Video: MSU, Ole Miss Explain Magnitude of Egg Bowl Rivalry

(Mississippi State’s release is below)

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI/Ole Miss Athletics) — Ole Miss Football Head Coach Hugh Freeze met with the media on Monday recapping last Saturday’s game at Vanderbilt, and previewed this Saturday’s Egg Bowl (2:30 p.m., SEC Network).

Opening Statement…
“It’s Egg Bowl week. That should be enough motivation for our players and coaches to prepare accordingly. It’s a game that means an extraordinary amount to this university, to our fan base and to theirs. It’s going to be a great challenge. We’ve had obviously a lot of adversity throughout the course of this year. To prepare to try to get a sixth win and gain bowl eligibility against your in-state rival, these games are always quite interesting, regardless of records. They’re always highly competitive and I know this one will be no different. We have a great challenge in trying to stop their offense. It’s a good scheme, and their quarterback (sophomore Nick Fitzgerald) is playing at a really high level with skilled receivers. Defensively, they’ve given up yards and points, as have we, and we’ve got to be sure that we’re scoring touchdowns in the red zone when we get those opportunities, because it seems, as you watch them and you watch us, that it could easily be who scores the most touchdowns. I hope that’s not necessarily the case on our part, but when you look at it realistically, the things they do, they have a good scheme. Dan (Mullen) does a good job at that, and their quarterback is making them efficient in the run game. He’s a talented runner and he’s throwing the ball well, particularly last week. It’s going to be a great atmosphere Saturday afternoon here. Our fans will show up and help us defend the Egg Bowl.”

On his message to the team…
“Yesterday, we made sure that the young guys, many of them we’re depending upon to help this week, understand the importance of this game and the importance of how we want our seniors to go out and gain bowl eligibility for those guys. We’re a beat-up football team. John Youngblood spoke yesterday and did a marvelous job, but unfortunately he can’t participate, as Chad Kelly can’t and others. Evan Engram is hurt. Issac Gross is hurt. They’ll be questionable for the game, along with the many others we have. DaMarkus Lodge will be out, as will D’Vaughn Pennamon. Offensive line wise, Sean Rawlings and Robert Conyers will try their best to get ready to go. They have to understand the magnitude of this game. Our young kids, for the value of the seniors and our program getting the extra practices and getting to a bowl game, it’s vital that they understand that. We’ve got to find out who the warriors are for this week, and that’s who you’ve got to play and get ready to go.”

On freshman quarterback Shea Patterson…
“He’s probably about where you would expect any freshman who came out this early in the season to be. He had a great game at Texas A&M by many people’s standards. But we watched the film and you see there are still many things he doesn’t quite understand. The Vanderbilt game, there was some of that also. But he also had about 10 drops. He missed a couple of passes too, he had Quincy Adeboyejo on a touchdown and Evan (Engram) on a touchdown and he missed those. So it’s a combination. But he definitely had quite a few drops where if he did make those throws, we might be sitting here feeling differently. There would still be stuff on film that he’s got to get an understanding of. It’s great that we have some extra time this week with classes not in session that he can get some extra film. We can make sure he feels great about what we’re trying to do this Saturday. There were a lot of good things he did, but still a ways to go.”

On the mindset of the young players…
“It’s hard to tell just from a Sunday meeting, because I do most of the talking. It’s our job to get them ready for this game, regardless of if we had one win, or five wins or 10 wins. We know this game is going to be a battle. It always is. For us to have this to gain bowl eligibility, I’m certain that’s something they want to keep us from, and it’s something we desperately want to achieve. They have to understand. We have to find the kids who understand it and are willing to put the premium on preparation for this game, and those are the ones we’ve got to play.”

On Patterson’s ability to scramble…
“More reps would be helpful. He definitely got out of the pocket at times the other night where he didn’t have to. He was anxious. I think the answer to that is just more reps. That’s why we need more practices in the bowl time and the spring to get him ready for next season. We’ll work on it some this week, but the best teacher is experience for that. He’ll see it on film. He already has, and we’ll learn from it.”

On the offensive line play vs. Vanderbilt…
“I believe there was one sack, maybe two. Shea (Patterson) got out of the pocket early some times where I thought they had good protection. We got away from running the ball a little bit. They changed some things after we hurt them on the first two drives running the ball. They found some answers, and we didn’t respond really well to handling the different fronts they went to. It was an average performance for us offensive-line wise.”

On the drops vs. Vanderbilt…
“They would like to blame the cold weather. Damore’ea Stringfellow, he got his hand stepped on at practice last week. It was giving him problems. He was very honest that, ‘Coach, I’ll play for you, but I’m struggling to catch the balls I normally can catch.’ Then Lodge had the foot injury, so he was out. It has to be a lack of concentration or something. We were not normal. It certainly affected the outcome of the game.”

On preparing for Mississippi State QB Nick Fitzgerald…
“We have to win first downs. They’re like a lot of us, when they get into their third-down packages with a quarterback like that, it’s very difficult to plan for and to stop and have success. We have to win first down against a guy like him. I think that’s a critical stat to follow in this game, being able to win that down and get them into third-and-long. If you’re always worried about, if it’s either run or pass, it can be difficult.

On Jimmie Johnson winning his seventh NASCAR championship…
“I did watch it late last night when I got home. I was fired up to see the ending. It was very competitive. I think he’s got to be, with the talent in the field these days, it’d be hard to argue that he isn’t close to the best of all time. I didn’t get to follow it as closely in the other eras. But I think his whole crew and his organization is pretty special.”

On the health of Evan Engram…
“If any way possible Evan will go. I know that about him. He’s going to try his best to get prepared to go.”

On preparing to play the first half without DeMarquis Gates…
“You’ve got to prepare multiple guys. You can’t just have one guy. We’ll try to find the best fit against what they do. But you have to have two-deep ready to go.”

On the health of A.J. Brown…
“He seemed pretty good yesterday; sore, but I think he’ll be fine.”

On if having Jason Pellerin will help in preparation for Fitzgerald…
“We’ll do a little more self-service this week, where our offense does the scouting. The scouts go home Wednesday, so Thursday will be a good day for sure. And Jason is similar in size, so I think that will be helpful.”

On the health of Tony Bridges…
“I think (he’ll play this weekend). He’s day-to-day, but he seemed to be much better yesterday than he was the previous week.”

On the legacy of the senior class…
“By the people who are very close to the program and those of us who have worked with them, there’s no doubt in our mind that they have rejuvenated and made Ole Miss football relevant again. That will be the memory. Unfortunately, it’s a ‘What have you done for me lately society,’ so some will choose to put emphasis on the disappointing season that many view us as having, including myself. But the totality of what they have done here, you can’t argue. Two New Year’s Six bowl games, four straight bowl games, hopefully making it five after Saturday, that’s what they should be remembered for.”

On experience gained through injuries…
“Experience is the best teacher. There’s a lot to learn from this season from a coaching standpoint and from our players. I think I saw a stat where we’re playing the second-most freshmen in the nation right now this year. We’re going to count on them next year for sure. So hopefully this is going to be a good experience of reps in competitive situations, but also an experience of how to handle negativity and adversity when you’re not playing really well and learn to change that faster throughout the course of individual games.”

On if the switch from Kelly to Patterson could have contributed to drops…
“We thought about that. Many of the drops were very accurate the other night, or at least in range of where our guys normally make catches. The velocity might be a little bit different, but I don’t know if that has a lot to do with it. You still focus on making the catch on the tip of the ball and everything you’ve done in repetitions over and over again on the jugs machine. I don’t know if it was the colder weather, and everything feels a little different. It felt different to Shea (Patterson) throwing; he was struggling to keep his hands warm. But, (Vanderbilt) caught some tough catches on their, side, so you can’t use that. You’ve got to focus on doing your job. Hopefully we’ll have a beautiful Saturday afternoon here and we’ll go back to being who we’ve been most of the year.”

On how rewarding it would be to make a bowl game this year…
“Very rewarding to me. I’ve been very open about that, that I think at Ole Miss, when you’re consistently going to bowls year in and year out, having the extra practices, is helpful in building a program that is consistent and competitive in the Southeastern Conference. It’s very difficult to win all of these games when the margin of error is so small. But when you continually get the opportunities to do that and get extra reps and extra practices and get experience in bowl games, it’s helpful in recruiting, it’s helpful in developing the young kids. It’s very important.”

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – One of the most storied rivalries in college football continues Saturday as Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen previewed the 89^th Egg Bowl at his weekly press conference on Monday.

Kickoff for the Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels is 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday live on SEC Network from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Brent Musburger, Jesse Palmer and Kaylee Hartung will call the action.

Below are quotes from Mullen’s press conference:

Opening statement…

“It’s obviously a big game any time you have rivalry games. They are huge for anybody, especially when you have an in-state rivalry. There are a lot of bragging rights for the fans. People take a lot of pride in winning the game and having bragging rights for the year. Our guys understand how important this game is and how much it means to the fan base of both schools. We have to come back and have a great week at practice. With Thanksgiving holidays, we will continue our schedule. There is less school so we have more time to practice. Hopefully we will have a great week in preparation and follow it up with a great performance on Saturday.”

On quarterback Nick Fitzgerald…

“He has progressed and has done a nice job within his progression. He is more comfortable making throws, making reads and going through things. He is playing with a little more confidence. He is more confident with what is happening on the field. With the quarterback position, all of that comes with time. When you are developing as a quarterback, I don’t think you can ever get enough game reps and experience. He has done a nice job in moving forward and being a better player today than he was at the beginning of the season.”

On linebackers Dez Harris and J.T. Gray…

“They are coming along. They both have had different routes on their career. Gray played as a true freshman a little and accelerated that way. Harris suffered from some injuries. Both are great attitude, hardworking guys. I expect them to continue to progress. We need those guys to step up because they are the leaders for next year.”

On the defense’s performance against Arkansas…

“There were a lot of issues everywhere. We didn’t fit right, missing linemen, poor communication and missed tackles. Not a very good performance.”

On Ole Miss quarterback Shea Patterson…

“He is coming along. He graduated early so he had the opportunity to go through spring practice, training camp and now the season. He got his opportunity and he has done his best to take advantage of it.”

On defensive game plan…

“I thought we played a really solid defensive game against Texas A&M. We have given up some explosive plays the last two weeks. Part of that is just not giving up explosive plays, being disciplined in what we are doing in our fits, making the tackles and winning the one-on-one battles.”

On incoming freshmen graduating early…

“I think it always helps to graduate early, especially as a quarterback. Getting the opportunity to go through spring, it is your first time learning a system. Spring is going to be a slowed down version of what you do in training camp. Getting the opportunity to go through spring, you get to learn a new system and language in a slower process than in the summer. You have already learned it once in the spring then you get to learn it a second time in training camp. You start to feel comfortable and know what is going on.”

On tight end Farrod Green’s play…

“He has done a great job in his performance. I think he has really stepped up his game and made plays for us in the running and passing game.”

On the outcome of the Egg Bowl…

“A win makes you happy and a loss makes you sad.”

On the importance of the Egg Bowl this year…

“There have been times that this game was all there was. I think, over the last couple of years, both programs have done a great job of raising their level of play and what they have to play for. Both teams have been playing for bigger things. The success for both teams over the past couple of years has made this game not as much of an all or nothing game like it has been in the past.”

On both teams’ struggles this season…

“They have been dealing with some injuries and we have dealt with tons of injuries all year long. I think the depth of teams in this league is what makes it so tough especially in the (SEC) West. They are an excellent football team. I’m sure they can look back and if they changed three plays of the season, they would have a very different outcome. I know that we can say that. I think that margin of error, when you are playing in the SEC West, is so small.”

On senior linebacker Richie Brown’s impact…

“(Brown) has showed that he has believed in us and believed in our program. He has had a very successful career as a football player on the field and off the field with all of the community service work that he has done. He is now married, has an undergraduate degree and working on his master’s degree. He is going to be very successful and not just in the short-term but in the long-term of life hopefully.”

On Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram…

“He is a tough matchup. If you look, offensive coaches are always trying to create mismatches. When you have a player who is a multi-position player, they are tough to matchup with because he can do the things he needs to do as a tight end physically, but has the athleticism of a wide out. If you try to match him up as a wide out, he has size and physicality on you. If you try to match him up as a tight end, he has a lot of athletic edge on you. They do a great job of moving him around and taking advantage of his skillset.”

On Ole Miss’s defense…

“They are a very athletic team. Their defensive front gets after it with a great deal of speed. They are not the biggest team in the league. Their style is to play a very aggressive, fast, speed-orientated defense.”

On his approach to the Egg Bowl after eight years…

“I think I have matured as a coach throughout the past eight years. You always treat these weeks just a little bit different. Rivalry games are a little different feeling around the office and preparation. I understood that eight years ago and it hasn’t changed for me today.”

On his team’s chances for bowl eligibility…

“It is not something that we can control. I try not to worry about things that I cannot control. If that happens, I would be happy. I am sure our players will be happy. The general bowl game experience is a tremendous experience for all student-athletes. If the phone rang and invited us, I wouldn’t say no.”

On the feeling of ending the season with a win…

“To end the season on a win is always important because you don’t play for many months. It is a special memory for the guys who are playing their last game to walk off the field with a win. For all of us who are still here, to come off of a win in your last game going into the next season is a great feeling for that break. If you have a tough loss like we did on Saturday, you get to go back to work on Sunday and try to change it around seven days later. You don’t want to be stuck with the feeling of a loss.”