From UM Media Relations:
Ole Miss Football Head Coach Matt Luke met with the media Monday to discuss the bye week, while looking ahead to the team's road matchup at No. 11 Auburn (6 p.m. CT, ESPN). The full transcript can be found below.
Opening statement…
"It was a productive open date; it came at a good time for us. We were able to get some guys healthy. We went on the road recruiting and were able to watch games on Thursday and Friday night, so that was good. I spent the majority of my time in Mississippi, enjoyed that part of it and to get a head start on Auburn."
Injury report…
"Eli Johnson, Ben Brown, Alex Givens and Michael Howard all practiced yesterday and went full contact. Scottie (Phillips) practiced. John Rhys (Plumlee) did not practice but received treatment. All the swelling was gone and I anticipate him being limited on Tuesday then being full go Wednesday and him being able to play in the game. After eight straight games, the open date came at a good time."
On Auburn…
"This is a really good football team. Offensively, they have a really good mixture of a power run game and the speed sweeps. You have to be able to defend the perimeter. They have a very good downhill run game. Defensively, it's one of the top defenses we've faced since I've been here. They're good in the interior and the secondary and very physical at linebacker. We're going to have to do a good job of not getting negative plays and protecting the ball. These guys get turnovers. When you drop back, they pressure the passer and create turnovers with their physicality. We'll have to play well on the road against a very good team."
On the APR bowl qualification…
"I think APR is huge and we want to be really good at that, but we're focused on Auburn and we want to get to a bowl game by winning six. We have to focus on one game at a time and with our football team that's what we've focused on, getting better week to week. Let's take this open date, get better and find a way to beat Auburn."
On the team heading into November this year compared to last…
"You can always learn from the past, but this is a totally new team with a bunch of different faces with new styles on offense and defense. The mindset is to try to win the next game and that's what we're focused on."
On attacking Auburn's defensive front…
"Both offensively and defensively, they are experienced. Look at their offensive front. They have all redshirt seniors across the whole front. This is an experienced group. Again, I think you have to eliminate negative plays, try to extend drives, and to make them play as many plays as you can. They will sub some, but I think it's important to not have negative plays. I think that's huge."
On the importance of showing Auburn something new…
"You will always have a few wrinkles that you will throw in, especially coming out of an open date, but you have to be careful. You have to be who you are because when you start trying to do stuff on the road that is different, and you start getting into a bunch of negative plays, that's what you can't do."
On Jerrion Ealy…
"He wasn't on the injury report. He practiced full, and he cleared (concussion) protocol. He was a full-go yesterday."
On facing an elite rushing defense…
"They're really good against the run. They're good against the pass too. Those are the defenses you play against in this league. They're good at everything. But again, we have got to be who we are. I think in terms of formations, we can do some things to cause them problems, but you just have to do what you do. They are very good, but they are a good defense no matter what you do."
On pressuring the QB…
"I think you have to, but the first thing you have to do is stop the run and get them in some passing situations. That's what you have to do. They're going to try to run the football. They are going to run speed sweeps, power counter inside zone, and you have to stop the run first. Hopefully those opportunities will present themselves, and we'll have to take advantage of it."
