Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
MT vs. Syracuse presser
9/4/2017 12:01:00 PM | Football
Kickoff is 2:30 PM
Middle Tennessee Football Press Conference Quotes
Head Coach Rick Stockstill
Opening statement:
"Looking at Syracuse, it's another really good football team. They finished last year in a shootout with Pittsburgh in the last game and got beat 76-61, so they scored 61 points in their last game and they scored 50 last week in their opener. It's a really high-powered offense. They're very explosive, have good players, are up-tempo, have nine returning starters off that team, so Coach Fabors is getting his offensive philosophy installed. Defensively they have nine starters returning also. I think they're really good up front. They're big, they can run, so it's another good defense. They gave up some points last year but they got a shutout in their first game this year. They've also got their kicker and their punter back and those guys are really good also. One of them was All-ACC last year. It's a good football team. It's going to be a challenge going on the road and playing in the dome up there. It's another really good opponent. We have to have a good week of preparation. We had a good day yesterday practicing and I anticipate the same moving forward."
On what to expect from the Syracuse offense:
"I think they'll try to throw it 50 or 60 times. I think they'll try to spread us out because that's what they do. I don't anticipate anything different."
On whether this offensive line is more raw than any other he has coached here:
"I don't know. We started three new starters there and I'm sure if you go through the years I imagine at times there have been two or three new starters in there periodically. Those guys will work and continue to get better. I've got 100 percent confidence in them that they'll continue to improve."
On what needs to change defensively:
"I don't know if there is anything we need to change or not, it's only the second game. Obviously we've got to be ready for tempo where against Vanderbilt is a huddle team. They did do some tempo a little bit, but mostly they huddled. We've got to be prepared for that, the speed that they'll go at between plays. No matter what we do we just need to execute the call. Whether your'e in this coverage, dropping this many people or blitzing this many people. I don't think there is anything we need to change, just go out and execute the call."
On whether a second game against a Power Five team carries extra importance:
"No sir. If you win it gives you a win. You don't get a win and a half by beating a Power Five. We beat Missouri last year and it counted as one win. It's not going to do anymore. You'll get your name on ESPN Saturday night, but Sunday morning or Monday morning they're going to be talking about the next game.You play it one game at a time. We put all our focus and all our energy into Syracuse this week."
On whether getting on the road is good, bad or indifferent:
"I'd say it's not good news, you'd rather play all your games at home if you could. It helps you as a team and develops your mental toughness and your focus because you're going into an environment that you're not familiar with. You've got the flying logistics, a new hotel and a new locker room. A lot of our guys played in a dome when we played in San Antonio a couple of years ago, but a lot of our guys haven't. This will be the first experience playing in a dome for a lot of guys. The challenges of going on the road are always harder than playing at home. That's why the Power Fives play seven home games, because you'd rather play at home than on the road. It'll be good experience for us."
On what kind of response he wanted and got at practice on Sunday:
"The response that I wanted was a team that was going to be resilient, not feel sorry for themselves and hang their head, come out knowing that we still have 12 games left, to work to improve, work to get better, stay committed to the cause and what our objective is and that's what I got."
On the psychological aspect of getting that response:
"We invested a lot in that game. Our players invested a lot in that game. Not just in the week prior but since January when we came back. When you invest that much and you don't get the reward that you were striving to get, it's tough. You don't dwell on it. We talked about it yesterday but not much. We got beat by a better team, they were better than us. That doesn't mean we're not a good team, it just means we got beat by somebody better than us. We did some things that we've got to improve on to give us a better opportunity to win moving forward, and that's what you try to stress. You stay positive. I'm going to stay positive because there were some positive things in that game we took out of it. I'm going to be positive. I always have been and I always will be. Nobody's going to feel sorry for you. I know We've got a good team, I know we've got good players. We got beat by a better team and I tip my hat to them. I did that after the game and know we're moving forward."
On what the number one thing the coaching staff needs to stress to the team:
"I don't know if there is one particular area. I think it's an accumulation of all of us – me, coaches, players, everybody. Just getting a little bit better at something at their particular position. That's why the NFL plays preseason games. They find out what's going to work and what's not going to work. We've got a better idea now defensively, offensively and in our kicking game of some things we need to work on to get better and some things that maybe we can't do. I think it's just an accumulation of the entire game that everyone needs to be accountable and get a little better at their particular position. I think we've got a better idea now of some things that we can and can't do from a team standpoint."
On what makes wide receiver Richie James so great:
"He's a good player, he's got a good skillset and he's got good players around him. I said it after the game, but nobody is going to set a record or have success without somebody else playing a part in it. He's got good players around him, but he's a good player. He's got a good skillset and good ball skills. He has worked hard to develop himself as a player. He's a good football player."
Quarterback Brent Stockstill
On necessary week two improvements:
"I think we just need to come back to work and get better as a group. I don't think it was any one particular position like I said after the game I don't think that I did a great job helping the guys up front out. Maybe I didn't sit in the pocket as long as I should, I think it's just a group effort. You win as a team and lose as a team and we'll come back to work just like we did yesterday to get better. We'll have a better showing out there this Saturday."
On the atmosphere at Syracuse:
"I don't think we worry too much about the crowd noise. It's a tough environment but we've played in tough environments over my years like playing at Alabama then playing in the dome at UTSA. We're going to have a plan to be able to battle that and make sure we execute so that (noise) isn't a factor."
On being the leader of the team:
"I love being the leader, this is my team win or lose. I'll stand up and take a bullet for these guys and I take full responsibility for what happened last week. And I'll make sure we put a better product on the field this Saturday. Obviously we were embarrassed and disappointed by what happened last Saturday but like you said it's a new week. We're ready to get back to work. We're all men (on this team). We all looked ourselves in the mirror and we'll get better."
On adjustments in the second half (moving the pocket around and throwing on the run):
"I'm comfortable with whatever we have to do to make our offense be successful. It's hard for the offensive line to just sit back there especially when you're down 28 points and the other team is just pinning their ears back. I'm good with whatever coach wants us to do and I'll execute it."
On the team attitude going into week two:
"When you first come in there's always heads hanging, if there isn't then I think you've got a problem. I know me personally I wasn't in the best mood I was embarrassed. I didn't want anyone seeing me smiling or anything but as you get going that's why you come in on Sundays. Win or lose, you kind of flush that taste out of your mouth and get ready for the new week. At the end of the day we were all focused on the next game and we know we have a great challenge again.
On running the ball 10 times against Vanderbilt:
"I love that actually. I've worked hard to get my body into good shaped. I'm playing somewhere around 218-220 pounds. So I'm comfortable carrying the ball, I think that can help us win. If that is what my number is called to do, I'll do it."
What to expect from Syracuse:
"They're really good. They're aggressive, what pops out on film is that they just fly around to the ball. Similar to what we saw last week, power five bodies. We're going to have to have a good plan going in and execute better than we did last week.
On getting more guys involved on offense:
"We have to get others involved. They did a good job of limiting us in what we were going to do. We had a hard time pushing the ball downfield. We have to get Ty Lee more touches and we have to get some of the guys on the outside more involved, and establish more of a run game. You're never going to win with just one guy having production, you've got to have production across the board."
On where Richie James ranks among all-time MT receivers:
"Richie is the best I've ever seen, I'm not afraid to say that. He's just a heck of a football player and he works on his craft. By the time he leaves he going to break every record that's been set here and what makes it even more special to root for him is that he's such a great kid. He's so humble and all he cares about is the team success. So when you have a guy like that you wish him all the success in the world."
Linebacker DJ Sanders
On limiting Syracuse through the air:
"One thing that makes them so successful is their tempo. We're going to have to get the calls quickly and make our checks. We have to clean our missed assignments we had from last week, whether it's just one step or our eyes in the wrong place. We have to clean that up this week.
On positives from second half adjustments vs Vanderbilt:
"I think it was just us calming down. When we first got out there I think we were just emotionally too high. We were able to just play football, get our eyes in the right place and get our steps better. We didn't have nearly as many missed assignments, except for that long touchdown pass."
On establishing a rhythm:
"It's important for us to start fast. Last week we started really slow, so we have to come out focused and I think it starts in practice. It started yesterday, I think we came out really a focused mindset and we were ready. We were down at first but after watching the film, we realized that there were a couple of plays here and there we could have made, a sack here or there that could have changed the game."
On improvements against the run:
"I think for the linebackers we're playing more downhill instead of side-to-side. For the defensive line, I think they really got penetration against the run."
On getting set against the uptempo:
"It's difficult at times. But we go against one of the best spread offenses in the country in practice, during camp they were going no-huddle and it was hard for us at first. As camp went on, we got used to it and we were clicking, all on the same page. We were making checks and making calls no matter how fast they were going so we just have to keep that up this game. It's going to be hard because it's a different environment and different tempo. But, it's something we can adjust to."
On what facing Syracuse means to Coach Shaffer:
"He said we would all be best friends for life if we beat Syracuse. So that's extra motive for us. It's maybe kind of personal for him, but for us it's just another game and that's how we're going to approach it."
Head Coach Rick Stockstill
Opening statement:
"Looking at Syracuse, it's another really good football team. They finished last year in a shootout with Pittsburgh in the last game and got beat 76-61, so they scored 61 points in their last game and they scored 50 last week in their opener. It's a really high-powered offense. They're very explosive, have good players, are up-tempo, have nine returning starters off that team, so Coach Fabors is getting his offensive philosophy installed. Defensively they have nine starters returning also. I think they're really good up front. They're big, they can run, so it's another good defense. They gave up some points last year but they got a shutout in their first game this year. They've also got their kicker and their punter back and those guys are really good also. One of them was All-ACC last year. It's a good football team. It's going to be a challenge going on the road and playing in the dome up there. It's another really good opponent. We have to have a good week of preparation. We had a good day yesterday practicing and I anticipate the same moving forward."
On what to expect from the Syracuse offense:
"I think they'll try to throw it 50 or 60 times. I think they'll try to spread us out because that's what they do. I don't anticipate anything different."
On whether this offensive line is more raw than any other he has coached here:
"I don't know. We started three new starters there and I'm sure if you go through the years I imagine at times there have been two or three new starters in there periodically. Those guys will work and continue to get better. I've got 100 percent confidence in them that they'll continue to improve."
On what needs to change defensively:
"I don't know if there is anything we need to change or not, it's only the second game. Obviously we've got to be ready for tempo where against Vanderbilt is a huddle team. They did do some tempo a little bit, but mostly they huddled. We've got to be prepared for that, the speed that they'll go at between plays. No matter what we do we just need to execute the call. Whether your'e in this coverage, dropping this many people or blitzing this many people. I don't think there is anything we need to change, just go out and execute the call."
On whether a second game against a Power Five team carries extra importance:
"No sir. If you win it gives you a win. You don't get a win and a half by beating a Power Five. We beat Missouri last year and it counted as one win. It's not going to do anymore. You'll get your name on ESPN Saturday night, but Sunday morning or Monday morning they're going to be talking about the next game.You play it one game at a time. We put all our focus and all our energy into Syracuse this week."
On whether getting on the road is good, bad or indifferent:
"I'd say it's not good news, you'd rather play all your games at home if you could. It helps you as a team and develops your mental toughness and your focus because you're going into an environment that you're not familiar with. You've got the flying logistics, a new hotel and a new locker room. A lot of our guys played in a dome when we played in San Antonio a couple of years ago, but a lot of our guys haven't. This will be the first experience playing in a dome for a lot of guys. The challenges of going on the road are always harder than playing at home. That's why the Power Fives play seven home games, because you'd rather play at home than on the road. It'll be good experience for us."
On what kind of response he wanted and got at practice on Sunday:
"The response that I wanted was a team that was going to be resilient, not feel sorry for themselves and hang their head, come out knowing that we still have 12 games left, to work to improve, work to get better, stay committed to the cause and what our objective is and that's what I got."
On the psychological aspect of getting that response:
"We invested a lot in that game. Our players invested a lot in that game. Not just in the week prior but since January when we came back. When you invest that much and you don't get the reward that you were striving to get, it's tough. You don't dwell on it. We talked about it yesterday but not much. We got beat by a better team, they were better than us. That doesn't mean we're not a good team, it just means we got beat by somebody better than us. We did some things that we've got to improve on to give us a better opportunity to win moving forward, and that's what you try to stress. You stay positive. I'm going to stay positive because there were some positive things in that game we took out of it. I'm going to be positive. I always have been and I always will be. Nobody's going to feel sorry for you. I know We've got a good team, I know we've got good players. We got beat by a better team and I tip my hat to them. I did that after the game and know we're moving forward."
On what the number one thing the coaching staff needs to stress to the team:
"I don't know if there is one particular area. I think it's an accumulation of all of us – me, coaches, players, everybody. Just getting a little bit better at something at their particular position. That's why the NFL plays preseason games. They find out what's going to work and what's not going to work. We've got a better idea now defensively, offensively and in our kicking game of some things we need to work on to get better and some things that maybe we can't do. I think it's just an accumulation of the entire game that everyone needs to be accountable and get a little better at their particular position. I think we've got a better idea now of some things that we can and can't do from a team standpoint."
On what makes wide receiver Richie James so great:
"He's a good player, he's got a good skillset and he's got good players around him. I said it after the game, but nobody is going to set a record or have success without somebody else playing a part in it. He's got good players around him, but he's a good player. He's got a good skillset and good ball skills. He has worked hard to develop himself as a player. He's a good football player."
Quarterback Brent Stockstill
On necessary week two improvements:
"I think we just need to come back to work and get better as a group. I don't think it was any one particular position like I said after the game I don't think that I did a great job helping the guys up front out. Maybe I didn't sit in the pocket as long as I should, I think it's just a group effort. You win as a team and lose as a team and we'll come back to work just like we did yesterday to get better. We'll have a better showing out there this Saturday."
On the atmosphere at Syracuse:
"I don't think we worry too much about the crowd noise. It's a tough environment but we've played in tough environments over my years like playing at Alabama then playing in the dome at UTSA. We're going to have a plan to be able to battle that and make sure we execute so that (noise) isn't a factor."
On being the leader of the team:
"I love being the leader, this is my team win or lose. I'll stand up and take a bullet for these guys and I take full responsibility for what happened last week. And I'll make sure we put a better product on the field this Saturday. Obviously we were embarrassed and disappointed by what happened last Saturday but like you said it's a new week. We're ready to get back to work. We're all men (on this team). We all looked ourselves in the mirror and we'll get better."
On adjustments in the second half (moving the pocket around and throwing on the run):
"I'm comfortable with whatever we have to do to make our offense be successful. It's hard for the offensive line to just sit back there especially when you're down 28 points and the other team is just pinning their ears back. I'm good with whatever coach wants us to do and I'll execute it."
On the team attitude going into week two:
"When you first come in there's always heads hanging, if there isn't then I think you've got a problem. I know me personally I wasn't in the best mood I was embarrassed. I didn't want anyone seeing me smiling or anything but as you get going that's why you come in on Sundays. Win or lose, you kind of flush that taste out of your mouth and get ready for the new week. At the end of the day we were all focused on the next game and we know we have a great challenge again.
On running the ball 10 times against Vanderbilt:
"I love that actually. I've worked hard to get my body into good shaped. I'm playing somewhere around 218-220 pounds. So I'm comfortable carrying the ball, I think that can help us win. If that is what my number is called to do, I'll do it."
What to expect from Syracuse:
"They're really good. They're aggressive, what pops out on film is that they just fly around to the ball. Similar to what we saw last week, power five bodies. We're going to have to have a good plan going in and execute better than we did last week.
On getting more guys involved on offense:
"We have to get others involved. They did a good job of limiting us in what we were going to do. We had a hard time pushing the ball downfield. We have to get Ty Lee more touches and we have to get some of the guys on the outside more involved, and establish more of a run game. You're never going to win with just one guy having production, you've got to have production across the board."
On where Richie James ranks among all-time MT receivers:
"Richie is the best I've ever seen, I'm not afraid to say that. He's just a heck of a football player and he works on his craft. By the time he leaves he going to break every record that's been set here and what makes it even more special to root for him is that he's such a great kid. He's so humble and all he cares about is the team success. So when you have a guy like that you wish him all the success in the world."
Linebacker DJ Sanders
On limiting Syracuse through the air:
"One thing that makes them so successful is their tempo. We're going to have to get the calls quickly and make our checks. We have to clean our missed assignments we had from last week, whether it's just one step or our eyes in the wrong place. We have to clean that up this week.
On positives from second half adjustments vs Vanderbilt:
"I think it was just us calming down. When we first got out there I think we were just emotionally too high. We were able to just play football, get our eyes in the right place and get our steps better. We didn't have nearly as many missed assignments, except for that long touchdown pass."
On establishing a rhythm:
"It's important for us to start fast. Last week we started really slow, so we have to come out focused and I think it starts in practice. It started yesterday, I think we came out really a focused mindset and we were ready. We were down at first but after watching the film, we realized that there were a couple of plays here and there we could have made, a sack here or there that could have changed the game."
On improvements against the run:
"I think for the linebackers we're playing more downhill instead of side-to-side. For the defensive line, I think they really got penetration against the run."
On getting set against the uptempo:
"It's difficult at times. But we go against one of the best spread offenses in the country in practice, during camp they were going no-huddle and it was hard for us at first. As camp went on, we got used to it and we were clicking, all on the same page. We were making checks and making calls no matter how fast they were going so we just have to keep that up this game. It's going to be hard because it's a different environment and different tempo. But, it's something we can adjust to."
On what facing Syracuse means to Coach Shaffer:
"He said we would all be best friends for life if we beat Syracuse. So that's extra motive for us. It's maybe kind of personal for him, but for us it's just another game and that's how we're going to approach it."
Players Mentioned
MTSU Football at Nevada highlights – 9/13/25
Sunday, September 14
MTSU Football at Nevada Full Game Highlights – 9/13/25
Saturday, September 13
MTSU Football Postgame Press Conference @ Nevada on 09-13-25
Saturday, September 13
Raider Report Week 3 - MTSU vs. University of Nevada
Friday, September 12
