JSU GAME NOTES VS TTU (.pdf)

Opening Comments:
“We are very fortunate to win a very tough football game against a quality opponent. Southeast Missouri has gotten better and better over the past few years. They were very much the team they were supposed to be in every way. I thought that we played to that level ourselves and probably the best game we have played so far on the offensive and defensive lines. Certainly, their great running back had a fine day, but we did control them offensively. In the end, we overcame our mistakes because we gave them a short field a couple of times, which we knew that we could not have happen. It put us behind with four minutes left to play and once again Marques (Ivory) engineered a tremendous drive to score at the end to win the game. We are in the position that we wanted to be in, that is we have a chance to win a conference championship, get in the playoffs and have a home game in the playoffs. I think it is an enormous credit to our seniors. This team is very young, but this senior class has taken on the leadership role. This senior class came in here when other guys had rings, so this class wants to get one of those. We are fortunate to be in the position that we are in to go to Tennessee Tech and it will be a challenge because they put up 500 yards of offense last week against Eastern Kentucky.

On Tennessee Tech:
“They have some of the top players in this league, starting with Tim Benford. I think he is easily the best wide receiver in the league. He represents a challenge because he is the vertical dimension, but at the same time – with Jocques Crawford, who is a transfer from Kansas, they are creating a formable running game that you have to bring somebody up to stop. Defensively, they are really resourceful and I have not seen much of them defensively as I have looking at them offensively. Henry Sailes represents a constant in the kicking game and has caused us trouble before. He is probably one of the best kick returners in our league – so our kicking game will be challenged. It is a road game, but hopefully we will get some of our fans to the game and I know some of our pep band will be making the trip. We have to dedicate ourselves and prepare ourselves for a quality performance. We need to finish the season in the way that this season deserves.”

Update on Jamal Young's status:
“I think it is going to be an afternoon test from what I understand.”

On Tennessee Tech's offense:
“It always seems like the longer the game goes, the more they get going. Cass Barnes was the quarterback this past week and ignited them to those 500 yards of offense. He is extremely athletic and he is a spread the field guy and take it down the field and run it. The diversity of their offense is quite amazing – it goes from wish bone to Murray State to Georgia Tech and everything in between.”

Projecting things beyond this Saturday:
“Just the challenge that if we do win – handling that open date. We are going to approach it differently. We are going to be a lot more aggressive and physical during that week. I have not even looked at what the possibilities are after Saturday. I know the top five teams will have a home game. The only thing I am attached to is that – you build this stadium and you have the great fans that we have, we've had enormous support this season.

Keeping the focus after a big win against SEMO:
“I have a gut feeling that they won't back off. I think there was something at EKU that won't be forgotten. I think we took our medicine, so I will be real surprised if we don't show up with the edge that we had last Saturday. I think this team is on a mission right now.”