Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach wants to end the 2021 regular season on a high note in the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss. Leach weighs in on the rivalry game and other topics in his weekly pre-game presser.

What have the last 48 hours been like for you and the staff and what have the preparations looked like?

It has been very busy. I mean up late last night and then long meetings today game planning. We had a good practice today. We bumped it a little later to give us some more time, but I thought that we had a good practice.

What is your relationship with Lane Kiffin like since y'all came over to the SEC West?

It is about the same. There hasn't been as many circumstances when you see one another. I have known him for decades, so it's really pretty much the same. We haven't seen each other as much just because they haven't had the conventions and the gatherings as much.

What stands out to you with what the Lane [Kiffin] offense does with Matt Corral?

Corral is kind of the key to it. He figures out who to deal the ball to, throws it pretty well, hands it off and runs it himself. It will be exciting to see what he does there in the NFL.

You mentioned not being able to get out and see things as much, what has it been like being around Mississippi State fans and administrators while getting acquainted with this rivalry?

Here in town, you get to see a lot of people, whether it's practice or in the building or they come to town for a game. I mean everybody is fantastic. It's a very spirited place that is very excited about Mississippi State. It's a good crew to be a part of and a lot of good people.

You went through the Egg Bowl once, what are your thoughts on the rivalry and how does it compare to other rivalries you have been a part of in the past?

I'd say it's similar. It's probably a little closer to what it was with Texas Tech versus [Texas] A&M. It's just good to be in stands where you're not looking at paper cutouts. It's a lot better year and a lot more exciting that way.

A lot of the media classifies your and Lane [Kiffin's] offense as high-flying exciting offenses. Can you clarify the differences between the two?

They are quite a bit different. They are an RPO offense, run pass option, the quarterback keeps it some. Both of us have some tempo going, both are trying to attack the field. In both, I think a good quarterback is key to it too.

You have coached in a lot of rivalry games. How do you helo your players manage the emotions of games like this?

They should handle it the same. As you get a really good, team-driven locker room, everybody should be on the same page. Avoid the noise and just worry about being the best player and being the best team that we can be.

With a guy like Sam Williams up front, they put a lot of pressure on the quarterback. Do they disguise things well or do they just have some athletic guys that are able to get back there?

Kind of both. They have some athletic guys. They'll change the looks on you a little bit. It's more front-driven than blitz-driven. There's just quality guys that they move around and try to keep you off balance.

We talked a lot about Matt Corral, what goes into stopping a quarterback that operates that way?

You have to have all the space and gaps accounted for, then account for the players. The biggest thing, the simplest way to put it, is to have your eyes in the right place. Get better, but be real disciplined with where you're putting your eyes. Don't take yourself out of position because you see something that looks like something else.

It's conventional wisdom that weather impacts passing games. Is that really true anymore between the Air Raid and the RPO?

I don't mess with the RPO so much. I haven't found that it did. Whether you're playing the likes of Colorado, Utah or someone like that as long as you have footing, if you have good footing. Cold weather doesn't. They came up with a lot of the concepts, starting at Green Bay, Montana, BYU, and of course San Francisco 49ers. Which for anybody that has never been to Candlestick Park on a cold day, that's just a mess, and it's in a swamp there too. Then you go back to Cincinnati and some of the passing concepts and stuff guys like Sid Gillman did. It was in cold weather first.

How much do you think having an extended game and finishing early with the ability to rest most of your regulars has had an impact on practice?

Hard to gauge. We had a good practice. We were bouncing around good in practice. It's kind of difficult to judge. I don't know how it is on their end right now.

How much better is this Ole Miss defense than their unit last year?

I think they are quite a bit better. They do some good things pressure-wise. They are all back, and they are all seniors. This is a very senior team. It is another year of experience to polish up and draw on their experience.

How has Scott Lashley improved since the Alabama game?

I think Scott has gotten progressively better. Of course - I wish he could be here longer - Scott's a guy that hasn't really played a lot of football. This season is really it. He is having a good season. Maybe we can find some exception and keep him around. He is really playing well right now.

Is there anything other than repetition that stands out about Will Rogers that has made him as good as he's been?

His dad is a football coach and an offensive football coach, so I am sure he picked up a lot from his dad. He is a real good worker. He works like crazy. He watches and studies film. The other thing is the people around him have improved. So, that has helped make his job easier and help him elevate. He wasn't afraid to step in and be the leader and be the quarterback. It's not like he took some long period where he had to overcome his own nerves or anxiety or something. He was ready to step in there and play right away.

Is that just a product of him being a coach's son and being around the game? What led to that boldness?

He got to know the locker room a lot better. They saw how he worked and respected it. They saw how much it meant to him and respected that and were quick to follow him.

What do you look for when you are looking at a quarterback?

Are they accurate? Do they make good decisions? The biggest, which is hard to pinpoint because it's kind of a collection, is how well they elevate the players around them. You start with are they accurate and do they make good decisions. If they can't do that, you can't get past square one. They have got to be able to do that. A lot of times you hear how big somebody is, how strong somebody is, how fast somebody is. Every bit of that is irrelevant unless they are accurate and can make good decisions. From there you look at if they have quick feet and are they fast. Those are two different things. Do they have a strong arm? Some collection of those things and their ability to lead and elevate their team allows them to unfold as a quarterback. You see quarterbacks come from all different levels, not just Division I. I think because it's a position that you can learn and study, providing you can do certain things. Some people don't view quarterback as a coached position. I think it is arguably the most-coached position on the field with the possible exception of offensive line. You have to push that along. People talk about all of these great quarterbacks and every one of these qualities I have mentioned, the Hall of Fame is full of people who are missing two or three of those things. I think it starts with how you elevate the players around you.

It seems like every week Tyrus Wheat is picking up sacks or tackles for loss. What makes him such a dynamic player in the backfield?

He loves football. First of all, Tyrus loves football, and that is one of my favorite qualities about him. He loves to be out there, to play, and to compete. He is a big guy with a long frame, big hands and long arms. He is inordinately fast and, more importantly, quick for a guy his size. He is just an explosive guy out there. I think the players around him help quite a bit too. As you are attacking an offense, you have to account for all of the gaps. The better those guys do, the more likely somebody has a chance of getting through there. Of course, Tyrus has some personal explosiveness that I think helps him.