Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Raiders hold Bahamas Bowl Press Conference
12/14/2015 1:34:00 PM | Football
Quotes from today's media gathering
HEAD COACH RICK STOCKSTILL
Opening Remarks: "This is an exciting time for us and I am really proud of this football team. They have worked their tails off and they have put themselves in a position to earn the reward of playing in a bowl game. We are really excited about going to the Bahamas and playing in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl."
On Scouting Western Michigan: "We have a really good opponent we are playing in Western Michigan. They have two outstanding receivers and both of them have over 1,000 yards, their quarterback has thrown for over 3,000 and their running backs are very talented. They have a really good offense and they are very balanced with close to 50 percent run/pass. The things that stand out the most to me offensively, is that they are number two in the country in time of possession with almost 35 minutes per game. That means they are good on third down and they are 13th in the country, so we have to do a good job defensively on third down. That's going to be one of the keys to the game. Offensively, we have to make sure we protect the ball because possessions may be limited in a game like this. Defensively, they have done a nice job creating turnovers and they are pretty good in third-down defense as well. They haven't given up a lot of big plays and their scoring defense is one of the tops in the MAC. They are coming off of a great win in the last game of the year where they beat Toledo which was the number 24-ranked team and had previously beat Arkansas at Arkansas earlier in the year. Everybody knows how good that Toledo is, so for them to beat them at the end of the year it is a tremendous win for them. They are very solid in the kicking game and had some good kickoff returns. We are playing against a good team and this will be a big challenge for our guys. It is a game that we are tremendously excited about and I have a lot of confidence in our team right now."
On the Postseason Practices Thus Far and Those to Come: "We have only had two practices because of recruiting and final exams. We practiced the Saturday after the UTSA game and we lifted and ran that following week. We met both offensively and defensively on Friday and had a good practice Saturday. The practices and meeting leading up to today have been very spirited and very good. Our energy is good and our concentration and focus is good. Practices won't change a whole bunch but one thing you have to realize is that you have to get your work done this week. We have to have a great week of preparation this week because once you get to the bowl site, you practice time is limited due to the different functions that you have to do for the bowl. We have to do some live tackling this week because we haven't tackled in two weeks. In the normal course of the season, we wouldn't tackle this time of the year, but we will have to do that leading up to the game. We will keep those younger guys and the redshirt guys out there after practice to work with those guys. For the most part, our practice routine will stay the same."
On This Game Becoming a Shootout: "I hope not. I hope we can score and I hope our defense can slow them down. Just because this team has a good offense and that team has a good offense, you don't know. I like our defense and I think our defense will rise to this challenge just like I think our offensive players will rise to this. You don't go into it thinking that it's going to be a high-scoring game. We faced a lot of good offensive teams this season and some games have been 27-24 and others have been higher scoring. We just have to prepare and play sound, fundamental, competitive, tough football."
On What Going to a Bowl Games Means to the Team: "Going to a bowl is a phenomenal reward for our team because not everybody gets to go to a bowl. These seniors have been bowl-eligible all four years. These seniors have won 72 percent of their conference games the last four years. These guys have a chance to win 30 games in their careers. There are a lot of things that a bowl affords a team and I am proud of our team for its resiliency, toughness and competitive spirit that they have shown throughout this year to earn the right to play in a bowl game. I am happy for them to get that reward."
On Getting More Practices by Going to a Bowl Game: "For the most part, these redshirt guys have been reading cards this season. The coaches have been holding up cards to tell them where to go because they have been the scout team for whoever we have played. Now they will get a chance to go 30 minutes after practice and that is invaluable. They have already had two days and they will get six more of concentrated work for them. It is critical for a lot of these guys and it will help them going into spring practice."
On Finding a Balance Between Fun and Business at the Bowl Site: "I want this experience to be fun for these guys, but also have the mindset that we are here to win the game. That's the main objective. The second-most important objective is to have fun and enjoy it because you don't want to put in all the work throughout the year and the coach makes the bowl trip a miserable experience. There is a fine line, but we are going to have fun and enjoy it. This will be the first time that some of these guys have been to the Bahamas and my first time was last Thursday. I don't know if I will have a chance to go back. I want them to enjoy it but understand there is a time to work and there is a time to enjoy it. When you work, you work. When it is time to enjoy, you enjoy, but don't let the enjoyment get in the way of the work."
On the Possibility of Brent Stockstill Breaking the NCAA Freshman Passing Record: "I know it's out there, but the objective is to win the game. If we throw for 81 yards or 381 yards and we win, that's all I care about. If you ask [Brent], he will answer it the same way. I have proud of all of these individuals have been recognized and made all-conference, but this is a team sport and it always has been and always will be. The day you start putting individual ahead of the team then you aren't going to be successful as a team. I hope he gets it, but I hope we win even more than that."
On Playing the Game in the Bahamas: "We are very fortunate in Conference-USA that we have some phenomenal bowl destinations and most of them are really warm weather destinations. If you think about being a college athlete, they get to go to the Bahamas to play a game. Somebody is going to put them up in a $700 hotel room. They are paying them to play a game. I think it's just going to be a phenomenal, unique experience for everyone involved in this. This team has earned it and that's what's going to make this game more special to them."
On Keeping the Players Focused in the Bahamas: "Obviously as a coach, you always concern yourself with everything. I have always said how much I like this team and how much leadership we have on this team. To me, that hasn't changes. When we go to the Bahamas, I am going to rely on those leaders and your team to stay focused and be accountable to each other and understand why we are really there. Don't do something do jeopardize yourself playing in this game because you enjoy too much of the Bahamas. I will talk to the team about it and the focus we will have to have while we are there."
On Shaking Off of the Rust: "We have a team that handles themselves like professionals. They know and understand their role and responsibility and how they have to prepare. We have time, but we have to do a good job of taking care of our bodies. We have to make sure that we are ready to practice and if it takes spending extra time after practice to get the timing back, I have no doubt that these players will do it. We will be prepared and our coaches will do a good job of getting our guys ready to play."
On Players Returning From Injury For the Bowl Game: "I don't think that we will get anybody back that missed games towards the end of the year. Jeremy [Cutrer] might have a chance to get back, but we will see. We have a while to go before we play. The main guys that have been out will continue to be out."
Quarterback Brent Stockstill
On being named C-USA Player of the Year: It's very humbling. It sounds kind of cliché but I couldn't have done it without the guys around me. Starting with this guy right here Jalen Hunter, Richie James, Ed Batties, all the receivers, the defense, and the coaching staff. It's a team effort. It's humbling. I'm very happy for it, but it couldn't be done without all the guys around me.
On being prepared to be without modern amenities: I think it'll be good for us to get away from our cell phones and everything that's going on around for us a few days. It'll be good to just be with your teammates and your family and get to bond as a team and get to go out with a bang one last time with these seniors.
On breaking Jameis Winston's freshman passing record: No it's not weighing on me at all. Coach said it earlier, it's team first always. That's how it's always been and that's how it'll always be. It's a number out there; it'd be cool to get it. But these seniors have taken me under their wing from day one and the main thing is to send them out on top. So I'm looking forward to going out there with them one more time and we'll see what happens.
Offensive Lineman Jalen Hunter
On how the pass blocking has improved this season and what to expect without Darius Johnson in the bowl game: Being without Darius is pretty hard. He's a senior, and with him getting hurt it affected the team, but Carlos (Johnson) is stepping up and he's a great player. I also feel like our pass blocking has been solid all year and we're going to keep working and keep getting better.
Safety Kevin Byard
On the mindset for secondary: We're going to have the same mindset as every game. Western Michigan has lots of weapons and skill players everywhere. They have a good defense too, so at end of day we have to take care of our responsibilities and get off the field on third downs. They're a great team so we need to stress getting off the field on third down.
On reaction from family and friends about going to the Bahamas: My high school coach called yesterday asking about special rates so he might could go down and watch. It's definitely an exciting time. My family won't be able to make the trip, but I know they'll be watching on ESPN. I've had lots of calls congratulating us.
On potential distractions: We're going to have to do great job preparing. The Bahamas is a great place, but it's also a business trip. Last bowl game we got rings, but we want rings that say "Champions" this time.
On a great month of November: The last four weeks of the season were something special. We always talk about finishing strong and we did that. We had a rough stretch of eight games without a bye week, so it was special to make a run like we did. We got lots of guys back at the end and it was a testament to our team to not have our heads down. We came back and handled our business.
On not playing together with injured teammates: I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. We wish Darius Johnson could be out there because I know how much this would mean to him to be out there, but it's tough. I know we'll all be emotional about it, but at end of the day I'm glad to be out there spending time with my brothers.
On what he's looking forward to off the field: I heard they have a nice water slide down there with sharks and stuff like that. I don't really have to do too much. Being with my brothers and spending time with them is something I definitely look forward to.
Linebacker TT Barber
On reaction from family about going to Bahamas: My little sister texted me wanting to go with me. My family and friends told me I'm lucky for going, and I agree. We've been working all season and finally get to go to the Bahamas, which is a great reward.
On not playing with injured teammates: After being out there on the field for four and five years with some of those guys, it's tough not to have them out there on the field for the final game. We've all been nicked up and banged up from time to time, but to not see them out there padded up and suited up one last time is going to be rough.
Opening Remarks: "This is an exciting time for us and I am really proud of this football team. They have worked their tails off and they have put themselves in a position to earn the reward of playing in a bowl game. We are really excited about going to the Bahamas and playing in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl."
On Scouting Western Michigan: "We have a really good opponent we are playing in Western Michigan. They have two outstanding receivers and both of them have over 1,000 yards, their quarterback has thrown for over 3,000 and their running backs are very talented. They have a really good offense and they are very balanced with close to 50 percent run/pass. The things that stand out the most to me offensively, is that they are number two in the country in time of possession with almost 35 minutes per game. That means they are good on third down and they are 13th in the country, so we have to do a good job defensively on third down. That's going to be one of the keys to the game. Offensively, we have to make sure we protect the ball because possessions may be limited in a game like this. Defensively, they have done a nice job creating turnovers and they are pretty good in third-down defense as well. They haven't given up a lot of big plays and their scoring defense is one of the tops in the MAC. They are coming off of a great win in the last game of the year where they beat Toledo which was the number 24-ranked team and had previously beat Arkansas at Arkansas earlier in the year. Everybody knows how good that Toledo is, so for them to beat them at the end of the year it is a tremendous win for them. They are very solid in the kicking game and had some good kickoff returns. We are playing against a good team and this will be a big challenge for our guys. It is a game that we are tremendously excited about and I have a lot of confidence in our team right now."
On the Postseason Practices Thus Far and Those to Come: "We have only had two practices because of recruiting and final exams. We practiced the Saturday after the UTSA game and we lifted and ran that following week. We met both offensively and defensively on Friday and had a good practice Saturday. The practices and meeting leading up to today have been very spirited and very good. Our energy is good and our concentration and focus is good. Practices won't change a whole bunch but one thing you have to realize is that you have to get your work done this week. We have to have a great week of preparation this week because once you get to the bowl site, you practice time is limited due to the different functions that you have to do for the bowl. We have to do some live tackling this week because we haven't tackled in two weeks. In the normal course of the season, we wouldn't tackle this time of the year, but we will have to do that leading up to the game. We will keep those younger guys and the redshirt guys out there after practice to work with those guys. For the most part, our practice routine will stay the same."
On This Game Becoming a Shootout: "I hope not. I hope we can score and I hope our defense can slow them down. Just because this team has a good offense and that team has a good offense, you don't know. I like our defense and I think our defense will rise to this challenge just like I think our offensive players will rise to this. You don't go into it thinking that it's going to be a high-scoring game. We faced a lot of good offensive teams this season and some games have been 27-24 and others have been higher scoring. We just have to prepare and play sound, fundamental, competitive, tough football."
On What Going to a Bowl Games Means to the Team: "Going to a bowl is a phenomenal reward for our team because not everybody gets to go to a bowl. These seniors have been bowl-eligible all four years. These seniors have won 72 percent of their conference games the last four years. These guys have a chance to win 30 games in their careers. There are a lot of things that a bowl affords a team and I am proud of our team for its resiliency, toughness and competitive spirit that they have shown throughout this year to earn the right to play in a bowl game. I am happy for them to get that reward."
On Getting More Practices by Going to a Bowl Game: "For the most part, these redshirt guys have been reading cards this season. The coaches have been holding up cards to tell them where to go because they have been the scout team for whoever we have played. Now they will get a chance to go 30 minutes after practice and that is invaluable. They have already had two days and they will get six more of concentrated work for them. It is critical for a lot of these guys and it will help them going into spring practice."
On Finding a Balance Between Fun and Business at the Bowl Site: "I want this experience to be fun for these guys, but also have the mindset that we are here to win the game. That's the main objective. The second-most important objective is to have fun and enjoy it because you don't want to put in all the work throughout the year and the coach makes the bowl trip a miserable experience. There is a fine line, but we are going to have fun and enjoy it. This will be the first time that some of these guys have been to the Bahamas and my first time was last Thursday. I don't know if I will have a chance to go back. I want them to enjoy it but understand there is a time to work and there is a time to enjoy it. When you work, you work. When it is time to enjoy, you enjoy, but don't let the enjoyment get in the way of the work."
On the Possibility of Brent Stockstill Breaking the NCAA Freshman Passing Record: "I know it's out there, but the objective is to win the game. If we throw for 81 yards or 381 yards and we win, that's all I care about. If you ask [Brent], he will answer it the same way. I have proud of all of these individuals have been recognized and made all-conference, but this is a team sport and it always has been and always will be. The day you start putting individual ahead of the team then you aren't going to be successful as a team. I hope he gets it, but I hope we win even more than that."
On Playing the Game in the Bahamas: "We are very fortunate in Conference-USA that we have some phenomenal bowl destinations and most of them are really warm weather destinations. If you think about being a college athlete, they get to go to the Bahamas to play a game. Somebody is going to put them up in a $700 hotel room. They are paying them to play a game. I think it's just going to be a phenomenal, unique experience for everyone involved in this. This team has earned it and that's what's going to make this game more special to them."
On Keeping the Players Focused in the Bahamas: "Obviously as a coach, you always concern yourself with everything. I have always said how much I like this team and how much leadership we have on this team. To me, that hasn't changes. When we go to the Bahamas, I am going to rely on those leaders and your team to stay focused and be accountable to each other and understand why we are really there. Don't do something do jeopardize yourself playing in this game because you enjoy too much of the Bahamas. I will talk to the team about it and the focus we will have to have while we are there."
On Shaking Off of the Rust: "We have a team that handles themselves like professionals. They know and understand their role and responsibility and how they have to prepare. We have time, but we have to do a good job of taking care of our bodies. We have to make sure that we are ready to practice and if it takes spending extra time after practice to get the timing back, I have no doubt that these players will do it. We will be prepared and our coaches will do a good job of getting our guys ready to play."
On Players Returning From Injury For the Bowl Game: "I don't think that we will get anybody back that missed games towards the end of the year. Jeremy [Cutrer] might have a chance to get back, but we will see. We have a while to go before we play. The main guys that have been out will continue to be out."
Quarterback Brent Stockstill
On being named C-USA Player of the Year: It's very humbling. It sounds kind of cliché but I couldn't have done it without the guys around me. Starting with this guy right here Jalen Hunter, Richie James, Ed Batties, all the receivers, the defense, and the coaching staff. It's a team effort. It's humbling. I'm very happy for it, but it couldn't be done without all the guys around me.
On being prepared to be without modern amenities: I think it'll be good for us to get away from our cell phones and everything that's going on around for us a few days. It'll be good to just be with your teammates and your family and get to bond as a team and get to go out with a bang one last time with these seniors.
On breaking Jameis Winston's freshman passing record: No it's not weighing on me at all. Coach said it earlier, it's team first always. That's how it's always been and that's how it'll always be. It's a number out there; it'd be cool to get it. But these seniors have taken me under their wing from day one and the main thing is to send them out on top. So I'm looking forward to going out there with them one more time and we'll see what happens.
Offensive Lineman Jalen Hunter
On how the pass blocking has improved this season and what to expect without Darius Johnson in the bowl game: Being without Darius is pretty hard. He's a senior, and with him getting hurt it affected the team, but Carlos (Johnson) is stepping up and he's a great player. I also feel like our pass blocking has been solid all year and we're going to keep working and keep getting better.
Safety Kevin Byard
On the mindset for secondary: We're going to have the same mindset as every game. Western Michigan has lots of weapons and skill players everywhere. They have a good defense too, so at end of day we have to take care of our responsibilities and get off the field on third downs. They're a great team so we need to stress getting off the field on third down.
On reaction from family and friends about going to the Bahamas: My high school coach called yesterday asking about special rates so he might could go down and watch. It's definitely an exciting time. My family won't be able to make the trip, but I know they'll be watching on ESPN. I've had lots of calls congratulating us.
On potential distractions: We're going to have to do great job preparing. The Bahamas is a great place, but it's also a business trip. Last bowl game we got rings, but we want rings that say "Champions" this time.
On a great month of November: The last four weeks of the season were something special. We always talk about finishing strong and we did that. We had a rough stretch of eight games without a bye week, so it was special to make a run like we did. We got lots of guys back at the end and it was a testament to our team to not have our heads down. We came back and handled our business.
On not playing together with injured teammates: I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. We wish Darius Johnson could be out there because I know how much this would mean to him to be out there, but it's tough. I know we'll all be emotional about it, but at end of the day I'm glad to be out there spending time with my brothers.
On what he's looking forward to off the field: I heard they have a nice water slide down there with sharks and stuff like that. I don't really have to do too much. Being with my brothers and spending time with them is something I definitely look forward to.
Linebacker TT Barber
On reaction from family about going to Bahamas: My little sister texted me wanting to go with me. My family and friends told me I'm lucky for going, and I agree. We've been working all season and finally get to go to the Bahamas, which is a great reward.
On not playing with injured teammates: After being out there on the field for four and five years with some of those guys, it's tough not to have them out there on the field for the final game. We've all been nicked up and banged up from time to time, but to not see them out there padded up and suited up one last time is going to be rough.
Players Mentioned
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