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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Postgame Quotes vs. Troy
9/3/2022 | Football
Ole Miss 28, Troy 10
| OLE MISS HEAD COACH LANE KIFFIN |
"Glad to get to 1-0, you can't get to 2-0, so we did that. I really liked how we played defense in the first half, how we ran the ball, they were playing pretty safe on defense. We checked the ball down, we were fishing. Then, second half you have too many yards on defense, but then still kept the ball in front of us, did a really good job at rushing the passer there at the end. Played some really good defense with a lot of new guys in there. Offensively in the second half was miserable. 3 turnovers including a snap on the ground. You know that's really disappointing. We obviously have a high standard of how we expect to play around here, so the goal is to get 1-0, but we need to improve a lot. We'll turn it into a positive over the next 24 hours. Sometimes when you play great in the first game, then they don't listen to you and think that we've got everything figured out. As painful as it is to watch its good sometimes, so we have their attention and we got to improve and got to do better."
On running backs Evans and Judkins:
"This may sound strange, but when we get up 28-3 and things are going well… really wanted to see if we can establish some passing game for the future of the season and the confidence of our players in the passing game and the quarterback and the receivers. We would have normally run a lot more in that third, early fourth quarter, but those guys looked really special, all three running backs. He ran angry today, he's a special freshman."
Plan on QB setup after this game:
"Talked to both of them, just said this thing is so even, it's not fair of us to just pick one because it's so even; we just need to see you play… we are going to go first with one today and then first with the other one. Luke will go first next Saturday. I just didn't want to do the one game one game thing because I wanted them to both play in both and both have a chance to start and both have a chance to come off the bench. This didn't go ideally in the second half the way that we liked with the last two series with Jaxson. Really was going to switch after the series with Jaxson, but he threw the interception, and I don't like pulling him after that and wanted to give him another chance, so it wasn't his last feeling of the day."
| OLE MISS LB TROY BROWN |
"We showed sparks here and there of what we envision ourselves of a defense, but we have to stay grounded. We are doing good things. We have to continue doing good things, but when we are doing bad things and we are off, we have to lock back in and get ahead of the game. There were times out there where we didn't execute, and it showed, so that's what we have to get back to."
On Troy's offensive attack during the first half:
"Going into the season, everybody thinks the linebacker group was the question mark, so we just wanted to go out and play physical, play what we have been taught -- Every single down, just get to the ball and play hard. I feel like we showed that for our first appearance."
On the Rebel's second half defense:
"I feel like we laid down. We didn't keep our foot on their necks. Again, that's when mistakes can happen. Not getting the calls or checks right, it's just little things that we didn't pay attention to that we did in the first half, and it showed. We just have to play a full game and not just the first half."
| OLE MISS QB JAXSON DART |
"First half, they were playing deep. They tried to keep everything in front of them, and that's where we saw a lot of success in the run game. We gashed them a lot in the first half. I thought we started off with the first drive in the second half really well, and then we made some errors that were just on us. It had nothing to do with what they were doing. That's just some of the things that we can control and do a lot better."
On the closeness with Luke Altmyer:
"You want to do your best. There are definitely times when you make a mistake here and there. You really learn you just have to get over it and move on to the next play. You never want something where one bad play turns into two bad plays, or two bad plays turn into three bad plays. You want to be able to rebound, and I think that's really the learning lesson you have to learn as a quarterback in general. There's a lot of things that go on each and every play, and you have to be able to rebound, and figure out if that pass was good or bad, then make adjustments from there."
| OLE MISS RB ZACH EVANS |
"We did good as a whole. We could do better. It's a lot that we need to work on - a lot that I need to work on personally, like explosions, finishing runs, ball security most definitely. That's my number one. I'll get the program down and get going on it."
On getting touches:
"Like I said, we're a loaded backfield. Obviously, if the load comes my way, I will take it, no doubt about that. I love to share with the boys back there. We're coming in with hard work. We're coming out in 98-degree heat sometimes. Sometimes all of us are having full-body cramps out there. We're putting blood, sweat, and tears into this game. I love for them to go crazy."
On first game at Ole Miss:
"I feel good. It was amazing energy in the Vaught today. I want to thank the fans and everybody for coming out. I want to thank y'all for just paying attention and being in tune. It was amazing out there. Me personally, at TCU I think we held 40,000. The crowd was waking me up in the second half. It felt good being out there and being able to perform for y'all. I'm really blessed and thankful."
