Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
MT vs. UAB presser
10/9/2017 1:33:00 PM | Football
Kickoff set for 5:30 PM
Middle Tennessee Football Press Conference Quotes
Head Coach Rick Stockstill
Opening statement:
"Like always, I appreciate you guys being here. I'm looking forward to this game here this week against UAB. Another conference game, obviously, and they're coming off a really thrilling win last week against LA Tech where they won at the buzzer. They had a hard fought, close loss the week before to North Texas where they lost late in the game there, 44-41. They're coming off two really good games that they've played. They get better each week. They're very well coached. Coach (Bill) Clark has done a nice job, he and his staff there. They've got some really, really talented players on both sides of the ball. This is going to be a really tough challenge for us, and that's not coach speak saying that. This is a good football team we're getting ready to play. We've got to have a good week of preparation and get ready to play this game, because this is a really talented team."
On disrupting UAB's momentum after their thrilling victory last week:
"It's about us. We've got to have a good week of preparation. Then we've got to play well, we've got to execute. They're going to give you a bunch of different looks defensively from a schematic standpoint. Offensively, they change week to week a lot. They're going to lean on running the ball, but they can throw the ball equally as well. Again, it's about us and going and executing, playing better and being able to handle the different looks. Offensively for us, being able to handle the different looks we're going to see from them defensively. On the defensive side of the ball, continue to play aggressive; continue to play smart football like we've done most of the time this year, with the exception of one time."
On possibly using Tavares Thomas in the Wildcat more often:
"There's always that possibility. We'll continue to evaluate everything offensively and see what gives us the best chance to be successful, not only in the red zone but in the open field. As we study UAB this week, we'll see if that opportunity presents itself."
On running back Terrell West's progress getting back to full strength:
"It was good to get him out there. I'm sure that helped his confidence, but you can see there he's got a long way to go. He didn't look fast, he looked hesitant. I'm hopeful that that was just his first time being out there in a while. This week in practice he'll get a few more reps and all that. Again, he's not going to be what he was the first time he touched the ball. It's a work in progress still with him."
On wide receiver Richie James' health status heading into UAB:
"We'll see. He practiced some last week. He didn't practice every day. We put him in there a little bit with some routes on air. Then, I wanted him to go out there during pregame warmups. Really that was more for his confidence because he hadn't done anything on turf. We've you haven't cut anything on turf, it's a different feel. All of his have been been on the grass. I just wanted him to get a feel for that, to go out there and run on that and move around a little bit. There was never any intention of him playing because he wasn't ready yet. We'll see how he progresses this week. He's still got some things he needs to improve on from a physical standpoint."
On quarterback Brent Stockstill's health status heading into UAB:
"Same thing, we'll see tomorrow. We got kind of rained out yesterday. It was lightening a little bit with some rain. We couldn't go outside, so we basically had a walk through in the gym there. So we'll get a better idea on Brent and Richie tomorrow also."
On the challenges of facing a solid run quarterback in A.J. Erdely:
"Anytime your quarterback is a threat as a runner, it always presents an added problem to your defense. Especially in their zone read stuff, you've got to be disciplined and sound in your keys: who's got the back, who's got the quarterback. So you've got to be disciplined from that standpoint. You've also got to be cognizant of when the pocket breaks down and he can get outside of the pocket and buy some time. You've got to be disciplined on the backend of playing your keys, not letting your man go and trying to come up and make a play on the quarterback. He's a really talented player that's done a nice job for them so far these first five games that they've had."
On how Rick Stockstill discovered Tavares Thomas' ability to play wildcat quarterback:
"When I went out to Navarro Junior College to see the running back that we ended up signing, I asked the coach there if he had any other guys he recommended, and he recommended Tavares as a linebacker. The first film I saw of him there was him in high school as a wildcat quarterback, as a running back while they were getting the junior college film for me. Tavares, he ran the fake punt at FAU and got couple of yards for us. So Monday I'm talking to our offensive staff about utilizing him as runner. So I got that Huddle film out from when he was in high school, showed Tony -- and the rest of our guys him as a high school athlete. So they liked it and we put in a few plays for him. Obviously, it gave us a huge boost there with him scoring three touchdowns Saturday. So that's how it all started, seeing and remembering him as a high school running back, a high school shot gun wildcat quarterback."
On winning the turnover battle against FIU:
"It's a perfect example that if you don't beat yourself, if you don't turn the ball over, you don't put your defense in a short field, you've got a chance to beat anybody. If you look at that game, we never put our defense on a short field. I said it after the game, I thought we were really sound in the kicking game. I thought that was one of our better performances in the kicking game. If you don't turn it over, you've got a chance to beat anybody. It keeps the continuity, the flow of the offense going. You're not hampered and frustrated by turnovers. Your sideline is not frustrated by turnovers. We had a chance to get two others and we didn't get them. It was a welcoming feeling to walk off that field and know that you didn't turn the ball over finally."
On Rick Stockstill's thoughts of picking up his 75th win at Middle Tennessee:
"That's the first I've heard of that. I'm just happy we won. I'm happy for our players because they put so much hard work and dedication into each game, each week of preparation and practice. So I'm just proud of our team winning that game Saturday and I'm proud of all the wins we've had with all our former players that's been a part of this program. I say it all the time, I'm very fortunate and very appreciative of the opportunity that I have to represent our football program and this university. I don't take any personal satisfaction out of that. I'm happy for our players because they are the ones that do it all. It's always about the players to me, it's never about me. All I care about is these players and helping them get on the right path and be successful in life by the influences that I can give them, both on and off field."
On what Middle Tennessee quarterback John Urzua must do to keep his strong play going:
"Be a smart decision maker. I said it after the game, he made some poor throws against FIU, but the poor throws resulted in incompletions. In the past, his poor throws have resulted in interceptions, or poor decisions have resulted in interceptions. So again, just be smart and play within yourself. Make smart decisions so that if a quarterback, if you make smart decisions, most of the time you get good results. They've got a good defense. Their corners I think are really good. They're going to challenge us. So we've got to win at that position. Our receivers have got to win, they've got to do what they're coached to do and then John's got to make smart decisions and do what he's coached to do."
On what the offensive line must do going up against a tough defense in UAB:
"The offensive line did a nice job against FIU. FIU was not a pressure team. They were sit back and play zone. They didn't play much man coverage, they didn't come after us much. I think John got hit one time. So our line did a really good job. Now it's going to be a different scheme. They are going to see more pressure, more blitzes. Our offensive line's got to be able to handle it and John's got to be able to handle it. It's going to be a different defense mentality that they are seeing this week compared to last week. But our offensive line took a good step forward in protecting our quarterback."
On the attendance from last Saturday:
"I appreciate whether there's one person in that stadium or 30,000 in that stadium. I appreciate the people that come. Do I wish there was 30,000 in there every game? Yes, absolutely. I'm so optimistic and hopeful that one day there's 30,000 in there every game. To me, Saturday's are an event. It ought to be loud, the music ought to be loud, the fans ought to be loud; just a fun enjoyable atmosphere. Whatever came, 15,000, I'm appreciative of those. I hope they enjoy what they saw. It was a great win, a great homecoming win. That stuff, I don't concern myself in it that I'm not looking in the stands to see how many are there. I hope every day that it's packed. I try to do everything I can, our team tries to do everything we can to get people to come to the games. That's all you can do as a coach. But I'm appreciative of everybody that comes. Whether it's one person, 15,000 or 30,000, whatever it is. I'm just appreciative of the people that do come to the games and the ones that don't, you're missing a heck of a good product because these kids play hard and give you everything they've got. I say it all the time: if yo live here and you're a Tennessee fan, then you need to go support Tennessee. But if you live here and you're a Tennessee fan and you don't go to Knoxville, then you need to come to this game because this is where you live, this is your hometown team. It's the same whoever you are, a Vandy fan, an Austin Peay fan, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee Martin, Memphis, it doesn't matter. If you live here and you're there fan, go support them. But if you don't, then come watch us play. It only costs six, seven or eight bucks to get in. But again, I'm just appreciative of the people that do come and everything that this town and this city does to support us."
On what parenting advice Rick Stockstill has given to linebacker D.J. Sanders with the birth of his new child:
"I tell all the players that have children, I say that best gift that you can give them is time. Don't worry about trying to out and buy this toy or this polo pajama suit, whatever. Give them time because that's what you're going to remember and that's what they need. So that's my advice I gave to D.J. Be supportive of the mom, because she's going through changing the diapers, and I didn't do much of that, Sarah did it all. So the best gift you can give them is time and you'll learn here in the next two months how much you love Friday's, when you can go with that hotel with the team and that's about the only good night of sleep you get through the course of the week."
On how the defense looked overall last week:
"I was really proud of our defense. I thought they played really good, I though they played really fast., I thought they were disruptive. I was disappointed in how we came out in the second half. I thought we were relaxed a little bit. I thought that they were playing good and we come out and score offensively the first drive and now it's 24-3. I thought we were relaxed a little bit, and now they do down and score. I told our team yesterday that you can never lose your edge. I said it's proven that's there's no lead that's big enough or secure enough. The Texas A&M/UCLA example it was a 30-point game in the fourth quarter and UCLA comes back and wins. That was the only thing I was disappointed in our defense. I thought we were relaxed a little bit there at the third quarter. But we got our edge back and played better after that. Coach Shafer, our defensive staff and our players have done a really outstanding job this year. We're a much better, much improved defense. We're playing with a lot of confidence, playing with a lot of effort and intensity. I like what we're doing defensively."
On the impressive year linebacker Khalil Brook's is piecing together:
"Khalil has been really consistent for the most part of the year. FAU not so much, but really bounced back in the FIU game and played really well. He plays fast, he's a really smart football player. When you think about it, we signed him as a corner. It wasn't working out at corner so we moved him safety. It wasn't really working out there, and now we've moved him to linebacker. To be able to do those three positions means you're a pretty good athlete. So we can do a lot of things with him. We can blitz him off the edge, we can blitz him inside, we play him in man coverage, we play him in zone coverage. He's a really hybrid athlete out there at the linebacker position. It gives us a chance defensively to be able to do multiple things. He had a really good game and for the most part, he's had a pretty good year so far. He's been very consistent, has tackled well for the most part and has been disruptive behind the line of scrimmage."
Safety Jovante Moffatt
On UAB's rushing offense:
"So far I haven't seen much, we'll get back into film work today. But I know they come out in a lot of different forms and formations every week. So that's going to be the main keys is finding out what they're going to do and just adjusting."
On UAB's offensive line allowing many sacks:
"It helps a lot. Coach Shaffer likes to bring a lot of pressure, and that can only go well for us if we're getting behind the line of scrimmage and disrupting what they do. It can help a lot.
On if defense played with chip on shoulder after FAU loss:
"I think we played alright. There was a lot of things we could do better, being consistent in a lot of areas. But for the most part I feel like we did a really good job in getting a win."
On stopping UAB on third down:
"I feel like the main thing for third down will be doing well on first down. Put them in long situations and help Coach Shaffer make calls for third and long situations to help us."
On what defense needs to do to improve consistency:
"Just being accountable and doing our job, that's the main things. But when you have guys flying around, it's hard to tell who's making mistakes because somebody is always getting somebody's back. That's the good part about it, that he has us flying around, effort is a big part of his style of coaching. So I think that's the main thing."
Head Coach Rick Stockstill
Opening statement:
"Like always, I appreciate you guys being here. I'm looking forward to this game here this week against UAB. Another conference game, obviously, and they're coming off a really thrilling win last week against LA Tech where they won at the buzzer. They had a hard fought, close loss the week before to North Texas where they lost late in the game there, 44-41. They're coming off two really good games that they've played. They get better each week. They're very well coached. Coach (Bill) Clark has done a nice job, he and his staff there. They've got some really, really talented players on both sides of the ball. This is going to be a really tough challenge for us, and that's not coach speak saying that. This is a good football team we're getting ready to play. We've got to have a good week of preparation and get ready to play this game, because this is a really talented team."
On disrupting UAB's momentum after their thrilling victory last week:
"It's about us. We've got to have a good week of preparation. Then we've got to play well, we've got to execute. They're going to give you a bunch of different looks defensively from a schematic standpoint. Offensively, they change week to week a lot. They're going to lean on running the ball, but they can throw the ball equally as well. Again, it's about us and going and executing, playing better and being able to handle the different looks. Offensively for us, being able to handle the different looks we're going to see from them defensively. On the defensive side of the ball, continue to play aggressive; continue to play smart football like we've done most of the time this year, with the exception of one time."
On possibly using Tavares Thomas in the Wildcat more often:
"There's always that possibility. We'll continue to evaluate everything offensively and see what gives us the best chance to be successful, not only in the red zone but in the open field. As we study UAB this week, we'll see if that opportunity presents itself."
On running back Terrell West's progress getting back to full strength:
"It was good to get him out there. I'm sure that helped his confidence, but you can see there he's got a long way to go. He didn't look fast, he looked hesitant. I'm hopeful that that was just his first time being out there in a while. This week in practice he'll get a few more reps and all that. Again, he's not going to be what he was the first time he touched the ball. It's a work in progress still with him."
On wide receiver Richie James' health status heading into UAB:
"We'll see. He practiced some last week. He didn't practice every day. We put him in there a little bit with some routes on air. Then, I wanted him to go out there during pregame warmups. Really that was more for his confidence because he hadn't done anything on turf. We've you haven't cut anything on turf, it's a different feel. All of his have been been on the grass. I just wanted him to get a feel for that, to go out there and run on that and move around a little bit. There was never any intention of him playing because he wasn't ready yet. We'll see how he progresses this week. He's still got some things he needs to improve on from a physical standpoint."
On quarterback Brent Stockstill's health status heading into UAB:
"Same thing, we'll see tomorrow. We got kind of rained out yesterday. It was lightening a little bit with some rain. We couldn't go outside, so we basically had a walk through in the gym there. So we'll get a better idea on Brent and Richie tomorrow also."
On the challenges of facing a solid run quarterback in A.J. Erdely:
"Anytime your quarterback is a threat as a runner, it always presents an added problem to your defense. Especially in their zone read stuff, you've got to be disciplined and sound in your keys: who's got the back, who's got the quarterback. So you've got to be disciplined from that standpoint. You've also got to be cognizant of when the pocket breaks down and he can get outside of the pocket and buy some time. You've got to be disciplined on the backend of playing your keys, not letting your man go and trying to come up and make a play on the quarterback. He's a really talented player that's done a nice job for them so far these first five games that they've had."
On how Rick Stockstill discovered Tavares Thomas' ability to play wildcat quarterback:
"When I went out to Navarro Junior College to see the running back that we ended up signing, I asked the coach there if he had any other guys he recommended, and he recommended Tavares as a linebacker. The first film I saw of him there was him in high school as a wildcat quarterback, as a running back while they were getting the junior college film for me. Tavares, he ran the fake punt at FAU and got couple of yards for us. So Monday I'm talking to our offensive staff about utilizing him as runner. So I got that Huddle film out from when he was in high school, showed Tony -- and the rest of our guys him as a high school athlete. So they liked it and we put in a few plays for him. Obviously, it gave us a huge boost there with him scoring three touchdowns Saturday. So that's how it all started, seeing and remembering him as a high school running back, a high school shot gun wildcat quarterback."
On winning the turnover battle against FIU:
"It's a perfect example that if you don't beat yourself, if you don't turn the ball over, you don't put your defense in a short field, you've got a chance to beat anybody. If you look at that game, we never put our defense on a short field. I said it after the game, I thought we were really sound in the kicking game. I thought that was one of our better performances in the kicking game. If you don't turn it over, you've got a chance to beat anybody. It keeps the continuity, the flow of the offense going. You're not hampered and frustrated by turnovers. Your sideline is not frustrated by turnovers. We had a chance to get two others and we didn't get them. It was a welcoming feeling to walk off that field and know that you didn't turn the ball over finally."
On Rick Stockstill's thoughts of picking up his 75th win at Middle Tennessee:
"That's the first I've heard of that. I'm just happy we won. I'm happy for our players because they put so much hard work and dedication into each game, each week of preparation and practice. So I'm just proud of our team winning that game Saturday and I'm proud of all the wins we've had with all our former players that's been a part of this program. I say it all the time, I'm very fortunate and very appreciative of the opportunity that I have to represent our football program and this university. I don't take any personal satisfaction out of that. I'm happy for our players because they are the ones that do it all. It's always about the players to me, it's never about me. All I care about is these players and helping them get on the right path and be successful in life by the influences that I can give them, both on and off field."
On what Middle Tennessee quarterback John Urzua must do to keep his strong play going:
"Be a smart decision maker. I said it after the game, he made some poor throws against FIU, but the poor throws resulted in incompletions. In the past, his poor throws have resulted in interceptions, or poor decisions have resulted in interceptions. So again, just be smart and play within yourself. Make smart decisions so that if a quarterback, if you make smart decisions, most of the time you get good results. They've got a good defense. Their corners I think are really good. They're going to challenge us. So we've got to win at that position. Our receivers have got to win, they've got to do what they're coached to do and then John's got to make smart decisions and do what he's coached to do."
On what the offensive line must do going up against a tough defense in UAB:
"The offensive line did a nice job against FIU. FIU was not a pressure team. They were sit back and play zone. They didn't play much man coverage, they didn't come after us much. I think John got hit one time. So our line did a really good job. Now it's going to be a different scheme. They are going to see more pressure, more blitzes. Our offensive line's got to be able to handle it and John's got to be able to handle it. It's going to be a different defense mentality that they are seeing this week compared to last week. But our offensive line took a good step forward in protecting our quarterback."
On the attendance from last Saturday:
"I appreciate whether there's one person in that stadium or 30,000 in that stadium. I appreciate the people that come. Do I wish there was 30,000 in there every game? Yes, absolutely. I'm so optimistic and hopeful that one day there's 30,000 in there every game. To me, Saturday's are an event. It ought to be loud, the music ought to be loud, the fans ought to be loud; just a fun enjoyable atmosphere. Whatever came, 15,000, I'm appreciative of those. I hope they enjoy what they saw. It was a great win, a great homecoming win. That stuff, I don't concern myself in it that I'm not looking in the stands to see how many are there. I hope every day that it's packed. I try to do everything I can, our team tries to do everything we can to get people to come to the games. That's all you can do as a coach. But I'm appreciative of everybody that comes. Whether it's one person, 15,000 or 30,000, whatever it is. I'm just appreciative of the people that do come to the games and the ones that don't, you're missing a heck of a good product because these kids play hard and give you everything they've got. I say it all the time: if yo live here and you're a Tennessee fan, then you need to go support Tennessee. But if you live here and you're a Tennessee fan and you don't go to Knoxville, then you need to come to this game because this is where you live, this is your hometown team. It's the same whoever you are, a Vandy fan, an Austin Peay fan, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee Martin, Memphis, it doesn't matter. If you live here and you're there fan, go support them. But if you don't, then come watch us play. It only costs six, seven or eight bucks to get in. But again, I'm just appreciative of the people that do come and everything that this town and this city does to support us."
On what parenting advice Rick Stockstill has given to linebacker D.J. Sanders with the birth of his new child:
"I tell all the players that have children, I say that best gift that you can give them is time. Don't worry about trying to out and buy this toy or this polo pajama suit, whatever. Give them time because that's what you're going to remember and that's what they need. So that's my advice I gave to D.J. Be supportive of the mom, because she's going through changing the diapers, and I didn't do much of that, Sarah did it all. So the best gift you can give them is time and you'll learn here in the next two months how much you love Friday's, when you can go with that hotel with the team and that's about the only good night of sleep you get through the course of the week."
On how the defense looked overall last week:
"I was really proud of our defense. I thought they played really good, I though they played really fast., I thought they were disruptive. I was disappointed in how we came out in the second half. I thought we were relaxed a little bit. I thought that they were playing good and we come out and score offensively the first drive and now it's 24-3. I thought we were relaxed a little bit, and now they do down and score. I told our team yesterday that you can never lose your edge. I said it's proven that's there's no lead that's big enough or secure enough. The Texas A&M/UCLA example it was a 30-point game in the fourth quarter and UCLA comes back and wins. That was the only thing I was disappointed in our defense. I thought we were relaxed a little bit there at the third quarter. But we got our edge back and played better after that. Coach Shafer, our defensive staff and our players have done a really outstanding job this year. We're a much better, much improved defense. We're playing with a lot of confidence, playing with a lot of effort and intensity. I like what we're doing defensively."
On the impressive year linebacker Khalil Brook's is piecing together:
"Khalil has been really consistent for the most part of the year. FAU not so much, but really bounced back in the FIU game and played really well. He plays fast, he's a really smart football player. When you think about it, we signed him as a corner. It wasn't working out at corner so we moved him safety. It wasn't really working out there, and now we've moved him to linebacker. To be able to do those three positions means you're a pretty good athlete. So we can do a lot of things with him. We can blitz him off the edge, we can blitz him inside, we play him in man coverage, we play him in zone coverage. He's a really hybrid athlete out there at the linebacker position. It gives us a chance defensively to be able to do multiple things. He had a really good game and for the most part, he's had a pretty good year so far. He's been very consistent, has tackled well for the most part and has been disruptive behind the line of scrimmage."
Safety Jovante Moffatt
On UAB's rushing offense:
"So far I haven't seen much, we'll get back into film work today. But I know they come out in a lot of different forms and formations every week. So that's going to be the main keys is finding out what they're going to do and just adjusting."
On UAB's offensive line allowing many sacks:
"It helps a lot. Coach Shaffer likes to bring a lot of pressure, and that can only go well for us if we're getting behind the line of scrimmage and disrupting what they do. It can help a lot.
On if defense played with chip on shoulder after FAU loss:
"I think we played alright. There was a lot of things we could do better, being consistent in a lot of areas. But for the most part I feel like we did a really good job in getting a win."
On stopping UAB on third down:
"I feel like the main thing for third down will be doing well on first down. Put them in long situations and help Coach Shaffer make calls for third and long situations to help us."
On what defense needs to do to improve consistency:
"Just being accountable and doing our job, that's the main things. But when you have guys flying around, it's hard to tell who's making mistakes because somebody is always getting somebody's back. That's the good part about it, that he has us flying around, effort is a big part of his style of coaching. So I think that's the main thing."
Players Mentioned
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