The University of Mississippi Athletics
Kiffin, Coaches Confident In Nkemdiche
8/28/2013 | Football, Blog
Robert Nkemdiche, the consensus No. 1 highschool recruit in the nation last year, is slated to start at defensive end,opposite junior C.J. Johnson, in his first college game.
His position coach, Chris Kiffin, and the othercoaches are confident in Nkemdiche, and if anything, they will have to guardagainst his emotions and overexcitement.
"What we have been battling all fall camp isthe notion that he feels that he has to make every play," Kiffin said. "We'retrying to get him to play within the defense. Especially going out in the firstgame, I can't fathom the amount of pressure on him outside of all the otherstuff. If he can just understand to go out and play the game like he has thelast four weeks, then he will be fine.
"He's done a great job for a young guy comingin and having to learn the defense," defensive coordinator Dave Wommack said."There have been some issues with him jumping offsides, but you would ratherhave that then have a good who's sitting back. He's eager to play, veryexcited. Robert is as advertised."
Nkemdiche came a long way during fall practice,Kiffin said, from when he ran the first-team defense as early as Aug. 5, toentering his first college game.
"I was impressed with him picking up thedefense like he did," Kiffin said. "He still has mistakes, obviously, butthrowing him in right away, I think it was perfect for him. There was no, so tosay, learning curve. The first two weeks, he was thrown in there, and wecoached on the run.
"He would stay after meetings, just him and I,to go over that film, and then slow down and coach. Let him go full speed onthe field, make a quick correction here and there, then in the film room,explain why he was doing something wrong and how it needs to be done."
Kiffin said Nkemdiche's technique "has varied,"and "it's been up and down," but having gone back to watch film of SouthCarolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney's freshman season, he said he saw a lotof the same things -- natural athleticism and making plays -- from Nkemdiche.
"I have seen both of them doing the wrong thinga number of times and making plays," Kiffin said. "So I'm not trying not toovercoach him. I want him to make plays and not play tentative. That stuff willcome with experience."
A big challenge on Thursday will be gettingNkemdiche acclimated and handling the pressure of starting in his first collegegame.
"I talked to some of the older guys about ittoo, Cameron Whigham and C.J. Johnson," Kiffin said. "I got him rooming withC.J. Johnson on purpose the night before," Kiffin said. "I think that will begood for him, and out there as the game goes on, between plays and on thesidelines between series, those guys talking to him.
"It can't just be me every time. Those guysactually did it themselves. C.J. sees everything out there, so he's going toknow if something is going on with Robert and let him know about it."
FreshmenIn The Passing Game
Junior wide receiver Vince Sanders (collarbone)and senior Korvic Neat (knee) both suffered injuries during fall practice. Withtheir injuries, freshman wide receivers Laquon Treadwell and Quincy Adeboyejohave taken on bigger roles in the Ole Miss offense.
Treadwell is slated to start at slot receiver,while Adeboyejo is a backup at one of the two outside receiver spots but willlikely figure in the rotation on Thursday.
"Coming into the year, receiver wasprobably our deepest position," Wallace said. "And right now, we havetwo guys out, so recruiting those two guys definitely helped.
"Laquon is a big body. He helps you as aquarterback because defenders can't get around him to make a play on the ball.Quincy is a good route-runner. He's a little banged up right now, but he stilllooks good running around out there."
Another freshman, Evan Engram, is listed as a starter and expected abig role at tight end after losing seniors Ferbia Allen and Jamal Mosley fromlast year.
"He's going to really, really good," Wallace said."He's one of the guys who's going to be a really good players. He's goingto play a big role. He's a great receiving tight end. He's a mismatch for us,so he's going to play a big role for us."
Update On Mathers, Freshman Running Backs
Sophomore running back I'Tavius Mathers, who waslisted as co-backup with fellow sophomore Jaylen Walton behind senior JeffScott, is about 80 percent, head coach Hugh Freeze said on the weeklyteleconference on Wednesday.
"We think he's going tohave a special year. He's put on some more weight. He's a physical runner forus, and he has some twitch to him, too. We think he's going to be a specialback. He was hampered for quite a bit of camp with an ankle.
"I would say he's about80 percent right now, so I don't know that tomorrow night you will see the trueI'Tavius Mathers that you are going to see the rest of the year, but we'reconfident that once he gets back to 100 percent, he's going to be an importantfactor to our offense."
Also, on the weekly teleconferenceon Wednesday, Freeze was asked specifically about redshirting freshman runningback Jordan Wilkins, one of three freshman running back in the mix for playingtime, along with Mark Dodson and Kailo Moore.
"I would never decide toredshirt anyone this early, just because you never know," Freeze said. "I don'tmake up my mind this early to do that. I would like to redshirt him (JordanWilkins). He's going to be a good player, too. We just happen to have gooddepth at that position.
"We have got six guys that I believe are good players and would love to get totry to make it through the season with four of them and redshirt two. But again,it's too early to tell that."
