Postgame Quotes: Texas A&M at Mississippi State
October 17, 2020 | Football
Mississippi State Head Coach Mike Leach | Mississippi State Student-Athletes
Texas A&M Head Coach Jimbo Fisher | Texas A&M Student-Athletes
Mississippi State Head Coach Mike Leach
ML: I thought it was pretty big. I didn't think we played well on the offensive line.
Q: What did you think about the way Will Rogers handled things and ran your offense tonight?
ML: I thought he gave us a spark. It was late, but he gave us a spark. If you consider the quality team that Texas A&M has, that drive Will had was maybe as good as I've had a freshman, especially a true freshman at his age, have before.
Q: What was Kylin Hill's availability today, and what's his availability going forward?
ML: He was unavailable today, and I'm not sure on the future of that.
Q: Do you feel like K.J. Costello is still your starter going forward, or do you feel like that is something that needs to be evaluated?
ML: I think it needs to be evaluated. We have two weeks, so we'll sort that then. I think it needs to be evaluated. Right now, we're one team on Tuesday and Wednesday, we're another team on Saturday. We have to be able to translate it to the field. It's frustrating for you. You try to put my standpoint on if we think they'll feel any better, but I've dealt with that before. You've to get them grouped to go out there. You think it looks one way and you think you can count on this. When you've got a young group, there's several Saturdays before it kicks into gear.
Q: Does two weeks make a difference in coaching in order to get a guy ready?
ML: Well, yeah it definitely helps. They both split the reps last week. We'll just see what happens when we have to go out there. [We want to] have two good weeks of practice and see where it's at. I did think Will showed a lot of composure out there.
Q: Based on your career and as much as you've seen in offense, has this been as much of a struggle being where you've been?
ML: Yes. Yes, it has. We're behind, but I knew we would be. Again, you see things in practice, you want to see us play well up at practice. Yeah, it has. Starting in camp, they had a little impact too.
Q: What adjustments would you guys make beyond finding better protection in the second half?
ML: I didn't feel like we had great time, even the second half. The biggest thing was that it was all very simple. It was stuff we saw in practice, and it was all stuff that we've worked on. The guys get really excited to play. They go and try to make too much happen. All of a sudden, things get clouded. We were literally missing guys standing right in front of us. 'Well I thought he had him.' Well he wouldn't be standing in front of you if the other guy had him. We're battling some definite growing pains. We're definitely experiencing a bunch of them there. We dropped balls we shouldn't have dropped. We missed blocks we shouldn't have missed. In protection, we even had trouble doing our assignments. We've just got to play together.
Q: How much time does a quarterback need in your system to make the air raid more effective?
ML: You need three seconds. That's not asking very much. They're afraid to stomp their feet.
Q: Is there anything really causing trouble with the offensive line?
ML: No, I think it is mental on the part of our offensive line. That's something us as coaches have to do. Calm them down. I think it is mental. It is definitely mental, because we can block our defensive line even though Texas A&M was not able to consistently. I mean we can. I think it is mental.
Q: Do you think the Will Rogers drive at the end is something you can build on?
ML: I think we can build on that. The biggest thing to build on is that we do it every day at practice, but we just do not do it on the field. You know, that is always a part of the growing process. It is always frustrating. This is the third program I have taken over. You go out there, you see it in practice, and you are sure you will see it in the game. You are certain it is going to be on the game field. As frustrating as it is, it doesn't happen overnight, and I have never figured out why it doesn't, but, it doesn't.
Q: How hard is it for true freshman Will Rogers to come into a game like he has the last two weeks?
ML: I think it is very difficult. I have had player after player come in as a true freshman, and they can't even get a play off. They fumble the snap and everything else. They are usually a nervous wreck. [Will Rogers] has come out and been productive both times. You know, this is even after not having too many reps in the Kentucky game. Prior to Kentucky, he didn't have hardly any reps for a variety of reasons. He hasn't had just a ton of reps and still goes out there and is calm and composed. I think it was more impressive than many of you guys may have realized for a true freshman to be composed out there. I don't know how many snaps he has out there now. I'm not really sure what it adds up to. Probably less than forty. His less than forty have been more impressive than most people in their career.
Q: What would you say is missing on gameday that you see in practice during the week?
ML: I think experience is the quick answer. I think some guys have stage fright. I think some guys are so eager they try to do too much. Basically, what we are doing is new to them to begin with. I think stage fright, doing too much. We have to be able to control and monitor that somehow. We have to be able to reach them. The other thing is that they get out there under the lights, and they are excited. I think some of the clarity in their minds in practice does not exist in the game. Certainly, it did not today.
Q: What did you say in the team huddle in the second quarter when you guys went down by 14?
ML: Basically, I just tried to settle everybody down. Just try to keep things simple. I thought we were just playing frantically on both sides of the ball. Defensively, we were playing with a good enough tempo and explosively enough where we could disrupt them. We weren't perfect on defense, but we were disruptive, despite the intensity of having bodies flying around. Offensively, we were just a bunch of pin cushions out there. Special teams was quite similar to offense.
Q: When you have lost a couple of games like you have offensively the past two weeks, what do you tell your team to keep them going forward?
ML: Stick together and keep working. I think any team that became a great team at some point did that.
Q: How would you describe KJ Costello's first month at Mississippi State?
ML: I think it is mashing both ends of the spectrum. He has hit both ends of the spectrum with as much intensity as anyone.
Mississippi State Student-Athletes
#3 Aaron Brule, LB
Q: It seems like they had a little success running the football between the tackles, what were they doing to have success with all that?AB: Their offensive line does a great job getting to the second level. There's a lot of things we could have done better: being more physical, more downhill, but it's just some things we can work on for the future.
Q: Is it kind of frustrating when the offense kind of has struggled the last couple of games as you guys defensively go out and make your plays but the offense really kind of is slacking a little bit behind on their part?
AB: We just look to be an elevator for the offense. We hope that when we make a big play it can spark their energy. They made a few nice plays today and I'm hoping it will spark our energy. We are just working as one. One goal. Just one goal, trying to get better.
Q: I think this was probably the best offense you have seen this year, how do you think you all held up defensively and what did they do to kind of make things difficult?
AB: Like Erroll said, we did not do a good enough job to get the win. There's always stuff we can work on and we are looking toward these next two weeks getting better for Alabama.
Q: You know that Mike [Leach] said Will [Rogers] gave the team a little spark, how much of that spark do you feel defensively and what did you think of Will's performance today?
AB: Scoring touchdowns is always good. Will has a lot of potential, hopefully that's something he can build on in the future.
Q: You had some newcomers make some plays and Tyrus Wheat has been solid. What does that say maybe about the future?
AB: I think we all have that real hunger, a drive, just looking forward to the next games and the games after that. Getting better [is our main focus] and everybody just keep working and not getting down on ourselves after a loss.
#40 Erroll Thompson, LB
Q: Do you feel like [the touchdown] is a reward for the defense with you guys playing so hard and finding the ball?ET: I guess so. It's always good to get a takeaway in an SEC game, and score with it. You know, it's kind of a big momentum swing. I feel like [creating turnovers] is something that we need to continue to harp on and get better at.
Q: I know y'all had some tough times last year and you were a captain then. As a captain this year, what do you tell the team with where you guys are at right now and going to the rest of the season?
ET: Really just assuring the guys that there's a long way ahead, it's not the end of the season, it's not over, there's still plenty more work to do. I mean it doesn't get easier from here, it gets harder, we've got to come in everyday and prepare and keep putting in the work to be successful.
Q: What do you make of Will coming in and kind of being thrown into the fire this last two games?
ET: I look at Will as a young guy who has a lot of leadership in him, you know he's a great player I expect that from him. It's always a spark regardless who's the quarterback or anybody, to come in and move the ball, change the tempo, change the offense up a little bit...It's a spark no matter who's in there.
Q: You guys have faced different types of offenses all year whether it be Myles Brennan at LSU or Kellen Mond tonight. How do you feel like y'all did containing him today and also having to defend Isaiah Spiller?
ET: I feel like we did all right. I mean we didn't do enough because we didn't win. I can't say we did good, I can't say we did bad, we really just have to go back and look at the film. Ultimately, we didn't do enough because we took the [loss] but I feel like we did ok.
Q: Emmanuel Forbes and Shawn Preston, what have those guys brought to this defense and the secondary, and what did you see from them tonight?
ET: Those guys bring a lot. Shawn Preston brings a physicality that we need and Emmanuel Forbes brings that kind of twitchy, smaller guy, but he has a lot of twitch to him and as you saw today he got out there pretty good on the pick six. They are two guys we need to step up big. Two guys we are relying on in the future.
#85 Austin Williams, WR
Q: How would you evaluate Will Rogers performance in the past two games he has played in?AW: Will came in and did a great job. He upheld his part.
Q: After a stretch like this, what do you do to keep everybody positive and to focus on the next game?
AW: Everyone has to look at themselves in the mirror to see what they can do better. You can't [have the team] dissolve to finger pointing. You have to come together as a team and stay true to what you are. Day by day, just try to win each day the best we can. We just have to stay together. Unity is a big part of it.
Q: What did Coach Leach say to you all during the speech in the second quarter and how did you all feel after that speech?
AW: Coach Leach gives us speeches here and there throughout the game. They motivate us to fix whatever we need to. What we are lacking or what we are doing well at. He told us we needed to keep on performing, keep playing. Every player needs to do their job. To hold that standard that we hold all of ourselves to. To keep punching away. We came out of it and tried to grow. Obviously we fell a little short. Just something to keep working on.
Q: What's the difference between K.J. Costello and Will Rogers in the huddle?
AW: Both are good quarterbacks in their own respective ways. Whichever one is under center, we will believe in and have faith in. It's up to Coach Leach to make that decision. We will ride with both guys whoever it may be.
Q: What will you and the team be working on during the upcoming bye week to get over certain struggles?
AW: As a team we just have to get to the fundamentals. Come every day with purpose and hindsight to grow. We have to watch film from the games we've played, and you just have to be honest with yourself and say, This is where I could have been better. Focus on those small things. Everybody needs to do that. Help the young guys get ready to play. All of our guys need to clean up and focus on things that happened with the games. Personally, I'm going to watch some film [of today's game] tonight, see what I could have done better and I'm going to try to grow from there. A lot of it is about growth.
Q: What do you guys need to do to translate success in practice to success on the field?
AW: During the week they hold us to a high standard in practice. I like what we are seeing from all the guys. Everyone is heavily invested and committed to the team. We just have to work on translating [our practice habits] to Saturday's. We have to find out why we are not replicating [practice] to our standards on Saturday's. We have to work on identifying that and growing. We just have to have honest conversations and grow. Each one of us will probably be better.
Texas A&M Head Coach Jimbo Fisher
JF: I am proud of our guys for going on the road, getting a win in the SEC. A 14-point win is a very good win. Mississippi State has always been a hard place to play for us. They came in here, did a great job and a couple years ago, we came in here and lost a tough one in kind of the same situation coming off some good wins. I'm very proud of them. Our defense was outstanding on the day. I thought they tackled well, kept great presence of the ball, had six sacks, created a turnover to set up points, got an interception in the end zone, and I thought they just played an outstanding football game and weren't going to break down at the end. On special teams, our punter hit some really big punts, kickoffs were good, coverages, a couple nice punt returns, but then we got a blocked punt that set up a score. That's awesome. Then we get three penalties on one play. We know we can't crack back; those days are over with. We get a block in the back, and we jump over the shield, which is ridiculous. That was a big possession in the game there. It was 14-0, and we could have gotten a score there and come out in the second half, but never got the ball back and did that. Offensively, too inconsistent. I thought we ran the ball at times really well, and sometimes we didn't. I thought [Isaiah] Spiller ran it well, and I thought Ainias [Smith] ran it well. Our offensive line didn't give up any sacks. We had a couple critical drops at the end, it looked like somebody had his facemask, but I couldn't tell and get a good look at it to see. One drive that I was very proud of, after they came back down 14, we get a ricochet ball, it goes all the way back, and they ran it back. We answered offensively and came right back with a big-time drive, threw and caught the ball, was aggressive, and had two really good catches by Chase Lane and throws by Kellen [Mond]. The back-shoulder Go [route] on second and 10 was huge. They came back and hit a big crossing route on the blitz inside, and we ran it out of the gate for a touchdown. That was a way to answer up. There were some good things but also too many things that we have to fix and get better at. We have a lot of room to improve, and we need to because Arkansas has a very good team coming in after this bye week. There is no bye week. It's a work week, and we have to get better. We're proud of the kids. We win the football game, but we have to clean up all the things we've got.
Q: How important is leaning on your veteran offensive line in the running game?
JF: You have to. When you're on the road, you have to be able to control clock, control tempo, and you have to run the football to do that. We did at times today. Another part of it was running out the last 5-6 minutes of the game when we got the ball. Then, we got down there and could have had a score, but we didn't. Eating that clock up and not giving it back was huge. The option play was really big. Ainias came in there and did a real nice job.
Q: How was your defensive line able to force six sacks and hold Mississippi State to negative two yards rushing?
JF: It was very nice. We got sacks at times with three-man pressure. We batted balls, we brought simulated pressure and had linebackers and safeties coming, so we mixed it up and did a really good job. Mike [Elko] did a really good job with the game plan in keeping it mixed and being able to create pressures when you control the line of scrimmage, and that's what I thought we did on the day. It was a big day by [the defense].
Texas A&M Student-Athletes
#92 Jayden Peevy, DT
Q: How did you feel about your overall dominance of the defensive line with all your sacks and forced turnovers?
JP: I felt great because of practice and having a good game plan. We practiced very hard this week to prepare for this game.
Q: Was there any indications during practice this week that showed you that you all were going to rush the passers as good as you did today?
JP: Yes, we practiced on pressures all week. Pressures were one of our many focuses this week.
Q: What does it mean to come to a place where you haven't won in years and get a victory?
JP: Any win on the road is a great win for us. The fact that we haven't won in eight years makes it big for us and I am glad we got to accomplish that today.
#54 Carson Green, OT
Q: Carson, you were barely a teenager when Texas A&M last won at Mississippi State, what does that say about the direction this program?
CG: The program is going in the right direction. I can tell by the recruits we are getting and the people inside the building, not just the player but the staff, too. We are getting a good group of people that are here to help you excel. I knew the program itself was going to get better. I remember last [game we played at Mississippi State...(Nick) Fitzgerald hit us with that long run and stuck a knife in us. This week was a good feeling. We know we can do a lot and we are talented in many areas. We just need to keep improving and show the world we are a good team.
Q: When you see the way Isaiah [Spiller] runs comfortably with the ball, as a lineman how do you guy feel when that is going on?
CG: I love it when I see him knock someone over and keep getting yards. Our biggest thing is making a hole for him to run through and make that impact be it four or five yards. We did our job and we see him do that, everyone gets fired up.
Q: It seems like in the past when Texas A&M comes here, they get some bad breaks, that didn't happen this time. This time you actually go the big play that went against you, and you came right back and scored. How did this team respond?
CG: It's a different year, for this team especially. Quarantine really killed teams or helped them out. Quarantine really help us out and allowed us to get a lot closer to each other, as a whole. This year we know we have each other's backs. If the offense is hurting, the defense knows they have to step up. If the defense is hurting, the offense needs to keep it going. Last week, the offense was rolling but the defense needed to make stops for us. This week, the defense took the game, but the offense had to run out the clock and that is what we did.a
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