Veteran Voice: Ole Miss OL Jayden Williams helps set the tone for Rebels’ response to Georgia loss, upcoming game against Oklahoma
OXFORD, Miss.– Ole Miss offensive linemen Jayden Williams is one of the leaders on the Ole Miss football team. On Tuesday, the senior spoke to media ahead of the Rebels’ trip to Norman to play Oklahoma, offering his thoughts on that game, the loss to Georgia, and even the rumors surrounding his head coach being sought after by other schools.
After the loss to the Bulldogs in Athens, Williams talked about the message from head coach Lane Kiffin about their performance and things they need to clean up.
“In previous weeks, he had preached to us like certain things would come back to haunt us and (cause us to) lose us the game,” Williams explained. “And it was just more of like really emphasizing that, again, like some of the stuff we did in previous weeks that wasn’t really good enough but we still got through and won the game, like it worked then. But you of course when you go against a team like Georgia —well-coached, good players, and all that stuff — you can’t make up for that…”
As a follow up, Williams was asked if the players have responded in practice.
“Yeah. Nobody was very happy about what happened, because, like I said, like me, personally, I feel like it’s a game we should have won.“
Jayden Williams on the players’ response to UGA loss
“It was a game for three quarters, especially offensively — first five drives to put up five touchdowns,” Williams added. “We just stalled out. So, it’s kind of like nobody’s happy about it. So on to Oklahoma and go try to beat them.”
On the O-line
Williams says he believes the Ole Miss offensive line is playing well and progressing more and more each week.
“I think we’re playing real good together. We had injuries in camp, people floating in and out. So, especially from week one to week two to week three, each and every week we get better because we actually get to play beside each other for more than three days at a time. So I think that’s a big part of it and that’s why we’re playing better than we were at the beginning of the year.”
Williams on the O-Line’s progress this season
The Conway, Arkansas native was asked about blocking for Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy, who rushed for 31 yards and 2 touchdowns on 12 rushes this past weekend.
Williams used words like “explosive” and “violent runner” to describe Lacy’s style of play. He also said that Lacy is able to make up for it, even if someone on the line doesn’t have the best block for him.
“Just explosiveness. I think it’s a different type of back, back there. Not the biggest, but just a violent runner…Even when we’re not blocking the best or like we’re not like we misfit on somebody or we are not spotted right — he can make up for it, because he’s such a violent runner. He breaks tackles. He makes people miss. But when we do have stuff blocked up right, it’s even better because you get him in space and you let him eat and he just does what he does.”
Williams on Lacy’s style of play
Williams was also asked about which players are helping rally the team after the loss on Saturday, and he emphasized linebacker TJ Dottery, who notched nine total tackles on the day against Georgia.
“I say TJ Dottery more than anything because each and every week we have our little player meetings and he speaks every week,” Williams noted. “And it’s just like he preaches how he has to be better, and he’s done it from fall camp and from the summer. It’s just a constant thing each and every week. So I say him.”
Thoughts On Oklahoma
There is no doubt that Norman will be loud and raucous for kickoff. Williams was asked about the team’s preparations for the crowd noise.
“It’s louder in practice because you have two speakers on a golf cart riding right behind you, as the crowd is going to be just like two yards away from you. Then, you got them on a big speaker and all the speakers on the light poles out there. So it’s kind of more overwhelming sitting out in practice and listening to it. So when you get in the game it’s really easy because in practice, it’s so loud you have to be focusing and locked in and hear the clap so we can actually get work done. But when we get in the game, it’s really easy if you’re already locked in. It’s really frustrating out in practice more than it is in the game.”
Williams on prep for crowd noise
When asked about how good the Oklahoma defense is, Williams focused on their depth and how many sacks the team has recorded this season.
“I think, of course, when you look at them, I say first and foremost the depth they have because they do play a lot of people and that’s the edge, that’s interior and when you got a team that got 31 sacks, I mean that’s kind of impressive,” said Williams.
“I don’t care who you are because it’s hard to get a sack. It’s especially hard in this conference, especially (to get) 31. So they’ve got good defensive ends, good people that rotate in, good defensive tackles. It’s a lot of good and that’s from backer to the nickel positions. It’s just a lot of good on their defense that stands out.”
Jayden Williams on OU’s defense
Williams was also asked if Oklahoma’s defensive line reminded him of any unit they have played in the past or if it is something new to him.
The Sooners’ d-line reminds him of something very close to home.
“I would say this is like our group from last year more than anything. You got all the production up there in the front. You’ve got good players who are young. You’ve got experienced players. You’ve just got a whole lot. So, I think it’ll be more of a not a specific other team, but more of our team from last year in terms of production and what they have on their D-line.”
Williams on Oklahoma’s D-line similarities to 2024 Ole Miss D-line
Personal Progression This Season
Williams talked about how his own season is progressing after dealing with an injury in fall camp, and offered thoughts on how he would evaluate himself.
“I think, personally, of course, I missed a lot of camp, too. So, coming back for Georgia State, I wasn’t in the best shape and I even had to knock the rust off a little bit. But I think, personally, this is the best football I’ve played since I’ve been here.”
Williams continued by saying he has only been unhappy with one game so far this season, and he has been working on things to improve.
“Out of the seven games we have played, I was unhappy with one game that I played. And I feel like you can always be better each and every week,” Williams said. “It’s just about me getting better at the little things that I feel like I’m struggling on still, like even going in week eight, week nine, or whatever week it is.”
The future of Kiffin
Williams inevitably was asked about fans of other teams saying they want Lane Kiffin as their next head coach, he talked about how he avoids these distractions as a player.
“I mean, that’s nothing that I can control personally. So, it’s like I’m where my feet is. You just let all of them talk about that. At the end of the day, he’s still in the building. He’s still the coach. He still comes in here every day and coaches us the same, regardless of what’s going on out there. So, if he’s doing that, I’m not really worried about it either because my job first and foremost is to play football for Ole Miss.”
Jayden Williams on Lane Kiffin
When asked about being a veteran and how he addressed the offensive unit after Georgia, Williams said he was keen on the team not staying low after just one loss.
He also used the 2022 season as reference for how the cannot let one loss define the rest of its season.
“I don’t think we can get down, of course. I mean, we did like I said, on our first five drives score five touchdowns. We just stalled out at the end. It’s not like we did anything particularly bad. And it’s not one of those things where you can just let the wheels fall off. And I told some of my teammates, it’s like if y’all remember in 2022, we started off 7-0, lost the game, go 8-1, and then we lost a tough one to ‘Bama that year and just the wheels fell off. We finished eight and five. You can’t let that happen because if you let that happen, especially with a lot of football left, like 6-1, we have five games left. You can’t have that mindset. It’s like, oh, we lost to Georgia. This is the end. This and that. You can’t do that.”
Williams on not letting one loss define the season
Williams’ experience as a senior in the program is evident.
“You have to stick to it, keep working, keep progressing because it’s a new team this week,” he explained. “You got to let that go. Each and every week, you just can’t hold on to stuff like that. Of course, it’s a heartbreaker. Of course, you want to win that. But like, at the end of the day, five games left and you don’t want the wheels to fall off game eight of the year and just lose the rest.”
What’s Next?
The Ole Miss Rebels travel to Norman, Oklahoma to play the Oklahoma Sooners this Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on ACB.
Parks Burcham
Parks Burcham is a sophomore at the University of Mississippi. He is majoring in Journalism, emphasis in Sports Media, with a minor in Sports Management. He is originally from Booneville, Mississippi and graduated high school from Jumpertown Attendance Center.His favorite sports are basketball and football. He chose this path because he has always been extremely interested in the sports world. Parks enjoys all aspects of the game and hopes to do great work in this field.
