Football vs. Ole Miss Postgame Quotes
10/2/2021 7:13:00 PM | Football
Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban
Opening statement
"I was really pleased with our win today. I think our players did an outstanding job, especially in the first half of dictating the tempo of the game. They played really well, had some key fourth down stops, moved the ball well on offense. We made some fourth downs, which made a big difference, but I thought we really, really played well. We knew that we were going to need to run the ball in this game, which is part of the plan. B-Rob [Brian Robinson Jr.] did an outstanding job. Bryce [Young] did a good job. He was in the right place.
"If there was a negative in the game, it would be that we've got to learn how to finish a game. We didn't finish the game like we like, you know not making fourth down, letting them score, mis-executes and some things throughout the game, but it's a great win. They have a good team. They have a lot of good players, and they are very well coached. You know Lane does a really good job with them, and their players play hard and it's a physical game.
"I'm really proud of the way our guys competed in the game. I hope that we can build on this, the guys can build on the things that they do well and understand on the things that they need to improve on that they did poorly, so we can continue to make progress as a team."
Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin
Opening statement
"Credit to Alabama first off ... their players ... coaching staff. They're the No. 1 team in the country, and we were coming in here playing in front of 100,000 [people]. We said all week, we have to do everything right to give yourself a chance, and obviously we didn't do that. We had chances to get off the field. Had Bryce [Young] sacked a couple of times and let him out. Not making fourth downs and not finishing that first drive, but then multiple drives on fourth down. I'm sure we got killed on going for it on fourth down, but that's analytics. We believe in our players, and it doesn't work all the time. When it works or it doesn't work and you follow the book, it doesn't look good. Also, that's why it's analytics, not just doing whatever you want to do because you can easily get a punt blocked ... you can give up a punt return for net of nothing and be exactly the same. Disappointing, but it's one game. That never defines a season. They're a great team, and we struggled with them on offense obviously, especially up front. I mean, I guess 31 [Will Anderson Jr.] has got another year, but he should go be the first pick in the draft."
