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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Postgame Quotes vs. South Carolina
11/3/2018 | Football
South Carolina 48, Ole Miss 44
| OLE MISS HEAD COACH MATT LUKE |
"It makes things tough when you know kids left it all on the field. They battled their guts out, and we didn't make the plays we needed to make. When you are in a game like that there will be 1,000 different things that we can point to that could have changed the game. They made the plays they needed to make, and we did not. There are a lot of disappointed men in that locker room that let it all on the field. I appreciate them. I also appreciate Rebel nation for showing up today. The crowd was awesome, and I thought we fed off of the energy. It kept us in the game, so I am really grateful for everyone who showed up today. But, it was a disappointing loss."
On getting better defensively during the bye week:
"I think you always get better week to week, but it is hard to say that when you give up 48. The kids were out there working and gave us a chance to win the game. They bowed their neck on 4th and 1. We had the football with a chance to win the game in the 4th quarter. There are a lot of things we can clean up. There were too many easy plays, deep balls and the kick offs returns that made the difference in the game."
On the offensive outputs of Phillips and Moore:
"They are both very good and talented players. They have been big additions for us. During the open date we decided that having Elijah (Moore) and A.J. (Brown) on the field at the same time would be good. We wanted to have our best 11 on the field. We used a little more 12 personnel with Knox and Cooley out there as well. Overall, very pleased with the production of Elijah and Scottie. I thought they both competed and fought very well."
On the loss in a tough conference:
"I'm disappointed for the guys in the locker room. I am disappointed for our fans. They left it on the field and competed. In the end we didn't make the plays we needed to, and they did."
On Rebel Nation during the game:
"Rebel nation showed up, and I really appreciate that. It was a homefield advantage allowing us to feed off the crowd. Early in the game we could have gone away, but we didn't. The crowd stayed into it propelling us into a lead. I appreciate them for showing up."
On the message to the team going forward:
"We are in this thing together. We have been through a lot together. We have 19 days left, and we are going to enjoy every second of them. It is hard when you leave it all of the field. So we have a lot of disappointed and hurt guys in the locker room."
| OLE MISS RUNNING BACK SCOTTIE PHILLIPS |
"We talked all week about getting me more involved in the passing and running game. As you saw in the game I took advantage of all my opportunities."
On his motivation:
"When the ball gets into my hands I just try to find a way to make a play. The RPO game is difficult but I am used to it now. Being the competitor that I am, I always want the ball but Coach Longo is going to put us in the best situation to win the game. A 1,000 yards rushing season is something that I am pushing for and hope to achieve."
| OLE MISS WIDE RECEIVER ELIJAH MOORE |
"We came out and did what we needed to do. We didn't finish how we are supposed to though. At the end of the we are going to get better and we will do what we have to do."
On his role:
"With D.K. down, I knew I had to step up. I cannot let my boys down. They work hard everyday in practice so I have to work hard for them. We will just work a little harder to get the win next time. I am going to just keep doing what I am doing. I am blessed."
On describing himself:
"I think I am a game-changer. I am shifty, I know how to get open, and I am blessed."
On looking ahead:
"It is not very difficult because our motto is don't blink. I know I can't blink. We just have to keep working and do what we have to do."
| SOUTH CAROLINA HEAD COACH WILL MUSCHAMP |
"What an offensive football game. Up and down the field, both defenses had a hard time stopping anybody. I give Ole Miss credit, they were fighting the whole game. They were really efficient offensively. Though Ta'amu was what we thought—a really good player, very talented on the perimeter. Scottie Philips is a good back. We had him sometimes in a hold and he broke out. Just give them credit. I have got to really give our football team credit. The resiliency and the fight this football team has and they keep hanging in there, regardless of the circumstances and the situation. It says a lot about their coaching staff and a lot about the culture of our program. When we get in tight situations, we're going to make the plays we need to do to win the game. So I give our kids credit, they fought their butts off. The injury list—I can't even start it. Just hear it on the conference call tonight. I'm not going to start going through that. I don't know who's up, who's down. I know we got really thin in the secondary. We got thin on running back, receiver. So I don't know where the injury situation is, but finally got a turnover first time, in I don't know, a year or so. I really can't say enough about our players. They were just hanging in there and they did what they had to do to win the game. (Jake) Bentley gave a gutsy performance. He was really accurate with the football. Mon Denson comes in, makes a huge run and they're well blocked by our offensive line. A lot of guys stepped up to win that game. We have to continue to work on some things. One thing you can't question is the fight of our football team. "
On his message to defense before the crucial stops to end the game:
"Just keep hanging in there. We played a little man in the end and made him go through tighter spaces. At one point we were concerned about getting a call and getting lined up with the youth we had. And it was hard but I want to give our guys credit. When Jalen (Dread) came and stepped up in there and R.J both being on the field at the same time. Having four true freshmen in the secondary, which is a first for me. I'm really proud of those guys- the way they stepped up and made some stops at the end. I thought our coverage was good."
On Bentley's performance:
"Thought he was outstanding. We had that one third down which we busted the protection on that last 3rd down. We had a really good call by Bryan. We busted the protection where Jake was going right to him. I thought, again, he was accurate with the football. He was 14-18 at halftime, I wish we had hit that ball to shy. They're coming off the goal line; that could have flipped the momentum of the game tremendously. It didn't really matter, because our guys were going to grab the momentum in the fourth quarter."
On showing resiliency:
"Well you recruit it No. 1. You recruit guys that like ball. You recruit guys who have character. You recruit guys who have physical, mental toughness. That's part of the recruiting process- part of the evaluation. You want to evaluate guys. I give Jake Bentley as an example- he's tough. He's a competitor. He fights. And I'm just giving him as an example. T.J. Brunson is another great example. R.J. Roderick is a freshman and a great example. Rashad Fenton, the way he rose up in the game and matched up with a very difficult match-up. When you have enough of those guys collectively, then it effects the entire culture of your organization. You continue to preach in our football program about winning games in the fourth quarter. In our league, regardless of your circumstances of who you're playing in any situation, the games come down to the fourth quarter."
On how games like this impact the future:
"Well we had a bunch of young ones in there but I again I go back to really our last three weeks. We have played better football and we're 2-1 and we had opportunities in all three games to win the game or lose the game. And we won two of them. But that's our league. And if you want to have a special season you win all three."
| SOUTH CAROLINA QUARTERBACK JAKE BENTLEY |
"We had to respond. That was the message all day. We have to respond each and every time they score and we knew that coming in. In that moment, nobody panicked, nobody got rattled. We just did an awesome job by the leadership and really everyone. Stay calm and know that we have to ability to move up the field and score, and that's what we did."
On the defense:
"You can say what you want to about the score, but they played big when we need it. Proud of them and the team and how we continued to battle."
On how the win impacts the freshmen:
"Great experience, and as these guys gets older and become upper classman, they'll be able to lead guys under them. It's amazing what these guys are doing as freshman. The composure that they have on the field. They'll be able to use these experiences to benefit the whole team in the future."
| SOUTH CAROLINA WIDE RECEIVER BRYAN EDWARDS |
"Jake just threw it up and gave me a chance, and I made a play for him. That's about it. It was my first one like that honestly."
On the Ole Miss offense:
"We knew we were going to have to score a lot of points coming in. Obviously, they're one of the top offensives in the SEC. We knew every time they got up that they were going to get back in the game, so we knew we had to score points on every possession. That was just the mentality coming in.
On Josh Vanns's touchdown:
"I'm proud of Josh. He's come a long way from when he came in as a freshman, and it was just a busted play and he was there. He ran the route and got open. It's just one of those things that just happens ya know?"