Ed Orgeron Weekly Press Conference

OPENING COMMENTS

First of all, we are very pleased with the win. I thought defensively we made a lot of improvements especially at cornerback. We had six turnovers and four picks, more than we had anytime last year. I’m really impressed with the way John Thompson called the game and the way our guys played with energy and enthusiasm.  Obviously we need to improve in our second-half play. We had some missed tackles and some missed assignments. We did not do well in their quick game especially their screen game, and towards the end of the game, they started to run the ball on us. Those are some of the improvements that we will want to make defensively.  On offense, I thought Seth (Adams) had a good handle on the passing game. He was 19 for 30.  I was really pleased with is performance.  I was really disappointed with the play of our receivers especially the drop balls with the fumbles. I think those were critical in the ballgame where we could have had a bigger lead in the game at an earlier point in the game.  We want to improve in our running game. We went back to see what we did wrong. We are fixing it. We are going to work on it, and I think all of the mistake we made are correctable, no doubt.  On special teams, we are really excited about our score team. I thought that was a big play in the ball game, first time they really dropped back to punt. We have been emphasizing blocking punts, and we got one on a scoop and score. We need to improve on our kickoff coverage. We need to find a kickoff guy. It may be Christian (Albarracian). It may be Joshua (Shene). We’re going to find out this week. We need to tweak a couple of things in our schemes. In our kickoff return game, we need to be cognizant of going back to the 30-yard line. I think that it’s has changed the game a little bit, so I think we need to practice on different types of kicks and be able field those kicks.  In our PATs and field goals, we were very disappointed in Josh’s performance, and we are going to work very hard on that this week.  I think that can be fixed and we can work on our punting game and getting the ball inside the 10. 

Looking at Missouri, we are awfully excited to play Missouri.  Missouri handled us very well last year. We were not very well prepared against them, and we know what to expect this year.  Obviously you have to talk about Chase Daniels. He is a very good quarterback and has a very good scheme. They have a very good running back in Tony Temple, over 1,000 yards rushing last year. They spread you out, a lot of quick passes and a lot of screen games, so we feel like we have a good plan and we’re going to be ready for them.  Defensively last year they played very well against us. They are very strong in the middle, very strong at the cornerback position, and they also have a good punt return game. 

Other than that, I think we are fairly healthy. Yesterday we had a highly spirited practice, had a day off from school, so we got to work on some things yesterday.  Today is a Tuesday practice and we are looking forward to a great practice.

Q: How similar is Memphis and Missouri?      

A: They are very similar in a lot of ways. In fact I believe that Memphis used some of Missouri’s plays against us last year. They used a tight end, but he wasn’t in a tight end position a lot.  They use a different personnel group but with the same sets. The guy has a quick release. They have big splits. They’re always in a two-point stance, and they run the option. To defend, you have to be option-sound at all times.

Q: How will you adjust based on last year’s game?

A: We’re going to change some things that we do, there is no doubt about that.  Last year, we had a very young defensive line. We went into the Memphis game, and they played very well. We tried to do some things to simplify for the line, but you have to change it up, who has the option, who has the quarterback, who has the dive. You can’t stay in the same defense against this guy.

Q: With the expectations around Missouri football this year, what would this win mean to the program?

A: I think this will be a critical win for our team, and I do believe that we are up for the challenge.  To go 2-0 will be the first time to go 2-0 since I have been the head coach and to beat a good Missouri team. We have them at home. I think we have some advantages, and we know its going to be a tough game but we are ready.

Q: Do you feel like with the inexperience you had on defense, that after you got that big lead last Saturday they may have breathed a little bit?

A: No. Not at all. We went back and looked at the tape and no way, no way.  I think they did a couple of things scheme wise that hurt us. We blitzed a lot in the first half, but they were throwing so many screens in the second half that we kind of pulled back a little bit and it hurt us. When we did blitz on the last touchdown, they hit us on a screen.  I don’t think it had anything to do with inexperience. I think a couple of guys were hurt and took themselves out of the game. They spread us out. They did a good job of moving the ball. But I do believe that our offense had a lot of chances to put them away, and we never put them away and you have to do that. You let a team keep coming back; eventually they are going to come back.

Q: Do you feel you had better play out of both the lines?

 

A: There is no doubt. I think we have better talent along the offensive and defensive lines. I’m very pleased with the plays of our ends against Memphis. I thought Marcus Tillman and Greg Hardy had some real good games. They showed their ability to play in space and rush the passer. I think we have two ends that are really great. With Peria (Jerry) healthy inside and Jeremy Garrett inside, we are a lot better than where we were last year. The offensive line is no doubt a lot better.

Q: I wonder if you could talk a little more about Greg Hardy’s big performance this weekend. What you are looking for every week?

A: I’d like to see it every week. There is no doubt about that. I don’t know how many tackles he had. I think he had eight tackles, a couple of sacks. On Dustin Mouzon’s interception, he was all over the quarterback’s legs. He played on offense, did a very good job there. He was open on one, and we missed him. He could have had two touchdowns. He was all over the field. He just did a fantastic job for us, and that’s what we expect out of Greg. That’s what we have been seeing all fall camp. He’s very talented, and we are going to use him as much as we can.

Q: Can you talk a little more about stopping the spread? Is there a key, philosophical way to do that or is it more difficult than you standard key I formation?

A: I think there are some ways that John (Thompson) brought to us that we totally understand and we are able to do now. I think you have to put as much speed on the field as possible, sometimes without letting them run the ball right down your throat. So I think it is a combination of stopping the run, stopping the short passing game and also protecting against the deep ball.

Q: What was your take on Chris Strong in this first game?

A: It was pretty good. It was a tough game for a freshman. They spread you out. He is better in a box. He’s a little heavy right now. I though he played pretty good. He missed a few tackles and that winded him in the end. He made a couple of mistakes, but overall I thought he did pretty well.

Q: Did Ashlee Palmer being here is the spring help him?

A: Somebody mentioned it yesterday, it was an advantage for him to come here in the spring and understanding the defense. He was a wide receiver/safety. I think you can give credit Aaron Ausmus. He’s gotten bigger, stronger and faster. He had 12 tackles. He’s very physical. He’s a good blitzer. He runs around and understands schemes.

Q: You mentioned all through camp that you were concerned about the other corner. How did that other corner perform?

A: Terrell (Jackson) played well. I thought he had a good game. John (Thompson) and Chris (Rippon) have both been working with Terrell. He played in a nickel package, he played corner and he played pretty well.

Q: Talk about Robert Lane’s play on Saturday.

A: I was very pleased. I think we threw the ball more towards the tight end than since I’ve been here. Robert missed a couple balls.  A couple balls were very hard to catch. The thing I like about Robert is when he catches the ball, he turns it up the field and makes positive yards. He always gives our team a boost.  He is a fired up guy. We need to give the ball in his hands. He is one of our better players. 

Q: Talk about Missouri’s tight ends.

 

They’re all spread out. It’s not like a typical tight end. They use them as tight end receivers. They are big and tall, so they give you miss-matches. They are very good catchers. They are their leading receivers. They are good players getting around the ball.

Q:  Did Seth Adams show in practice what he showed on Saturday?

A: I saw that in some of the practices, that was some of his better times.  I saw some practices where he was not so good, but going into the game I had a lot of confidence that he was going to play well. He is just that type of guy. He gives you that look. Because he is prepared, he gave me a lot of confidence going into the game.  I had a talk with him before the game of what I expected of him and he did exactly what we expected of him. I thought he did very well.

Q: Talk about Dustin Mouzon’s performance.

A: It was outstanding. He is a young man who has worked very hard ever since I have been here.  Had a couple of injuries last year, didn’t really get to show his stuff, but now he is kind of like our feature corner, the punt block, interception and the return was fantastic.  I have to say on that return, first of all the interception was a lot of pressure on the return, Jamarca Sanford threw an outstanding block around the six-yard line. Otherwise, he would never had made it 99 yards.  I thought he played very, very well and very consistent. 

Q: Did Dustin Mouzon show the big play ability in practice?

 

A: No, not really.  He showed consistency in camp, and I think when you put pressure on a quarterback they are going to make bad decisions. I really have to credit Chris (Rippon) on this punt block. He has been working on it for almost a year now and came through.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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