Nutt Speaks With Beat Writers

Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt spoke with the media on Sunday and reviewed the Rebels' win at Vanderbilt and discussed the upcoming encounter against Alabama.

Opening Statement

We watched the film this morning. Our defense continues to play very well upfront. Jerrell Powe, Ted Laurent, Lawon Scott - along with the ends of Kentrell Locket Emmanuel Stephens, Greg Hardy and Marcus Tillman - have been very consistent for us. What we are a little nervous about is that we are getting very thin at linebacker with D.T. Shackelford still not there and Patrick Trahan and Allen Walker - using them on special teams. Patrick Trahan had 10 tackles and a tackle for loss, and he made a couple of tackles on the kickoff team. He is playing outstanding for us. Trahan, Jonathan Cornell and Walker, those three guys are veterans. Lamar Brumfield played about 16 snaps. He is coming off an injury. D.T. Shackelford is still not there with that high ankle sprain. Then we have a set of secondary guys that are playing well right now with Cassius Vaughn and Marshay Green. Then Kendrick Lewis, Johnny Brown and Fon Ingram, we are playing those two safety spots using those three guys. I've been really proud of our defense in the redzone, keeping the opponent out of the endzone. I love their attitudes right now. Offensively, Bradley Sowell was the best offensive lineman on the field last night. He did an excellent job on protection. He graded out at over 90 percent. He gave a tremendous effort without the ball, with plays going the other way and with knockdowns. I'm really proud of his play. I thought Brad took a real big step last night. We looked like an offense the first couple of quarters. Everybody executed very well. Jevan Snead had his best night of the year. Brandon Bolden and Cordera Eason ran extremely hard. Mark Jean-Louis is really giving us a lift at fullback with Andy Hartmann's injury. That has helped us. You just can't throw with him in there. Everybody pretty much knows it's a run when he is in there but that's okay. We have been passing in there on play action while Mark Jean-Louis is in there. Shay Hodge had a big night. He was very consistent. He ran some good routes with man coverage and really created separation. He was really physical with the football. There was a spurt in there where Jevan forced a couple (passes). I think he will learn from that and be much better this week. We have to be. We still can improve as an offensive line. We can be better. We have to block better. Daverin Geralds is another guy that has been injured a little bit, and he played like he's been injured. He has to get better. Gerald Harris was a big lift for us. It really helped us getting him back. Even though he dropped the ball - he is still rusty - it really helped having him back.

Is Jevan Snead forcing throws something you can live with because of his confidence and strong arm?

No, we're not going to live with that. He knows better, and we are going to get that corrected today. We may even practice throwing some out of bounds. When everybody is covered, either throw it or dump it. We had a couple of backs that were open. I think he did a really good job coming back after not having one of his best games in Columbia (South Carolina) - to come back the way he did and really execute and get us out of a couple of plays. The way he threw the ball in the first half was really good to see. The deep ball was right in stride. He kept us in bounds to Shad Hodge and changed ends of the field, which was really big. We can't force the ball especially against the team we are getting ready to play. That is what they want you to do. They expect to get turnovers. They do a great job of getting the football. We just can't give up gifts to Alabama

Did Jevan Snead seem to let the game come to him more?

Yes, I thought we got him some throws early. He threw a lot on first down. Shay Hodge, Lionel Breaux and Brandon Bolden, those guys ran some really good routes. We had some things where we got confidence early. He really played within himself and executed. He just did a good job last night.

Even with loss to South Carolina, do you feel the team controls its own destiny?

It's just one at a time. It is too long of a season. It is very hard for any team to go undefeated in our league. It is very difficult to do that. It's just one game at a time and it starts this week. That win really helped our mindset. (Mindset) is a big word because of the momentum, attitude and confidence. There is nothing like a win. You learn better and this will help us this week.

What is D.T. Shackelford's status, and what was it before the Vanderbilt game?

It was a pre-game decision. He couldn't turn. He could run straight ahead okay, but still not full speed. He couldn't stop, turn and cut. I just don't know. I know how long those high ankle sprains take. I just don't know. We really need him this week badly.

What is Andy Hartmann's status this week?

Hartmann is improving and he wants to go this week. We just don't know. We will see if he can come out Tuesday. I don't know. I will be surprised but we will see how that goes.

What is Daverin Geralds' status this week?

It's just his ankle. He's not full speed and the film shows it. He's not at his best right now and he has to be going against (Terrance) Cody and those guys. You have to be 100 percent.

Can you do anything else with Mark Jean-Louis at fullback besides blocking?

No, he is strictly a blocker.

What have you seen from Rolando McClain?

He's 6-4 and about 260 pounds. I haven't seen one better from tackle-to-tackle. He has skills to go intercept a ball and knock them down. He is a big time force, and I can tell he is a big time leader. He is one of the best in the SEC if not the best.

How can you get the most out of Dexter McCluster?

We made a conscious effort to get him the ball at tailback and wide receiver; to get him the ball on reverses and quick handoffs. The thing about Dexter is that every team knows where he is located and they try to keep a handle on him. That is going to help out other players, but we will always make a conscious effort to get him the ball.

With so many good teams in the SEC West, is this as exciting as it gets?

This is what makes this league so good. You have these kinds of games, and you probably will for the next three weeks - Florida vs. LSU, our game against Alabama and Auburn is still undefeated. It's just a tremendous league. Every Saturday until the end of the year, things are going to be happening. As cliché as it sounds, it is one game at a time. Let's go do our best this week.

Did you feel like the team was close to breaking some big runs?

Yes, we just feel like if Daverin was a little bit better and Reid Neely was a little bit better that there would have been a lot more long runs. We are very close. Especially there in the third quarter. We started to wear them down a little bit. Brandon Bolden hit some nice runs. Dexter got us on the back side and if everybody finished their blocks he would have had a couple of long runs.

What do you see from Alabama as a team?

They are playing at a very high level. They have real athletes, and they are very deep. It seems like their special teams is a whole new group of fresh bodies other than (Javier) Arenas, who is the return specialist - a big time player. They are just very good. On offense they don't make mistakes, they execute and take care of the ball. They try to wear you down. Virginia Tech was there playing with them but they just wore their defense down. (Mark) Ingram, (Trent) Richardson and (Roy) Upchurch, those are some excellent backs that will try to beat you up and even outrun you. Defensively is where they have just been manhandling everybody. Very few people have been getting points on them. They get turnovers and that is the thing you can't have. Kentucky is there, fighting with them toe-to-toe. It is 7-6 and then all of the sudden they turn the ball over and the floodgates open up.

What do you see from Greg McElroy?

His best friends are his defense and turning and handing the ball to his backs. You have Julio Jones but they don't ask him to (pass) that much. When they do ask him to (pass), he is highly efficient. Again, he has good special teams play, an excellent defense and a supporting cast that is awesome. I didn't know what to expect really, I didn't know much about him.

Does Shay Hodge get overlooked among the SEC's top receivers?

There are some good ones in this league - LSU has a good one, A.J. Green and Julio Jones. I put Shay right up there with them. He is doing a very good job for us. He is a physical receiver. He can go up and get it. He doesn't mind catching the ball in the crowd. People are pressing him and he gets off and creates separation. He is doing a good job for us.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

Related News

Related Videos