The University of Mississippi Athletics
ASK OLE MISS: Nutt Answers Your Questions
7/31/2008 | Athletics
Ask Ole Miss provides Rebel fans interactive opportunities with some of the key figures in Ole Miss athletics. The latest installment features first-year head football coach Houston Nutt. Over 75 questions were sent in by fans through OleMissSports.com over the past week, and Nutt has addressed many of those in the following Q&A.
Q: Why did you choose Ole Miss?
A: I love the opportunity to stay in the SEC. I always respected the tradition, passion and the enthusiasm of the people of Ole Miss, the fans and the players. Just watching them growing up, I always had an admiration for them. With Archie Manning, Eli Manning, Patrick Willis, Derrick Burgess, there's just always been a respect there. I love the SEC and the passion for football.
Q: What steps are you taking to improve tackling?
A: We worked on tackling everyday this spring. It's fundamental. It's blocking and tackling. If you watched the practices at all, you saw that there is a lot of fundamentals and a lot of things happening.
Q: What is the biggest fish you've caught on your lake at your new house?
A: A three-pound bass
Q: Do you see us regularly using multiple running backs or a feature back?
A: We don't know. We will see who can handle what. I like what Cordera Eason and Derrick Davis did in the spring. We have some freshmen coming in who are really going to push them.
Q: You've mentioned one of the big obstacles to overcome this year is changing the players' mindset of losing. How do you change their mindset?
A: That's the number one question. That's the number one thing we must do. The way you do that is you win Monday through Friday, and you win every single game. The goal is to be on time, sit in the front three rows, turn in your homework promptly. To me, when you win Monday through Friday, it gives you a chance to carry it over on Saturday.
Q: What position group has the best chance of emerging as the dominant force for the team?
A: I would say defensive line. Defensive line and our receivers are our strengths. I'm expecting a lot from those two positions.
Q: What's been your favorite experience with Ole Miss fans so far?
A: A favorite experience would have to be two things. Certainly the enthusiasm and the hunger that Diana and I have received at every alumni meeting and starting with the introduction at the Ford Center. You could just feel the passion and the energy. That was good. Then, Eli Manning, Patrick Willis and Derrick Burgess walking me through The Grove to give me a taste of what it is going to be like on August 30.
Q: How do you feel the talent pool is that you took over?
A: We have to improve the depth in a lot of areas, but we are good in spots. At the line and receivers, we are very deep. Initially, you have to have two groups at every position to go to Atlanta. We have to improve our kicking team.
Q: Who will develop the offensive game plans and will make the actual play calls?
A: Mike Markuson, Kent Austin, James Shibest, Derrick Nix, Ron Dickerson, we will all be involved in the game plan Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I will actually make the calls, but I will lean heavily on Kent in the passing game and Mike in the running game. It will be a joint effort, but I will make the calls.
Q: What were your first impressions when you arrived in Oxford?
A: Beautiful campus. I had never see anything but the dressing rooms and Tupelo's hotels in the previous 10 years. The beauty of the campus, how well it was designed, the grass, the trees, the flowers. Just gorgeous.
Q: What about Ole Miss' facilities do you know now that you didn't know about before you got to Oxford?
A: The Indoor Practice Facility. It gives you a real chance. I pulled up in the bus on the other side as an opponent, but didn't realize how beautiful and what an advantage that is.