JSU GAME NOTES

Opening Comments:
“We are obviously disappointed in the outcome of the game Saturday and more disappointed in the way it happened.  Even though that game came down to a play on the goal line, and we've had those quite a bit around here and in this stadium, and it was a play we did not make.  We didn't win the week before on a play of the last possession because we turned the ball over and we beat ourselves at Kentucky, so there has been a building frustration to actually play good enough no matter what the circumstances are to win.  The circumstances of being up by 24 points with seven minutes left to play, creates a dynamic that is very hard to understand. There were two series right before the half in which we turned the ball over in the end zone and they (Eastern Kentucky) come back down the field and score.  We had four plays that were not what they should have been – that is a 14-point turn around.  We have 28 points scored on us that were the result of turnovers, kicking game breakdown, lack of pressure on the quarterback and the inability to make a critical first down to take control of the game.  All these things have been evaluated and its not just one thing – it was a perfect storm and I have never seen anything like it.  It is also something that doesn't need to be analyzed any further than it has to be explained because it doesn't lend to the state of mind that we need to be in right now as a football team.”



On Southeast Missouri State
'We are playing Southeast Missouri this week, who won the league last year, and we are playing them at their place.  We have to prepare ourselves to play the best football that we can play.  We have had two alternating games here recently. We have had an offensive game that I think we are pretty proud of.  Quite honestly, I think we've played mostly in these two football games defensively in a way that we would be proud of, but not much consistency.  When I talk about inconsistency and newcomers that we have been integrating in to this program, even as our expectations grow in this program; also are the expectations of ourselves and it is pretty clear around here.”

“We are capable of winning these next two football games and I don't think anyone would argue with that.  I think people have to realize that when you play inside your own conference, there is a balancing affect and you end up in a lot of games that are one-score games.  We started off the season with one against UT Martin and I think that you have to understand the sheer competitiveness of playing in a league.  We are still playing for our own set of goals.”



“You have a team in Southeast Missouri that won the league last year with a lot of seniors.  I see that they have gone through a process of rebuilding, but they know where they are going and going through that process.  The key to them is the quarterback, Matt Scheible because he is the heart and soul.  Everything they do is like Nebraska and he reminds me of former Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch.  They all feed off of him – offensively and defensively.  There is more of a running approach to them this year than in the past.”