Football Weekly Press Conference 11.23

Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt and quarterback Jevan Snead met with the media on Monday and discussed the Rebels' victory over No. 8 LSU and the upcoming Battle for the Golden Egg.

Houston Nutt

Opening comments

After watching the film, we had a good walk through on Sunday and got some of the soreness out. I was really proud of our team and how hard they played. I think that was one of the most physical games we have had all year. I love the way we are blocking and tackling right now. We need to finish this season out the right way by doing the same thing against the very good Mississippi State team.

Q: Comment on improvements seen in Mississippi State and Dixon.

One of the biggest things is offensively they are keeping the ball. They are running the ball; the clock is moving and they are finding different ways to get the ball to their best guy. When you have a 240 pound guy like Dixon, he will be a very good professional football player. They are finding different ways to get him the ball with different schemes, counters and zones. They do a very good job with that. They can lull you to sleep with all that and then hit some passes on you. They are playing hard on defense, but this group has always played hard. It just seems like to me that offensively they have really done some things to help themselves.

Q: Is there an advantage to the fall break week?

I love this week. It gives our guys a little bit of a break from school but we still have them around. Today is still an off day, but they can lift on their own and watch film on their own. Tomorrow will get back into the schedule. I like they way it is set up.

Q: How has Bradley Sowell improved?

He has improved every week fundamentally. I have to give a lot of credit to coach Markuson who works with him so hard. He has improved by being physical and he has improved his footwork. He understands now; he anticipates some things. We are in a fast league so his mind has sped up and he's processing things better. But along with that, when you process then your feet have to be just as fast. So that's what he has done to me. He has put it all together. Now I am not saying he is up there yet, but if you go back and look at the first and second game and then fast forward; he is a different tackler and I am proud of him.

Q: Talk about the emotions of the Mississippi State - Ole Miss rivalry.

The thing that was different for me is that you could feel the intensity and the competitiveness all over the state. I never will forget Chancellor Khayat Sunday morning after the LSU game. He said that LSU was a good game, but do you realize how important this game is? I said I think I do and he said well I want to make sure you do. I knew right then, when Chancellor Khayat made a special meeting with me unannounced that this was a big game.

Q: What has caused Jevan's improvement?

Two things, one is Dexter McCluster and one is Jevan studying with Kent Austin on zeroing in on exactly what we want to do and exactly how we want to execute; reading, anticipation, throwing on time and not forcing the ball. I think it is those two things

Q: Talk about the changes in the offensive line.

It has really been big and good for us. It is good that we have Brandon green who can go either way. He is a good solid back up and you are not afraid to put him in the game. When you have size, 6-7and 6-6 guys that are 300 plus pounds who can move, it makes it very nice.

Q: How important is this game to the players?

Mississippi State and the Egg Bowl are very big. Our guys have been talking about it since Saturday night and that is unusual. I have had several guys come up to me and say its Egg Bowl week. They are excited about it and they know how big it is. I think our guys understand and they are going to get after it.

Q: How does Dexter McCluster make everyone better?

Dexter makes everyone better and our linemen don't have to hole their blocks as long. The threat of run; when the linebackers and a safety have to keep an eye on number 22 it just helps everything. It is a quarterback's best friend. Take the ball down the center and hand it to number 22. What an awesome ally and that is what your quarterback needs.

Q: Talk about Dexter's personal transformation this season.

I think he has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and it is very real. I don't think he just found it, I think he knew in his heart and he walks it. He is a true example; he is the first one in bible study on Thursday night and is the one who announces it. I see a tremendous change in attitude, the way he talks and goes about things. He has been a special guy to us.

Q: Talk about Anthony Dixon.

Anthony Dixon is a very good back. Everyone who looks at film sees 24. You have to stop twenty four and I think it is important that we know where he is. He is the difference maker for them.

Q: What were you thinking with three minutes left in game?

We kicked the field goal and I was really mad and upset inside but wouldn't let my team know. First thing should have been seven and the game would have been over. Second thing I was thinking let's get ready for overtime; it's going to be an overtime game. They do score but they don't get the two pint play, so now I am thinking all we have to do is get the ball and we don't get it. Now, I am hoping and praying; come on defense. Looking at the clock; come on defense. We get the sack, thank goodness for Emmanuel Stephens. That was a huge sack. Kentrell Lockett and Patrick Trahan sniff out a screen, which was a huge play to keep them close to the fifty. Now we are down to nine seconds and they have no timeouts. We were in victory formation, let's knock the ball down. But, it is fourth and twenty six and they get twenty seven. So I am looking and it is one second. Looking at the ball and it is one second, what are you going to do. As soon as the ball was snapped it was zero; awesome. It was a good feeling then, but not until then though.

Q: How has the defense dealt with injuries?

Like I said Saturday night, Tyrone has done an awesome job. To me he is one of the defensive coordinators of the year. We lost Greg hardy and Fon Ingram has not been full speed, so you're hoping Johnny Brown and Kendrick please don't go down. Jeremy McGee is a guy who has been hurt off and on and then the linebackers are nothing but ankles. D. T has not been full speed since South Carolina and it is a shame because D.T is going to be something. Brumfield has had an ankle now Trahan is not full speed. They have guts; a lot of guts.

Jevan Snead

Q: What do you attribute your last games to and how you have improved?

Really throughout the last few weeks of practice I've been focusing on my decision making and making good decisions and not forcing the ball. I've really conscious of taking care of the ball and eliminating those turnovers.

Q: Talk about the changes in offensive line.

I definitely feel like the better the offensive line plays the better our offense plays and I believe it's easy to see when you watch film and watch our games. I believe that every game that we've played the offensive line has grown together and really improved so that definitely helps.

Q: Can emotion be overdone?

I really haven't been putting any attention on that. I haven't heard a whole lot about what they've been doing. I'm not too focused on them I'm focused on us and what we can do to prepare for them this week. I know that we are going to have a great game plan going in to it and I have no reason to not believe that we're not going to have a great work week. Everybody is extremely focused and we know what we're going to be playing for we're just ready to get going.

Q: How important are emotions for players?

I think it can definitely help players. I think every player is different. I think some players really play emotional and get emotional, where others are just focused on doing their job and treating every game the same. I think being a rivalry game there is some factor of emotional and I think it's going to help us.

Q: Has defensive packages changed over the years you have played?

I think for the most part what we've seen this year has been consistent with what we saw last year and what we've seen defensives do on film. Film doesn't lie and when we break teams down they still stay pretty consistent with what they've been doing, especially later in the season. They've been playing a certain defense for this long I don't see any reason for them to change it up or anything extremely different. They will throw a wrinkle in here or there, but over all I feel like it is pretty consistent.

Q: What did the players say about the beginning of the LSU game.

Just keep going, keep working. Nobody on the sidelines got their heads down. I didn't see one person worried about losing that game everybody knew we could do it everybody pulled together there at the end. I had all the faith in the world in those guys and all the faith that we were going to win the game. We kept our heads up and kept working towards the end goal.

Q: Was this the most satisfying game for you as a Rebel?

Yeah. I think this was definitely a great game for us and it showed a lot about the character of our team. Like I said, no one got their heads down, no one quit, no one gave up. I think that says a lot about our team and I think it was a huge win for us.

Q: How does Ole Miss - Mississippi State rivalry compare to Texas - Texas A&M?

I think it's fairly similar. Of course there are differences here and there, but as far as rivalry goes with it being in state I think it's pretty common. I guess being from out of state and being from Texas I understood that rivalry more than this one when I first came here and played in the last game and saw the one before that you definitely see the rivalry. You definitely get an understanding for it.

Q: Talk about the last scoring drive.

It was a huge drive for us just the amount of clock we ate up and just being able to string together those first downs and keep going was obviously the difference in the game. I can't say enough about the offensive line they really stepped up and did a great job. Our receivers did a heck of a job stepping up and making big plays when needed we got into a couple third down situations where we had to convert and that's just what we did. I was just extremely proud and just looking back at it you see what a big deal it is.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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