Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Mike Leach Previews Matchup At Alabama
October 26, 2020 | Football
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's Mike Leach held his weekly press conference on Monday to preview the Bulldogs' matchup at No. 2/2 Alabama this week.
Below are the quotes from Leach's press conference.
Head Coach Mike Leach - Oct. 26, 2020
Q: Is there any update on Kylin Hill's status and do you expect him to be able to play this weekend?
ML: "No update. He's still unavailable."
Q: What are your thoughts on where quarterbacks K.J. Costello and Will Rogers stand heading into this week?
ML: "I think they're neck and neck. We'll continue to split the reps this week, for the first couple of practices."
Q: What is the plan at safety with Fred Peters being out?
ML: "Kind of a committee right now. We've got a number of guys doing some pretty good stuff. Like I say we're trying to refine the position. We've got a committee doing pretty good. I don't know if [defensive coordinator] Zach [Arnett]'s going to maintain the committee or if he's got a specific one. I suspect it'll be a couple of guys."
Q: Where does this Crimson Tide team rank compared to every other team you've coached in terms of quality? Do you think this is one of the best teams that you've ever played against?
ML: "Yeah I think so. They're fast. Occasionally, I've played against some really fast teams that weren't as big as others, but you know these guys are big. They're fast. The thing is, is most of their players we're already familiar with in the recruiting process. They're the guys that hovered around the top of the lists."
Q: What was the focus last week on a bye week for you as a coach beyond just an Alabama game plan?
ML: "We're young enough, it was fundamentals. It was fundamentals and then more fundamentals. We had some good, hard practices. We did some good on good which I thought was beneficial to us. It was very competitive. I did see progress. I did appreciate the effort our guys gave. I think we're still a work in progress. We've got to just keep taking steps and improving."
Q: How patient are you with your quarterbacks and letting them learn your system?
ML: "Long story short, I think the more exposure they have the better. Both guys have performed well in practice. I don't really like splitting reps with quarterbacks. I like to settle on one. I would prefer that approach, but we've been awfully up and down. We need to figure out who gives us the best spark. It's definitely competitive at the position this week."
Q: How do you contain a guy like Alabama quarterback Mac Jones and what have you seen from him on the tape that impresses you?
ML: "Everything I've seen on the tape impresses me. You just have to play real sound, just play real sound. That's the biggest thing. You've got to worry about yourself, play sound and have all the gaps and spaces filled."
Q: Does Jalen Mayden factor into this competition at all?
ML: "Right now it's a battle between K.J. [Costello] and Will [Rogers]."
Q: What are your thoughts on how the wide receivers have handled the first few games in your system?
ML: "I think we're improving. We've been inconsistent. I think there's been flashes that we were really good. The biggest thing that we're battling is the inconsistency. We've got to be consistent. It's a lot like I said in the first press conference. We're explosive but inconsistent. We're getting more consistent. That's the biggest thing. Great teams are always consistent. We've got to be that. We've got to be a very consistent team. In particular, we've got to play better when we're away from the ball. In other words, whether you're getting the route or not, stretch the field. If you're called upon to block, get a great block. We do the big things pretty good. We've got to do the little things consistently."
Q: If Will Rogers starts at quarterback, is it concerning to throw him into playing on such a big stage for the first time?
ML: "Well, I'm already concerned with it, so I don't know if it makes it more concerning. The biggest thing is, for any quarterback regardless of the stage, just worry about what you can do. As a team we've got to be guys that are able to do that. Worry about ourselves and just know your best is always enough because that's what you've got. Go out there and just focus on doing your best in all settings. As that builds over time and everybody together, then you get better and better as a group."
Q: How did the offensive line perform in practice last week and what's your level of confidence in that group?
ML: "Our problem there is consistency as well. When we play well, we play real well. It was very competitive, both sides in the course of the off week. The biggest thing we've got to do is consistently communicate. I think that some of our problems have been communication errors. We've got three guys that haven't played hardly at all before. We've used the week to try to get better at communicating and getting everybody where they need to be at the right time. I've got a few guys that don't play particularly well when they're tired. I think we've got to work through that and also be mindful of when we've got to replace somebody for them too. Some of these guys aren't fighting through the fatigue like they might if we'd have had the full off season. It might have been beneficial for that as well."
Q: How much does splitting time between Will Rogers and K.J. Costello remind you of 2017 with Luke Falk and Tyler Hilinski?
ML: "I think it's a little different, but it's the same thing. I mean you're looking for the guy that can run the unit the best. You don't want to go out there and have some stagnant effort on offense. Not really uninspired but just not playing together as well. So, you're always looking for something to spark that. I think from that standpoint it's similar."
Q: Do you have an update on C.J. Morgan's status as far as rehabbing from his injury? With Fred Peter's injury is he going to be available at any point this year?
ML: "Not sure on Fred. C.J. we don't have an update on him."
Q: Is there a timetable throughout the rest of this season where you would hope you'd have a solidified starter or is this something that could continue over the next five games?
ML: "I hope not, but it could. You try to get that thing settled in. Over the years, at least from my experience, we've been able to do it most of the time. But right now we've got two guys that are fairly comparable. I think that they've got to battle it out, and we'll see."
Q: With the offensive line, does it get to a point where it doesn't matter who's playing quarterback, maybe it's not on the quarterback?
ML: "I think we've got several things like that. Like I say we're working through it, and there's incremental improvements. If you're back and forth at receiver, back and forth at the offensive line, back and forth at the quarterback, you're going to be inconsistent and we are. About the time the O-line's protecting really well, all of a sudden we've got receivers busting routes. They're not doing what they're supposed to do. About the time they're doing what they're supposed to do and the offensive line is blocking well, the quarterback doesn't have his eyes in the right place. About the time he's got his eyes in the right place and is ready to throw a good ball, he's getting hit. I mean it's being passed around. It's not just on the quarterback as you mentioned. Definitely the O-line has a role in it. The receivers definitely have a role in it. The quarterbacks definitely have a role in it. And the backs, which is kind of in between."
Below are the quotes from Leach's press conference.
Head Coach Mike Leach - Oct. 26, 2020
Q: Is there any update on Kylin Hill's status and do you expect him to be able to play this weekend?
ML: "No update. He's still unavailable."
Q: What are your thoughts on where quarterbacks K.J. Costello and Will Rogers stand heading into this week?
ML: "I think they're neck and neck. We'll continue to split the reps this week, for the first couple of practices."
Q: What is the plan at safety with Fred Peters being out?
ML: "Kind of a committee right now. We've got a number of guys doing some pretty good stuff. Like I say we're trying to refine the position. We've got a committee doing pretty good. I don't know if [defensive coordinator] Zach [Arnett]'s going to maintain the committee or if he's got a specific one. I suspect it'll be a couple of guys."
Q: Where does this Crimson Tide team rank compared to every other team you've coached in terms of quality? Do you think this is one of the best teams that you've ever played against?
ML: "Yeah I think so. They're fast. Occasionally, I've played against some really fast teams that weren't as big as others, but you know these guys are big. They're fast. The thing is, is most of their players we're already familiar with in the recruiting process. They're the guys that hovered around the top of the lists."
Q: What was the focus last week on a bye week for you as a coach beyond just an Alabama game plan?
ML: "We're young enough, it was fundamentals. It was fundamentals and then more fundamentals. We had some good, hard practices. We did some good on good which I thought was beneficial to us. It was very competitive. I did see progress. I did appreciate the effort our guys gave. I think we're still a work in progress. We've got to just keep taking steps and improving."
Q: How patient are you with your quarterbacks and letting them learn your system?
ML: "Long story short, I think the more exposure they have the better. Both guys have performed well in practice. I don't really like splitting reps with quarterbacks. I like to settle on one. I would prefer that approach, but we've been awfully up and down. We need to figure out who gives us the best spark. It's definitely competitive at the position this week."
Q: How do you contain a guy like Alabama quarterback Mac Jones and what have you seen from him on the tape that impresses you?
ML: "Everything I've seen on the tape impresses me. You just have to play real sound, just play real sound. That's the biggest thing. You've got to worry about yourself, play sound and have all the gaps and spaces filled."
Q: Does Jalen Mayden factor into this competition at all?
ML: "Right now it's a battle between K.J. [Costello] and Will [Rogers]."
Q: What are your thoughts on how the wide receivers have handled the first few games in your system?
ML: "I think we're improving. We've been inconsistent. I think there's been flashes that we were really good. The biggest thing that we're battling is the inconsistency. We've got to be consistent. It's a lot like I said in the first press conference. We're explosive but inconsistent. We're getting more consistent. That's the biggest thing. Great teams are always consistent. We've got to be that. We've got to be a very consistent team. In particular, we've got to play better when we're away from the ball. In other words, whether you're getting the route or not, stretch the field. If you're called upon to block, get a great block. We do the big things pretty good. We've got to do the little things consistently."
Q: If Will Rogers starts at quarterback, is it concerning to throw him into playing on such a big stage for the first time?
ML: "Well, I'm already concerned with it, so I don't know if it makes it more concerning. The biggest thing is, for any quarterback regardless of the stage, just worry about what you can do. As a team we've got to be guys that are able to do that. Worry about ourselves and just know your best is always enough because that's what you've got. Go out there and just focus on doing your best in all settings. As that builds over time and everybody together, then you get better and better as a group."
Q: How did the offensive line perform in practice last week and what's your level of confidence in that group?
ML: "Our problem there is consistency as well. When we play well, we play real well. It was very competitive, both sides in the course of the off week. The biggest thing we've got to do is consistently communicate. I think that some of our problems have been communication errors. We've got three guys that haven't played hardly at all before. We've used the week to try to get better at communicating and getting everybody where they need to be at the right time. I've got a few guys that don't play particularly well when they're tired. I think we've got to work through that and also be mindful of when we've got to replace somebody for them too. Some of these guys aren't fighting through the fatigue like they might if we'd have had the full off season. It might have been beneficial for that as well."
Q: How much does splitting time between Will Rogers and K.J. Costello remind you of 2017 with Luke Falk and Tyler Hilinski?
ML: "I think it's a little different, but it's the same thing. I mean you're looking for the guy that can run the unit the best. You don't want to go out there and have some stagnant effort on offense. Not really uninspired but just not playing together as well. So, you're always looking for something to spark that. I think from that standpoint it's similar."
Q: Do you have an update on C.J. Morgan's status as far as rehabbing from his injury? With Fred Peter's injury is he going to be available at any point this year?
ML: "Not sure on Fred. C.J. we don't have an update on him."
Q: Is there a timetable throughout the rest of this season where you would hope you'd have a solidified starter or is this something that could continue over the next five games?
ML: "I hope not, but it could. You try to get that thing settled in. Over the years, at least from my experience, we've been able to do it most of the time. But right now we've got two guys that are fairly comparable. I think that they've got to battle it out, and we'll see."
Q: With the offensive line, does it get to a point where it doesn't matter who's playing quarterback, maybe it's not on the quarterback?
ML: "I think we've got several things like that. Like I say we're working through it, and there's incremental improvements. If you're back and forth at receiver, back and forth at the offensive line, back and forth at the quarterback, you're going to be inconsistent and we are. About the time the O-line's protecting really well, all of a sudden we've got receivers busting routes. They're not doing what they're supposed to do. About the time they're doing what they're supposed to do and the offensive line is blocking well, the quarterback doesn't have his eyes in the right place. About the time he's got his eyes in the right place and is ready to throw a good ball, he's getting hit. I mean it's being passed around. It's not just on the quarterback as you mentioned. Definitely the O-line has a role in it. The receivers definitely have a role in it. The quarterbacks definitely have a role in it. And the backs, which is kind of in between."
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