Been a really good time period for us coming off playing well lately and peaking at right time. Obviously last couple games with 30 point win at Arkansas and of course Georgia. That’s exciting at end of season and especially with this playoff format. We’re getting stronger being out there and Trae looking like he’s ready to go and not having him for 3.5 games. Jaxson has led country in passing without him. Get the best WR in the country back. Also OL is healthy. Logan Diggs is doing more than he’s done. Other guys who have played hurt are a little healthier. A lot of times you’re struggling health wise right now but we’re in the best shape we’ve been all year. We need to play well though. Have to play well.
Really good relationship with Napier. He helped me a lot coming into the offensive room when I didn’t know anyone on the staff. I was the only new person on staff. He helped me in the transition. I have a lot of respect for him and how he treats people.
They do a really good job and improved from last season to improving in this season. Changing playcallers and there’s a transition with players but now you’re seeing them play the best they have all year.
We’ve been fortunate to have this bye where it was and getting players back or getting healthier who played like Cayden Lee or Pegues. Nolen hasn’t been 100 percent. We enter a really challenging game. They played well last week. Not sure I’ve seen a team play so different based off a quarterback. He gives their team hope when Lagway is there. We have to understand that and make him uncomfortable. That’s our goal. He is a special talent. They have really good players. Really talented players. They look great in warmups but didn’t put it together early. They’ve played well with Lagway.
It's excited to get Harris back, even at practice. We’ve thrown it well without him and there’s good and bad to everything and him being hurt has made others step up and we designed different things. Now it’s an excited to add it to him. He’s been close and wanting to play. He tries on Saturdays and couldn’t do it but feels different now and great to get back in this. It’s great timing.
Conference championship has changed because it could have a big impact both ways with people and this 12 team playoff. Coaches don’t want to be in it. The risk to be knocked out completely to the reward of the bye. That’s a big risk. Coaches don’t want to be in it. It’s a unique situation with postseason sports and how you could go to that and get knocked out but don’t go and you’re in. I’m not a big gambler. That’s a poker table thing and all-in and you’re going all-in to play someone great too. Very different than other conferences. It’s diluted the conference championship weekend. It is what it is. There’s cost-benefit. So many benefits to this system but there are costs, too. That weekend doesn’t mean as much. You also could get more injuries by playing in it. It’s why a lot of coaches don’t want to go to it.
Arnett has been great to have around. Very different system than Pete so it’s great to have him around and does a great job. Not job too small. Runs different parts of service team. Can see why he’s been a great coordinator and motivator of players.
Joe Judge has been a great pickup in our staff 11-on-11. Gives us some size on offense, have a lot of problems with defensive coach size. Also he does so much with our QBs and he’s been awesome. He’s worked for Belichick and Saban.
Saban has now become the rat poisoner. We played great but we have to do that again. He told me after UGA that I need to remind our guys past success doesn’t dictate future success. This is a big challenge, man. The crowd was electric down there Saturday. You have a place they play well at home. Wipe that Texas game out because of the quarterback. And they are totally different home versus road.
Austin has done a great job for someone so young still. You saw what he did on that stage and the way he played and command. The way he is with baseball in SEC play. He’s wired differently. That’s not normal. He’s really calm. There are Tua comparisons but neither get rattled and big games as freshmen. They’ve done really well.
I think we have more coming with recruiting. Glad my really good feeling… can’t say much but what’s going on is years of work here and changes the narrative about Ole Miss football. You can come here and get everything you could possibly want. It’s good to see.
We’ve had close ones in games here before this year. It’s taken this long to get a program where we play like that against Georgia. Look at Carolina at home and how we played in that game despite missing wide open receivers. At Arkansas. We’ve been one of the best teams a lot of weeks. We’ve played like an elite program and it’s taken a lot of time to get there with staff and structure and admin and players. A lot to it.
I have high expectations and the defense creating negative plays has even exceeded that for me. We’re far and above anyone else in the country. That’s been amazing. We’re not done yet.
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