From UM Media Relations:
Ole Miss Football Head Coach Hugh Freeze met with the media Monday to talk about last weekend's win over Auburn while also looking toward Saturday's home contest against Arkansas (2:30 p.m. CT, CBS).
Opening Statement...
“I was real proud of our kids and our staff, going out and handling a hostile environment pretty well. I only thought twice in the game we didn’t handle the environment as well as we could have because of some false starts. Defensively, 73 total plays, 66 of those plays we held a very good football team to 170 yards. We gave up seven explosive plays. That is the good and the bad of the game. We had seven plays that accounted for 240-plus yards. So we need to shore that up some. But 66 plays, we were very good on the defensive side. Excellent defensive effort on the critical downs. On third and fourth downs they were 2 for 17, and excellent against, again, an offense that gives you lots of problems because of the smoke and mirrors and because of their good talent that they have. I’m very proud with that, except for seven explosive plays. Offensively, we had 560 yards. We need more production on the scoreboard. The yards didn’t equate to the points we should have had. We need to improve on mistakes that we are making at critical times, be it red zone or third downs. It was a mixture of not executing, or wishing you could have called a different play, or a drop here that could have led to extra points. Special teams were really sound. Our punt team, with the exception of one punt, pinned them and flipped the field all day. We kept them inside the 20 with long drives. We had one punt that wasn’t exactly executed as we hoped. Nathan (Noble) did a good job of putting the ball in good places for us on the kickoff unit. He had one that he hit a little thin, sort of like my wedge. We held them to the 31. The coverage unit was good because the hang time on that was a 2.6. And that is difficult. Gary (Wunderlich) continued to be solid. Collins (Moore) has given us some comfort in knowing what to do in the punt return unit. So it was a good effort. We had two runs where we had some bad tackles. Other than that, our tackling was solid. They caused us some explosive plays, but we’ll continue to work on that week to week. I’m really impressed by Arkansas. The job Bret (Bielema) has done, particularly with the start they had, he does things right and continues to improve as the year moves on. That’s what they’ve done. They lost some games early on. Sometimes, that can rattle you. It hasn’t seemed to phase them. They’re playing their best football of the year. They give you a lot of problems offensively because of their scheme and talent. They’re able to pound it at you. Their quarterback continues to play at a high level with really talented tight ends and a receiver to go to. They use those tight ends really well. It is hard to get a beat on the play when you don’t know if the play is passing by or coming. That can cause a defense problems. Defensively, they have been one of the most sound defenses. They are super well-coached at their technique. They do what they do very well. We’re excited about the challenge that is ahead of us. We’re excited about being back at home. We need our fans to come out in a big way. This is our 10th straight game. I don’t know how many other teams can say they have done that. It doesn’t matter because we had to. And we need a little extra energy from Rebel Nation. I know they will show up at 2:30 on Saturday and help us out.”
On how he sees the health of the team…
“Paul (Jackson) and Pat (Jernigan) are two guys I lean on a lot to help me understand where we are physically and mentally. I meet with a lot of our kids. I started doing that about two to three weeks ago. Every day I have a meeting with a bunch of our players to kind of judge where we are mentally and physically. We have gone hard the last few days in practice, which was a concern. But we seem to have handled it pretty well. We have all the new gadgets that have been monitoring their output, and they have been exerting more on Tuesday and Wednesday than what was the norm. We are about as healthy as we have ever been right now, it looks like. I am pretty pleased.”
What the defense has done to improve on third down…
“Schematically, we have cut down a lot. I started giving a lot of the (offensive) play calling duties to Dan (Werner) so I can go and see if I can assist on the other side, and we really have started cutting down, and making sure our kids understood that this is exactly how we want to run our play. Focus on your task. We demand more of them. We started doing that and now we have played really great defense these last two weeks. Dave (Wommack) and his staff have done a great job planning, and our kids have executed most of the time.”
On sharing the play calling duties with Werner…
“You judge where your team is at, and see where you can assist the most. I just felt like I needed to spend a lot more time with our team. Some conversations are about football, some not. I have always had great confidence. And it always has been a joint effort. I am involved still. These are the packages that we are carrying. Something that is a disadvantage with the defense is when I go to defense, I am involved with that. That’s when they are talking about the next series. Matt (Luke) will have an idea, and Dan will have an idea, and if I come back and don’t hear all of those, that could put them in a disadvantage in coaching their kids because I’m on the defensive channel. They know the packages. They know what we like in those packages and we’ll rank them. It has been beneficial thus far.”
On the state of the program…
“We would love to win every game. I don’t know if that happens with a lot of teams every year because of games where you don’t play your best and other teams do. I said the only promise I would make is that we would be competitive and relevant in the Southeastern Conference. We are. We will continue to do that. We are not going away. We will continue to be competitive. The problem that you have is that you create expectations. I know we have a very competitive football team, and we are going to be that. As long as we are playing our hardest and continuing to improve, I am very pleased with where we are. Would I like to have some games back? Absolutely. But, we are right in the thick of things. I think that’s what the Ole Miss people wanted a few years back, and we are there. Now we need to build on them. We need to keep recruiting well so we can do that.”
On the game against Arkansas…
“This one will be no different. It will be an SEC fistfight. It will be a physical game. They can control the clock, and they have good schemes on both sides. Their defense makes you go the length of the field without making a mistake in order to score points. They have given up very few explosive plays. That is the way they are built. They have given up some yards, but they tend to not give away many points. We have a big test ahead of us. It’ll be a close, physical battle on Saturday.”
On playing against Arkansas after being shut out last year…
“I’m a competitor and an offensive coach. As soon as we were able to turn our attention from Auburn, that was on my mind. I like getting another shot at that. It motivates me.”
On the return of Laremy Tunsil and the impact he has had…
“Great. He has really infused our offensive line. Ben Still had his best game since he has been here. Fahn (Cooper) continues to play at a high level. Young kids are coming up. Laremy being back has really infused us. Those, and a couple of changes we made in the run game, have really helped us. We have been getting production against good defensive fronts. I thought Auburn’s defensive front, when they got (Carl) Lawson back, and they were able to move 8 (Cassanova McKinzy) back to linebacker with 17 (Kris Frost), it was the most talented front we have faced with the exception of maybe Alabama’s front. I thought we handled it very well. Laremy played 93 plays. That’s a lot. Him and Fahn.”
On how Arkansas’ balance troubles defenses…
“There is no question. I was looking at the offensive production in the SEC. We are first in total offense. They are sitting at three. And they are balanced. Their quarterback is playing at a high level. He takes care of the ball. And again, they put you in formations where you have to honor the run. There are so many gaps you have to fill. If your eyes get bad in one moment, they have tight ends that are athletic and can stretch the field and make plays. They have a new offensive coordinator. I don’t know how much of that is him or Bret (Bielema), but they are doing a very nice job of making you honor both.”
On Akeem Judd’s performance…
“He’s playing very well. We are excited about the added dimension he brings us. He and Jaylen (Walton) are a good combination. That was a big-time run he made to put us ahead the other day. He’s finishing runs. He’s taking care of the ball when he runs. He’s been a very nice bonus for us.”
On how he views Arkansas going into this week…
“I don’t think there is any question that they are finding their stride right now. Like I said earlier, the job that their coaching staff has done is good. They have some injuries and lost some key guys. They had some tough losses early on. To rally the troops and continue to improve and be competitive against Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, and the other great teams in this conference, there is no question that they are hitting their stride.”
On flying under the radar…
“I like the position that we are in because we are relevant. We are a factor. The only game that matters Saturday is us versus Arkansas. We haven’t really talked about the future and what it can hold, because the games can be too close to call. Arkansas can beat anyone in this conference. So can we. Being relevant is a motivating factor for sure. I’m glad we have them at home. We have two of our final three at home. It starts with Arkansas, Saturday. If we are flying under the radar, then good. I think I like it better that way.”
On motivating the players and their mindset on Arkansas after last year’s game…
“I won’t talk to our kids about that. I’ll just put the film on. Arkansas can speak for itself by the way they played against Alabama, Tennessee and Auburn. So that should motivate our players.”
On his relationship with Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema…
“Bret and I do have a very good relationship. We got to know each other on the Nike trip the last few years. I like the guy. I think he is a ball coach. We communicate a lot through text. He is a friend in the business. And the longer you get into this, I think the more friends you have, if you are in it for the right reasons. I think Bret is. I can’t really talk about his and Gus Malzahn’s relationship, but Bret and I have a good one.”
On Bret Bielema’s outgoing attitude…
“I do like that. I wish I was more like that sometimes. I’m a little more reserved in some ways than him. I like the fact that he speaks his mind.”
On bouncing back from the Memphis loss…
“You just keep coaching. You forget about the past. I just keep coaching for the next one, and make sure the kids continue to improve and get quality coaching. You just have to block out all the stuff. Yeah, it was disappointing. We weren’t the first ones to get disappointed, and it may happen again. You can’t live and die with one win or one loss. You have to keep pressing on. Our coaches have done a good job of doing that. Our players have responded nicely.”
On being physical…
“We have a mature team, so you go into it with a plan. That plan was to take it as reasonably easy on the practice field to get through this stretch that we have. In hindsight, that probably hasn’t been the best option. We have picked it up from the fundamental and physical nature of practice. We’ve been going ones on ones and trying to establish the line of scrimmage on both sides.”
On winning on the road at Auburn and Alabama…
“I know there have been a lot of firsts in the last three or so years that we’ve been here. A lot of records have fallen, and that is another one that our people can certainly take pride in. Those are two difficult places to win at, and our kids certainly have pride in it. It was a good reflection for a brief moment. In time, we’ll go back and revisit it. I don’t know if that has ever happened before. Long after I’m gone, maybe they’ll remember that.”
On the injuries of the team, and Tony Conner’s status…
“Just normal stuff, like sore shoulders and ankles. Nothing that will keep anyone out from Saturday’s game. No doubtTony Conner will try to go. He’ll attempt at it. The goal is to get through this season playing in some of these critical last games. We have this week, and then an open week where we can control the swelling so we can play the last two. He’s going to give it a go.”
On the improvement of Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen…
“He threw it really well against us last year. I think they committed to being more balanced. He’s a talented kid. When he is given his opportunity, he has been able to produce. He has been very accurate. There is no reason for them to change. He takes care of the ball. I don’t know what his pass efficiency is, but he’s got to be up there from what I saw on the film. He’s definitely one of the more talented guys.”
Ole Miss Football Head Coach Hugh Freeze met with the media Monday to talk about last weekend's win over Auburn while also looking toward Saturday's home contest against Arkansas (2:30 p.m. CT, CBS).
Opening Statement...
“I was real proud of our kids and our staff, going out and handling a hostile environment pretty well. I only thought twice in the game we didn’t handle the environment as well as we could have because of some false starts. Defensively, 73 total plays, 66 of those plays we held a very good football team to 170 yards. We gave up seven explosive plays. That is the good and the bad of the game. We had seven plays that accounted for 240-plus yards. So we need to shore that up some. But 66 plays, we were very good on the defensive side. Excellent defensive effort on the critical downs. On third and fourth downs they were 2 for 17, and excellent against, again, an offense that gives you lots of problems because of the smoke and mirrors and because of their good talent that they have. I’m very proud with that, except for seven explosive plays. Offensively, we had 560 yards. We need more production on the scoreboard. The yards didn’t equate to the points we should have had. We need to improve on mistakes that we are making at critical times, be it red zone or third downs. It was a mixture of not executing, or wishing you could have called a different play, or a drop here that could have led to extra points. Special teams were really sound. Our punt team, with the exception of one punt, pinned them and flipped the field all day. We kept them inside the 20 with long drives. We had one punt that wasn’t exactly executed as we hoped. Nathan (Noble) did a good job of putting the ball in good places for us on the kickoff unit. He had one that he hit a little thin, sort of like my wedge. We held them to the 31. The coverage unit was good because the hang time on that was a 2.6. And that is difficult. Gary (Wunderlich) continued to be solid. Collins (Moore) has given us some comfort in knowing what to do in the punt return unit. So it was a good effort. We had two runs where we had some bad tackles. Other than that, our tackling was solid. They caused us some explosive plays, but we’ll continue to work on that week to week. I’m really impressed by Arkansas. The job Bret (Bielema) has done, particularly with the start they had, he does things right and continues to improve as the year moves on. That’s what they’ve done. They lost some games early on. Sometimes, that can rattle you. It hasn’t seemed to phase them. They’re playing their best football of the year. They give you a lot of problems offensively because of their scheme and talent. They’re able to pound it at you. Their quarterback continues to play at a high level with really talented tight ends and a receiver to go to. They use those tight ends really well. It is hard to get a beat on the play when you don’t know if the play is passing by or coming. That can cause a defense problems. Defensively, they have been one of the most sound defenses. They are super well-coached at their technique. They do what they do very well. We’re excited about the challenge that is ahead of us. We’re excited about being back at home. We need our fans to come out in a big way. This is our 10th straight game. I don’t know how many other teams can say they have done that. It doesn’t matter because we had to. And we need a little extra energy from Rebel Nation. I know they will show up at 2:30 on Saturday and help us out.”
On how he sees the health of the team…
“Paul (Jackson) and Pat (Jernigan) are two guys I lean on a lot to help me understand where we are physically and mentally. I meet with a lot of our kids. I started doing that about two to three weeks ago. Every day I have a meeting with a bunch of our players to kind of judge where we are mentally and physically. We have gone hard the last few days in practice, which was a concern. But we seem to have handled it pretty well. We have all the new gadgets that have been monitoring their output, and they have been exerting more on Tuesday and Wednesday than what was the norm. We are about as healthy as we have ever been right now, it looks like. I am pretty pleased.”
What the defense has done to improve on third down…
“Schematically, we have cut down a lot. I started giving a lot of the (offensive) play calling duties to Dan (Werner) so I can go and see if I can assist on the other side, and we really have started cutting down, and making sure our kids understood that this is exactly how we want to run our play. Focus on your task. We demand more of them. We started doing that and now we have played really great defense these last two weeks. Dave (Wommack) and his staff have done a great job planning, and our kids have executed most of the time.”
On sharing the play calling duties with Werner…
“You judge where your team is at, and see where you can assist the most. I just felt like I needed to spend a lot more time with our team. Some conversations are about football, some not. I have always had great confidence. And it always has been a joint effort. I am involved still. These are the packages that we are carrying. Something that is a disadvantage with the defense is when I go to defense, I am involved with that. That’s when they are talking about the next series. Matt (Luke) will have an idea, and Dan will have an idea, and if I come back and don’t hear all of those, that could put them in a disadvantage in coaching their kids because I’m on the defensive channel. They know the packages. They know what we like in those packages and we’ll rank them. It has been beneficial thus far.”
On the state of the program…
“We would love to win every game. I don’t know if that happens with a lot of teams every year because of games where you don’t play your best and other teams do. I said the only promise I would make is that we would be competitive and relevant in the Southeastern Conference. We are. We will continue to do that. We are not going away. We will continue to be competitive. The problem that you have is that you create expectations. I know we have a very competitive football team, and we are going to be that. As long as we are playing our hardest and continuing to improve, I am very pleased with where we are. Would I like to have some games back? Absolutely. But, we are right in the thick of things. I think that’s what the Ole Miss people wanted a few years back, and we are there. Now we need to build on them. We need to keep recruiting well so we can do that.”
On the game against Arkansas…
“This one will be no different. It will be an SEC fistfight. It will be a physical game. They can control the clock, and they have good schemes on both sides. Their defense makes you go the length of the field without making a mistake in order to score points. They have given up very few explosive plays. That is the way they are built. They have given up some yards, but they tend to not give away many points. We have a big test ahead of us. It’ll be a close, physical battle on Saturday.”
On playing against Arkansas after being shut out last year…
“I’m a competitor and an offensive coach. As soon as we were able to turn our attention from Auburn, that was on my mind. I like getting another shot at that. It motivates me.”
On the return of Laremy Tunsil and the impact he has had…
“Great. He has really infused our offensive line. Ben Still had his best game since he has been here. Fahn (Cooper) continues to play at a high level. Young kids are coming up. Laremy being back has really infused us. Those, and a couple of changes we made in the run game, have really helped us. We have been getting production against good defensive fronts. I thought Auburn’s defensive front, when they got (Carl) Lawson back, and they were able to move 8 (Cassanova McKinzy) back to linebacker with 17 (Kris Frost), it was the most talented front we have faced with the exception of maybe Alabama’s front. I thought we handled it very well. Laremy played 93 plays. That’s a lot. Him and Fahn.”
On how Arkansas’ balance troubles defenses…
“There is no question. I was looking at the offensive production in the SEC. We are first in total offense. They are sitting at three. And they are balanced. Their quarterback is playing at a high level. He takes care of the ball. And again, they put you in formations where you have to honor the run. There are so many gaps you have to fill. If your eyes get bad in one moment, they have tight ends that are athletic and can stretch the field and make plays. They have a new offensive coordinator. I don’t know how much of that is him or Bret (Bielema), but they are doing a very nice job of making you honor both.”
On Akeem Judd’s performance…
“He’s playing very well. We are excited about the added dimension he brings us. He and Jaylen (Walton) are a good combination. That was a big-time run he made to put us ahead the other day. He’s finishing runs. He’s taking care of the ball when he runs. He’s been a very nice bonus for us.”
On how he views Arkansas going into this week…
“I don’t think there is any question that they are finding their stride right now. Like I said earlier, the job that their coaching staff has done is good. They have some injuries and lost some key guys. They had some tough losses early on. To rally the troops and continue to improve and be competitive against Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, and the other great teams in this conference, there is no question that they are hitting their stride.”
On flying under the radar…
“I like the position that we are in because we are relevant. We are a factor. The only game that matters Saturday is us versus Arkansas. We haven’t really talked about the future and what it can hold, because the games can be too close to call. Arkansas can beat anyone in this conference. So can we. Being relevant is a motivating factor for sure. I’m glad we have them at home. We have two of our final three at home. It starts with Arkansas, Saturday. If we are flying under the radar, then good. I think I like it better that way.”
On motivating the players and their mindset on Arkansas after last year’s game…
“I won’t talk to our kids about that. I’ll just put the film on. Arkansas can speak for itself by the way they played against Alabama, Tennessee and Auburn. So that should motivate our players.”
On his relationship with Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema…
“Bret and I do have a very good relationship. We got to know each other on the Nike trip the last few years. I like the guy. I think he is a ball coach. We communicate a lot through text. He is a friend in the business. And the longer you get into this, I think the more friends you have, if you are in it for the right reasons. I think Bret is. I can’t really talk about his and Gus Malzahn’s relationship, but Bret and I have a good one.”
On Bret Bielema’s outgoing attitude…
“I do like that. I wish I was more like that sometimes. I’m a little more reserved in some ways than him. I like the fact that he speaks his mind.”
On bouncing back from the Memphis loss…
“You just keep coaching. You forget about the past. I just keep coaching for the next one, and make sure the kids continue to improve and get quality coaching. You just have to block out all the stuff. Yeah, it was disappointing. We weren’t the first ones to get disappointed, and it may happen again. You can’t live and die with one win or one loss. You have to keep pressing on. Our coaches have done a good job of doing that. Our players have responded nicely.”
On being physical…
“We have a mature team, so you go into it with a plan. That plan was to take it as reasonably easy on the practice field to get through this stretch that we have. In hindsight, that probably hasn’t been the best option. We have picked it up from the fundamental and physical nature of practice. We’ve been going ones on ones and trying to establish the line of scrimmage on both sides.”
On winning on the road at Auburn and Alabama…
“I know there have been a lot of firsts in the last three or so years that we’ve been here. A lot of records have fallen, and that is another one that our people can certainly take pride in. Those are two difficult places to win at, and our kids certainly have pride in it. It was a good reflection for a brief moment. In time, we’ll go back and revisit it. I don’t know if that has ever happened before. Long after I’m gone, maybe they’ll remember that.”
On the injuries of the team, and Tony Conner’s status…
“Just normal stuff, like sore shoulders and ankles. Nothing that will keep anyone out from Saturday’s game. No doubtTony Conner will try to go. He’ll attempt at it. The goal is to get through this season playing in some of these critical last games. We have this week, and then an open week where we can control the swelling so we can play the last two. He’s going to give it a go.”
On the improvement of Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen…
“He threw it really well against us last year. I think they committed to being more balanced. He’s a talented kid. When he is given his opportunity, he has been able to produce. He has been very accurate. There is no reason for them to change. He takes care of the ball. I don’t know what his pass efficiency is, but he’s got to be up there from what I saw on the film. He’s definitely one of the more talented guys.”
