Postgame Quotes - Ole Miss vs. Auburn - Ole Miss Athletics

Oct. 31, 2015

Ole Miss Post-Game Quotes vs. Auburn 10.31.15

Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze

Opening Statementâ€¦
"It was a big SEC fist-fight. I don't really care about stats. Just winning the game, it makes the ride home a lot sweeter."

On success in the running gameâ€¦
"It definitely opened some things up for us, but with the return of (Auburn's Carl) Lawson and they have some big talented players on the front, I thought we held our own and had some nice runs. After watching all the games the last few weeks I was not going to punt. Too many bad things happen.

On his conversation with Laquon Treadwell before the gameâ€¦
"This game is about us getting closer to wining the SEC West. It (Treadwell's injury) happened against Auburn at home last year. I don't know why people are making it out to be a big thing. It was a freak accident. They didn't try to do it to him on purpose. If you get caught up thinking about that, what are you going to think about the next game and when it's time to play? He told me 'Coach, I'm not worried about that. I just want to play.'"

On rotating Laremy Tunsil less throughout the gameâ€¦
"It's week two and he is in better shape to play. When you've got ends like they do you want him on the field as much as possible."

On overall defensive performanceâ€¦
"Those were some explosive plays. I think they only had one drive all day. We also gave up some explosive plays too. But, the defense really showed up strong and was a force. So, that was huge and made a big difference."

On WR Derrick Jones getting his first touchdown catchâ€¦
"Derrick can really run. He has fresh legs and we felt that at this point, we can really use him."

On the mindset going for it on 4th and one in Auburn territoryâ€¦.
"The score was 13-10. Our defense was playing really good. We felt like we could go for it instead of kicking a field goal and making it a one score game. We wanted to make it a two score game. A two score game can really change the game and was the most important."

On what he learned from this game and the past ones from this seasonâ€¦
"You learn that coaches and players can't function like the normal world does. Everything that is being said about you out there, you can't let that stuff affect you. We are about building young men first and winning football games second. I've learned that our kids are doing a really good job at blocking all the noise out. I've learned a lot about myself, the coaching staff and the people that surround the program. We just have to play the next one. It's one of the few professions were the kids get it just as bad as the coaches. We just have to brace all of it and let it motivate you to do better.

On his offense totaling 12 interceptions this seasonâ€¦
"It is definitely something to worry about. It also depends on how they are made. You have to look at it and say some were definitely his (QB Chad Kelly) fault and others were just accidents. Some were simple reads, but you know what, we have to coach him better. We are going to help him get better. Dan (Werner) and myself will coach him better."

Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Dan Werner

On how big the win isâ€¦
"They're all big in this conference, no doubt. The way our guys are sort of starting to mature and battle even in a type of game like this. When we really needed points, we got them, so I'm proud of our guys."

On QB Chad Kelly and WR Laquon Treadwell on the last drive and what he felt good aboutâ€¦
"I try to go through with him (Chad Kelly) the plays we're thinking about playing that series and I asked him, 'What do you like?' So we gave him a few things and I said, 'On this play right here, just know if they give you a certain look, I want you to throw that fade.' And we had a couple chances at fades earlier and he underthrew them. He was trying the back-shoulder and I told him, 'Just throw it up there and let Laquon (Treadwell) catch the ball' and he did and it worked out."

On Laquon Treadwell's great play todayâ€¦
"I'm proud of all our guys, but that's what Laquon does. That's why I keep telling Chad (Kelly), 'Look, if you get him singled up and you throw it out there, he's probably going to make a play for you.'"

On head coach Hugh Freeze saying he called 80% of plays todayâ€¦
"We just sort of talked about it and you'll have to ask him exactly what the plan was, but I called a bunch of plays. But we're a team. We just call it and you know, in certain situations, he'll call one and in other situations, I'll call one."

On an emphasis of running the ball more and its benefitsâ€¦
"There's no doubt. I've said it for years and everyone knows it, to be a really good football team, you have to run the football. I mean, if you think you're going to throw for 500 yards a game and win in this conference consistently, you haven't been around enough football."

Ole Miss Player Quotes 10.3.15

WR Derrick Jones

On his touchdown playâ€¦
"I knew I had a double-move, so I got to bait him in. Once I baited him in, it was pretty much easy, just catch it and score. But I saw the other defender, and I got a little nervous at first, but then I was like, 'I might be able to split them'. So I tried it and it worked."

On his teammates' response to the playâ€¦
"They just told me hard work pays off. They know every day I'm going to go hard for them. Not only for me, but for my teammates. I was just thankful I was able to score for them, and they were just as happy as I was."

On whether it was a good throw or good catchâ€¦
"Little bit of both, you know, I got to give my boy Swag (Chad) Kelly a little bit on that."

On what his first touchdown this season means to himâ€¦
"It feels good to feel like I'm finally getting my rhythm back. I had a kind of a rough fall camp, but I feel like I'm getting back in my groove."

On building off this gameâ€¦
"Just keep that confidence. You just got to go into every game with that confidence, believing that you're going to make that play, and when it comes your way, make it."

On how big the win over Auburn wasâ€¦
"It's very big. SEC on the road, that's pretty much self-explanatory. To come in here and get this 'W' at Auburn, it means a lot for our team."

On if the team has its edge is backâ€¦
"I definitely feel that way. Our defense is playing great right now. Offense is scoring. I just feel like we know what type of talent we have on this team, and that if we play to our best ability, we can play with anybody in the country."

On playing more after his touchdownâ€¦
"We've got a room full of talented guys, and it's like, 'Who do I play? Who do I put in?' I'm just thankful for the opportunity and I don't mind waiting my turn."

On WR Laquon Treadwell's playing with a chip on his shoulderâ€¦
"No doubt. He talked about it all week. So, I'm thankful for this win for him and his feelings. I feel like he's probably in a great mood right now."

WR Damore'ea Stringfellow

On his performanceâ€¦
"We had a plan to throw the ball today, and coach (Freeze) told us to go out and make the best of our opportunities, so that's what I did."

On Ole Miss winning in Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time since 2003â€¦
"I really don't know too much about that. I just know that we handled our business today and we're undefeated in the state of Alabama, so that's good."

On if it is difficult to focus knowing what needs to be done to win a SEC Championshipâ€¦
"Not really because we know what we need to do. We know that in order to get to where we want to go, we have to do it a certain way. Week to week and play by play is when we need to do it, so we do that."

DT Robert Nkemdiche

On the winâ€¦
"It's a big win for us. It's a good SEC win. It started out in practice and it started with our intensity and the energy we had all week. It was just all preparation and us staying together throughout the course of the game and we came out with a 'W.'"

On how he felt returning from injuryâ€¦
"I felt great. Getting back out there after getting knocked out in the Memphis game and I missed last week. I just felt like I owed the guys a lot and give everything I've got and they gave me everything they've got. It was just a great outcome overall."

On holding Auburn to field goals in the red zone...
"In practice every week, we make sure we've got our goal line stuff in order and when it's down there, it's crunch time. You don't give anything up and that's our goal; to stop them if they get in the red zone and to just keep fighting."

On what has changed on defense in the last two weeks...
"I think it's just us getting our focus right. Sometimes people get their eyes mixed up and sometimes they get some bombs and what-not. But, I felt like everyone is cohesive together. Everyone has come together again. It got all discombobulated for a little bit, but right now I feel like we're back on the same page. We feel good."

WR Laquon Treadwell

On his late touchdown and overall performanceâ€¦
"I think I just made a play when it came to me. I stayed in the moment. Damore'ea Stringfellow had a great game today. He stepped up big time for us the whole first half. There were moving objects and they were trying to take me out of the game. The coaches ran the ball and ran the ball and then we went high and took a chance. I made the play."

On how frustrating the first half wasâ€¦
"It wasn't frustrating at all. I knew my time was coming and I just stayed in the moment. At halftime, coach said 'Don't worry about the first half. It's over and you'll put on in the second half. Let's go take it from them.' That's what we came out and did."

On how satisfying the win is for him...
"It's a great win. I think the team needed it and we needed it. It's another step, another win. We'll keep working hard trying to get win after win. It's a one game season, that's what we're telling ourselves. No matter how it looks, a win is a win and we move on."

On if this was a revenge game after suffering in an injury in last year's game against Auburnâ€¦
"No, this wasn't a revenge game. We knew we were going to have to go out there and battle. They were going to try to win just as much as we were going to try to win. We just knew it was a 60-minute game and we had to play lights out and depend on each other, and that's what we did."

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Postgame Quotes - Ole Miss vs. Auburn

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Team Stats

Chad Kelly

L. Treadwell

Players Mentioned

Derrick Jones

Robert Nkemdiche

Damore'ea Stringfellow

Laquon Treadwell

Laquon Treadwell

Laremy Tunsil

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