.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Head Coach David Cutcliffe's Weekly Press Conference
9/13/2004 | Football
Sept. 13, 2004
Opening Comments
I will go ahead and state the obvious by saying we didn't play very well over the weekend. Our offense did not handle their defensive pressure very well. Our defense missed some assignments and that led to several big plays for Alabama's offense. It's unfortunate, but you have to credit Alabama for taking advantage of the opportunities they had. In my opinion, working hard and coming back with more focus is the best way to get out of a slump. This football team is not playing as well as it can play and we need to get to that level.
Q: Can you give us an injury update?
A: The list of injured players is pretty long right now. There will be a lot of players who won't be at full speed during today's practice. We have especially been hit hard on the defensive line. We will take a look at Daniel Booth today. Michael Bozeman won't work today after suffering a head injury. Chris Herring suffered a calf injury and won't be out there today. Kerry Johnson continues to struggle with his hand. Bobby Harris and Bryan Brown continue to be out. Taye Biddle will be out today and Doug Buckles is banged up.
Q: Evaluate the play of Micheal Spurlock and Ethan Flatt from this past weekend.
A: There were some positive things that came out of the Alabama game, but, overall, we are still pretty inconsistent at the quarterback position. Micheal managed the game fairly well, but missed some open receivers and we need to correct some of those errors. At times, Ethan threw the ball well and moved the team, but there are also some inconsistencies there. As a team, we want to complete 60-percent of our passes and we aren't coming close to that. We are falling far short of our quarterback expectations.
Q: Have you made a decision on a starting quarterback for this weekend's game against Vanderbilt?
A: I am not going to make any public comment regarding the quarterback situation right now. The players had yesterday off and I have not had time to sit down with everyone involved. We will let you know, later in the week, when a decision has been made.
Q: Without addressing who will start, can you compare and contrast Micheal (Spurlock) and Ethan (Flatt)?
A: Micheal is a tremendous athlete who has great speed and great explosiveness. He has a great arm and great feet. Like I've said before, he is the fastest quarterback I've ever been around. Ethan is obviously a taller, bigger guy. He's not as fast as Micheal, but has good vision, sees the field well and is a solid passer.
Q: Are you planning to re-evaluate the quarterback situation each week or do you hope to eventually decide on and stick with one quarterback?
A: I think the quarterback situation is a work-in-progress. It's early in the season and that's where the pressure has been thrown. I think we have a lot of evaluation to do, not only during games, but in practices. We want to see who's responding and who's showing some consistency, both in practice and during the games.
Q: Where does QB Robert Lane factor in?
A: Robert is still in the mix. That's where practice comes into play. He's the youngest player of the three (Spurlock, Flatt and Lane), so, naturally, he has the most learning to do. I thought he had some good practices last week. He knows he needs to take his role very seriously. His practice performances will determine if he is to get an opportunity in a game this year.
Q: Do you think Micheal (Spurlock) is capable of handling this adversity?
A: I sure hope so. All of us who play football and stay involved with the game have been faced with adversity at one point or another. Adversity is part of the game.
Q: A lot of people have made the comment that Micheal (Spurlock) may be too quick with his passing and doesn't allow enough time for the play to develop. Do you think that is a fair evaluation?
A: I think Micheal has been quick, but he has also been hurried a lot. I think sometimes he sets up before the play has unfolded, but a lot of that is dictated by the defensive pressure. Micheal has hurried himself when he runs the football. It's hard enough to play quarterback when you are in a good rhythm. I think it's obvious that he has been out of rhythm and that's something we hope to correct.
Q: Will a solid passing game eventually cure all of your problems?
A: It would help our offense, especially the running game. We have been inconsistent in accumulating yards and producing first downs. We have also been inconsistent in converting third down opportunities, but as much as you worry about that, you also have to be concerned with first-down and second-down passing situations.
Q: Can you assess the play of your receivers to this point?
A: We have had a few dropped passes, but we have been banged up at that position, too. If we can get all of our receivers healthy, I think we'll be fine.
Q: How much emphasis is put on the tight ends in the offense you run?
A: We think we have good tight ends and they are certainly part of our entire offense. We have some physical tight ends who can also get down the field. They have been and will continue to be important in our offensive schemes.
Q: Is this offense a bit shocked because of the struggles in the passing game?
A: We've thrown the ball very well since I've been here, so it's pretty obvious that we are disappointed with our production in that area. It's frustrating because we haven't accomplished much in the passing game. We plan to work ourselves out of this slump. We haven't given up on the situation and don't think we are going to stop throwing the football.
Q: How critical is this upcoming game against Vanderbilt?
A: They are all critical when you're 0-2. This will be a very important game for us. Vanderbilt has an outstanding football team, regardless of what happened in their opener. They are very solid in all three phases of the game (offense, defense and special teams). They have a lot of veteran players and we will have to play well to get a win.
Q: How tough will it be since Vanderbilt has had two weeks to prepare for you guys?
A: I can't do anything about that. I think the biggest focus here needs to be on Ole Miss. Vanderbilt will be good and we know that, but our main concern is putting the best Ole Miss team we can on the field.
Q: Can you talk about Vanderbilt QB Jay Culter?
A: Jay Cutler is a good athlete. He is a good passer and capable runner. He has been an outstanding player and important leader for them. Over the years, he has continued to grow and improve. I'm sure (this Saturday) we will be seeing the best Jay Cutler we've ever faced.
Q: You had a lot of newcomers get significant playing time against Alabama. Can you assess their performances?
A: Some of the newcomers did some positive things in the Alabama game. Obviously, it's hard to find a lot of positive aspects in 28-7 a loss, but they all showed some signs of ability and promise for the future.
Q: In your coaching history, have you ever been in a situation like this (where your team wasn't playing up to expectations)?
A: I've certainly been in situations where my team didn't play well, but I don't recall a team ever playing this poorly. Like I said before, the only thing we know how to do is to work our way out of this. We don't need to press or panic, but we need to work hard and pay closer attention to detail.
