TRANSCRIPT: Everything Lane Kiffin said after Ole Miss’ 63-31 win over Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE — After Ole Miss defeated Arkansas, 63-31, Saturday in Fayetteville, head coach Lane Kiffin met with media to talk about the win. Here’s everything he had to say:

Lane Kiffin’s opening statement

It’s a little better feeling (today) than four years ago in this room. I had a flashback walking in, and that was the seven turnovers game and meeting with Matt Corral in here to tell him we got his back. So, a much different feeling today. That was a really good performance, and obviously there’s a couple two individuals (Jordan Watkins and Jaxson Dart) with record-breaking performances, but I thought that, you know, the team played really well. I thought that obviously in the second half we played some backups and didn’t play as well on defense as we’d like, but to close out the first half with the stop there, and then they missed the field goal and we go down and score a touchdown was a big momentum there to take it to 35-10 at half. So that’s a really good half against a good football team on the road with an 11 a.m. kick. So, really pleased with a lot of people that did really well to get there. I thought that the coaches and players did a really good job today. I mean, I’d like to single out — this guy’s taken a lot of criticism — Charlie Weis. I thought he had a great game plan today. So not just guys making plays, but guys wide open. And this school has been playing football a long time and that’s the most passing yards, I guess, ever. So, a lot of credit to the players and offensive coaches and Coach Weis.

Media: Did you see that kind of a passing attack coming today, even without Tre (Harris) being available and Caden (Prieskorn) being as limited as he was?

Coach Kiffin: Yeah, I think that’s really kind of why I even said that, the player and coaching part…okay, you’re playing without the best receiver in the country and then Prieskorn basically can’t play. So to design the plays, you saw a lot of different type of plays and guys wide open. Just a really good, good rhythm of the game of him (Weis) calling. I did not see that, no, I didn’t see the 562 yards passing. I couldn’t have predicted that. But, that’s just really a really good job by a lot of people. Just a clean, clean offensive game. I mean, that’s a lot of yards. And then to have no turnovers and one sack. I told them I’m just excited that I see them play like they can play, as a team, even without some players, to come on the road and win by over 30 here. Again, they just showed the second half of last week and then today how good they can really be.

Media: Jaxson today broke records today….most career wins in school history… and most total yards in a single game since Archie Manning in 1969. Could you just comment on his play today and the game he had?

Coach Kiffin: I thought he was great. I said he played well last week. I mean, the guy takes criticism and I think he plays very well. He’s the all-time winningest quarterback here and has most total yards in the history of the school, so he must be doing something right even before today. I’m just glad that hopefully everybody sees it now. And he’s worked really hard to get there. It’s not just talent alone. The guy works as hard as anybody all week long, always up in the office, always trying to find new things and work with the new different receivers. Jordan used to be a slot and then with Tre out we’ve moved him outside, and they did a great job working together throughout the weeks. And this week in order to do this.

Media: Would you view this as a complete game performance by all phases today?

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, I would have thought that if you said a 30-point win here. But we didn’t play very good on defense in the second half and at times in the first half too. And, now the fourth quarter was backups, but I wouldn’t say total complete game. But you know, we still did create some havoc on defense. I think, eight sacks still in the game. We just gave up way too many explosive plays and quarterback scrambles.

Media: Is this is as good as you’ve felt about your team after a game this season. And then also how does this set up for next week as you continue to fight for your playoff lives?

Lane Kiffin: Well, I think that the South Carolina road win would probably be a little bit flipped from this. It felt like, man, we left all these points out there but played this great defense on the road in a really hard place to play. So, where here now I would say now we have this offense feeling…especially without Prieskorn and Tre. But that’s not up to our standard on defense, especially in the passing game.

Media: This is not a place that where Ole Miss has won in a while. What does it say about this specific group that you were able to not just win but get a win like this?

Lane Kiffin: I think it’s neat how it happened, you know? It’s an 11 a.m. kick. It’s at a place where we were 2-14, i think, in the last 16 times here or something. So in 30 years, just two wins here. I just think it was and really not not a ‘hey they missed a field goal or we make the field goal at the end and they can go either way.’ We’ve either gotten beat or had one score wins against them since I’ve been here. So, and last time here got beat pretty bad. So I think it just says what we talked about last night with them, like, hey, stop making the mistakes so you can show the country that you’re one of the best teams in the country. Because you really are when you play well. And again, we’re two plays — not miracle plays– we’re two very normal plays away from being undefeated and, whatever, the 1, 2 or 3 team in the country. So it’s neat to see them play like this.

Media: And we saw Henry Parrish carted off at halftime and on crutches. Do you anticipate him missing any more games this season. And the second part of that, just what did you make of Domonique Thomas stepping in there at running back?

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, I don’t know more on Henry. I thought Domonique did did a good job in there. He’s a very consistent runner, and so we gave him an opportunity because he’s done really well in practice. So we were planning on hopefully giving him an opportunity regardless of the injury.

Media: With Watkins in particular, what was working so well with with him and Jaxson and what kind of boost did he provide with Tre out?

Lane Kiffin: It was huge. We actually moved him, if you looked throughout the game, he’s right and left, you know, moving him for matchups on a specific player and just really thought that those were in our favor. Really thought coming in, you know, if they were going to leave people in man to man without our tight end matchup with Dae’Quan, and Jordan on that guy, it was really in our favor.

Media: When you had the huge lead, was it hard for your mind not to shift to Georgia or did it at times? Did you have to fight that at all, knowing how big next week is?

Lane Kiffin: No. Again, knowing how hard this place has been for Ole Miss to win — and that’s a good Arkansas team. It’s not like last year, you know, we were excited beating Arkansas at the end of the game….You know that’s a good team. So I was excited how we were playing. And I wanted to keep playing even better. I wanted to stop them on defense regardless of what the score was, and Austin (Simmons) to go down and score a touchdown. I was not thinking about who we were playing next at all.

Media: What are your thoughts on Georgia going into next week?

Lane Kiffin: I mean, we’ve got plenty of time to figure that out. It’s 3:00 in the afternoon on Saturday, so I hope our players enjoy it. I hope our fans enjoyed it from a place and a team that’s given us a lot of problems. I hope they’re happy for a few days. Have some joy, fans.

Media: You talked about, you know, giving up some yards in the second half and then some of the points that went along with it. But also finishing with eight sacks. Just looking at this matchup on the line of scrimmage what do you like about that matchup?

Lane Kiffin: Well, we didn’t play very consistent, you know big-little on the scrambles and so, but we did make some impact plays there. And won the turnover battle. And again on the other side, another shutout offensively turnover in back to back games. But we got to be more consistent in the pass defense and the rush lanes.

Media: It was early in the game, so kind of gets lost, but the goal line stand Arkansas had and then (for Ole Miss) to get the touchdown in the end zone — the fumble. What did you think that did just to kind of change the game?

Lane Kiffin: Glad you brought that up. It was a long time ago. I almost forgot. You know, I obviously disagreed with the pass interference call. You know, especially losing the game in LSU with one that I think…. I mean, whatever. So I really struggled with that, and you know like they say ‘sometimes the ball doesn’t lie.’ So my opinion, they drastically missed the call. And all of a sudden we scored anyway. I’m gonna stop there.

Media: I know a few years ago, you put it out there and you recommended maybe we should fine coaches for players faking injuries on the field. And, last night, the SEC sent out a new fine structure. Just your your thoughts on that now being implemented.

Lane Kiffin: I’m glad. I know some people say, okay, that sounds weird coming from me. We’re a tempo offense. I mean, I’ve been saying this for years. To fake an injury hurts us more than anybody –us and Tennessee — probably more than anybody in America. It happens to us more than anybody. It happened last week. So, over and over again. So I know it may surprise you, but I was very happy for that. And we issued a statement weeks ago about this.

(Feature image credit: Karis Chambliss, The Rebel Walk)