October 31, 2009

RebelSports.net Wire Report

Watch Nutt's post game press conference (Windows Media Format - Run Time: Approximately 6:30)

Ole Miss Head Coach Houston Nutt - Opening statement?

"This is disappointing. It is not how we planned it. We had great preparation throughout the week. You have to give Auburn credit, they did a good job. They played very physical. I thought we had our chances. We were up and down the field in the first half and that first drive was beautiful. We needed at least 14 or 17 as much as we got up and down the field. (Kick returner) Jesse Grandy really gave us a shot in the arm and then (Dexter) McCluster gave us a running game which we thought we were going to win, 34-33, especially when the defense gave us a turnover. You just can't turn it over and that's what our problem was."

On getting pressure on Auburn QB Chris Todd?

"We are trying to do so many different things, cover all our bases, but I was hoping for a little more pressure."

On the play of Auburn's Antonio Coleman?

"Coleman played on a different level today. He was on a different level than what we saw on film. We had a hard time with him,
then we tried to chip him a little bit. It takes away a receiver."

On the third quarter?

"It was a score-fest, just back and forth. I really thought when (Jesse) Grandy returned that kick, I really thought we were back in it. I thought we were there in the end when we got a couple of three and outs. We just didn't capitalize like we needed to."

On passing deep?

"Near the end their safeties played deep. They played a lot of two deep so it is hard. We should have gone deep earlier. We were running the ball so well and getting five or six yards a carry. Our play action was good and that's what Jevan (Snead) does best. You just go with those things that try to give Jevan the best chance or give him something he is comfortable with. It is just disappointing. We had opportunities. I see it that we stopped ourselves. Brandon's fumble was really costly when we were inside the 30. When the defense got the fumble and we didn't get any points on that, it hurt."

On Dexter McCluster's injury?

"From the span where he was out, that really hurt us. Everything is built around him. It was spasms. You worry about how many touches you give him and how many times he can touch it with his weight and size. He got hit pretty good. He is a winner and a fighter and he will get back there as soon as he can."

On the inconsistency of the running backs?

"Right now we are putting the ball in Dexter McCluster's hands. He gives us our best chance."

On Auburn's offense?

"They got us a couple times and we had a couple of busts. We had our eyes in the wrong spots."

On Tommy Trott's touchdown?

"We weren't looking in the right place, especially the safety. We got caught up in the play action and let their guy go."

On coming into this game?

"Going on the road in the SEC, you know what to expect. It's going to be a dogfight every single day."

On coming back from a loss?

"We have been playing well the past couple of weeks. We have been executing. I felt good about our offense and defense. We are going to win next week and then come back for a three‐game stretch. We still have a chance to go to a bowl game and they know that. They got a taste of that last year and they know what that feels like."

On Auburn's pass protection?

"They mixed it up. Sometimes they would have the tight end and the back-up running back in. They did a fake and go play-action and protect, nothing we didn't know about. You have to give them credit, they executed well today. It's not what we saw from the past three weeks but they did a good job."


SERIES INFORMATION

This meeting was 34th all-time between the Rebels and Tigers dating back to 1928, and Auburn holds a 25-9 advantage in the series. The Tigers own a 12-2 advantage over the Rebels in games played in Auburn.

CAPTAINS (All Seniors)

John Jerry (OT), Kendrick Lewis (FS), Marcus Tillman (DE), Patrick Trahan (LB).

GENERAL NOTES

This game marked the 14th time for Ole Miss to play on Halloween ... The Rebels are 6-7-1 in these encounters ... Ole Miss is 4-4-1 in Halloween day games. Ole Miss has opened SEC play 2-3 for the second straight year. The Rebels' 24-point third quarter deficit is the team's largest of the year.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

Senior Dexter McCluster topped 100 rushing yards for the second straight game and second time in his career ... His 186 is the most since BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 226 yards against Missouri in 2007 ... McClusters' 79-yard TD run marked the longest rush of his career and his second rushing TD of the season ... McCluster also hauled in four catches for 17 yards and exceeded 200 all-purpose yards for the second straight week.

Senior WR Shay Hodge notched his second 100-yard receiving game of the year and third of his career with seven catches for 107 yards ... It marks his third game of the season with at least seven receptions.

Junior QB Jevan Snead finished 16-of-35 for 175 yards, one TD and two interceptions ... Snead failed to reach 200 passing yards and throw for multiple TDs for the first time in three games ... He has thrown for at least two scores in all but three games this season.

Sophomore RB Brandon Bolden collected four catches for 46 yards, including a career-long 43-yarder ... His 10 rushing yards is a season low.

Senior FB Andy Hartmann hauled in his third TD catch of the year with a seven-yarder on the opening drive of the game.

Ole Miss' 94-yard drive to open the game was the team's longest of the year.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

Ole Miss surrendered season highs in points (33) and yards (401).

Junior S Johnny Brown topped the team in tackles for the third time this season with 10 stops ... It marks his third double-digit tackle performance.

Junior LB Jonathan Cornell collected a career-high nine tackles along with a two QB pressures.

Senior S Kendrick Lewis finished with seven total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one pass break-up.

Senior DE Greg Hardy posted a pair of sacks to raise his team-high season total to 5.0 in seven games of action.

Ole Miss was credited with eight TFLs, including three sacks.

Auburn's first field goal marked just the second score Ole Miss has allowed in the first quarter this year ... The Rebels have surrendered only six points in the opening stanza this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

In only his fourth game handling returns, freshman Jesse Grandy notched his second kickoff return for a TD with his 82-yarder in the third quarter ... Grandy is only the third Rebel to return two kickoffs for TDs in the same season and the first since John Avery in 1996. The other is Vernon Studdard in 1970.

Senior K Joshua Shene missed his first field goal of the year at the end of the first quarter from 44 yards, and is now 8-for-9 for the season ... He had been the only remaining SEC kicker that was perfect in field goals ... In the third quarter, Shene had a PAT blocked for the second time this season.

Freshman P Tyler Campbell notched his fourth punt of 50-plus yards with a 53-yarder ... He finished with a 43.7-yard average in six attempts with two inside the 20 yardline.