SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 20, 2023

Quinshon Judkins

Ole Miss Rebels

Press Conference

Q. Quinshon, curious to know how your time at Pike Road helped prepare you for Ole Miss? Last year what was the biggest thing being part of the program helped elevate your game?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: I think being at Pike Road prepared me as far as time management, waking up early. In my Clemson schedule, it kind of resembles my high school schedule as far as the things that I did, the things I've done in my career in high school. I think it just helped me adjust to my college career better.

Q. Obviously you had a great freshman season, 16 touchdowns. What are you doing to make sure you don't have a 'sophomore slump'?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: Just continuing to work hard, remain humble, do what got me here. Keeping the main thing the main thing. I think as far as being the best you can, doing everything in your power to make your game better and perfect your craft. I think that's the only thing that you can control.

Q. Being from Pike Road, is it more special to play against Auburn or Alabama?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: I don't think so. That's the area I come from, but I don't think it makes the game more special or anything. I think my situation is coming into any game, I come in with the same mindset and same goal, which is to win.

Q. There's a lot of kids out of Montgomery that want to be where you are today, play for a Power Five conference. What is your advice to them in high school?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: My advice is to take high school serious, the position that you're in. Just take it day by day. Enjoy the journey. Control what you can control. Put school first, your education. Make sure you are just a great person as well as a great player or teammate or whatever.

Q. One of your former teammates from Pike Road, Malik Blocton, is coming to the SEC. What can you tell us about the kind of player that he is?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: I'm excited for everybody in the youth that has come through Pike Road, kind of paved the way for the young guys there. I'm excited to see the other recruits they can get through Pike Road and go to college and expand their game even in college.

Q. (No microphone.)

QUINSHON JUDKINS: In practice? Definitely me, yeah, sure (smiling).

Q. What was the selling point for you when you had the discussion with Lane Kiffin that brought you to Oxford, Mississippi?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: I think just as far as the situation that I was in, that he will put me in. As far as in high school, being recruited by a lot of schools, it's hard to recruit a guy to a school and just have the situation that he wants at your school, your selling point.

I think the selling point for me was how Coach Kiffin could use me in the passing game, the run game, not being a basic running back. Expanding my game and showing the NFL and everybody what I can do as a player.

Q. You just mentioned being used in the passing game. Every time we blink, Coach Kiffin is bringing in another quarterback. How is that in practice working with so many guys?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: It's exciting, very exciting. I'm confident in every guy that he brings in because I know he knows what he's doing. He's bringing guys in. I'm excited to see those guys compete.

Q. If you want to be ready to play early in the SEC, what advice would you give?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: I think as far as playing early in the SEC, which is the hardest conference to play in, I think as far as a player, you have to prepare well. Really that's probably the biggest thing, prepare well. Just coming out of high school, it's really hard for a guy to do that.

Just really preparation.

Q. You mentioned a little bit about how Coach Kiffin has been able to use you in the passing game. What is it like to really be immersed into an offense that allows you to use all the abilities you have?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: It's great for any player to be able to be used in every single way that he can be used in.

I think it's not common for running backs in this conference to be used in the passing game like that. I think to be able to be in this offense and show what I can do, my skill set, is awesome.

Q. What can you tell us about the quarterback position and how those guys have performed this off-season?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: Yeah, each and every one of those guys have performed definitely better than expected, very well. You have Walker who is a great quarterback. Spencer, Jaxson, even Austin who is a young quarterback that just came in. Each and every one of those guys, like I say, they're good, know what they're doing, learning from great people, coaches that's around them. I'm excited.

Q. You just mentioned Austin Simmons, pretty young guy. Is it nice knowing you're not one of the youngest on the offensive unit anymore?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: Yeah, exciting. I can finally little bro somebody, Come here, bro, let me tell you something (laughter). But, yeah, it's very exciting.

Q. You guys didn't have the greatest finish at the end of the season last season. What would you say has to be different in the second half of the season to finish strong, finish off games?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: I would say this year, the thing that will help us the most with keeping the main thing the main thing and not losing certain games. At one point we were 7-0. I think the biggest thing for us is just stay focused and not get distracted by certain things that we can't control.

Q. Speaking of those distractions, you're heavily favored for a lot of different awards. How are you blocking out all of those to stay focused on the season?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: You know, I don't focus on the awards. I focus on what matters, which is winning games, contributing to my team, playing my role, just doing what I can.

Q. What does it mean to you to just be a sophomore and Lane Kiffin trusts you enough to be able to bring you to an event like this that upperclassmen usually come to?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: It means a lot. The trust me and Coach Kiffin have is very special. I'm excited to be here. It's awesome. It has been an awesome experience.

Just to represent my school, coaches, everybody in the university is critical.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much.

QUINSHON JUDKINS: Thank you, guys.