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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt Postgame Quotes
9/18/2004 | Football
OLE MISS HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE
Opening Comments
First, I want to say how proud I am of this team and the staff. They never gave up and kept pushing from behind. Those are always sweet victories. It was great to see everybody continue to compete and get better in the fourth quarter. I also want to commend Vanderbilt. They are a good football team, and they played hard. They have some very good players. It's hard to lose that kind of football game, but I am really proud of our players. This gives us something to build on.
What did you see from Ethan (Flatt) today?
For the most part he was accurate throwing the ball. I thought he managed the game well. He was able to pick up some key third downs in the game. I thought he handled himself well. He got rushed a little more than we would like, but I thought he was pretty consistent for his first start.
How important was this win for the team's confidence?
It's something that we needed badly. It will make practice better. Hopefully this is something we can build on, because we have a lot of work to do. We have to get some players back healthy. We have to try to find a way to become the best football team we can become. We are far away from that right now. It's a better frame of mind to work in when you win.
On the significance of being 1-2 versus 0-3.
Being 1-2 is in a hole, but being 0-3 would be a deeper hole. As I said earlier, it makes practice a whole lot easier.
Talk about the defense.
We made some big plays on third downs, and we made a huge play on the fourth down (in overtime). That allowed us to get back in the game, and we got better as the game went along in the second half. We had a difficult time stopping their option game. We gave up a couple of deep throws over the middle, but we had a lot of people banged up on defense. But, they continue to fight and play hard. We'll see what the tape shows.
How confident were you when (Jonathan) Nichols stepped on the field in the overtime after he had missed the one in regulation?
He hit the 50-yarder about as good as you can hit one. Fifty-yarders don't have extremely high percentages. He does a good job of hitting the ball well and preparing himself for those situations. I felt good about him in the overtime. He does a lot of practice kicks from those spots.
OLE MISS PLAYERS
Jonathan Nichols (PK)
On game-winning 35 yard field goal in overtime
After a game like today, after I had already missed two field goals, I was just fortunate enough to hit it. The coaches and I thought that it would come down to a game-winning type of situation.
On staying focused for the game-winner
The most important kick is the next one. You can't dwell on a kick that you miss. You have to concentrate on the next one. If I had been concerned with the kicks I missed today, I might have missed the last one.
Bill Flowers (WR)
On getting hit hard late in the game
I don't really remember the hit. I managed to catch it before getting my bell rung. Ethan threw the ball well and I was in the right place.
On catching 10 passes for 75 yards
We executed well today. Our routes were crisp, and I thought Ethan played well all game long.
Ethan Flatt (QB) On the victory
I'm so proud of our team. I thought we fought well in every aspect of the game. Our defense played well in the second half, the offense stepped up late in the game, and Jonathan Nichols came through for us in the clutch.
On first career start
I felt good out there, and I started feeling more relaxed as the game went on. We made the proper adjustments throughout the game. We had some bad down and distances early on that put us on our heels. Vanderbilt threw some blitz packages at us, and it was hard to throw the football. But we managed to settle down and execute better as the game progressed.
On seeking to improve
It's encouraging to get a win under our belt. We'll continue to get better and hopefully go on a streak. We've got some things to work on, but we'll build on this victory.
Jayme Mitchell (DL)
On the game
"It was a barn-burner, but we made it through. It was an ugly win, but hey, it's a `W'. We made it through and now we've just got to get better."
On defending the option
"We've been working on it all week. It was something that almost got out of hand, because they changed up a blocking scheme that they used to not do. They got a few yards off of it, but it's something that we maintained and we got away with a `W'.
On making adjustments in the second half
"Our coaches did a good job of watching what they were doing and kept us adjusted to the blocking scheme that they were showing. The coaches did a good job figuring it out and helped us come away with the win.
Eric Oliver (DB)
On the significance of the win
"It's a big win. It's an SEC win and we're trying to win the SEC, go 7-1 again, and try to get to a good bowl game. It's a win for us and we'll take it anyway we can get it; overtime, in three quarters, in four quarters, whatever."
On containing Cutler in the second half
"We didn't do anything (differently) to tell you the truth. We just came out and played defense the way we know how to play defense."
On building momentum for next week
"It's a big confidence builder. Our confidence was shaken a little bit and we were kind of down on ourselves. We just had to keep on playing. We knew it was going to turn around sooner or later."
On the defense's overall conditioning
"We really weren't tired last week, to tell you the truth. It doesn't matter what our offense is giving to us, no matter how many times we take the field we've got to go down and stop somebody. We stopped people today, and it paid off for us."
Trumaine McBride (DB)
On his interception
"I just read the play from the beginning. He (the receiver) tried to run a down, out and down on me, but I just stayed on top of the route and made the play."
On Vanderbilt throwing late in the game with the lead
"Yes, I was surprised, but my mind stays focused on the whole game and just watching my guy the whole way, and I was there for it (the interception)."
On his runback after the interception
"I saw their guys coming at me and then I tried to make a quick cut, but my ankle gave out on me so I slipped and fell."
VANDERBILT HEAD COACH BOBBY JOHNSON
On the offense in overtime
"We tried to make our best player, make the best plays. We were trying to score a touchdown but they scored a field goal to win. Our defense played better, a lot better."
On a 10 point lead with 10 minutes left
"We were trying to win. We called the play; Cutler went down the field, the ball was just thrown a little late. We didn't feel that running the clock out was the best thing to do."
On the decision to go for the two point conversion
"They gave us the look and we thought we could go for two, Ole Miss made a great play."
On the history of close games between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt
"I didn't want it to come down to the wire, I never thought we had it in the can, I didn't want to sit on only a 10-point lead and think that was going to do it."
Did the team that played the best game, win the game?
"We played a good game, but we didn't win. We had two key penalties that were very frustrating. We were more aggressive, but didn't win. They played well, and came back and made some plays. It was a hard fought game."
VANDERBILT PLAYERS
Jay Cutler (QB)
On the 4th quarter stretch "They knew what was happening. There weren't a lot of holes, and they didn't' give us many options. We had a lot of momentum. We thought we could win, it just didn't happen. We've got to find a way to win late in the game."
On the overtime
"We were looking to take advantage of them bringing the safety down the line and throw across the middle. They were jamming us up hard. We knew we were going to have to play good."
On the feeling of the game
"We felt it was going our way the entire game. We had the momentum and we were moving the ball well. The defense was playing well. It was the same old story. We have got to find a way to win in the fourth quarter."
On the running game
"It was the same as last week. Our offensive line played more physical. We were a little more confident than in our first game, but I think now we can say both us and Georgia might have underestimated South Carolina a little bit."
Andrew Pace (Safety)
On keeping the team together after the loss
"We have to have a positive attitude. We've played two games, but we have nine very winnable games left. We have to keep working and practicing hard. We have to remember our goals of winning and having a successful season."
On the fourth quarter stretch
Our coaches kept saying that one big play was what we needed; one play could make the difference. We were trying to do what we could do to change the momentum and take it back from Ole Miss for ourselves. We'll be alright."
On playing more physical
"I felt we dominated most of the game. Toward the end, we just didn't finish the game. We showed a lot of good things out there. The defense had a lot of three and outs, and the offense moved the ball."
Dominique Morris (CB)
On his return in the middle of the game
"I had dropped one earlier, so I knew I had to make the play. I had to come up big for my team. I was just trying to make everyone miss."
On the mentality of playing kick return and corner
"You have no choice but to put plays (the dropped return) out of your mind. If you let it get to you, it messes up your game. To do well, you have to do that mentally. You have to forget the bad, and the good, plays. You just have to keep coming back."
On the feeling after the loss
"We came out with our heads up, flying to the ball, and we were excited. We had lots of emotion. When you come out with lots of emotion and lose, it hurts that much more."