JSU GAME NOTES (.pdf)
 
Opening Comments:
“We are as excited as we can be to start another football season. This is my 13th year and I don't think I have ever been around a bunch that has ever worked harder to perform and I think we potentially have the best leadership group that we have ever had in this group of guys (Washaun Ealey, Marques Ivory and Kevyn Cooper). When you look at the group of freshmen that we have, we are a talented football team."
 
"We are playing the highest-ranked team that Jacksonville State has ever played in the Arkansas Razorbacks. They are a very gifted football team and this season we are one of seven FCS schools that will play FBS schools and we have chosen both of them out of the SEC – which I don't think anyone has ever done. We do have something in common with these two schools in that we seek total-program success. Both Florida and Arkansas in the last two years have come close to winning a national championship in baseball. If they had, both of them would have been the second school to win a championship in all three sports (football, men's basketball and baseball). The one that already has and the first to do that was Jacksonville State. In that way, we are an equal in tradition, but certainly playing at a different level. We may be an underdog, but I doubt that our band is. In some ways, we feel very equal to this environment. Washaun (Ealey) has played there and been in the environment when he was at Georgia and I have been to that stadium many times. We will definitely be challenged, but we asked for this challenge. We called and asked to have the opportunity to perform on this stage against a quality football team. We are excited about it.”
 
“We have Marques Ivory back after he redshirted himself or UT Martin redshirted him with the injury in the first game. It gives us two starting quarterbacks this season. We are going to have two quarterbacks playing in the game, but I don't know how we will use both of them or when we will use them. The weather (Tropical Storm Isaac) might be an issue Saturday, but the last report that I saw has the storm somewhere in Missouri by kick off."
 
“We plan on playing a lot of players and we plan on keeping Washaun (Ealey) fresh by playing him in a rotation. Our rotation at wide receiver has gotten a little thin with Trey Smith  (injury) being out for this game. Another dimension to this game is that we will be playing a true freshman in Telvin Brown at wide receiver.  I am excited to see him in this environment. I think he is capable of stepping out there and making plays. He is a guy that has never worn the red and white and quite faced the challenge that he has in this game, but I don't have any doubt that he will be good."

“We are going to play a lot of people that have never played before. I am not putting anybody out there that I don't think that can make the plays. We are going to play as hard as we can play and we have played in these types of games before.”

“Marques Ivory has been there when it went our way (at Ole Miss) and Kevyn Cooper has caught the ball in the back of the endzone from Coty (Blanchard) two years ago in a dynamic finish and in a big-time SEC environment.  We are looking forward to doing those type of things against Arkansas."



Senior Quarterback Marques Ivory
On Coming back from the injury last year
“It means a lot to come back and be able to play this year.  It has been a long journey with the injury and I was able to live a semi-normal person's lifestyle, but at the same time I really missed being around the guys. I love that I can go through what they are going through and do the things they did last year. I am ready to finish a complete season.”

On Playing with Kevyn Cooper
“He is one of the best receivers I have ever played with. The one thing I have noticed about him as we have grown up together is that he is really consistent in everything that he does. You know that you will get whatever he has and then he will give more than that. He is someone that is reliable because that is a huge asset because when its 3rd and 16, you know he will get that.”
 
Senior Running Back Washaun Ealey
On playing Arkansas while at Georgia and playing in the bigger stadiums
“They are a very physical team and I feel like they are expected to make plays. I just try to go in to the games focused and my mindset is to make the plays. I just go into the games knowing what I have to do to help my team win."

Senior Wide Receiver Kevyn Cooper
On playing with quarterback Marques Ivory
“In high school, Marques (Ivory) was always a leader to me and he always knew what to do on the field and always did the right thing. He is probably one of the most composed quarterbacks that I know. He is my best friend and a cousin.”