Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Blue Raiders to play in Hawaii Bowl: Quotes
12/4/2016 2:42:00 PM | Football
HC Rick Stockstill
Opening statement…
First of all, we are very honored to accept this opportunity to go to the Hawaii Bowl. It's a tremendous reward for this team with the adversity this team has faced all year. I told them that if you're practicing in December then that's a good thing. This team had a great year with what this team has gone through and accomplished. It's a great reward for this football team. We are extremely proud and honored to represent Conference USA in this game. It's a game we are extremely excited about. We are playing the University of Hawaii. I told the players that they have played 13 games. They are 6-7 but they finished second in the Mountain West. In conference play they beat Air Force. Air Force won nine games and they beat them at Air Force. That tells you enough right there about how good this football team is that we are playing. We're really looking forward to it. We'll finish up exams this week on Thursday. As coaches, we'll be out recruiting, and then we'll start preparation practice next Friday.
On playing Hawaii on its home field…
This will be different from that standpoint because the familiarity is all in their favor. We are the home team, we're going to dress in their locker room, we're going to practice in their stadium, but they get to stay at home and practice in their practice facility. It will be different from that standpoint, but at the same time, it is a bowl game for them too, so there will be functions they will participate in like us. We are a mature football team. It's a resilient football team with everything that we have gone through. I am confident we will be able to handle everything that will be entailed in this bowl game, as compared to them having the familiarity of being at home for their bowl game.
On experience of going to consecutive destination bowls…
We'll handle it. This team has been bowl eligible every year, so this isn't the first time for us. I know we'll handle it. It's a great opportunity for these players to be able to experience Hawaii. That's one of the beauties of Conference USA – the bowl destinations. You have Ft. Lauderdale, you have New Orleans, you have Hawaii, you have the Bahamas and you have Dallas and New Mexico. There are a lot of great bowl destinations that are really family oriented. People talk about, 'Something on my bucket list is to go to Hawaii. Something on my bucket list is to go to the Bahamas. I've always wanted to go to New Orleans or Ft. Lauderdale.' That's what people talk about for family vacations – 'One day I would like to do that.' These guys as 18, 19, 20 and 21-year-old kids, they get to do it as a football player and as their teammates with friends they have experienced a lot with. I think it's a wonderful opportunity for this team.
On enjoying the festivities surrounding bowl week…
I won't be able to. I won't be able to relax and enjoy Hawaii. I wasn't able to relax and enjoy the Bahamas last year. You're so focused and have your blinders on. All you're trying to do is prepare your team to play the best they can. We are going there to try and get our ninth win. As a coach, there is a fine line. I'll get my enjoyment and satisfaction of Hawaii if we can hold up that trophy at the end of the game. That's where I'll get my enjoyment. It's a business function for me. I told our players that we are going to enjoy it because we have worked too hard not to enjoy it. But there is a fine line of enjoying it and not preparing for the game. When it's practice time and when it's meeting time, we will work our tails off. When it's time to go to the beach, and when it's time to surf and go to luaus and hula dances and all that stuff, I want the players to enjoy that. I want them to say all the hard work we put in from last January 18 until December 24 was worth it. That's going to be our mindset as we start preparing next Friday.
On playing in a later bowl date for quarterback Brent Stockstill and other players to recover…
Absolutely. It gives him another week. He's had four weeks today since surgery, and we have three weeks now before we play. Obviously it helps him. A couple guys that we missed the last few games, I don't know if that extra week would help them. I think if we played on the 17th, they would have been able to play also, but obviously an extra week in their rehab process will help them. I think the date is great, and hopefully we'll have Brent back for it. We're a different team when he is in there.
On personal attire during the bowl game…
I have to find that out. I've done some research. I'm a pretty regular shirt kind of guy. I didn't know if that was mandatory. I checked the coaches that coached in it last year, and they had on a polo. They did have a lei. Unless they absolutely make me wear the Hawaiian shirt tail out kind of thing, I'll be wearing a regular polo with my hot jacket or sweatshirt depending on the temperature. I'm going to probably try and stay as close to what I've done my whole career. I'll wear a lei if they make me, but I'd like to stay in a polo or sweatshirt.
On taking any long walks on the beach…
I'm sure (my wife) Sara will want me to take her for a walk. And I'm sure there are some things that I get to do with her. There are enough functions we'll go to and I'm sure there are some things on the beach that we'll do, but my whole mindset is trying to get this ninth win.
Richie James
On going to the Hawaii Bowl:
We've been blessed to go on these great trips. I think it's going to be very fun.
On playing quarterback on the first snap:
I don't know. I doubt it, but hopefully we'll have fun and enjoy the trip. It'll be a great experience.
On the thing to look forward to the most:
The beach, definitely. Not a lot of people get this opportunity. We're a lot of 20-year olds going to Hawaii so it's going to be a great experience.
On focusing on the game:
We understand that we're going to Hawaii to win a game, but we'll also enjoy it. It's going to be a good process, and Coach Stockstill will have a plan for us, and we'll be alright.
On playing a road game against Hawaii:
It's one of those situations where you're going into a hostile environment. I've heard some good things about going to Hawaii and their crowd is going to be into it. It's going to be a good experience. We went to Alabama last year and their crowd was into it, so you play these teams that have a really good crowd and you know it's going to be a really great experience.
Brent Stockstill
On going to the Hawaii Bowl:
Especially for this team to go back-to-back years to the Bahamas and then to Hawaii is pretty incredible that we get to experience that. That's probably the only chance we'll get in our entire lives to go to those places, and to do it through football and with our brothers is a cool experience.
On going to a great destination:
A bowl game is a great reward, and we did battle through some adversity this year. We've had a lot of ups-and-downs, but to be able to cap it off like this and send our seniors off with a win, to be able to cap it off in Hawaii, would be incredible.
On playing Hawaii on their home field:
Hawaii has had some big wins this year. I know they beat Air Force and played some teams close, and it's a good atmosphere. Their fans get into it. The city rallies behind them. It's going to be fun. It's going to be a great challenge for us to go into their place and try to steal a win.
On having an extra week to rehab:
I think wherever we were going to go, I was going to try to do everything I could to get back, and this gives me an extra week. We'll keep checking with the doctors. I'm going to do everything I can to try to get out there and play with the guys.
On the thing to look forward to:
I think the fellowship with the guys and enjoying the scenery and activities and all the things they've got for us to do out there will be the special part for us.
On having fun but staying focused on the game:
We have a very mature group. Coach (Stockstill) will have a good plan for us. We've been there before, so we know how to handle these environments. You have to find a balance between work and fun, and I think we'll do that. We've got a high-character group, and we'll get that done.
Opening statement…
First of all, we are very honored to accept this opportunity to go to the Hawaii Bowl. It's a tremendous reward for this team with the adversity this team has faced all year. I told them that if you're practicing in December then that's a good thing. This team had a great year with what this team has gone through and accomplished. It's a great reward for this football team. We are extremely proud and honored to represent Conference USA in this game. It's a game we are extremely excited about. We are playing the University of Hawaii. I told the players that they have played 13 games. They are 6-7 but they finished second in the Mountain West. In conference play they beat Air Force. Air Force won nine games and they beat them at Air Force. That tells you enough right there about how good this football team is that we are playing. We're really looking forward to it. We'll finish up exams this week on Thursday. As coaches, we'll be out recruiting, and then we'll start preparation practice next Friday.
On playing Hawaii on its home field…
This will be different from that standpoint because the familiarity is all in their favor. We are the home team, we're going to dress in their locker room, we're going to practice in their stadium, but they get to stay at home and practice in their practice facility. It will be different from that standpoint, but at the same time, it is a bowl game for them too, so there will be functions they will participate in like us. We are a mature football team. It's a resilient football team with everything that we have gone through. I am confident we will be able to handle everything that will be entailed in this bowl game, as compared to them having the familiarity of being at home for their bowl game.
On experience of going to consecutive destination bowls…
We'll handle it. This team has been bowl eligible every year, so this isn't the first time for us. I know we'll handle it. It's a great opportunity for these players to be able to experience Hawaii. That's one of the beauties of Conference USA – the bowl destinations. You have Ft. Lauderdale, you have New Orleans, you have Hawaii, you have the Bahamas and you have Dallas and New Mexico. There are a lot of great bowl destinations that are really family oriented. People talk about, 'Something on my bucket list is to go to Hawaii. Something on my bucket list is to go to the Bahamas. I've always wanted to go to New Orleans or Ft. Lauderdale.' That's what people talk about for family vacations – 'One day I would like to do that.' These guys as 18, 19, 20 and 21-year-old kids, they get to do it as a football player and as their teammates with friends they have experienced a lot with. I think it's a wonderful opportunity for this team.
On enjoying the festivities surrounding bowl week…
I won't be able to. I won't be able to relax and enjoy Hawaii. I wasn't able to relax and enjoy the Bahamas last year. You're so focused and have your blinders on. All you're trying to do is prepare your team to play the best they can. We are going there to try and get our ninth win. As a coach, there is a fine line. I'll get my enjoyment and satisfaction of Hawaii if we can hold up that trophy at the end of the game. That's where I'll get my enjoyment. It's a business function for me. I told our players that we are going to enjoy it because we have worked too hard not to enjoy it. But there is a fine line of enjoying it and not preparing for the game. When it's practice time and when it's meeting time, we will work our tails off. When it's time to go to the beach, and when it's time to surf and go to luaus and hula dances and all that stuff, I want the players to enjoy that. I want them to say all the hard work we put in from last January 18 until December 24 was worth it. That's going to be our mindset as we start preparing next Friday.
On playing in a later bowl date for quarterback Brent Stockstill and other players to recover…
Absolutely. It gives him another week. He's had four weeks today since surgery, and we have three weeks now before we play. Obviously it helps him. A couple guys that we missed the last few games, I don't know if that extra week would help them. I think if we played on the 17th, they would have been able to play also, but obviously an extra week in their rehab process will help them. I think the date is great, and hopefully we'll have Brent back for it. We're a different team when he is in there.
On personal attire during the bowl game…
I have to find that out. I've done some research. I'm a pretty regular shirt kind of guy. I didn't know if that was mandatory. I checked the coaches that coached in it last year, and they had on a polo. They did have a lei. Unless they absolutely make me wear the Hawaiian shirt tail out kind of thing, I'll be wearing a regular polo with my hot jacket or sweatshirt depending on the temperature. I'm going to probably try and stay as close to what I've done my whole career. I'll wear a lei if they make me, but I'd like to stay in a polo or sweatshirt.
On taking any long walks on the beach…
I'm sure (my wife) Sara will want me to take her for a walk. And I'm sure there are some things that I get to do with her. There are enough functions we'll go to and I'm sure there are some things on the beach that we'll do, but my whole mindset is trying to get this ninth win.
Richie James
On going to the Hawaii Bowl:
We've been blessed to go on these great trips. I think it's going to be very fun.
On playing quarterback on the first snap:
I don't know. I doubt it, but hopefully we'll have fun and enjoy the trip. It'll be a great experience.
On the thing to look forward to the most:
The beach, definitely. Not a lot of people get this opportunity. We're a lot of 20-year olds going to Hawaii so it's going to be a great experience.
On focusing on the game:
We understand that we're going to Hawaii to win a game, but we'll also enjoy it. It's going to be a good process, and Coach Stockstill will have a plan for us, and we'll be alright.
On playing a road game against Hawaii:
It's one of those situations where you're going into a hostile environment. I've heard some good things about going to Hawaii and their crowd is going to be into it. It's going to be a good experience. We went to Alabama last year and their crowd was into it, so you play these teams that have a really good crowd and you know it's going to be a really great experience.
Brent Stockstill
On going to the Hawaii Bowl:
Especially for this team to go back-to-back years to the Bahamas and then to Hawaii is pretty incredible that we get to experience that. That's probably the only chance we'll get in our entire lives to go to those places, and to do it through football and with our brothers is a cool experience.
On going to a great destination:
A bowl game is a great reward, and we did battle through some adversity this year. We've had a lot of ups-and-downs, but to be able to cap it off like this and send our seniors off with a win, to be able to cap it off in Hawaii, would be incredible.
On playing Hawaii on their home field:
Hawaii has had some big wins this year. I know they beat Air Force and played some teams close, and it's a good atmosphere. Their fans get into it. The city rallies behind them. It's going to be fun. It's going to be a great challenge for us to go into their place and try to steal a win.
On having an extra week to rehab:
I think wherever we were going to go, I was going to try to do everything I could to get back, and this gives me an extra week. We'll keep checking with the doctors. I'm going to do everything I can to try to get out there and play with the guys.
On the thing to look forward to:
I think the fellowship with the guys and enjoying the scenery and activities and all the things they've got for us to do out there will be the special part for us.
On having fun but staying focused on the game:
We have a very mature group. Coach (Stockstill) will have a good plan for us. We've been there before, so we know how to handle these environments. You have to find a balance between work and fun, and I think we'll do that. We've got a high-character group, and we'll get that done.
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