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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Lane Kiffin Weekly Press Conference
11/9/2020 | Football
<i class="icon-video"></i> Lane Kiffin Press Conference<i class="icon-video"></i> Jonathan Mingo Press Conference<i class="icon-video"></i> Jacquez Jones Press Conference
Kiffin Previews Saturday's Meeting with South Carolina (6:30 p.m. CT, SEC Network)
OXFORD, Miss. – Head coach Lane Kiffin met with the media Monday via Zoom to recap the team's bye week and look ahead at this Saturday's matchup with South Carolina (6:30 p.m. CT, SEC Network). A transcript can be found below.
Opening statement…
"Back to work after the bye weekend. Back to the normal schedule, Monday practice today. Got a head start last week with some stuff, so that part's good. Just keep watching, opponent has played really well at times this year. I think has some really good players and gives people problems up front with a lot of different movements and stunts. Some really good rushers on third down. We're going to have to play really well."
On the bye week…
"Just a weekend. Guys had to come back last night. Hopefully guys got some rest. I was able to go down to Florida, but the weather didn't cooperate very well. Eight-foot seas doesn't let you go fishing. Got some rest and ready to come back to work."
On COVID concerns…
"We tested this morning; I don't have those back yet. That's very concerning. We talked to them a lot about it. Hopefully they did a good job. I think the tests usually come back the same day."
On preparing for an opponent with a quarterback transition…
"They told me that today that they're opening the competition. DJ was talking to me about that today, not knowing. We'll just have to prepare, and who ever plays, plays."
On differences between the two South Carolina quarterbacks…
"I have not gotten to that side of the ball, spent it on the other side last week, did the whole game plan. I'll get to that today."
On South Carolina comparable teams…
"They run the ball really well at times, got some really good defensive players. Maybe like Kentucky. Will does a great job, really multiple, lot of different disguises and pressures in that Alabama tree, Nick Saban tree of defensive guys."
On getting better during the bye week…
"We did a lot of work on consistency in the run game. Communication up front. Hopefully we did there. A lot of red zone work. We're as good as anyone in the country offensively outside of the red zone. Looking at the numbers, yards, first downs. I saw yesterday, if you look at first downs it's us and Alabama, no one else is even close to us. I want to say maybe for a game in the conference, more first downs than anyone else. Our problem has been the struggles in the red zone and then the turnovers in one game. I thought I saw we have 10 turnovers, so it means we had seven in one game and three in all the other games combined."
On evaluating the freshman class…
"The late start, we saved some spots, number of transfer guys, it's really not that big of a class. There are some good players in there. Henry Parrish is really good, we finally got him in the game."
On looking at South Carolina scores this season…
"I was obviously surprised by the points difference at A&M, because I thought when I see them, I know statistically they're not really great on defense, but they look good to me. Really good players, a lot of twitch up front. Sounds like they've been up and down throughout the year. I think somebody said safety is out with COVID this week, maybe it's been some injuries and COVID cases also."
On Elijah Moore comparing to other receivers…
"We really haven't had, no offense to anybody, but a really unique slot. We've usually had kind of bigger receivers for the most part. More traditional outside guys of the great ones. All the way back to Mike Williams top-eight pick and Amari Cooper and different guys along the way. This is a first round slot. I didn't coach him, but he kind of reminds me of the Carolina Steve Smith. Just the stop and start ability is so explosive and a great route runner. Even though I didn't have him, that would be what I would compare him to."
On working on field goals and PAT's…
"We let both guys kick and kind of opened it up. We'll know more the next couple days. It's been a kicker issue to me and not like protection. Just got to do a better job."
On recruiting due to COVID…
"It's very difficult, even more difficult because some kids aren't playing at all. I just watched a kid today and he had no new information. Maybe an eval says 'hey we like this kid, but let's look at his senior film because he's right there on the bubble'. Very difficult."
Opening statement…
"Back to work after the bye weekend. Back to the normal schedule, Monday practice today. Got a head start last week with some stuff, so that part's good. Just keep watching, opponent has played really well at times this year. I think has some really good players and gives people problems up front with a lot of different movements and stunts. Some really good rushers on third down. We're going to have to play really well."
On the bye week…
"Just a weekend. Guys had to come back last night. Hopefully guys got some rest. I was able to go down to Florida, but the weather didn't cooperate very well. Eight-foot seas doesn't let you go fishing. Got some rest and ready to come back to work."
On COVID concerns…
"We tested this morning; I don't have those back yet. That's very concerning. We talked to them a lot about it. Hopefully they did a good job. I think the tests usually come back the same day."
On preparing for an opponent with a quarterback transition…
"They told me that today that they're opening the competition. DJ was talking to me about that today, not knowing. We'll just have to prepare, and who ever plays, plays."
On differences between the two South Carolina quarterbacks…
"I have not gotten to that side of the ball, spent it on the other side last week, did the whole game plan. I'll get to that today."
On South Carolina comparable teams…
"They run the ball really well at times, got some really good defensive players. Maybe like Kentucky. Will does a great job, really multiple, lot of different disguises and pressures in that Alabama tree, Nick Saban tree of defensive guys."
On getting better during the bye week…
"We did a lot of work on consistency in the run game. Communication up front. Hopefully we did there. A lot of red zone work. We're as good as anyone in the country offensively outside of the red zone. Looking at the numbers, yards, first downs. I saw yesterday, if you look at first downs it's us and Alabama, no one else is even close to us. I want to say maybe for a game in the conference, more first downs than anyone else. Our problem has been the struggles in the red zone and then the turnovers in one game. I thought I saw we have 10 turnovers, so it means we had seven in one game and three in all the other games combined."
On evaluating the freshman class…
"The late start, we saved some spots, number of transfer guys, it's really not that big of a class. There are some good players in there. Henry Parrish is really good, we finally got him in the game."
On looking at South Carolina scores this season…
"I was obviously surprised by the points difference at A&M, because I thought when I see them, I know statistically they're not really great on defense, but they look good to me. Really good players, a lot of twitch up front. Sounds like they've been up and down throughout the year. I think somebody said safety is out with COVID this week, maybe it's been some injuries and COVID cases also."
On Elijah Moore comparing to other receivers…
"We really haven't had, no offense to anybody, but a really unique slot. We've usually had kind of bigger receivers for the most part. More traditional outside guys of the great ones. All the way back to Mike Williams top-eight pick and Amari Cooper and different guys along the way. This is a first round slot. I didn't coach him, but he kind of reminds me of the Carolina Steve Smith. Just the stop and start ability is so explosive and a great route runner. Even though I didn't have him, that would be what I would compare him to."
On working on field goals and PAT's…
"We let both guys kick and kind of opened it up. We'll know more the next couple days. It's been a kicker issue to me and not like protection. Just got to do a better job."
On recruiting due to COVID…
"It's very difficult, even more difficult because some kids aren't playing at all. I just watched a kid today and he had no new information. Maybe an eval says 'hey we like this kid, but let's look at his senior film because he's right there on the bubble'. Very difficult."
Players Mentioned
WR
/ FootballPRESSER: Kam Franklin 4-7-26
Tuesday, April 07
PRESSER: Patrick Kutas 4-7-26
Tuesday, April 07
PRESSER: Pete Golding 4-7-26
Tuesday, April 07
PRESSER: Will Echoles 4-3-26
Friday, April 03