Ole Miss is up

OLE MISS COACH HOUSTON NUTT

• "When you start believin', you start achievin'."
  
  
• "I voted for Tim Tebow for first team. My SID, Langston Rogers, will confirm that."
  
  
• On beating Florida in 2008: "We were really down (going into the game). That game gave us confidence, genuine confidence, that we can win. (They lost at South Carolina the next week.) Once we came together as a team, it all fell back to that Florida game."
  
  
• Taking a turn at The Tebow Fountain of Love®: "He doesn't just make promises. (Tebow) puts his team on his back."
  
  
• Is it Tebow vs. Jevan Snead in the league these days?: "I don't want it to be like that with Jevan. It took him a few games to get going, but he's been very, very good since then."
  
  
• "The strength of our team is defensive line."
  
  
• Ole Miss lost three seniors along the OL. "The numbers aren't in line."
  
  
• On being an (alleged) front-runner this season: "At the times we were picked high (at Arkansas), we had some major injuries. You'll see that some major contributors were not on the field. There is some attention. You have to handle it. The way you handle it is to go to work."
  
  
• "I'm excited about it for our players. They're handling it the right way."
  
  
• Atlanta or bust?: "We're in the toughest conference in America. Our staff has been to Atlanta before. Twice. It's a difficult journey. I wouldn't say (Atlanta or bust). You feel like things are getting ready to happen. I wouldn't say it's Atlanta or a downer. I don't believe that."
  
  
• On the SEC's new rule that schools can sign a maximum of 28 players: "Was that because of my number? We don't sign 39 every year. That's not our intention. I wish it was 30, but the rule is the rule. Our numbers are going to work out. We'll be at 25."
  
  
• Nutt was proud of beating LSU last year.
  
  
• Difference between hunter and hunted?: Last year, we had an attitude of we're going to go hunt. We're the hunted now. The great teams expect to be picked No. 1. That's where we want to get to. When you get that much attention, you have to have that much more work ethic."
  
  
• On not getting cocky: "We always talk about being humble. If you're working hard and making plays, you'll get enough attention. We won the summer. We did things the right way. Nobody got arrested this summer, knock on wood." (How awesome is that quote?)
  
  
• Does the WILD REBEL formation give you a massive advantage over the one team on earth that doesn't expect it from you?: "We're very multiple. The Wild Rebel ... gives us a lot of variety."
  
  
• "You can't say: `Vanderbilt: Homecoming day.' Those days are over."
  
  
• Nutt was part of the Coaches To Iraq initiative, which also included Tommy Tuberville. All those coaches, and the soldiers they visited, have the HABOTN's respect. I'm surprised more coaches don't do this.
  
  
• Former Auburn assistant Terry Price is at Ole Miss now. He's coaching defensive line.
  

THAT'S A WRAP. Next up is Florida coach Urban Meyer at noon-ish.