Saturday, October 4
JACKSONVILLE
3 p.m.
Jacksonville State University
vs
UT Martin
John Grass Press Conference Quotes - The UT Martin Game
9/29/2014 3:02:00 PM | Football
JSU GAME NOTES (.pdf)
Opening Comments:
"We are excited about getting the first OVC win of the year against a tough football team. We knew they (Murray State) would be ready to play and they were. I told our guys before the game to just weather the storm because they will bring a lot of energy and I think you saw that throughout the game Saturday. I am glad our guys persevered and weathered the storm and we were able to match that as well. I thought we played with a lot of energy throughout the game, and I thought we played very hard and we beat a very good football team. It didn't come down to a two-point conversion in overtime, but I really feel good about how we played. I take my hat off to them (Murray State) in that first half because their guys made some plays. The quarterback really played great and it was not because our defense played well. I thought the defense played hard in the first half – they just made plays like a well-coached football team does. We knew they were going to make some plays, but their quarterback made some outstanding plays to extend plays in the first half. Our guys were right there, but he just made some plays. At the start of the third quarter, I thought our guys came out and played with a lot of energy and did a nice job of setting the tone. I think one of the big plays in the game that probably goes unnoticed is the kick off after they tied it up at 28 just before half. Our kickoff return did an excellent right there before half and J.D. Williams did an excellent job on the return to get the ball inside the five-yard line, and we were able to punch that one in before halftime and take a lead. To me, that was a big momentum change in the game."
On UT Martin:
" UT Martin is another well-coached football team and I don't think their record indicates how good of a football team that we are playing. I think they lost two games within the last two minutes of the game. They lost a heartbreaker to Southeast Missouri in a conference game and they lost to Central Arkansas on the last play of the game, so they have had a tough schedule early. They have played Kentucky and they have played Eastern Kentucky and SEMO – two of the better teams in our conference. The score of the EKU game does not show how great of a game that was, so we are dealing with a great football team. Coach (Jason) Simpson and his staff do an excellent job of preparing them and they do a great job. They have some great players and they are good at all three phases of the game – we definitely have out work cut out for us on Saturday. It was a huge win for us last year when our backs were against the wall. The roles are reversed this year and they definitely feel like their backs are against the wall being 0-2 in the conference and losing some close games early. We are going to be dealing with an upset football team and we will get their best."
"They have moved the football when you look at their games. They are around 500 yards each game, but they have had some problems in the red zone, and I think that is the key with their losses. If you go back and look, they had some turnovers against EKU and in the SEMO game. The yardage does not add up to the points they have scored. I am sure they are preaching this week – do not turn the ball over in the red zone. Their quarterback is really doing a nice job of getting the ball out of his hands and putting it in the right spot. The difference in them this year is that he has grown up and is more experienced from last year. Defensively, the pose problems with schematically and the way they approach the game and they are a blitzing team. We have to play very well if we want to have a chance to win the game Saturday."
On Eli Jenkin's passing ability:
"You just can't load the box on us and that is what we have been working on. He has really progressed as a passer and Eli can really throw the ball and has an NFL arm to go along with his legs – that is a dangerous combination. You sometimes forget that he is just a redshirt sophomore and he is still a young guy and getting games under his belt. He is getting more poise in the pocket and can be a pocket passer. He is not just a guy that when the play breaks down, he just throws the ball down the field. He can throw the deep ball really well and the short passes. All of this comes from experience of playing games, and he knows our offense inside-out and getting more comfortable with the football. He is protecting the ball a lot better and seeing the field better. I think he is getting better each day and when people load the box on us, we will be able to throw the ball to beat them. We have some guys that can stretch the field and we never want to be one-dimensional. "
On the defense against Murray State:
"It was really a tail of two halves and I really go back to Murray State and a lot of the first half had to do with them. They played very well and in most cases defense comes down to third down. Offensively, you are trying to make plays to keep a drive going and defensively, you are trying to get stops. That is one of the areas that our defense has been excellent this year on getting third-down stops and getting off the field. In the first half at Murray, I didn't think we did that. I think their pace bothered us a little bit and we made some halftime adjustments and simplified how we were trying to line up. I was impressed with how our football team kept playing and it wasn't that we were not playing hard. They made plays and that is going to happen sometimes with offenses these days. The defense came out in the second half and really played well and probably as good as they have played this year. I think they only gained around 60 yards in the second half, and one or two first downs in the second half."
Eli Jenkins
R-So., Quarterback
On his passing ability:
"It comes with experience. Last year, I could throw the ball but I was just nervous at times. At the end of the year, I progressed and got better and it is showing this year. I can make decent throws all over the field. I can stand there and throw the ball, and sometimes I am more comfortable with my legs and that is when I use them."
On playing at home:
"It is great being able to play in front of your fans because on the road it's just a handful of fans. At home, it is nothing like playing at home because all the fans are behind you. You want to play hard for your fans."
Anthony Johnson
So., Wide Receiver
On Eli Jenkin's progression:
"He has really done a great job and is a great passer. He is making better decisions and getting the ball out of there."
On playing at home:
"I think it is great that you can have family come to the games and watch you play. You feel like you have to perform for them and put on a show."
Ben Endress
Sr., Linebacker
On the defensive performance at Murray State:
"In the first half they made a lot of good plays and we just had to keep our composure when that happens. At halftime, coach got on us a little bit – which we needed and we got a little fired up in the second half. We shut it down in the second half."
On playing at home:
"Hands down it is the best atmosphere in the OVC and our fans do a great job with that. It is always fun playing for them and having them behind us. The Marching Southerners are awesome every week and they are very loud."
Players Mentioned
Friday, April 17
Saturday, December 06
Wednesday, December 03
Sunday, November 30
