Mississippi State Coach Jackie Sherrill's transcript

OPENING COMMENTS
We knew coming in that we would have to make some adjustments. In retrospect, we didn't play when the game was in our position to win it. We had an opportunity to play better and didn't. The kick we missed was almost like an extra point. We had a bad snap and a low kick. In the overtime, Arkansas, you have to hand it to them, they played great football. We felt we made the right call on fourth down when we were on the goal line, we just didn't execute. Everybody in this league has talent and you have to play to the max every week. If you don't, you'll lose, because every team can match your talent.

WERE YOU SURPRISED BY ARKANSAS' DEFENSE?
No. We probably should have gone with no backs and spread the ball more. We missed some blocks. We missed a linebacker here and a linebacker there with our blocks that would have given us some more yards. We had our chances to score, we just didn't take advantage of them.

WAS THERE SOME CONFUSION WITH YOUR BLOCKING SCHEMES?
We weren't confused, we just didn't block.

WILL YOU COMMENT ON ALL THE TRASH-TALKING THAT TOOK PLACE?
I can't answer that. There was one team in this game with nothing to lose and another team that had everything to lose. We were on that [everything to lose] side today.

WHAT WAS THE BREAKDOWN ON THE MISSED FIELD GOAL AT THE END OF REGULATION?
It was the snap, the hold and kick. [Dicenzo] Miller had a hard time picking the ball up and Scott [Westerfield] started, had to stop and when he started again, didn't get the kick up.

DID THE WEATHER AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME?
It was the same for both teams. It was just as much a factor for Arkansas as it was for us. This was a big win for Arkansas. They made the plays.

WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT BRANDON HOLMES?
Nothing, but it wasn't the running as much as it was the blocking. We didn't do as good of job of it as Arkansas did. We didn't do as good a job in the fourth quarter as we did in the first three quarters.

YOU HAVE A SHORT WEEK AHEAD OF YOU TO PREPARE FOR OLE MISS, DOES THIS LOSS MAKE IT TOUGHER ON YOUR TEAM TO BOUNCE BACK?
It makes it a lot tougher. But we were in this position last year. We lost this game last year, so we've been there before.

This article was published on Sunday, November 19, 2000

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