CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL: OLE MISS VS PENN STATE

December 28, 2023

Quinshon Judkins

Jaxson Dart

Jordan Watkins

Victor Curne

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Ole Miss Rebels

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Joined by running back, Quinshon Judkins, quarterback, Jaxson Dart, wide receiver, Jordan Watkins, and Victor Curne.

Q. Jaxson, have you made any decision on your future yet? And follow up to that, how do you stay focused on the task at hand knowing you have a life changing decision coming up?

JAXSON DART: The basic thing is I have a great support staff around me. I have great coaches. Obviously my family is amazing, and I have great friends on the team.

Honestly not too worried about it right now. Just focused on the bowl game and focused on my preparation and doing my job to help put my team in the best situation to win and help make history here.

Q. Jaxson, what goes into making that decision when you get around to making it? You've made a transfer decision before. What goes into the decision about whether to stay, whether to explore your options, that kind of thing?

JAXSON DART: Like I said, I have a great support staff around me that's able to give me really good advice. There's a lot of things that go into it, but like I said, I'm just focused on this bowl game and going 1-0 this week.

Q. It's been a big kind of rallying point for this program after getting that 10th win at the Egg Bowl, having that chance again to get 11 wins.

How much of a motivating factor has that been within your program or locker room or just in practice that you all can be the first team to etch that mark?

JORDAN WATKINS: I think it's been just on the back of our minds the whole time just because it's something that will go in the history books forever. It will never be forgotten, getting that 11th win, something that will never be done and has never been done in program history.

It's been a great motivating factor for us, and I think it will take a lot of momentum going into next season.

QUINSHON JUDKINS: I definitely think it's been a morale booster in our locker room just to know we've done something that's never been done before. It definitely inspires everyone around the facility and just the fans, the whole community to know that Ole Miss can be the top program.

VICTOR CURNE: I think we just want to stamp ourselves and our legacy as a team. I think we put in too much work to just go unheard of for the season. I think it's a great thing to stamp our legacy this season with an 11th win.

Q. Quinshon and Victor, Penn State's run defense has given up less than 70 yards a game. So you know it's going to be tough sledding for you guys.

What have you guys seen on film to help you guys against this big-time matchup against a good defense, one of the best in the nation?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: I think just me personally, I feel that as the type of team that we are, I know that we have grit. The guys up front, I believe in them as much as possible. I know that Coach Weis and Coach Kiffin will put us in the best situation to win.

So I know that with me believing in our guys and the way we go out and execute, we'll be fine.

VICTOR CURNE: They're well disciplined and they're real depth sound. So I think just getting to our spots and executing is a big part of the game plan. Tempo is another big part of the game plan.

But I think we take pride as a unit putting these play makers in the right spots and blocking and restraining for them to make plays.

Q. Quinshon, I was just wondering if you had made a firm decision on what your future is after this game? Are you staying for another year? Are you exploring the transfer portal? Any of that kind of thing?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: I think just for me right now I'm at the point where I'm just focused on this bowl game, just going out with my guys. That's my main focus is just to win this game.

Q. Jaxson, Penn State's defense leads the nation in sacks, 48 sacks. How fast is that defense that you've seen on film, and how has your team helped you prepare for this upcoming matchup?

JAXSON DART: I think that we're fortunate that we've had time to really dive into the film and watch them. They're a great unit, super explosive up front. And like the guys said earlier, they wreak havoc.

I feel confident in our game plan going into it. We've played against really good, my opinion, the best competition all year long. It's not going to be something to where we feel like it's out of the norm or anything like that.

We've just got to trust each other, communicate on a really high level, and trust our training.

Q. This is for Quinshon, Jaxson, and Jordan. You guys all came in at the same time. Last year had its highs and lows. What is it like being here considering what you went through last year?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: Definitely a different experience. Last season we had 7-0 at one point, and then we come back and lose a lot of games in a row. So I think this year with us just being steady, getting better each and every week, has definitely improved all around. So I'm excited for us to go out this last game and perform.

JAXSON DART: Yeah. I'm super proud of this squad. It was disappointing how we ended off things last year. It really ate at us this off-season.

We took accountability of our actions throughout the season and even in season, had a lot of big guys step up in leadership roles, and I'm super proud of where we're at right now. I think I can speak for everybody that we want to stamp our legacy in Ole Miss history. So we feel like we're not done yet.

JORDAN WATKINS: Just building off of what Jaxson said, I'm super proud of this unit and just being able to finish ball games. I think that's something that we didn't harp on a lot last season was just being able to finish, and I think you go back and go on the film and just see how we're able to finish in the fourth quarter specifically.

I think we're a huge fourth quarter team, and I think that's something that's really, really helped us this season and just seeing a lot of the guys come together and being able to win ball games is just something we can be super proud of.

Q. Quinshon and Jaxson, will what Ole Miss has been able to do in the transfer portal the last three weeks impact your decisions when you make them?

JAXSON DART: I think that's definitely a factor that you look into. Obviously you want to play with really great players. But I think, like I said earlier, I think for both of us we're just focused on this bowl game.

We have a great relationship with the guys in the locker room and the coaching staff, and we love it here. So we're really just focused on this bowl game and winning.

QUINSHON JUDKINS: Agree to what Jaxson said, just really focused on this last bowl game with the support of our coaches and just the great relationship with our teammates and the guys in the locker room. That's our job is to just go out there and focus on this last game.

Q. This question is for all four of you. I asked your teammates, so I'm asking you as well. Does sugar go in grits?

QUINSHON JUDKINS: No.

JORDAN WATKINS: I think, if it's cheese grits, no. If you've just got regular grits, it's good. I've had it before. It's good, but I prefer cheese grits.

VICTOR CURNE: I agree with Jordan. If it's cheese grits, no. Regular grits, yes, for sure.

JAXSON DART: Growing up on the West Coast, didn't really ever have grits. So I'm more of an oatmeal guy.

Q. You never tried it?

JAXSON DART: I tried my first -- I tried grits for the first time last night. It was all right.