Postgame Quotes: Auburn at Mississippi State
November 05, 2022 | Football
Mississippi State Head Coach Mike Leach
Q: How would you evaluate how your team handled the game?
ML: "Good at the end. Good at the beginning. In between, we just bounced on and off the rails. The defense kept us in it. Then, we helped ourselves offensively as far as getting back in it. Wins are hard no matter who you are. Sometimes there are games like that, and the toughest team battles through and wins. I did feel like that was the case. I do think there are some things to address. You can't start fast and then fall asleep at the wheel in the middle. At least it is not in your best interest by any means. We were tough enough to fight through some awfully tough situations. You could say we are tough and dumb. We are tough, so that part is good. We have got to learn to enjoy prosperity a little more. How do you enjoy prosperity? You do all the stuff that got you there in the first place. All the little things."
Q: What did Auburn do to take away the checkdown passes?
ML: "We had good pass protection for the first quarter. Then, after that, we would take turns not being able to start their feet. It wasn't so much that nothing was there, but we had to get rid of the ball quickly. Our protection broke down. It was kind of a 'take turns' deal. All it is is basic technique. They obviously have some great players. If you want to know the quality of players these guys have, go back and look at the articles you wrote about these guys when they were getting recruited. We wanted nearly all of them. They are good players. They are the type of guys that are explosive enough to make you pay if you flinch. They will hit the quarterback in the mouth. In desperation as he is tossing to the running back they will blow him up."
Q: What were you thinking when Auburn scored the touchdown late in the fourth quarter?
ML: "I didn't have time for a lot of emotions. After that we had to think of the next play. We definitely wanted to put our best foot forward and do everything we could to score. Obviously, we were disappointed they scored. I didn't even have time to sit there and be upset on the sideline. All of a sudden they are kicking it off. Then we marched it down the field. I thought we could have been closer, but [Massimo Biscardi] made three straight field goals and only took credit for one of them."
Student-Athletes
#2 Will Rogers, QB
Q: Going into overtime, when the defense goes out there first and gets the stop, what is the mentality of the offense?WR: "I knew if we got the stop, then we were going to win this game. I know how this team fights. I told some of the defense guys to hold them to three, and we will win the game."
Q: On the 4th-and-2 play, if you throw an incompletion the game is over. Speak about the comfortability you have in those situations with Austin Williams.
WR: "That receiver in the trick formation usually gets the ball. It was not a great throw. They kind of passed it off, so I couldn't lead him. I tried to throw it on his back number, but it was an inaccurate ball. That is what roommates are for, so I guess dishes on me this week."
Q: What does this win say about your team?
WR: "I told the guys in the locker room after the game that it speaks about the character of our individuals. It speaks a lot about the character of this university and the way we carry ourselves on a day-to-day basis. Mississippi and Mississippi State says a lot about the people here and the culture we are building here. It is always good to come out with a win."
#85 Austin Williams, WR
Q: That fourth down grab there. How big was that catch there to get you guys going and eventually get in the endzone?AW: "I just ran a slant there. Will had a tight window, but he put it where it needed to be. It was low. I felt good about it and got my gloves under it. I want the ball to come to me in those situations, so I was excited I got the opportunity to do it and on to the next."
Q: What were some of the struggles you had against that Auburn defense, and how did you guys get back into it late in the game?
AW: "We were frustrated. We hold ourselves to a high standard. That third quarter especially, that's not how we should play ball. They came out hot with a chip on their shoulder and nothing to lose. We have to come out hot after halftime for sure, but that's on us as a team and as an offense. We have to have the right mentality and mindset after half. We should expect to march down the field. They played well. They played hard. They played fast, but we've got to execute better."
Q: What was the team's mindset when you went into overtime?
AW: "We expect to win. We go out there. We're going to execute, and we're going to make it happen. Defense is going to stop them, and offense is going to march on."
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