Saturday, October 12
JACKSONVILLE
3 p.m.
Jacksonville State University
vs
Tennessee State
Bill Clark Press Conference Quotes - The Tennessee State Game
10/7/2013 2:57:00 PM | Football
Jacksonville State Head Coach Bill Clark
October 7, 2013
The Tennessee State Game
October 7, 2013
The Tennessee State Game
JSU GAME NOTES | HOMECOMING SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Opening Comments:
"That was a big game going in, and of course it was the next conference game and we are going to treat everyone of those games like a playoff game. It was probably, from top-to-bottom, the best opponent that we have played to this point. There were a lot of challenges going in to the game with it being their Homecoming and just being on the road is a challenge, and coming of the first loss of the season. We wanted to see how our guys would respond, and to see them pull together and not have a lot of folks up there with us with it being such a long trip. To see those guys come together in a manner that they did was just great. We knew they would do some things defensively that was going to make it hard to run the ball – especially early and we knew we had some things in the passing game that we wanted to try to exploit, and we started that early on in the game and had some big plays early. We threw the ball well, and had great pass protection and caught the ball. As the game went on, our running game opened up and we ended up with a balanced night offensively. Defensively, we got back to who we are – stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback. They had a guy that was mobile and we worked on that all week, and he still made some plays. We made the stops when we needed too and tackled well. It was just a great team win over a quality opponent."
On facing Tennessee State's No. 1 ranked defense in the FCS:
"We better be ready and it is another challenge. I have said this from day one that this league is a quality league. Not only are they just a good looking group of guys, but you turn on the film and say these guys look like they should look. Every secondary person they have is over six-foot tall, and they have big defensive linemen that can run and fast and quick linebackers. They are well-coached and sound and they will make you beat them. They are going to make you make plays and that is another mark of a good team. Playing the No. 1 defense is daunting, but it should be a challenge that we should embrace and be excited about it."
On the TSU offense:
"They are a well-coached unit and they give you multiple looks and formations. They are going to run the ball and establish their running game. They have two really good quarterbacks and they have really good receivers that are long. I think they have the best tight ends and we won't see any better than the ones that they have. They do a good job off the play action, so it's really a good offense. Obviously, having a great defense helps the offense play with confidence."
On Homecoming:
"Anytime you play a conference opponent for Homecoming, it worries me because the old mind set of Homecoming is that it is some patsy that you bring in and this is so far from that. This is arguably – if not, the best team that we have played this year. We are playing in front of folks that may only see play once a year, so that is a big deal to us. Playing at home is always a big thing for us because we have great crowds. We want to do well for our own folks, especially on Homecoming."
On being ranked in the FCS Top 25 Football Polls:
"I think at this point in the season being ranked is a compliment to our coaches and players. We certainly don't think that we have accomplished everything that we have wanted to up to this point, but being ranked is certainly a compliment."
On Josh Barge:
"The thing that stands out to me and our whole staff is – just what a competitor he is. He is one of those guys that comes from a really good high school program. He was a guy making plays at the highest high school level. To see a guy that comes in and competes everyday because it is important to him and he wants to do well. He may be our best blocker and that is one of the first things we look at in a wide receiver.
On Max Shortell:
"To see the growth of all of our quarterbacks. He has adjusted to the climate here and is getting in the shape that we need him to be. He is starting to understand our offense and I see him getting better every single day. They (Quarterbacks) are doing extra film study and extra work and doing all the things we need them to be in leading our team, and Max has been at the helm of that."
Josh Barge, R-Fr., WR
On his progression the last couple of weeks:
"I have just been very comfortable out there, but there are a lot of things I need to work on to get better. Max (Shortell) believes in me and he believes that if he puts the ball in the air, I can make the play. When I get the opportunities, I just have to make the best of it. I don't think about the stats and I only hear about them until after the game. All I care about is getting a win – whether I am catching the ball or not. In the Jacksonville game, we ran the ball a lot, so my role was to block down field. In the last game, we had both the running and passing game doing, so it's a team effort."
On the challenges against the TSU secondary:
"My mind set is to just go make plays. I respect each opponent that we go up against, but I feel like I just have to go out there and give my best. We just have to make plays.
Max Shortell, Jr., QB
On facing the No. 1 defense in the FCS:
"We have gained a lot of confidence over the past two weeks and we have still missed some plays up and down the field. I think we just have to fine-tune those mistakes and be conscious of what stops drives and what is keeping us from scoring a lot of points. It is going to be exciting to play against the No. 1 defense and it is a challenge."
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