No I’m not going to say I’m taking on more role in the offense. Sometimes coaches do that to deflect off a situation. We’re going to look at everything because that’s what we do in byes, not that we lost on the last play of a game in a hard place to play. We’re not going to change everything we do. When you lose that type of game, you need to look at that differently than you lose by 21 and get outcoached and outplayed. Sometimes you reach too much. When it comes down to a kick of something, just one thing goes the other way and the narrative is totally different. And if that had happened, you never say don’t look at things because you won. We look at everything. We’ll especially look at the consistency on offense.
I just made sure today the team understood what was going on and look at whole season together and whole close they are to undefeated. I know a lot of people can say that, but rarely are games to the last play like ours have been. We’ve been ahead by four points with the ball late and didn’t do it. It’s strange both games have 4th and 6 on minus 19… minute more they would have punted but possessions are limited and both teams go for it and we don’t stop them. Then we’re undefeated. A lot of plays within the game we usually make. I have to coach better. I told them those things. A lot of plays stick out. LSU has a lot of wins in that stadium but that third and 10 they make a remarkable play and get away from him and makes an unbelievable play. Would have been 4th and 24. We need to look at things but not overreact. I encourage our fans to stick together. It’s a hard place for Ole Miss to play and one play from closing it out. We have a lot left to play for. We’re a good team but not finishing like a great team would.
We dropped into coverage a lot with three man rush. We knew they would throw a lot. We wanted to give Nussmeier different looks than they planned for. We’d been a lot of pressure and man to man and it worked. They didn’t score the first 5 series and first 3 series were 3 or fewer plays. It was a great plan. We hoped to limit completion numbers but you won’t get as many sacks. We had some close ones. And there was a fumble they ruled a fumble and then overturned. We were around him. They have a great offensive line, too.
Blocking can be improved and worked on during the season. We look at all things during the bye. We’re definitely looking up front. Some of that is injury based. Two starters out didn’t allow us to make moves. I think there will be changes there.
Jaxson, if anything, is trying to do too much. There’s so much excitement in the game and went well early. Tough drop Tre makes 99 times out of 100. He forced a little bit but when you see things on the iPad, you get and understand why things happened. Juice was running by the corner and the corner grabbed him and it looked like a terrible throw but it was a PI call we didn’t get. Fans probably thought he forced the throw.
The open week will let us get some guys back from a physical standpoint. We’d love to win going in for the feeling of it, but we’ve played without the left tackle and Princely, who would have made a difference. Jeremy James was out. We look to get all those back.
It was an exciting moment for Bentley. You could see his release when he scored. He was frustrated not playing and when he frustrated he hadn’t had much production. I was extremely excited for the moment and him. I just met with him and told him how proud of how he’s handled adversity and how he played. I’m sure I was excited.
My job as a head coach is to get us better mentally. I think they were really bad when they came in and it’s reality. We have to accept that and have fault in 5-2 and not being undefeated but we can’t sit around and mourn. Let’s go to work and watch the film and here’s what would have made a difference. There are all kinds of plays to even get to the end point. Now we have to go forward. We have a chance to get better and healthy and go win the rest of them.
It's been challenging to get the ball to Prieskorn, Watkins and Wells – but it’s not all the same thing. Juice has a lot of targets the last two games. Jordan was hurt early on. He’s coming into more of a role the last 2 weeks. He started in Juice’s place and done a good job.
Lee has done a really good job and speaks volumes of him that with all the other receivers that he’s started and what it says about how he’s played and his value. He’s made some really good plays.
We have to worry about today. Yeah let’s go win out and that’s the goal and what we’re trying to do, but the process of that is to win each game individually. I did tell them today that they are right there. I tell them you have the room and ability to go win out. Not everyone can do that. We have a chance to do that. A lot of people with their roster don’t realistically have that chance.
I get this happens in losses about why this guy doesn’t play. Winning solves problems and losing creates them. Ayden has other guys ahead of him. He’s done a really good job. It happens. Only so many balls and so many people play.
I just made sure today the team understood what was going on and look at whole season together and whole close they are to undefeated. I know a lot of people can say that, but rarely are games to the last play like ours have been. We’ve been ahead by four points with the ball late and didn’t do it. It’s strange both games have 4th and 6 on minus 19… minute more they would have punted but possessions are limited and both teams go for it and we don’t stop them. Then we’re undefeated. A lot of plays within the game we usually make. I have to coach better. I told them those things. A lot of plays stick out. LSU has a lot of wins in that stadium but that third and 10 they make a remarkable play and get away from him and makes an unbelievable play. Would have been 4th and 24. We need to look at things but not overreact. I encourage our fans to stick together. It’s a hard place for Ole Miss to play and one play from closing it out. We have a lot left to play for. We’re a good team but not finishing like a great team would.
We dropped into coverage a lot with three man rush. We knew they would throw a lot. We wanted to give Nussmeier different looks than they planned for. We’d been a lot of pressure and man to man and it worked. They didn’t score the first 5 series and first 3 series were 3 or fewer plays. It was a great plan. We hoped to limit completion numbers but you won’t get as many sacks. We had some close ones. And there was a fumble they ruled a fumble and then overturned. We were around him. They have a great offensive line, too.
Blocking can be improved and worked on during the season. We look at all things during the bye. We’re definitely looking up front. Some of that is injury based. Two starters out didn’t allow us to make moves. I think there will be changes there.
Jaxson, if anything, is trying to do too much. There’s so much excitement in the game and went well early. Tough drop Tre makes 99 times out of 100. He forced a little bit but when you see things on the iPad, you get and understand why things happened. Juice was running by the corner and the corner grabbed him and it looked like a terrible throw but it was a PI call we didn’t get. Fans probably thought he forced the throw.
The open week will let us get some guys back from a physical standpoint. We’d love to win going in for the feeling of it, but we’ve played without the left tackle and Princely, who would have made a difference. Jeremy James was out. We look to get all those back.
It was an exciting moment for Bentley. You could see his release when he scored. He was frustrated not playing and when he frustrated he hadn’t had much production. I was extremely excited for the moment and him. I just met with him and told him how proud of how he’s handled adversity and how he played. I’m sure I was excited.
My job as a head coach is to get us better mentally. I think they were really bad when they came in and it’s reality. We have to accept that and have fault in 5-2 and not being undefeated but we can’t sit around and mourn. Let’s go to work and watch the film and here’s what would have made a difference. There are all kinds of plays to even get to the end point. Now we have to go forward. We have a chance to get better and healthy and go win the rest of them.
It's been challenging to get the ball to Prieskorn, Watkins and Wells – but it’s not all the same thing. Juice has a lot of targets the last two games. Jordan was hurt early on. He’s coming into more of a role the last 2 weeks. He started in Juice’s place and done a good job.
Lee has done a really good job and speaks volumes of him that with all the other receivers that he’s started and what it says about how he’s played and his value. He’s made some really good plays.
We have to worry about today. Yeah let’s go win out and that’s the goal and what we’re trying to do, but the process of that is to win each game individually. I did tell them today that they are right there. I tell them you have the room and ability to go win out. Not everyone can do that. We have a chance to do that. A lot of people with their roster don’t realistically have that chance.
I get this happens in losses about why this guy doesn’t play. Winning solves problems and losing creates them. Ayden has other guys ahead of him. He’s done a really good job. It happens. Only so many balls and so many people play.
