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Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011
Nutt searches for answers, preaches patience
Boone talks about Nutt, state of football program BY DAVID HENSON dahenson@olemiss.edu
PETRE THOMAS | The Daily Mississippian
Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt looks on as junior defensive end Gerald Rivers sacks Vanderbilt senior quarterback Larry Smith in Saturday’s 30-7 loss. Nutt addressed the media in the team meeting room of the Indoor Practice Facility Monday afternoon.
BY BENNETT HIPP jbhipp@olemiss.edu
When Ole Miss head football coach Houston Nutt got back to Oxford, he was still thinking about the disappointment he experienced this past Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. “Anyone who was disappointed Saturday, you can multiply that times 99 for me,” Nutt said. “It all starts with me. Now the bottom line is, it’s up to us as coaches (and) players, to do our job.” Saturday’s 30-7 loss to Vanderbilt featured an Ole Miss offense that committed five turnovers and gained only 234 yards of total offense. “I’ve been here once before, and I understand what
inside
it takes,” he said. “We’ve got some good young men who are playing hard, (and) we’ve got to get more.” Nutt said all 11 players have to show up and go all out on each play, and many times that is not happening, especially on offense. “Even though Vanderbilt is better than they’ve been in the past, there’s just no excuse for the way we played offensively,” Nutt said. “There’s just none — can’t play like that.” After the game, Ole Miss offensive coordinator David Lee talked about simplifying the offense. On Monday, Nutt echoed those same sentiments, agreeing that the Rebels needed to make some changes to the offensive playbook. “Obviously, we can’t get
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lined up — that’s what frustrates me the most, don’t get lined up, substitutions not right, illegal procedure,” Nutt said. “That can’t be a part of our personality. We will cut back a little bit to make sure we know exactly what we are doing.” Nutt said he will not be taking over the play calling for Lee after this past Saturday’s struggles on offense. “I’m going to leave that with David (Lee) right now,” he said of play-calling responsibilities. “I’m going to be more involved, really with everything, especially on offense. But I still believe in these coaches, I know that we’re better than that, and I just know that they’re going to get it done.” See NUTT, PAGE 4
Vol. 100 No. 186
After Saturday’s loss, fans were not the only ones embarrassed and upset by the performance of their Rebels. University of Mississippi athletics director Pete Boone, who watched the closing minutes of the game from field level at Vanderbilt Stadium, was not pleased either. “I am just like every fan,” Boone said in Monday’s press conference. “I go up and down with emotion. What I have to do is, as quickly as possible, set them aside and deal with facts.” Boone met with head coach Houston Nutt Sunday afternoon to discuss the state of the football program. Following the meeting, Boone sent a letter to football ticket holders expressing disappointment and addressing Saturday’s “unacceptable” performance. “I’m sure everyone who loves Ole Miss is frustrated,” he said. “Nutt and I had a discussion, and he thinks issues are correctable and fixable within the program. “That’s his job and what he’ll be doing. My job is to give coaches everything (they) need to be successful, and I need to make sure that I do that.” Meeting with Coach Nutt to discuss the state of the program
on a Sunday afternoon following a game is not routine. Under the circumstances, Boone thought it was time to talk to Nutt and his staff. “This was a rare circumstance — that I called for an in-season meeting with Nutt,” he said. “I didn’t want the coaches to be walking around on egg shells. I felt we needed to talk now.” While Boone would not divulge specific details about what was said during the meeting Sunday, he wants the players and coaches to have “a little bit more fire, a little bit more attitude” and know that “our players and our coaches ought to leave everything out there on the field at the end of the day.” Boone went on to say that everyone needs to be on the same page and working toward the same goal of improving the play on the field. “You need the family to be together,” he said. “It’s a tough world, tough athletics, and your family has to fight together and stay strong together. If it is not, there’s a tall hill to climb.” Boone said he would “take it a day at a time” on evaluating Nutt for the rest of the season and is “not going to try and focus too much on the future.” See BOONE , PAGE 4
PETRE THOMAS | The Daily Mississippian
Ole Miss Athletics Director addresses the media Monday after Saturday’s 30-7 loss at Vanderbilt.
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