Transcript: What Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and players said after the win over LSU; What LSU head coach Brian Kelly and players said after the loss

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, QB Jaxson Dart, RB Quinshon Judkins and WR Tre Harris spoke after the Rebels’ 55-49 win over LSU Saturday.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly, QB Jayden Daniels, RB Logan Diggs and DT Mekhi Wingo also spoke.

Here’s what they had to say.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin

Opening Statement:
“Extremely proud of our players. Before I do that, let me address something. I feel like I’m hard on our players. I’m hard on our coaches. We set high standards around here, and at times I’ve been hard on our fans. For them to show up today, after us losing last year, and set the record for highest attendance in school history for a game. We say to do things better than they’ve ever been done before, that’s a motto we have. That’s awesome to hear that. You could feel it in the game, you certainly could feel it in the fourth quarter. It was really, really neat to have that electric environment. First off, thanks for that.

Second off, credit to our players and coaches. I’m not that guy that says, ‘Okay, we won a one score game,’ but a lot of stuff happened there. We’re down two scores in the fourth quarter to, what I’m gonna say is the best personnel offensively, arguably, in the country. At least top two or three. Offensive personnel, that’s like Alabama two years ago. Those two receivers, the line, the tight end. Logan [Diggs] played like a real NFL back today. I don’t know the years of them, but I hope those two receivers, obviously with the quarterback, are gone in the first round of the NFL draft so we don’t see them again. We gave up a lot on defense today but again, my storyline is not all the points and the yardage and everything. It’s this: Down two scores, in the fourth quarter, easy to give in. Not fluke plays. Guys had to drive the length of the field twice, had to stop them, then stop them again, which we did. They threw it to us and we dropped an interception or the game’s over, and we still overcame that. Again, super proud of these guys for overcoming adversity in the game and the week. They took a lot of heat this week for their performance last week at Alabama, and that’s good. The standards have changed around here. They took a lot of heat, especially offensively. They really went back to work and ran the ball really well today. I don’t know how many times you have 700 yards of offense without turning the ball over or having a sack. It’s pretty amazing.”

On Jaxson Dart’s performance:
“Yeah, I think Jaxson [Dart] kind of fits in what I’m saying about the team as much as anybody. As far as all the heat, all the criticism, how he played in Alabama, can he play in big games, all of that. To come out and just play, I mean really play amazing. To go 26-of-39, four touchdowns, no interceptions, 389 yards, and then you put another 50 yards on the ground for another touchdown. And no sacks, which he got out of a couple. Especially the one to Quinshon [Judkins], that was amazing.

A lot of quarterbacks, a lot of years, a lot of games where you’re down two scores and you don’t take the team and lead them like that. I actually was trying to yell at Tre [Harris]. If you watch our last touchdown and do not understand why the head coach is not happy, it’s because we’re trying to signal to get him to go down and we got the signal in late. When we’re playing that offense, those types of offense, we want him to go down at the one. Let the clock run all the way down and kick the field goal to win so that we wouldn’t have to go back on defense against those guys. You’ve heard me say, you never know why things happen. If we did that, our defense wouldn’t have been able to end on such a good note of stopping them like that.”

On the offense and their composure on the last drive:
“I think the whole frustration of last week with Alabama was not having a good offensive game plan, as good as we’d want it to be. It didn’t work. It was just really frustrating because we had that chance to go beat them and we weren’t full strength. I’ve been saying, this number nine [Tre Harris], he’s been healthy eight series before. Seven touchdowns, one field goal, and he caught five of the touchdowns. This guy is an electric receiver in our system, so that’s why I was kind of down. He couldn’t do anything in the game a week ago, so now he’s probably 90% which is amazing. Just really excited to be back at full strength which we were not last week.”

On the offensive line:
“I got to give them a lot of credit. I have been hard on them and they performed really well today. They took the challenge. I think that I tell you when I think our gameplans don’t work but they did it. They had a really unique one with [LSU’s Harold] Perkins [Jr.]. I guess he asked to come back next year, so we won’t get into what that was exactly, but we’ve never gameplanned around a person like that as much as we did today. If you watch it, you can kind of figure out how many different plays are run around where he’s at and it neutralizes his impact plays.”

On Quinshon Judkins’ performance:
“I thought he really battled. He actually got an IV at one point in the third quarter, so he was out. I thought [Ulysses] Bentley [IV] ran extremely well in between and then Quinshon came back out and really played with a different mentality, nothing against before, but a different mentality today. You know, like a big game mentality. He had a really big game a year ago against these guys so it was great to see. I’ve been on [Co-Offensive coordinator] Charlie [Weis Jr.] all year to run the ball more so he finally ran it more, that’s a joke, but everybody wants to run the ball. I was trying to tell you we run the ball when it works. When we are two yards a carry at half, we don’t run it a lot. Well, today was different. There was success so that’s why you get 49 carries in a game that we could have thrown all day too because they had major struggles in the secondary.”

On his emotions when the game ended: 
“It was real. To see the look on the players’ face and Cedric [Johnson] was the first one next to me and hugging me as soon as that play was over. We have some really cool kids, some really neat kids that have had a really hard week. We went into a really hard place to play a week ago, teams don’t win very often there, and this was a hard week like I said. A lot of criticism, which is good because you can use it the other way, and they internalized it and they worked harder in practice. I’m not just saying that because they scored a lot of points. They practiced a lot harder this week, so sometimes those losses help you.”

Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart

On the huddle when Ole Miss was down by two touchdowns:
“I just thought we had an overwhelming amount of confidence. We’d been moving the ball all game long and I think it was really cool. Before I even went out to the huddle from the sideline, I knew we were going to score. I could see it in everyone’s eyes, just to see how determined they were and focused, also calm. I thought it was just a feeling that, like I said, gave us an overwhelming amount of confidence that we were going to do down and score.”

On knowing that this team can handle these challenges:
“I knew this team was different. I thought we had a great week of practice this week. We had a team meeting and a player meeting this week. We saw everything that everyone put out about us after the Alabama game. We’re more disappointed than anyone else was about that game. We just had to regain everyone’s focus. Just to see how close we were on the little things that made us lose the game last week. I thought this week we stepped it up the whole week of practice and we fixed those errors and issues. Like I said, we had confidence coming in before the game and I was so proud of how resilient our guys were. This is a game you will never forget, for sure.”

On sensing if Tre Harris would have a great game:
“I knew it even before the game had started. He’s my roommate in the hotel the nights before the games … He looked at me, and usually he’s the same way, like he’s super amped up. He just looked at me and said ‘Bro, I’m so peaceful right now.’ I looked at him, and I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ And he’s like, ‘Dude, I know exactly what I’m going to do to them.’ Just me looking at him in our hotel room, I was like this kid is about to pop off today. I knew it before the game even started.”

On the importance of winning the way Ole Miss won it: 
“It’s so important. Just being able to know that when we face adversity, that we can overcome it the very next week, that’s so huge. I think it gives a great direction and a great confidence moving forward. It very closely could’ve been the other way on the other side feeling like crap. Just us being able to be resilient as a team, just guys being able to step up and make plays was huge and says a lot about our culture that we built.”

On his thoughts about the offense and the game plan for this week: 
“Our game plan for this week was quite different than last week. This week we kept it pretty simple and we were just focused on moving fast. We knew they had issues with tempo. We tried to keep our base stuff. We switched a few things up here and there not to make it the same look week in and week out, but we just wanted to come in and play really fast. I just felt really confident in the game planning. I told the guys during our player meeting that for me last week, that was a wake-up call. I knew going forward, I was going to have to study harder than I’ve ever studied. I was going to have to be a leader more than I’ve ever been a leader. I just wanted all the guys to know that they could have confidence in me when the games are on the line like that.”

On the offensive line: 
“I’m so proud of them. The criticism they’ve received, I know it’s been hard on them. We just had to get back to our identity as a team of being a balanced offense. They took great ownership and accountability of how they performed last week and the weeks before. All they wanted to do was come out this week and have a coming out party. That’s exactly what they did. I knew after the very first drive that every single one of them was locked in. I felt like at times, that really wasn’t the case. We just weren’t in sync at times before this game. They had an outstanding week of practice of being physical and moving the line of scrimmage. We wanted to run the ball and we wanted to make that a point of emphasis coming into this week, because we knew we could have success in that part of the game. When they are able to play at a high level like that, it makes things so much easier.”

On the atmosphere: 
“It was incredible. Usually when we come out during the second half, it’s not a full stadium still. When I came out in the second half, I was pumped. Even when they were booing, you could see the passion that they have. When the LSU side was chanting and we’re chanting back at them, I love that. They stood with us the whole game and when it came down to the wire, I feel like those two false starts were because of them. They played a huge role in us winning this game.”

Ole Miss WR Tre Harris

On coming to Ole Miss for games like tonight:
“Yes, this is definitely what I came here to do. That was the most fun game I have ever played in my life. That was the best game I have ever played in my life. I’m not joking, that was the most fun I have ever had playing a football game. Games like this are exactly why I came here.”

On the game winning touchdown: 
“We got the call. To be honest, we had not hit on that play call all week. We really weren’t repping it like crazy in practice. As soon as I got the ball in my hands I knew I had to make a play. I smelled the endzone, and it was too close to not get the touchdown. I just knew I had to make the play and get there.”

On how he felt coming into the game today:
“I woke up today and I had a soothing calmness over me. Usually, I am amped up for the games but today I was extremely calm all day. I came into the game ready to play against a few guys I knew and against my home state. Today, I just came into the game calm, ready, and prepared. That’s pretty much it.”

On the calmness continuing in the game: 
“Sometimes during the game everything goes quiet. You’re not focused on the fans. You’re just focused on your brothers on the field. You focus on the opponent and on the play calling. At that moment, it was that calmness from earlier in the day. I knew it was in God’s hands and I knew I was prepared well for this game. Going into the last eight minutes, our team did not flinch. We didn’t show any hesitation or negative body language. We knew what we had to do and that is exactly what we did.”

On the run game being successful:
“Going out there and having good perimeter blocking was a big emphasis in the receiver room this week. [Wide receiver] Coach [Derrick] Nix always says that we need to have a complete game and I feel like tonight we had a complete game. Everyone was blocking their tails off and that opened everything up. That opened from the hitches to the posts, and everything else because they started to bite down on the run. Tonight, we went out there and had a complete game which showed us how special we can be.”

Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins

On what it is like to be apart of a game like this:
“It’s awesome, not just for yourself, but also just for everyone else around you. You see the built up comradery towards the game. Then when you win and everyone storms the field, it’s just so fun just playing the sport and having everyone there to support us.”

On how he felt as the game progressed and getting more carries:
“I felt really good going into the game, but I think that was a career high in carries, so I got an IV in like the third quarter just to get myself back rejuvenated with so many carries. Felt great.”

On whether he feels relief after a great game:
“Like I said, I came and did an interview for you guys last week, and I told you I believe in my O-line. I believe in my coaches. I know they will put me in the best position to win and be successful. So that was never a worry for me. When I go on the field, I know the player I am: the best player in the country. Just proved it today.”

On if he likes lining up in pistol:
“I feel like as a player, I can see everything, it doesn’t matter. One of my skill sets is my vision. That’s where I’m very successful. So, I’ll say it’s not just being there, but all around the field. I do like it because it’s run by running backs in the NFL more today, so that skill set is great for me.”

On if this game felt different than the other games the team was in position to win:
“No, I would say it actually felt the same. I felt like going into this game coach Kiffin put a big emphasis on finishing drives, finishing towards the end of the game in the fourth quarter and not giving up. When we are in the red zone, we have to do our job and everyone has to be responsible and finish the drive. I think that was a big emphasis going into this game, and that’s what everyone was focused on just playing their best.”

On having Ulysses to back you up:
“I have a lot of confidence in him and anyone that’s in our running back room. We have a lot of great players in our room. So, just not him but if anyone comes in there, I know the type of player that they are. I know they work hard; they do their job and they are in the room with me studying plays every single day so there are no worries about their talent.”

LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly

Opening statement:
“Obviously a very difficult loss. Angry. Disappointed. I feel like there were a lot of points in the game I didn’t like. It is not the way I like to play football. Hats off to Ole Miss, they made a couple plays they needed to at the end. They deserved to win.”

On defense doing their job:
“We were in position. We did not make the plays we needed to make. Those guys were one-on-one, In a position to make a play. Ole Miss was better.”

On decision not to go for it on fourth down after the Daniels sack:
“No, it was too far. We had a couple of other opportunities to score … We still had a chance to score at the end. It was not the smart play to do.”

On play calls and dysfunction:
“I didn’t see any play calling issues. I felt pretty good about the play calling. We had a situation down by the goal line … They play so fast. It was a pretty typical situation when trying to substitute down by the goal line when Ole Miss plays so fast. Once they see a guy come in they are going to snap the ball. It is nothing I am going to lose sleep over. You just have to be aware when going against a fast tempo team. When the ball is on the goal line it is very difficult to get your goal line personnel in.”

On where to go next:
“We need to be pissed off about what happened. Have some resolve about our circumstances. That is not a standard of play that is acceptable. I expect the guys to respond the right way. They have a lot of pride. They play for LSU. They know that is not the standard. I expect them to come back Monday to make sure we address them. We as coaches need to address and do better.”

On Jayden Daniels and the offense:
“He was terrific. He threw some incredible passes. He dropped some passes in there that were terrific. Obviously we got some great momentum. I would have liked a couple of plays back. You could put it all on the offense. Say ‘listen if we can burn a couple of drives there in the second half we win the game.’ It would be easy to say that. Our defense did what they did. We had a couple of opportunities with the game to win offensively but we didn’t. They played well, and Daniels played well. The receivers made big plays. We ran the ball effectively. Wish we could have made a couple more plays.”

On not killing the clock:
“No, we were not pulling off the gas pedal at all. There were a couple of instances where maybe a read here and there, but it was the flow of the game. It was the circumstances of the game. They made a couple of plays, we didn’t. It was that close of a game. It was a six-point game. We got our hands on the ball in the end zone at the end. It was that kind of game. They could easily be sitting here saying what they should have or could have done. It was that kind of game.”

On what LSU could have done differently:
“I think that in the big picture, when we look at this game there are going to be a couple of series offensively where we didn’t capitalize. Defensively, there is going to be a bunch of things. I just know that there are a dozen things that I noted from half time. When we get a chance to go back and look at it there will be a couple of things on offense.”

LSU QB Jayden Daniels

Overall thoughts on the game:
“I haven’t actually, I really haven’t. It’s hard to explain, it’s a real life shootout.”

On playing in a shootout:
“Every opportunity, you touch the ball, you need to score. There were two times in the second half when we didn’t put up points, and that’s unacceptable from my standpoint and the whole offense’s standpoint. We expect everytime we get the ball, we’re supposed to score.”

On the final play of the game:
“I mean, you know, it’s at the end of the game, obviously everyone is in the endzone scrambling around. Hopefully someone will pop wide open and give one of the playmakers a chance to go make a play.”

On penalties on the final drive:
“Just throughout the whole game, penalties kill drives. There’s a couple things throughout the whole game and the stakes are high for everybody. As explosive as we played on offense, we could have played a lot better.”

On picking up the pieces next week:
“I mean it’s just, ‘how do we approach this next week?’ We can either go right or we can go left. Going out there, you know, me being a captain and leader of the team, I’m going to pull guys with me. I want to finish my last year off strong, game by game. I just want to enjoy my last year, and I want these guys to enjoy it too.

LSU RB Logan Diggs

On feeling after a close loss:
“It hurts, you know. The ultimate goal is always a national championship, but first we’ve gotta get through the SEC. Loses like that, they hurt you in the long run. It’s about how we respond at this point. How you respond when adversity hits. It’s tough you know, but moments like this are when you’ve got to rally together as a team. I know this brotherhood is really strong, and we’re gonna rally, and we’re not gonna let this one loss dictate our season.”

On playing in a shootout:
“In games like this, you’ve got no choice. That’s where the brotherhood comes in. We’ve got the defense’s back, and they got our back. In shootouts like this, you’ve gotta lean on each other, and I feel like today we really did that. I’m very proud of our offense and our receivers, quarterback and O-line. They had a really good day. But at the end of the day, none of the stats and none of the accolades matter because ultimately, you’ve gotta win. I know that’s what my brothers want, and I know that’s what everybody in this organization and this school wants. We want wins.”

LSU DT Mekhi Wingo

On the outcome of the game:
“Definitely, it’s definitely a disappointing loss. You know, as a defense, I feel like we let the offense down today. Gave up a lot of rushing yards and passing yards, but it’s something we’re gonna have to go back and watch the film to fix it for next week.”

On defensive play:
“You never want to come down here and give up fifty-something points, it’s not a good feeling at all.”

On responding next week:
“We’re a team that’s gonna put our head down, go to work and get ready for the next week. We have to respond, we have no choice.