WATCH: Mike Leach Monday Media Session

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's Mike Leach held his weekly press conference on Monday to preview the Bulldogs' matchup against No. 12 Kentucky on Saturday.

Below are the quotes from Leach's press conference.  

Head Coach Mike Leach - Oct. 25, 2021

Q: What have you seen from Kentucky as they come off of a bye week?
ML: This is a really solid team. They're going to play hard. They've had some close ones that they've gotten out of. That's the biggest thing. They are guys that play hard and play together.

Q: How has Chance Lovertich progressed in practice to earn that opportunity at Vanderbilt?
ML: He's gotten better and better. He is explosive as far as zipping the ball downfield. I think that we've got some young receivers that we're kind of excited to see what they can do. They did some good things too. It was exciting to see Rara [Thomas] and Rufus [Harvey] get touchdowns. [Caleb] Ducking did some good things. I thought he looked good. He looks similar to that in practice every day.

Q: How different does this Kentucky team look from the one you faced last year?
ML: Different on offense. Some new faces on defense. Defensively, schematically the same. Probably a little more aggressive on offense.

Q: Mark Stoops says your wide receivers are much improved from last year, how have you gotten to that point?
ML: Getting older and throwing more balls. Everybody's gotten more balls.

Q: Is Rodney Groce Jr. not with the program anymore?
ML: No he is not. Rodney is not with the team.

Q: Against Vanderbilt four receivers had five or more receptions. How good is that to see and how important is it for this offense to be able to spread the ball around?
ML: It is important that we have good distribution. We definitely want [that]. We had good distribution the other night where you want all the skilled positions to contribute to the offensive effort. That was good to see.

Q: What did you see from Kentucky last year and what makes Mark Stoops such a good defensive coordinator?
ML: They play hard. The other thing is that they don't try to do too much. They are kind of basic and execute well. They kind of like to keep a shell over things, so blitz every one in a while. They're real sound is, I guess, the biggest way to describe it.

Q: How much can a performance like the one at Vanderbilt energize the defense?
ML: Hopefully it does. Hopefully it does something. We need to continue the momentum there.

Q: What have you seen lately from Jo'quavious Marks running the ball that has allowed him to get through the first level?
ML: He is quicker and more decisive. But then, I think our offensive line did a better job of moving people around than they maybe have.

Q: Alabama brought pressure and Vanderbilt brought more than they usually do. Do you anticipate seeing more of that going forward rather than dropping eight?
ML: Alabama kind of did what they do. Vanderbilt pressured as they are more of a pressure team. They pressured us more than they have anybody else. I think the better we get up front, the more people we'll see up front trying to attend to things. If you move the ball effectively they will either pressure or drop. After that, they'll mix it in and try to keep you off balance.

Q: The Mississippi Institutes of Higher Learning Board voted to require vaccines for all university employees. Do you have any comments on that?
ML: I don't. I don't comment on anything. The whole COVID vaccine thing bounces all over the place. That'd be like commenting on each hit in a tennis match. I don't have any comments.

Q: Last year there were six interceptions in Lexington, but you moved the ball well between the 20s. Does that carry over at all this year and give you more confidence?
ML: I thought we played really poorly last year in that game.

Q: What are your thoughts on Malik Heath's progression?
ML: He is explosive, still battles consistency. He just has to get all reigned in. It has sure been a long process. The quicker we can do that the better off we will be.

Q: Your candy corn video went viral. Are you familiar with the show Ted Lasso and have you seen that show's comment on that?
ML: I haven't. Everybody says it is a good show. Everybody says you ought to watch it. It requires a little extra technology, more than I am familiar with, to get it. I forget where it is at now to get it. They say "Oh, you stream it," which just means I'm not going to watch a show on my phone. Maybe somebody will instruct me and can hook it up. I heard it is good. I am kind of surprised that the video was exciting to a number of people. That is good. You get a lot of candy corn, and people trying to sell that.

Q: Do you keep up with English soccer at all after spending time in Europe coaching?
ML: I do rugby. I follow rugby. In the northern hemisphere I like Wales. I like New Zealand in the south. All of those teams are hard not to like.

Q: What kind of challenge does Kentucky's Chris Rodriguez Jr. pose?
ML: He is good. I thought he was good last year too. He is just a good solid player.

Q: Matt Wells was dismissed at Texas Tech today. What made your term so successful there and why hasn't that been able to be replicated by the last three coaches there?
ML: I don't really know. We had good players and good coaches. It was a pretty loaded up conference back then. You had Nebraska who was biting on the heels of a national championship. You had Texas and Oklahoma in the top five most years. You had [Texas] A&M there. Colorado was kind of roaring along then. Kansas State was really good then too. It was an exciting conference back then.

Q: Do you think candy corn deserves a second chance?
ML: No I do not. That has been carefully researched since I was a child starting at approximately, I'm going to say three. Although it did have some better points in my life, in particular when I was young - the type of thing where it gets all over your hands and your face - before long, I realized that was a grave error and there were far better paths ahead than candy corn. I have no interest. It is one of items where there's a reason they basically serve it once a year because it is not very good to begin with.

Q: If the media showed up at your house to trick-or-treat, what would you give your favorite members of the media and least favorite members of the media as candy?
ML: That's a good question. Well, the good ones, what would you give them? Certainly, something better than an apple. We had a dentist growing up that would give everyone a toothbrush and his card on it. You got a toothbrush that told you where to find him. Definitely something big like a candy bar. You can't be as reckless as holding a bowl out like some used to do when I used to trick or treat, like hold the bowl out and take what you want. Of course you'd take handfuls as fast as you can until they shoo you off the porch. You got to regulate it. It would be something good. The ones I like less, you try to borrow the neighbor's dog or something and try to make sure he is out patrolling the yard when they might find their way up there.

WATCH: Mike Leach Monday Media Session

Players Mentioned

Rodney Groce Jr.

Malik Heath

Chance Lovertich

Jo'Quavious Marks

Mississippi State University Athletics