Arkansas defensive end Lee and defensive back Mitchell preview Saturday’s road game to open SEC opener in Oxford.
in there. [Music] There we go. Matty B, get us going, please. Yeah. Uh, for Philip, Sam was saying that you were having a little bit of a rib issue after last game. Just wondering how you’re doing with that. Uh, I’m good. I’ve been, uh, doing treatment. I’m feeling I’m feeling good. And then you coming from Troy, you know, this is going to be your first crack at at SEC ball. I mean, how much of that was a goal for you coming out of high school to play at this level? Uh, it’s been a real big goal. I actually played against Old Miss at Troy. Uh, I faced them before, so I’m excited to face them again. Yeah. What do you What do you remember from that game? Uh, they was moving pretty fast. That’s really it. They was moving fast. Trey, go ahead. Yeah. Miguel, what do you remember about last year’s game? Obviously, there was um Sorry. What do you remember about last year’s game? Obviously, there was a lot of struggles on the back end. Um, last year, um, I really like feel like we just got off to a slow start and, um, you know, SEC play. Uh, getting off to a slow start is something you can’t do. You want to get ahead and get on top of these teams. So, once they get rolling and get ahead of you, it’s kind of hard to, you know, catch up. So, what we want to do is come out, you know, start fast pretty much. Yeah. what what has been I guess the motivation from coaches and stuff uh about maybe how last year’s game went and then with this game and then your perspective also Philillip on somebody who wasn’t with the team last year like what do what do you see? Um, obviously it’s been talked about because we do play them again, but um, this is a completely different team this year. So, we have a whole different mentality, but um, it’s still the same things. SEC ball, what’s what wins in the SEC is stopping the run and making them onedimensional onedimensional. Yeah. And your your thoughts just what players have said about last year’s game. Uh, we really haven’t been focused on last year game or talk about last year game. We focus on us uh right now, how we can get better, how we getting better each and every game. It’s about us doing our jobs. Thanks, guys. Tom, go ahead. Yeah, Philip, I wanted to ask you about um what what challenges does Old Miss present to you guys from from the run game and the pass game? Uh honestly, it’s not about uh what challenges they bring. It’s about us being in the right gaps, fitting the run, fitting the being able to pass when it’s time to pass. It’s about us doing our job, honestly. Miguel, uh, when you look at Austin Simmons in this passing game, what do you what do you see out of them? What’s the scouting report? Um, they definitely throw a lot of stuff at you. They try to go fast and, uh, get you to kind of miss, um, some easy things that you normally wouldn’t mess up. But, um, I feel like Austin Sim is a good quarterback. He’s a really good young young guy coming in the SEC. I don’t know if y’all keep up with social media much, but Lane Kein’s kind of a a little bit different, a little outspoken kind of coach. What What do y’all think of him as a coach and as you know, a guy who kind of speaks his mind out there? Uh he’s definitely confident and he feels like he’s got a great team and he match up with anyone, but uh I feel like we can do the same thing. Yeah, I agree. Uh he’s a coach just like our coaches. Uh every coach going to praise their team and have confidence in their team just like coach Pitman. Uh, that’s what it’s about. It’s about getting your your guys ready to play a football game. Philip, you flashed early in this season. What do you think kind of helped you uh, you know, get to the quarterback some and just make an impact? Uh, see, um, it’s about me having confidence and knowing what to do and how to do it. And during fall camp, I realized I had to learn a whole new playbook. So, I knew I had to study more. I did that and it helped me build confidence to go out there and play fast and be able to make plays. Yeah. And Miguel, you you Caleb and Larry has made a pretty good safety combination. How do you think that’s going back there with the snaps and the production? Uh we we’ve learned each other pretty well these first two games. You know, we haven’t all been together as a group, but uh we’ve learned a lot about each other as far as, you know, communication, what we do well, what we what we struggle at, and I feel like we’re learning a lot and growing fast. Cool. And then my last thing would be from the other side of the field, Taylor’s off to a great start. 10 passing touchdowns. I mean, he just his running the other night was pretty good. Uh, just what do y’all think of how hard it would be to defend a guy like Taylor? Uh, I feel like Tayen’s a a Swiss Army knife. You know, it it’d be hard going up against him. You know, he can run, he can throw, he can make plays when he needs to, and uh I feel like he gives other defenses a hard time, which is good for Hogs. So, go Hogs there. Yeah. Uh, I say I’m happy he’s on my team. I’m not going to get some for one cuz that dude got it. he got uh from throwing, running. He He’s just special. Y’all see Cory Robinson out in front of uh Washington the other day, 17 yards downfield. What did y’all think of that play? Yeah, I saw it. Um I actually said something to Cory on the bus cuz I went back and watched the film and I was like, “Dang, Cory, you smashed him.” And then they ended up putting it on the media and everybody else saw it, but I had been said something to Cory and was like, “Dang, man, that’s a great play.” My bad. My bad. Uh that’s what it takes to win your old linement doing stuff like that. I mean, you know, you got a good team. Thank God. J, you want the last word there? Uh, Philip, I’d love to talk to you about that third down package you guys got on the defensive line with with you, Quincy, Cam, and Xavier, I think. What is it about that group uh that makes it a threat? Seems like you guys have had some pretty good success getting to the quarterback there. Uh, yeah, when you got a bunch of dogs on the field, everybody ready to eat and everybody try, one goal is get to the quarterback, we all want sacks. So, that’s our goal. We’ve getting each other better by racing to the quarterback. You got two guys in there that are kind of playing out of almost out of position or a different position with Quincy inside and Xavian on the edge. Uh how impressive is it the versatility of those two guys and what they’re doing right there? Uh it’s big. It show that we can do a lot of different stuff. What’s What’s been the most I know this is your first year with Quincy. What’s been the most impressive thing about him and getting to know him so far? Uh he got a big heart and like he welcomed me in. He he was uh with me on my visit. He tal he told me some great stuff about Arkansas. He showed me around. He’s been very close with me and it’s starting to show on the field. We both uh just getting to the quarterback. Miguel, as a guy that maybe was here last year with Quincy and you know, he doesn’t play too much and now he’s already got three sacks in two games coming along. What where have you seen him grow the most over the past couple years? Um just his energy and leadership. You know, he’s more of a leader now. you know, last year he was kind of inexperienced a little bit being that young guy, but now he’s he’s definitely grown into that leadership role on the Dline and he makes my job a lot easier. So, it’s been great for me. Um, Miguel, I got to ask, obviously Miss has some former Hogs on that team that you spent last season with. Any talk in the locker room of just, you know, excited to go up against them, talk to them after the game? Any any chat about those guys this week? Uh, you know, that’s the world we live in now with the transfer portal and everything. So, you going to play a couple guys that you know or been former teammates with? But, uh, we just wish those guys the best and uh, wish them best of luck Saturday. Is it I guess like now that we’re in year whatever the transfer portal, does it is it more normal like was it weird at first maybe when you the first time you do it? Yeah, it’s probably weird at first, but I feel like it’s kind of normalized now, you know, playing some of your old teammates and some of your buddies, you know. Gotcha. And and Miguel, just what was like watching Sori on uh, Saturday? I think he had, you know, 15 tackles, something. I mean, something crazy like that. Just bouncing back from the week one. What was like watching him out there? No, it was great seeing him do that. I was so happy when he got that pick because I’ve seen him do it so many times in practice, that same exact thing. So, just for him to go out there and execute and show what we already know, but put it on display for everybody was amazing. Appreciate it, guys. Matt, back to you. Yeah. I mean, for both of you guys, just how does the start of SEC play maybe bring about more of an intensity or maybe a focus or whatever it is kind of to practice? You know, we have the same mentality whether it’s SEC, nonse um you know, especially on defense, just coming out with that mentality to dominate anybody we line up against. Uh for me, I say, uh like I said before, it’s about us doing our job. So, we getting better every day from practice until game and it’s showing a lot. So, long as we continue to get better, we’re going to be fine. Appreciate your time. We’ll see you Saturday.
