JAX STATE FOOTBALL GAME NOTES (.pdf)

Opening Comments:
“Obviously, we are very excited about our situation right now and pleased that we were able to comeback and show the character that it takes to stay in the fight until the fight is over with. I learned something about our football team that I didn't know before we played. We've never at Jacksonville State, as long as I've been here, finished as strongly and had the resolve as we did in that football game. We scored on six straight possessions. The five offensive linemen in that had never had one snap live together. The guy that played center had never played center before. To give you an idea on how the flow of the game went – he decided in the middle of a series that he and the right guard were going to switch positions – it wasn't a coaching decision. I say that to say this – it was clearly players taking responsibility about what was going on and we had a little mind-clearing at halftime because we weren't playing physical. I think this is clearly the chemistry of people coming together that had worked so long-they were going to get something back. Hopefully, the thing that will carry us is that – hard work and discipline is what gives you want you want every day. The challenge is to put it behind us and get on down the road.

I have watched extensively the game that Chattanooga played with Appalachian State, the No. 3 team in the country and missed three extra points from winning that game. We are playing the best Chattanooga team that we have ever played and I think we are playing the best quarterback that we will face this season. He is superb and I don't see why he is not playing quarterback at Tennessee because that is where he transferred from. We have a challenge of controlling a well-oiled offense. We made enough mistakes on both sides of the ball that will get you beat. We are a team of destiny if what I saw in that locker room after the game on Saturday, but destiny can slip right through our fingers if we don't handle it the right way. Chattanooga has my attention and hopefully as this day unfolds, all of our players will as well.

On Chattanooga:
“You are going to see a Peyton Manning-type that is 6-7, 240-pound complete quarterback that the offense revolves around. Alabama brought the house last year against them and they did not get to him. He is very capable of being an every down player either throwing or running.”

Getting prepared for the next week after a big win:
“If there is an ounce of arrogance, we will seek to get it out by Saturday.”

On how the Florida State experience helped:
“I think it helped some, but there weren't a lot of guys out there that was at Florida State. I do think it helped our mindset at the end. I think what came back to us at halftime was similar to Florida State. We knew we could be physical with them. Each situation is different, but it was similar to some degree. When we realized we could close it out…We closed it this time. We were better at the end.