansas and Memphis, which we played against my freshman year. They do a lot of three-down stuff and a lot of blitzing from weird positions. They try to confuse you defensively. They do a lot of good stuff, so you have to watch a lot of film. You have to be able to see things, and get your linemen into the right protection and call the right running plays. It's good to have an off-week to watch lots of film on them."
Q: Can you draw off last year's Arkansas game?
A: "I don't know if they're doing a lot of the same stuff. I'm sure on some things, they'll be doing some similar things. But I guess it would probably be a good thing to go home and watch that game also and see what they were doing."
