WATCH: Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin weekly press conference
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss football head coach Lane Kiffin met with the media Monday to recap the Rebels’ 51-35 defeat against No. 5 Florida and look ahead at this weekend’s road trip to Kentucky. Below is the video and transcript of Kiffin’s weekly press conference.
Opening Statement…
“So, practice today, moving on to Kentucky. We had meetings this morning, reviewed the game and moved on. This is obviously a really good team we’re playing, a lot of veteran players, especially offensive line. Guys played really well last year and lost the turnovers Saturday but did some really good things otherwise. We’re going to have to play really well and get better in areas we didn’t do well in. Obviously, defense and negative plays on offense. A lot of work to do.”
On playing Kentucky…
“They’re very disciplined on defense, they don’t do a lot of things, but they know what they’re doing really well. Offensively they run the ball very well, veteran offensive line. We’re still in the beginning phases of them, but that’s what we seem to know so far.”
On pass coverage…
“Anytime you give up the numbers we gave up, it’s not just one area. We did not get very much rush and we did not cover well. That’s not a good combination. Like I said during the game, that’s how you end up with a battle for the SEC offensive player of the year between a quarterback and a tight end. That was before Mississippi State had played, so that probably changed.”
On Otis Reese…
“I do not know anything different on that. I was told we were supposed to have some more information today. So, I have not heard anything on that.”
On Brandon Mack…
“He had been injured and was not at full strength.”
On Matt Corral…
“I think he did good job with his feet, getting out of trouble. I think he was very composed, really good at adjusting with him on the sidelines. Both quarterbacks were. His feet are a bit all over the place at times in the passing game. We got to clean that up since he was late on some balls that were really open that ended up being completed that could have been touchdowns.”
On Kenny Yeboah…
“He had a really good second half. Actually, missed the block on a swing there that would have been a big play, No. 51. But then came back three straight plays in a row if I remember right. That was good to see. He had missed some time also with injury. We’re going to have to have other people, now that we put what we did on film, we’re going to have to have a lot of different coverages to Elijah Moore.”
On the red zone…
“They were different. Missed field goal, end of half where the clock ran out. We made a lot of explosive plays to get down there and then we ran and had negative runs and got in bad situations.”
On in-conference transfers…
“I did not know that was public. That’s why the previous question I said we were supposed to hear more today. I was told that vote is happening today. We’re supposed to find out and that would obviously change things.”
On going for the first down on the first drive…
“That’s analytics. The book said that. Whenever you follow the analytics, you’re going to lean more towards going for things than what you’re used to seeing or what you grew up watching. That’s what the analytics say. People don’t really take in the value of seven versus three and how big that is when it comes to the numbers. A lot of times when you follow that you end up going for it more than what you’re used to.”
On working with Eddie Gran…
“Eddie’s a great guy, great recruiter. I just remember hearing about it, I didn’t really watch a ton of it last year when they didn’t have the quarterbacks and all the injuries. Being able to do what they did and running for a million yards, basically wildcat-ish. Really good, I’m glad he’s doing well.”
On running backs…
“I think Henry Parrish would have probably got in there. He missed a couple days last week with an injury. He only played on special teams. I would anticipate seeing him some on offense.”
On offensive line play…
“Up and down. There’s some good stuff. Some good protection on some deep balls. In the run game, we left a lot of yards out there. Whether it was getting beat or not going to the right guys. It really cost us, especially in a 3rd-and-2 or a 3rd-and-1 in back-to-back drives. So, its six plays and out that we don’t make the 3rd-and-1 or the 3rd-and-2 with some identification issues.”
On leaving Oxford…
“There isn’t a lot of time in camp to go places. I haven’t since, I don’t even remember. This summer I guess.”
In regard to SEC vote and Otis Reese…
“I don’t think there should be a rule. That’s not just for Otis but in general. You have the rule in place that you have to sit, but if you win an NCAA waiver for things, I don’t know why you wouldn’t. Then just having to go over an SEC hurdle, that doesn’t make sense to me. I obviously know why it was. People didn’t want people transferring in conference, but that’s not what it’s supposed to be. It supposed to be about the student-athlete. There are circumstances where a kid wins an NCAA waiver. The SEC in my opinion shouldn’t be blocking that. I just think it’s because it was set in stone years ago to block kids. That’s why they are reviewing it, since there’s obviously people that feel the same.”
On road trip logistics…
“We have more busses than normal. I don’t know what that’s going to do, because then we’re all going to get on a plane and sit by each other. What good does that do? I have no idea. It makes it look like we’re doing something, I guess. I don’t understand it. We’re all going on a plane and everyone is going to be right next to each other. It is what it is.”
On defensive positives…
“You don’t break the SEC record for Florida, who’s had great offenses and then they have the most in the history of the school. There are not a lot of positives to find there. We did almost stop them on a third down, but then we roughed the passer, so I was kind of excited there for a second.”
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
