Nutt Weekly Press Conference

Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt met with the media on Monday and discussed Ole Miss' game versus Alabama and the Rebels' upcoming trip to Arkansas.

Opening Statement:

We had a very good practice Sunday. We got most of our guys back out there after a very physical game against Alabama. I was very proud of our effort, very proud of how hard we played especially in the second half. We are really trying to concentrate on the things that have been stopping us turnovers and penalties. We've got to keep practicing these things. Defensively, I though we did a very good job against a team that leads the league in rushing, had a big offensive line and had a good, experienced leader in John Parker Wilson. I thought we did a good job covering them except for that one homerun ball. You have to give Alabama's defense some credit. They were the biggest and fastest we have played, and we executed pretty well against a good defense. We've got to get better.

Q: Are you concerned that Arkansas will know your tendencies?

A: I'm more concerned about our players and things we are trying to get down, and things we are trying to execute.

Q: What are your thoughts on Arkansas' slow start and the players you left behind there?

A: They have done a good job, especially here of late. Michael Smith, their tailback, is very fast and has great vision. Their offensive line, starting with Jonathan Luigs, a Rimington Award Winner, is very talented. Casey Dick is a guy that has been around the league a long time. There's not a coverage that he hasn't seen. They added a very good freshman class and have a good ball club. Defensively, Malcolm Sheppard really stands out. He's a guy that we know very well and plays very hard and is very fundamentally sound. All of their linebackers have been around a long time, started out on special teams. They're similar to us at the corner spot, a little thin. They've done a good job.

Q: Do you start giving Dexter less touches because of the turnovers?

A: I think that we've addressed it the right way and I think he knows and understands what we need from him. If that means giving up a couple of yards and going down, do that and take care of the ball. He's working very hard at being very ball conscience every step of the way. You can't be worrying about the next guy you're going to make miss or your next move, you've got to worry about the ball. He understands that. We'll look long and hard at it this week and coach it better. The thing we love about Dexter is his heart. He plays with such passion, you want a guy like him on your football team. It's hard to sit down a guy like that. We have tossed is around for many hours about the ball. If you know me very well, I've always been in the plus category in the turnover margin.

Q: How do you keep opposing defenses from stopping your drives?

A: Alabama's done that to a lot of people. There's a reason that they're No. 2. But when we do execute, when we don't stop our selves and when everyone does their job, we have a good chance to score like we did in the second half. You keep working on execution and also taking care of the ball.

Q: What are your thoughts on coming back to Arkansas?

A: Sometimes you can't help but think about it off and on during the summer because of all the time we spent there, but I've been pretty wrapped up in Ole Miss. I love this football team here and I've gotten close with these guys. Once the whistle blows and once that ball is kicked off, I think it's just like every other football game. We've trying to get our guys in the right position and all of that so you get lost in the game. You can't but help having a lot of feeling for the guys you recruited there and the guys you know. You know their families so naturally there is a relationship there.

Q: How do you respond to people saying that you didn't leave Arkansas in good shape?

A: I don't want to get into all that. How did they know I was leaving or when I was leaving? All I know is that we gave a lot of effort and a lot of energy to that program for 10 years every single day from daylight to exhaustion. There are a lot of great football players that are there.

Q: Are you happy in what you're getting out of your running game?

A: We're getting better. We had our longest run Saturday against a very good defense. We still have to do a little better job, especially with short yardage with blocking. Cordera Eason, Brandon Bolden, Enrique Davis and Dexter are the guys that have been getting the ball. Each of there brings a little something different to the table. You try to go with the hot hand. You try to go with the guy that's really hitting the hole with authority and running with his eyes. Those are they guys we have been going with and give us the best chance.

Q: Did you expect one of them to stand out as the season went along?

A: You don't always know what to expect when you come in brand new. You'd like for one guy to step up and say that he's the guy you can count on every single day. I don't mind doing it by committee, we have done that before. As long as they know that when they're in the ball game, we have our trust in them, so just take care of the ball and run hard.

Q: How much have you thought about this week since arriving at Ole Miss?

A: I don't know an exact number, but off and on. There have been several times when you think about what it's going to be like when you're coming from the opposite side, coming from the other dressing room. Now, you're halfway through the season, you're locked into Ole Miss, you're locked into the players you have here and I've gotten very close to them. I'm looking forward to it, but I can't give you an exact number of how many times. It's definitely crossed my mind.

Q: Are you surprised that the players still aren't holding on to the ball?

A: Yes. No question about it. It has been too many.

Q: What happened to Greg Hardy?

A: He reinjured his foot. He had the right shoes. His shoes were packed. Everything's fine. I don't know if he stumped his toe or stumped his pinky, but he wasn't going full speed. The equipment was there. We have the best equipment team in America. Ken Crain and Possum are awesome. They are the best. I don't know if he will be out. He was in a boot yesterday. We will see as we go along.

Q: Do you think emotions will come when you walk onto the field for pregame and warm-ups?

A: Maybe, but we are going to be pretty focused with our team, and it's when you have to block some things out and go play a ball game.

Q: Do you think you could live peacefully in Arkansas when you retire?

A: I think so. My mother still lives there, and my brother still lives in the state, but I'm pretty happy where I am at. So I don't know about jumping over there so fast to retire. I'm liking where I am living at right now.

Q: Talk about Ashlee Palmer's performances these last few weeks.

A: Ashlee has really stepped up his game in the past three weeks. He has been very physical, and I think Tyrone (Nix) has really challenged him about three or four weeks ago to be a physical guy. He looked the part, but really wasn't wearing the hat. For the last three ball games, he has really stepped up to the challenge. He has really been physical, has made plays and been a good blitzer. I have been really proud of Ashlee and his leadership.

Q: What's the update on Peria Jerry and Gerald Harris?

A: I don't know anything on Gerald Harris, but Peria was there Sunday and looked very good. He is fine. He is very tough, and probably playing the best ball of his career. I'm real excited about his leadership. Gerald looks ok, and I'm really hoping for the best right there. I think he will be ok.

Q: Talk about the play of Lionel Breaux and Marquis Summer. Do you think they will see more touches?

A: Absolutely. Both of those guys have been unselfish. They have been on special teams and have done excellent jobs. Their names probably don't get called up on special teams that much, but watching the job that they have done on the kick and punt returns is great. Lionel has been making tackles, and then the very next play he's catching a crossing route over the middle. He has just been outstanding. Both of them are very fast and great team players. To answer the question, definitely in the package will get more balls.

Q: Do you think the players will have strong feelings for this game?

A: It's kind of hard to explain some of the feelings that you have. Again, that is where you get lost in your team and lost in trying to take one week at a time. We knew this game was coming, but you have to focus on the task at hand. I just have one job, and that is making this team better. We are a good football team. To be 3-4 makes me sick because I know that we can be 6-1 or 7-0 so easily, and that hurts my heart for these seniors because my obligation to them was to get them to a bowl game and experience that. The tough thing about that is that we are in a tough league and there are no give-me's. I really don't know how to answer the question because it is nothing I am dreading, I'm looking forward to it, but yet I know what's there. It's about your team. It's not about me. It's about our players. I don't make one block or one tackle. It's about our players. We need to get lost in that part of it.

Q: What are other options for the Wild Rebel?

A: I can't give you that. You are trying to give out my game plan. We have people down here listening. There are some options there, but just bare with us.

Q: Is there extra incentive for you during this game with the emotions to get your players going?

A: It's like we have been telling our players, it's the next game. The next game is the biggest game. This is the biggest game because it's the next game. Again, our players weren't there for 10 years, so I don't want to fill them with all the things that we went through. This is Ole Miss. It's the next game, and we go to Arkansas. It's just like every week. We prepared for Alabama and to go win the biggest game of the year. The only way to do that is to be fundamentally sound and execute the game plan against a very football team. Nothing changes this week. It's the same type of deal. It's the next game, and we have to get ready for the next one.

Q: What kind of reception are you expecting?

A: I don't know. We will find out.

Q: Are you surprised that Enrique Davis got tackled from behind?

A: If you watch film all week, this is probably one of the fastest defenses we play all year. When you study Alabama against Clemson, Georgia, Arkansas and Kentucky, there aren't any long runs, so I was pretty excited to get past the 10-yard mark. To say I was surprised, naturally I was hoping to get in that end zone, but they have real speed, and that is what makes them so good.

Q: Will the Ole Miss-Arkansas game become a more heated rivalry in the years to come?

A: I'm sure it will be. There will be a lot of people at the ball game, and it was probably an instant rival as soon as most of our staff came over here since there was so much talk about it.

Q: What is one word that you would use to describe this week? Are you going to use the same routine for this week in practice?

A: Different. That's why you jut try to get locked in routine and game planning. Again, it's about the players. We will do the same routine.

Q: Would you want the game to be in Little Rock?

A: Absolutely. That's my hometown.

Q: Who were your biggest SEC rivals while at Arkansas?

A: Ole Miss. Ole Miss, Alabama and LSU. It was really those three in the SEC.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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