TRANSCRIPT: Here’s Everything Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said after Rebels’ win over South Carolina

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss football beat South Carolina Saturday night, 30-14, to move to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Southeastern Conference.

The Rebels beat a pesky South Carolina team with an always-dangerous quarterback, LaNorris Sellers. The Ole Miss defense held South Carolina to just 50 yards rushing on 32 carries, an abysmal 1.6 yards per carry.

After the game, head coach Lane Kiffin talked about his Rebels’ performance.

Here’s everything he said:

Lane Kiffin’s Opening Statement

Alright, you know, really good win to win by 16 points in the SEC. It is a really good job by the team. I think that’s challenging every week in this conference. It’s always been that way, but now more than ever we see that. I don’t know the scores tonight, but it seems to be that way all the time. These guys (South Carolina) took Alabama down to the wire and were ahead of Alabama by eight at the end last week, so they got some really elite defensive players.

And I thought our defense really showed up today, said I said, actually afterwards on the TV interview, I felt like our fans and our defense showed up today. Our offense in the passing game really didn’t. We had some really bad rhythm. I did think our offensive line did some good things, even though third downs were not good. Now, a number of those were in some four-down situations where we did make three really critical fourth-down conversions. But, inconsistency in the passing game and that started it in the third quarter. You know, we ran great in the first half and threw okay. But then the third quarter, they really started playing a lot of man and stopping the run. And you got to beat them in the passing game when they do that. So we didn’t for a little bit there.

And Trinidad was a little off today, and so when that happens you need to run the ball really well and play good defense. So, you know if you’re plus 200 in rushing. 258-50, running the ball and six sacks to none, you know, that’s a really good job by both lines of scrimmage. Which was really a challenge in this room, last night in the team meeting was, you know, let’s try to dominate on the line of scrimmages and not leave it up to the skill people in the game. And so I thought they did that.

And our defense kept answering the call in the second half, which was great to see. That’s what you want to see. You don’t always want it to be one side. So, we got a chance. I think that radio guy said, I didn’t know this, that this is five Novembers in a row, we’ve been relative. So we’re gonna have to finish this off and get better and play really well in the weeks to come.

Question: Right before that muff, what were you telling Trinidad on the on the sidelines before you guys came out for those three plays? That led to a field goal.

Lane Kiffin: Right before the muff? Right after it. (You mean) right after. Yes, I just said, ‘hey okay, you know we haven’t played really well to this point here. Let’s make really good decisions here.’ And we put the ball on the ground a little bit there, running the ball. And so we just didn’t couple drives there, and we didn’t call the best of plays. And so that happens sometimes.

Question: Lane, you mentioned how the fans showed up tonight. It seemed like there was a campaign all week on social media to get people here to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. How was the response from the fans tonight? And what did you see from kind of Ole Miss faithful?

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, I thought it was great. I thought that like I said, the challenge kind of is like, if you’re going to have all these things we talk about, if you’re going to be an elite team and the things we got to do, if you’re going to be an elite environment, you got to get there early because that starts in warm ups with the other team and how you feel it. And I thought when we came back out, it was really intense and, and looked up and it was, it was loaded. So it’s great to see. I think teams feed off that, especially defensively.

You think about a lot of elite loud environments and you think over years of time, a lot of times they usually have some really good defenses. So I think defensive players, especially, respond to that. So it was great to see. I probably got us a penalty there at the end, you know, because I was just excited that we made a interception. Those don’t happen a lot around here lately. And so when we did, the student section was right there, I just told the guys go down — I didn’t tell them to jump into the stands — they did that, and got the penalty. And then they were getting the penalty, so I just threw the ball up there too, I’m like, they’re not going to give us two penalties. So, you know, sometimes you gotta have fun.

Question: Linebacker Andrew Jones been good for you guys the last couple of weeks.

Lane Kiffin: Yeah I like that story a lot. When guys come here and things don’t go the way that they want early, and they’re not playing as much, to respond. You got really two choices at that point. And this happens a lot in life. You know, you can sit there and complain; you can pout. You’re not going to get rewarded and you’re going to play less. Or you can work really hard in practice. And when you get your special teams chances, you can play really well there and earn more time. And he did that. And so I love when when that happens because guys go two ways at that point. Sometimes they go in the tank. They pout. A lot of times they end up not here, and so it’s really cool what he’s been doing.

Question: You said it there at the start, Trinidad was kind of off today. Just in game, in the moment. What were you kind of seeing maybe that he was struggling with.

Lane Kiffin: You know, that happens. Everybody’s not going to always play great. You know, same thing in whatever sports. You guys go play golf, tennis, whatever. You don’t play the same every time. Sometimes you just have some days you’re off a little bit. And when you have that, you need to have your defense play well and your running game play well. And I think we have a really good feel for that and don’t just call plays when we feel that. You know, I feel that down there and then we take the air out of the ball a little bit and get what you would call conservative. So it’s not as exciting to watch. I think we got booed once. I understand. I felt the same way. But you’re playing in the game because you’re understanding the game, that you’re playing really well on defense, the last thing you want to do is throw, throw a pick and turn it over and then start getting a sack game, which is what they feed off of. That team feeds off of sacks, especially with number six. And we gave none up today. And part of that was by being conservative.

Question: I want to ask about Kewan and specifically his ability to finish off games in that, I think, 54 yarder at the end today. But also I missed your throw in the student section. So for those of us who didn’t see it, how far did you throw it?

Lane Kiffin: I don’t know. I’m glad you didn’t see it. It kind of looked stupid and I was like, I shouldn’t have done that. I was just like, we’re already getting a penalty, so whatever. I like our students, man. They come, they’ve got great energy. They were there, whatever we get here, two hours before the game, and they were already in there. So, you know, I told our guys, just like after the words, to go down there and thank them. I just really like that relationship that we have with our players and our students and how they show up. Because truth is, it wasn’t that way initially. So it’s really cool to see.

Question: And then Kewan on his ability to end games. How do you think he played today?

Lane Kiffin: I thought he was electric. He was dynamic even on some shorter runs. You know, he only had like four negative yards the whole day. Four. So that’s 24 carries, 171 yards, only four lost yards. And a lot of that is he just keeps making people miss. So he’s really special and just a true sophomore. And taking care of the ball which is extremely critical.

Question: Coach, what went into the fake punt early in the game. And, how much of an impact has your special teams had this season in terms, I mean, Oscar Bird and Lucas Carneiro this season for you?

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, they’ve done a great job. I think the kicker probably doesn’t get enough credit. You know, the guy’s done an amazing job. And, there’s some things there, games feel a lot different when you’re at six (points ahead) than nine. So he makes that to go to nine, and that changes a lot of how you play. And the fake punt was just something we saw on film that we felt we could roll out there and that they wouldn’t be there. And, even when it was, whatever, fourth and ten early, you know, we were going to do it the first one. So, good job by our special teams coaches.

Question: Lane, y’all struggled a little bit early on (this season) on the offensive line. You know, your thoughts now a couple of games after that,  played much better protections, been better. Ran the ball well tonight.

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, they have come a long ways. Continued to keep improving. We’ve stayed healthy which always helps because those guys, a lot of times your lineups change. They’ve got more consistent, and I don’t know the stats, but I think that’s one sack (they’ve given up) in three weeks against three elite D-lines and two elite rushers the last two weeks, so three in a row. I think that’s one sack, so it’s really good.

Question: Princewill has been a big part of your defense so far this year. How have you seen his development on and off the field thus far?

Lane Kiffin: Yeah, I really like how he played today. You know that last play, he beats the tight end and he beats the tackle. They block the tight end on the first and they block the tackle and he beats them both to force the errant throw, the early throw. So, and I like, too, that he’s growing up. You know you see him make plays, and then he lines up and goes and makes another play. Doesn’t have to have the giant celebration that a lot of people have to have nowadays every time they make a play. So I’m really pleased with him. And he’s healthy. You know, he was hurt there, missed a game and missed some time. So he makes a big difference to us obviously.

Question: And to go to the offensive side. Deuce Alexander had a big first half with I think he had 72 all-purpose yards. How have you seen him develop as well as being another young guy on your squad?

Lane Kiffin: Yeah. Deuce has made really explosive plays. You know, they were geared up to come down and stop the run there early. So threw the post in behind the safety and made a really good play. And he’s a really big pickup. That wasn’t this huge pickup from a notoriety standpoint because he hadn’t had that much success at Wake Forest and stuff. So, another credit to our system of finding those guys.

Question: Coach, Andrew Jones has trickled around for you since the Georgia game, and he’s made a lot more appearances since the Georgia game. What maybe went into the decision to play him a little bit more and as well, what have you seen from him that has really made an impact for your defense so far?

Lane Kiffin: Well, I mean, kind of covered that. The guy did a great job when he was on special teams, wasn’t playing much on defense. And when he got in there, he made plays and earned more time.