Dec. 8, 2002

Head Coach David Cutcliffe

Opening Comments
First of all, I want to thank the Independence Bowl for the opportunity and the invitation. We're extremely excited to be going to the Independence Bowl. We've been there before, and we're excited about going back. We know that there is nobody in America that will treat you better than the people at the Independence Bowl.

As for the opportunity to play Nebraska, they have one of the most storied programs in college football. We're excited about the challenge of playing them.

Q: With the last win, do you feel like some things are corrected now and you have some momentum going into the postseason?

A: We were correcting things when we were in the midst of our losing streak, and I thought we got better each week. And we found a way to win that last ball game. It's always a work in progress. We do feel like there is some momentum. Our players are excited and anxious to get back out on the practice field.

Q: When will practice begin?

A: The players are in finals, but some will throw a little this week when they can manage time. But, we'll get some throwing in even if it is just a skeleton crew. I'm looking at trying to get started Friday (Dec. 13) evening when finals are finished. This is still tentative, but we will practice through Dec. 20 before we break for a day or two and then meet back in Shreveport.

Q: What do you know about Nebraska and have you had a chance to take a look at them?

A: I haven't seen any tape because I've been on the road. I know Nebraska is a very talented football team. They have a lot of weapons on offense and they'll be physical. I know they have played a lot of tough games and have lost a lot of close ones, but I also know they are an outstanding football team.

Q: What would it mean to get a possible win over a program like Nebraska?

A: It would be significant for us to beat Nebraska with its reputation and history. It would be a confidence builder for us because our players are very aware of how outstanding Nebraska's program has been for so many years. It would be significant, and it's going to be a challenge.

Q: You faced Nebraska as an assistant at Tennessee. What was different about Nebraska than any other team you faced?

A: They were certainly the most physical team we played. They run the ball right at you. They play physical defense. They were very, very strong. I haven't had a chance to look at this Nebraska team, but I'm sure they are typical of all Nebraska teams. They will be very hard-nosed and very physical.

Q: How challenging is it to put together a staff, prepare for a bowl game and recruit during this time like Nebraska is doing?

A: It was like that for us for our first Independence Bowl (in 1998). We had a lot happening with recruiting, putting together a staff and doing other things. It's always challenging, but I'm sure they have a plan. He (Coach Frank Solich) has a lot of veteran people around him, and they have a plan and they are focused on what they are doing.

Q: Is there a shot to get Lanier Goethie back?

A: I hope we'd have a chance to get Lanier back. He didn't feel close to being ready when we were preparing for Mississippi State. Whether two or three weeks will be significant, I don't know.

Q: Is the time off going to help everybody heading into the bowl game?

A: I hope so. We have had a lot of players with ankle injuries and have had some nagging injuries that have stayed with some all year long. Eddie Strong can finally heal a little more. We'll get a good assessment on that by the end of this week. We'll have some time off, so hopefully they'll be much better.

Athletics Director Pete Boone
We were excited to receive the phone call from Randy James this afternoon. We're really thrilled about the opportunity to play in the Independence Bowl. The Independence Bowl has been good to us over the years. We've made four previous appearances in the game. Our fans are excited and had always attended the Independence Bowl in large numbers. With playing Nebraska and the tradition they have, our fans will show up again and cheer on the Rebels.

Ole Miss Players

Ben Claxton
It's (playing Nebraska) is obviously a great opportunity for our program. It's something that we are looking forward to. We didn't know if we were going to get into a bowl game, and now that we know, it's just a great feeling. We're going to play a great Nebraska team and that just adds to the excitement of playing the game. They have a storied tradition and they have been in the upper echelon of college football for many years.

I haven't had a chance to watch this Nebraska team play a lot this year. I've been focused on our games during the season. I know their offense is based around the option, and they have a solid defense. They always have great players, and it's going to be a challenge for us.

It was rough last year (not playing in a bowl). We felt like we should have been in a bowl game. We had won enough games and had beaten some quality opponents. It just wasn't meant to be for us last year. This year was a little different for us. We didn't play as well as we did a year ago. For us, it came down to our last game to be bowl eligible. We won that, and now we're excited about the opportunity ahead of us. This feeling is a whole lot sweeter because we weren't in one last year.

Jason Armstead
Nebraska has always had a physical football team and one that is going to compete with you for four quarters. They run the option on offense, and their defense is hard-nosed. They are straightforward with the way they play both offensively and defensively. They give you what you expect, so it will be up to us to go out and get our job done.

It is special to be playing in a bowl my senior year. It's a chance to come out and play one more game with my teammates. Last year, we came up short, but this season, we put ourselves in a position to get in a bowl game, and that's what we were looking for.

We have a lot of speed on offense and defense, and Nebraska has a lot of big guys. I feel our overall team speed may give us a small edge over them in that area.

Eddie Strong
Nebraska is a very physical team, and they have an excellent program. We know they run the ball very well, and our job will be to try to contain their running game. Playing against the option the entire game is something different for us, so we'll have to work on all phases of defending the option.

The chance to play a program like Nebraska is going to be special. They have so many national championships and so many winning seasons, and to play them in my final game will be great. For me to play my final game in a bowl with my teammates will be something special.

We have played against some teams in our league that run the option at times during the game. But, Nebraska is known for the option. When you think Nebraska, you think the option game and they run it so well. In our league, teams that run some option mix it up with other things.

Eric Oliver
Nebraska is a more dangerous team, and they will play even harder because many are saying they have had a down season. When you face Nebraska, that means you are facing one of the best option teams in the nation, and that is a tough assignment.

We know we're going to have to stop the run. We will have to tackle well and get them to the ground the best way we can.

We lost five in a row near the end of the season, and obviously we didn't want that to happen. But, everything has worked out because we're going to a bowl. The entire season didn't go the way we wanted it to, but we finished strong and now have the chance to play in a bowl.

Last year, we won some big games, but our bowl hopes came down to the Mississippi State game and we were unable to pull that one out. It's special this year. We didn't play up to our potential at times, but it worked out for us because we got in a bowl game.