Houston Nutt Postseason Press Conference 01.04

Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt met with the media on Monday and discussed the Rebels' victory in the AT&T Cotton Bowl and the program's momentum heading into recruiting.

Opening Statement

There is nothing like winning a bowl game and standing in that celebrating locker room, seeing those faces, especially those seniors that wanted it so bad. That was a real special moment and just looking back I'm really going to miss this group. In the last two years to win 18 ball games and go to back-to-back New Year's games, something that hadn't happened in a long time, it was really a special moment for them and really emotional. To play in, to me, the greatest stadium in the world that was really something special and they will never forget. They practiced everyday where a lot of their heroes and role models play on that field. It was unbelievable and a great week. I was proud that all our walk-ons and freshmen got to experience the week as well from the gifts they got, to how big their eyes were in the hospitality room from the gifts, the food, the experience, the Cotton Bowl watch, the luncheons all these things. Plus, we basically finished up with 21 or 22 practices. The whole experience just means so much. It's a lot easier now to go in to recruiting. Recruiting is going very, very well now. I just wish we had more scholarships. I will be in a home each night starting tomorrow and our coaches are out today all and will be out all the way through the week until we have to go to the coaches' convention and then we'll finish hard in January. I couldn't say enough after watching the film about our defense. They played extremely hard. I thought Tyrone's plan was outstanding. No one asked me about the option after that game, no one and it was stopped it was stopped by discipline, structure, assignment responsibility. It might have been ugly on offense, but it was a beautiful win especially when you have Dexter McCluster. He will go down as one of the greatest football players that has ever played here and, because of our defense gave us so many opportunities Dexter got his chance to take those 30 something carries, and he did something with it against a very good, athletic team. We stopped ourselves. We had so many good opportunities and that's the only thing that is so frustrating about the game. We had Marshay's (Green) punt return that put us on that end of the field. We take beautiful drives to get down the field and we don't get the ball in the end zone from the six inch line. You put the ball in the end zone the score should be much, much different. Offensively we stopped ourselves and can't do that, but the defense and our special teams were very good. It's just a proud moment. We're excited and can't wait to put our recruiting hats on fulltime and we're excited to get going.

Q: Would you give the ball to Jerrell Powe again on the goal line.

We practiced that play in scrimmage and I thought there is no way anybody can stop this guy, but we missed a block. It's easy to say in hindsight we could have done something else like the bootleg against Arkansas or maybe another blast or fullback play or throw to another fullback or the tight end dump. It's easy to come back now, but I thought that play would never be stopped running behind John Jerry, Reid Neely and Daverin Geralds up the middle. But it did and probably now I would say I'd change it.

Q: Do you think Oklahoma State gained momentum on the stop?

It was three-and-out the next series and we had great field position, so I don't think they took advantage of it. Our defense stopped them and we had the ball at mid field again. It should have been 14-0 early.

Q: How big was your own goal line stand?

That was huge as well plus the replay to take the touchdown away and put the ball where he stepped out. That was huge and then our defense did a good job of stopping their run. I just can't say enough about our inside guys, Jerrell Powe, Ted Laurent, Lawon Scott, Emmanuel Stephens, Kentrell Locket, Greg Hardy, Marcus Tillman, Lamark Armour, and our linebackers. Patrick Trahan when he is full speed he is something else and that's what you think about. What is he is full speed during the middle of the year there's a stretch five or six games, especially the Mississippi State game, where he was running on one leg. He is so different when he's running full speed, but he was trying to play on one leg, limping through things. That play was huge to stop them and get the ball. I think changed the game.

Q: Do you know if any juniors are leaving early for the NFL?

I've talked to (Kentrell) Locket and I really believe he is 100% sure that he is coming back. I fell the same way about (Jerrell) Powe. I meet with Jevan (Snead) tomorrow, but I expect him to be back.

Q: Will you have an open competition at QB in the spring?

I think Jevan will take the first snap in the spring, but I think one thing that he will know is that he has real competition. You got Nathan Stanley and Raymond Cotton that are coming, so he'll have to be better than he was this year and he understands that. Competition always makes everybody better and the best guy is going to play.

Q: What did you think of Nathan Stanley?

I thought he did some good things. I was proud of him. I wish he wouldn't have thrown that one pick, but he did a good job. He was very smooth in there. He made a first down for us on a scramble. He made a good decision there, but I wish he had made the same decision when he threw the pick. But, again for the first time being in a game like that I was pretty proud of him.

Q: Do you think your coaching staff will remain intact?

I hope so, but you never know what may happen tomorrow. There are still some jobs open or may come open. I always worry about Tyrone (Nix) right now, because he is a hot name and a very good coordinator, as we all know. I always have my guard up. He is very happy here; otherwise he would have already left. He's very happy and loves coaching these young men and just excited about the future. Things are going very good right now. There is nothing like going to a bowl game, there is nothing like the extra practices, there is nothing like going full time into recruiting. We have a big challenge ahead of us right now.

Q: Will you have more contact with the quarterback in the spring?

Probably so. We will probably keep the blue jersey on them a little bit more to put more pressure on them. We will have a little more live contact; especially on third down, team passes situations to see who handles it the best.

Q: Any update on Daverin Gearlds' extra year?

It will be later because we are turning the application in today or tomorrow. Hopefully he can get it back. He deserves it so much, just to play seven or eight plays that year.

Q: Talk about Brandon Bolden.

Brandon played very, very hard this year and did some good things for us. When we made the switch at tailback with Dexter (McCluster) fulltime it gave him a limited number of plays. But, I think he sees everything and he's had a very good learning experience. He fought through some things adversity wise. Everybody wants to play, everybody wants the ball, especially skilled guys, and this will help him and he'll be better at tailback because of it.

Q: Do you think LaMark Armour will get his extra year back?

I think so. I think will be no problem. I think it will be done pretty quickly.

Q: Did you think the defense played its best game of the year in the Cotton Bowl?

Yes, no question about it. One thing I have learned about Tyrone (Nix) is that when he is challenge or when he is coming off a defeat, and it hadn't been his best game, you better watch out. All I had to say to him is that Oklahoma State thinks they can run option now. You look into his eyes and you knew they were going to be prepared. Our defense played as good a game, all the way through, as I have seen. Overall, I will take that year every year. I'm talking about our corners that people try to test a lot. Ya'll use to ask me a lot about how they are going to play the ball, they're short or they don't look back. Ya'll don't ask me that now. Chris Vaughn did an excellent job along with Kim Dameron, but it starts with our front and our philosophy. Tyrone Nix and Terry Price just had a good chemistry group and Tyrone gets it out of them with his motivation and the structure of the defense. He puts them in the right place. He did one of the best jobs I've seen in a long time. I just love their comradely and the spirit of our defense. We were playing very fast. You never felt threatened by their offense and that's the way I felt about a lot of games. I always felt like offensively we had a chance. We knew we were going to get the ball and that's a good feeling.

Q: What had winning back-to-back bowl games done for recruiting?

You just can't say enough winning when you go into high schools. We're getting a lot of young men recruiting us. "Coach, you haven't forgotten me have you? I'm still on your list, right?' It's amazing how that works. We go into living rooms and high schools and there's a real excitement about Ole Miss. I really feel like it's changed a lot in the last two years. They're talking about a movie; they're talking about going to back-to-back Cotton Bowls. They say some very nice, positive things and you've got a lot of people's attention. Now you're in a situation where you've gone to back-to-back January bowls and won them. Now expectations just keep growing and keep getting a little bit higher. Just like this year, but that's what you want. When we came in here the first year it was like, 'hey you think you can win six? Can you get to a bowl?' Things a little bit different now, but that is where you get a little higher level recruit, a little bit more attention. There are some people that I know we would not even be in the race if we had not done what we've done the last two years. It's what you do on the field and when they get here your number one recruiters, your ambassadors are the players. They are who is selling it.

Q: What are your recruiting needs?

We'll have a big number at OL and DL and then we will get a little more specific. We need a great wide out. We need a tight end. We need corners. The only position we aren't recruiting is quarterback. I love the position we are in. I'm not talking about trying to sell a program that won four or five games. I'm talking about two years in a row at nine wins each. It makes a huge difference. We needed an older defensive end this spring and we got him. We needed an older safety and we got him for this spring. Now we need difference-makers.

Q: How critical is the third year for you?

I'm always excited about the third year. If you look at where we are and the cards we got dealt, the first two years we really took Ed's (Orgeron) best recruiting classes if you look at it their two best classes and now we get not as good, but there are some quality guys here. You have a lot of your guys here, the freshmen, the red shirt freshmen, sophomores, so its that kind of balance that you have. But, you look up and you are missing a Dexter McCluster, who really wasn't as prominent a player his freshman and sophomore years, we got him those two last years. Shay Hodge, the same thing. You didn't hear that much about him. He came out highly recruited, but really hadn't heard much about him until last year and this year. He's going to be dearly missed. And you're going to miss a guy like Patrick Trahan, a guy that to me has just been outstanding. Emmanuel Stephens, Gerald Harris. You are missing some key guys that were really difference makers. Marcus Tillman has been just so steady a guy. We can move him outside, move back inside, and I mean nothing but yes sir and no sir. Andy Hartmann what a soldier for us, kick off team, punt team, fullback and nobody really notices him, but goes in there and just hammers for Dexter every play. Just a lot of key people you're missing and you're going to be younger. You're going to lose 27 seniors. You're going to be younger in a very difficult league, but what a challenge. I still believe because of the recruiting we have a lot of freshmen that are playing right now and a lot of redshirt freshmen coming out and sophomore, guys that we recruited, coming out. Jason Jones he'll get that year back and there is a big, good looking body. You are going to have guys like that that I'm really excited about. It's going to be good.

Q: Is next year a rebuilding year?

I don't like to use that word because it gives our players a different mindset. They say, 'oh we're rebuilding, let's take the year off and relax.' We're going to be rebuilding in a lot of areas, but I expect us to keep taking off. This is going to be one of the hardest 5:30 a.m. workout we have ever had. It's going to be the best springs we've ever hard, the most physical. We're going to be putting a lot of third down pressure on our quarterbacks and offensive line. So I don't like to use that word - rebuilding.

Q: This is probably one of your most important spring practices, isn't it?

It is and it started with bowl practice. That is where we got our head start. A lot of teams can't say they already got 23 practices. It started there and it carries over. Now Coach (Don) Decker is going to wear them out and get them bigger and stronger and faster. Then we have to take advantage of every practice rep in spring ball.

Q: Who stood out to you in bowl practice?

Nutt: Charles Sawyer, Mike Marry, Alex Williams, Emmanuel McCray, Michael Brown, Cotton and Stanley, Terrell Grant who we moved to safety, Tig Braksdale, Rodney Scott, Z. Mason, Ryan Campbell - they all looked good to me. Ja'Mes Logan looked good at wideout.

Q: Has any player said they were leaving and when will you meet with the players?

None that I know of. I will meet with them when school starts back in January.

Q: What is Tim Simon's status?

Nutt: He has to have one more surgery and it is set for this Thursday, but we may move it back because he is in intersession. He has to have one more surgery. I am hoping he will be OK. He's a good person and a talented player. He can play running back or linebacker. We hope we can get him around mid-August - we think that is his best chance and earliest date of return.

Q: Will you over sign this year?

Nutt: What is very difficult to talk a young man into greyshirting. We are very thankful Evan Swindall and Mike Marry did it last semester. They are quality players. But, it's very hard. We will try, but I hope we never have to lose those scholarships again. Right now, our APR is good, so I feel we will get our scholarship allotment back.

Q: What do you expect from Markeith Summers, Lionel Breaux and Patrick Patterson?

Nutt: I saw those three in the locker room after the bowl. I said 'you three have got to go. You can't just be in the middle of the line. You have to be at the front of the line, no lazy steps. Your work ethic has to go to another level. You have to live with a ball in your hands. You better go find a quarterback and be really good friends with him.' They can do it too. Markeith has made some plays for us. Lionel just needs to be more consistent, but they will be fine. Patrick needs consistency, but he is going to be OK. I can see why he was ranked so high in high school.

Q: What about Jesse Grandy?

Nutt: If you lay it all out potential wise and he could be one of the best to ever come through here. We have to get him bigger, but he is smooth. He's a good route runner and has very good hands.

Q: Talk about recruiting in state of in Mississippi?

Nutt: This is the best I have felt about Mississippi since I have been here. I feel we are at a completely different level now. Parents realize how much we love starting in this state of Mississippi. That has been a little bit of a myth that we start outside of the state. That is completely false. We start right here in our own beautiful state of Mississippi. I'm excited about the Mississippi athletes and the commitments we already have. I'm excited about the commitments we have right and it's going to turn into two-three-four more.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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