Everything Ole Miss Coach Lane Kiffin Said About Facing Alabama

Lane Kiffin’s press convention this week was about as energetic as one would besides.

Coming off a bye, the previous Alabama offensive coordinator shared a number of ideas whereas previewing the Crimson Tide’s upcoming go to to Ole Miss:

“Clearly, no recreation recap. It was actually good to see lots of guys again wholesome for probably the most half. Clearly, we do not go into particulars on people, however that is the most effective we have appeared in a very long time—in all probability for the reason that starting of coaching camp to have so many guys on the market transferring round. In order that was nice. Glad to be coming again house. Extraordinarily difficult opponent. Now we have now the mixture of elite gamers with elite teaching. That is the most effective of the most effective. I texted Finebaum on the way in which over right here after I noticed his quotes. Like he usually does, says that the Nick Saban dynasty is over and all of that. Each time he says this, which I inform him, I name it goat gas—the alternative of rat poison. You are simply giving the goat gas, which for him, that works, and he goes and proves them fallacious each time. Actually recognize Paul saying that proper after the sport. I am positive that was on his desk Sunday morning. They’re all the time able to play. They all the time rebound through the years. You are going to go play the most effective offensive participant within the nation and the most effective defensive participant within the nation. Very difficult state of affairs. Very glad to be house. Now we have a pleasant lengthy house successful streak right here, would clearly assume the gang might be nice.”

On Saban’s groups’ potential to rebound from losses…
“Effectively, there weren’t a lot of them. There have been solely three, there have been solely two regular-season in three years, each to Ole Miss. I assumed he was phenomenal. You’ll perhaps count on to be the opposite approach like he is available in and every little thing is the top of the world like some coaches do. He does a extremely good job of addressing precisely what it was. Bear in mind guys, like Finebaum’s silly assertion, dynasty is over—they’ve misplaced two video games by two performs and each video games may’ve went both approach. Alabama makes the sector aim at Tennessee and the two-point will get stopped, then they’re the No. 1/No. 2 staff within the nation coming in right here. So we’re speaking about two performs, two groups on the highway in two of the toughest environments to play in, over 100,000 individuals at each video games. It is a nice staff and the most effective coach to ever do it.”

On the staff’s depth this season…
“I do not know. I nonetheless assume we have now depth points, particularly because the accidents have been mounting, we actually did. They’ve proven up so much on protection. It is simply seen, our defensive points, as soon as we misplaced some individuals over these previous few weeks. Our numbers over there have been dramatically completely different. I do assume we’re higher. I’ve stated all alongside, that is our greatest roster of the three years, of assortment of expertise. However it doesn’t imply it will likely be the most effective staff. We’re nonetheless coming collectively. I do know that sounds loopy this late within the season, however with so many items, I believe it says in (the sport notes) 55 p.c of one thing of the staff is new, one thing like that. Hopefully we hold transferring up.”

On Nick Saban rubbing off on him extra as a coach than Pete Carroll, …
“I believe that is in all probability simply later within the profession. It is more energizing coming off of it. Being there the three years, I used to be with Coach Carroll for six years and I have been with my dad ceaselessly. I believe that is extra simply because it was the most recent half and also you took lots of how that was carried out, and that was carried out within the SEC, on this area, the way in which coach did it and stuff. I believe that is extra only a mixture of these two issues.”

On how the staff responded through the bye week with the problem of Alabama coming…
“I am positive it sounds loopy. We do not sit and discuss Bama week and all that that everybody else within the nation appears to do. We have lots of issues to work on to get higher. It actually does not matter. It issues that you simply do issues very well. That is the way you win video games. I did not discover something completely different, however I am glad I did not as a result of that is not how we practice them. We do not wish to be a program like that (up and down)—oh we stand up for these video games however we do not for these. That is what I get mad at our followers for doing, so we’re not supposed to do this.”

On Alabama linebacker Will Anderson…
“He is such a singular mixture of pace and energy. He reduces down and performs on guards, which is absolutely uncommon, then he pace rushes after which he drops too. That basically does not appear to occur now as a lot. That was sort of the outdated 3-4 outdoors backer after which cut back. However he nonetheless does that. Simply actually distinctive mixture, and he performs with relentless effort.”

On if he addresses his title developing in job opening rumors…
“I do not, and perhaps I am fallacious for that. Simply by no means have. Our gamers, we deal with this like, we inform them ‘professional mindset.’ We’re right here to work and get higher on daily basis and fear about what we will management. We do not even discuss that.”

On how his roster matches up with Alabama’s…
“That sort of will get into lots of game-planning stuff, however these guys have nice gamers and nice schemes. That is not the standard rat poison—they do. You have a look at the draft yearly, and you will see it once more this yr. It is not usually that you’ve the returning Heisman Trophy winner and the most effective participant within the nation at positions the place one touches the ball each down and the opposite one is lined up actually near the quarterback. These are actually the 2 finest positions to have the most effective gamers at. You have to do every little thing proper so as to beat these guys. It’s important to coach very well, play very well, win conditions, handle issues, take dangers. There is a motive why they’re the most effective over time at what they do. Once more, we’re speaking about, after they’ve performed them, two of the most well liked groups within the nation on the highway in two of the toughest environments to play, they usually’re one-play video games. We’re speaking about, in the event that they win these two, then they’re the No. 1 staff within the nation coming in right here.”

On Alabama working again Jahmyr Gibbs…
“Nice participant. Actually dynamic in what he does. Offers you points. Not old-school, however actually their offense is not both. So he actually suits into what their offense does as a result of that is not the outdated Alabama offense from years in the past both. He isn’t the massive bruising again from a very long time in the past. Bryce Younger actually is not the bodily stature of the old-school quarterback. I believe I simply suits in very well with what they do.”

On what he did through the bye week…
“I did some recruiting. Went to a few completely different locations, in addition to our workers. Had an opportunity to see Knox play a recreation. Then acquired again yesterday. That perhaps sounds unusual as a result of they gained the Tremendous Bowl, why they nonetheless play. It was a regional recreation they usually acquired knocked out by this all-star staff from Arizona, they did not play very properly.”

On how Knox performed…
“He was okay. Their staff was actually out-performed. They have to test delivery certificates. These guys have been purported to be in eighth grade. I stored saying to Knox, there’s not an opportunity these guys are in eighth grade from Arizona. These guys appeared like they have been in eleventh, twelfth grade. They have to test the delivery certificates. I stated the identical factor after I watched the eighth graders play right here towards Tupelo. That Tupelo staff, these guys appeared like they have been 20 years outdated too.”