Texas A&M focused on shoring up little mistakes against Ole Miss

Needing to avoid falling to a losing record, the Aggies will now prepare for their date with Ole Miss in Oxford on Saturday. Jimbo Fisher and select players met with the media to discuss how they will go about game-planning for the Rebels.

The following are live, paraphrased notes from head coach Jimbo Fisher's press conference prior to Saturday’s game against Ole Miss.

• After evaluating the tape, I thought, offensively, we came out and did a great job on the first drive. It was a great balance. I thought the offensive line played better in the game. I thought they improved over the break. We moved the ball well; I thought we did what we did. Not a lot of missed assignments. Got beat physically, but guys were where they were supposed to be. Against a team like Alabama, there is no room for lapses anywhere. Scored 28, I thought we could have scored some more. They have really good field guys on special teams. We have to work on our pass rush. We had a big interception from Demani. We have to be a little bit better. Defense: we have to do a better job and get a better pass rush. Kicking game: I was very disappointed. We have been very good at that in the past. We need to be more accurate in our placement. They did some schemes, and they were able to get a guy free almost every time. When you punt it in the middle instead of on the right where it’s supposed to be, that can cause big problems. That was disappointing because they started on their 47. That can’t happen against Alabama. Alabama is a very good football team, and they can beat you in all three phases. We had their skill guys in the right position, and then we just missed some tackles. We are going to try to improve in all areas ahead of Ole Miss.
   
• We have always believed in playing the best guys on special teams. I don’t believe in resting your starters on special teams. We put our best players out there.
   
• We have three guys on our staff who have been special teams coordinators. We spend as much time on special teams as anybody. It’s not that we don’t spend time in that area — we work on it, and it’s been good. We didn’t do what we needed to on Saturday.
   
• The punishment for a quarterback you take out of the pocket is not as bad as what you take inside the pocket. We don’t like our quarterback taking hits.
   
• We have a pretty good football team, but we have to be more consistent. It comes down to the way that we practice.
   
• It’s still wins and losses, and you have to win games. Each player gets graded out individually, and I grade the whole team. You grade how much more consistent is he. Sometimes he is playing against a first-round draft pick. We all want wins, but we have to keep things into perspective and see how our guys are progressing.
   
• Jalen Wydermyer has taken some good steps in the passing game as well as in his blocking. He has progressed and is going to be a really, really good player.
   
• There aren’t many other options there on the bench in terms of running backs. I think our running backs have gotten better in the last two weeks. We have Kibodi, Isaiah and Cordarrian. Cordarrian missed a week of practice a week ago with a family issue.
   
• The same structure we had at Florida State we have here in terms of special teams.
   
• Ole Miss can throw it, and their QBs can run. They rotate quarterbacks, and you think one runs, one throws, but then they switch it up on you. They have powers, zone reads. They do it and do it well, and that’s their identity.
   
• You say Ole Miss is a run team, but they still throw it. They run to throw, and Alabama throws to run. They are backward.
   
• We have work to do, and we have to do better. I want fans to have expectations. I still feel very well about the direction that we are going. I can watch the film and see we are getting better, and recruiting is going well. I think we are going in the right direction.
   
• As a team, you have to understand how to take advantage of opportunities. You have to keep sawing wood, and it will be there.