JSU FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS ALABAMA STATE

Opening Comments:
"Anytime that you have your first game of the year, it is big for everybody.  Obviously, we have been practicing and getting ready for this thing for a long time, since January when we all came here.  I think everybody is just ready to get started.  Having coached in Prattville and having guys on my staff that played at Alabama State, and knowing how important that is to them and the history and tradition there.  Coach (Reggie) Barlow got the job when I was in Prattville, so he is a guy that I know very well. He is a guy that I respect and a guy that recruited at our school (Prattville) and he has done a really good job.  They are picked to win the SWAC this year, so it is a big game for them and the opportunity to play in their new stadium.  They have a lot of returning players, so we have our hands full to get ready for this game."
 
"One of the things that sticks out about them (Alabama State) is the athleticism.  They have the No. 1 recruiting class on the FCS level and a ton of transfers coming in to go along with what they had returning.  They have four offensive linemen back and a lot of their defensive guys are back, and they have filled in some holes with a lot of big-time transfers from other schools."
 
On the quarterback position:
"We feel pretty secure in who it is and I think we came into Saturday's scrimmage with at least two of them really performing well, and that is where we wanted to be.  We wanted to feel good that we have two guys that can go in and play.  I have said all along, we feel like the second guy is going to get at least one series in the first half.  We are just going to play it out and see what works."
 
"In Max (Shortell), we have a guy that has played in big games.  He has been in the wars, so to speak, and that has to be a factor.  We have seen him really progress in how we call things and what we are trying to get done here.  Another thing for him was getting used to the heat and the area."
 
"In Eli (Jenkins), he was one of the guys coming out of spring that was untested, because he was on the defensive side of the ball and young.  All of a sudden, you watch him in the spring game and he is the guy that grew the most and has continued to progress.  We continue to see good things out of him.  It is not just athleticism with him, he also has a great arm and a great chance to be a really good quarterback."
 
Kyle (West) came out of nowhere and was our starter coming out of the spring.  He is a really good game manager, and is one of those guys that if you blitz him, he gets rid of the ball.  He is a really good two-minute quarterback."
 
"All three have things that we like and there is no huge difference in any of them.  It is a problem, but it is also a good problem to have."
 
On returning to Montgomery:
"It is pretty exciting to go back to where we had a great time and a great experience in that area.  We still have a lot of friends there.  A little known fact – my wife got her second degree from Alabama State.  She went back to get her teaching degree from there after being a nurse.  I had a lot of my staff at Prattville that were graduates from Alabama State.  I knew all about the Turkey Bowl and a lot of the guys at ASU recruited at our school.  It is pretty neat going back there and at the same time, you fell like it is coming home. 
 
On the offensive line and Center Max Holcombe:
"I go by that group and you say – you go as those guys go.  We all know the running back gets the glory and the offensive line does the work.  That is really the truth and it all starts up front and it starts with our center Max Holcombe. To get a good snap off in the gun, and we are usually going to be in that a high percentage of a time, is a big responsibility on Max.  He has to make calls, execute a block and get a perfect snap every single time.  It is good to have a guy with intelligence that can make calls and be a leader. 
 




Max Holcombe, Jr., Center
 
On the season
"I am so happy it is here and it is something that we have been working for since January with the new coaches coming in.  The offensive line sat down and I basically told them that the team is going to go as how well we play as a unit.  If we don't run block or pass block, we are not going to be able to do anything on offense.  The offensive line has come together as a unit and we are able to play together.  The excitement is really high this week because it is game week."

On development of young players:
"I have seen great things out of Casey Dunn.  He has really worked hard since January with our off-season program and he has bought in to the system and learned the system.  I have full confidence in him being my back up, if he has to play at some point.  I think he is going to be very good when he gets his opportunity and when he does get it – he will make the most of it."