Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
MT vs. Alabama presser
9/7/2015 1:32:00 PM | Football
Blue Raiders face 'Bama Saturday
Middle Tennessee Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill, along with senior players Jeremiah Bryson and Kevin Byard, addressed the media today regarding Saturday's game at Alabama. Following are their comments:
Middle Tennessee FB HC Rick Stockstill
OPENING COMMENTS:
I was really proud of our effort against Jackson State. I thought we played a clean, smart, disciplined game so from the first-game standpoint I thought it was a really good job by our players and coaches.
Turning to Alabama this week, it is a great challenge for us, a great opportunity to play against one of the storied programs in the history of college football. Everybody knows their past history and everything they have done. What I have found pretty incredible is the past seven years they have been ranked number one in the country at one point in the season or another. That just shows you the consistency and dominance they have had over the last decade. They are a very well coached team. Coach (Nick) Saban does an outstanding job. Their assistant coaches do a phenomenal job as well. They have great players. It's a great opportunity and a great challenge for us. It is one we are looking forward to.
On Alabama's defensive front:
Alabama's front seven is rated the No. 1 front seven in the country. They have really good players. They are big guys who can run. From an offensive line standpoint, we have to do a great job fundamentally. We have to play lower than what we did against Jackson County. We have to stay on blocks. You have to strain and finish every play. As big and fast as they are we must do a great job fundamentally and play with a tenacious attitude, great effort and finish every play.
On Alabama RB Derrick Henry:
Alabama has a great running back (Derrick Henry). I have known about him since he was in the fifth or sixth grade. He is from Yulee, Fla., right outside of Fernandina, Fla., where I am from and everybody has been calling me and telling me about this kid since he was in elementary school. I've known about him for a long time. He's a really good player. He runs hard, he's big, he's fast, and he runs behind his pads.
Their offensive line is well coached. They do a great job. Our defensive line or our linebackers have to be fundamentally sound and do what they are coached to do. We have to get off of blocks. We have to tackle well. We have to gang tackle. We have to get 11 hats to the ball and play a physical game defensively like we did last week.
As of Saturday night you said you had not watched any film on Alabama. Has that changed since Saturday night?
A little bit, yeah. We started starting it and breaking it down Sunday. I watched a lot (Sunday) and (Sunday night) and (Monday morning) before this press conference. I have watched a bunch of film.
The media does not give you much of a chance to win against Alabama. How do you keep that from your player's focus?
Ignore the noise. No offense, but we don't listen to the media. Why go down there and play if you have no chance? I don't listen to all that stuff and our players don't list to that stuff. We know what type of team we are. We know what kind of players we have. It's not about Alabama. It's about us. We have to get better. There is enough we did in the Jackson State game that we have to get corrected. We will continue to build on the good things. We are going to bust our tail this week and get ready mentally and physically to go play a very good Alabama team.
How would you evaluate your running backs from the first game?
I thought our backs all had a good game. Shane (Tucker) put one on the ground at the goal line and we were fortunate to recover it. That was probably the glaring mistake there. Jordan (Parker) had the penalty on a touchdown pass. Those two mistakes will get cleaned up. I thought they ran hard. I thought Jeremiah (Bryson) ran hard and he looked fast. Shane made some good cuts. Again, the most impressive thing about them is their selflessness. I love their attitude, how they work and how they compete.
How do you attack Alabama? It looked like they struggled against three backs (in the Wisconsin game).
I don't think Alabama struggled against backs. They allowed 40 yards rushing against Wisconsin and Wisconsin is a power running team. We have to do a great job of running the football because they are really good against the run as they showed against Wisconsin.
Is Brent (Stockstill) going to be the primary QB this week, or do you still plan on playing both Brent and Austin (Grammer)?
I told you last week we would play both quarterbacks. Both quarterbacks played last week. Brent will be the starter this week.
Have you had discussions with Brent about playing against Alabama and on that stage?
No, he's ready. He's no different than anyone else. He will prepare himself mentally. I have not told him anything. I am not going to say, 'We are going to Alabama, you have to do this.' It's Alabama. Let's go play. He played well last week and he will be ready to play this week.
Is there anything about Nick Saban, that he does that you try to emulate over the years to implement into your program because you saw it worked for him?
I try to study as many coaches as I can. I try to read as much as I can and about different coaches, basketball, baseball, football, successful people. I talk to our team a lot about (San Antonio Spurs HC Gregg Popovich) and some things they do. I try to listen and ready and study successful people. Primarily it is coaches but anybody in a leadership role and learn from them.
I think (Saban) has done a great job of staying in the moment and not looking ahead. You hear him talk about the process all the time and that's what we try to do. We worry about ourselves and not who we are playing. I told our team (Sunday) this is a faceless opponent. Just worry about us because we can't control Alabama. I do try to study Coach Saban and listen and read about him as much as I can.
SAFETY KEVIN BYARD
On preparing for Alabama:
I'm preparing for Alabama the same way I prepare for any other team. Alabama is a great team and they have a good running back who I think is on the Heisman watch list, but none of that really matters. I'm just going to keep getting better every day, and same with us as a defense.
On preparing for multiple quarterbacks that could play for Alabama:
I feel like it doesn't really matter. I respect everybody but I fear none, so I'm going to prepare just like I prepared for the quarterback for Jackson State. Maybe they'll throw the ball 30 or 40 times and maybe they'll run the ball 40 times, you never know. I'm just going to play the game as it comes, stay on my keys, and hopefully make a play on the ball when it comes my way.
On what he is telling some of the younger players leading up to a game in front of 100,000 fans:
The main thing is just to keep your composure. Try to treat everything like practice even though there is going to be 100,000 fans screaming. I'm just trying to make sure there mind is right and make sure they're getting prepared. It's going to be a great experience, the experience of a life time, so you can't really take these games lightly, but we'll all be ready.
On the team's mindset heading into the game:
Our confidence is sky high and I feel like we all look at it as another opportunity to go out and play the game we love. It's also an opportunity to hopefully upset one of the best teams in the country. We don't really look at teams for the "A" or the numbers that's on their helmets, it's just another opportunity.
On whether Alabama will try to avoid him like Jackson State did:
Not really, to be honest. I hope they don't, but if they do then I'll be flying around wherever I can get to the ball. I feel like I just always read my keys and I'll make plays if they come my way. I don't really look at it until after the game and say 'they didn't throw the ball my way,' but if the ball is in my vicinity, I feel like they're throwing my way and I'm just going to try to get to the ball.
On changes in his preparation based on Alabama's offense:
I think you have to be conscious of the offense. They have a great running back, so I feel like this game is going to come down to great fundamentals, going back to all the things we did during camp. I think if we have great fundamental tackling this game, we'll be good.
On the feeling of going into Alabama with nobody giving the team a chance:
I think it's one of the best feelings in the world, being the underdog. I feel like I've been an underdog pretty much my whole life, so it's nothing new to me. I feel like it's going to be a great opportunity and a great feeling going into a stadium where 100,000 people are counting you out and you're just going out there trying to prove everybody wrong. That's what we're doing in practice is trying to prove your own self wrong and fighting to get yourself better.
RUNNING BACK JEREMIAH BRYSON
On his preparation for Alabama following contributions in multiple ways against Jackson State:
Just like KB (Kevin Byard) and Coach Stockstill said, we prepare the same way that we did against Jackson State. Every opportunity that I get, I'm going to try to make the best of it.
On the feeling and mentality changing going into a stadium with 100,000 fans:
No, it's just going to be an exciting feeling. Some people on the time will probably never play in front of this many people again like Coach Stockstill said, but I just want to be excited and I want us to go out there and take in the moment and enjoy it, and just play the game like it's just another team.
On facing a run defense that held Wisconsin to 40 yards last week:
We really haven't gotten into the game planning yet, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be like any other game plan. We just want to follow our keys, pay attention to the details and do the little things right. Hopefully that will take care of other stuff on the field.
On whether he expects to be more involved in the passing game than the running game this week:
If that's part of the coaches' game plan. I'm just going to do my job, fill my role and do whatever it takes to help out the team.
On the memory of this game as a senior:
It's a big team and they're ranked high, so I guess in that way it's very exciting, but as a senior I just want to win a lot of games for my teammates and get to a bowl game. It's going to be a fun experience and I'm going to take in the moment, but when kickoff comes it's still business.
On the temptation to shake Nick Saban's hand pre-game:
I feel like Alabama players should want to come shake Coach Stockstill's hand. If that's how you want to look at it, it is what it is. I mean it is Coach Saban, he's won a lot of national championships, but it's going to be strictly business when we get on the field."
On his moment of indecision on one punt return and whether he heard from the coaches:
From Coach Nix, yeah, but we all know Coach Nix and you're going to hear something no matter how it goes. He just told me to make the right decision. That was my first game returning punts, and I tried to time it up off the bounce and it didn't bounce the way I wanted it to. He just told me to trust my gut and make the right decision, and hopefully everything will go better.
On the team's confidence after scoring 70 points last game:
It builds up our confidence and gives the whole team a lot of confidence going into this next game. I just feel like we can take that confidence and carry it over into this next game and if we play like it's just another game then everything will be alright.
On the difficulty of viewing this game as just another game:
I don't feel like it is. We've been talking about it this whole week. At this point it's really just a game. We just want to go out there and execute our keys, play hard and give it everything we have.
On whether there will be any relief to get past this game after all of the build-up:
I wouldn't say it's relief, because we get to play another game of football. This is why we are here; to do something we love. We're just going to go in there, take it as another game, and whatever happens after that game we'll prepare for the next game next week.
Middle Tennessee FB HC Rick Stockstill
OPENING COMMENTS:
I was really proud of our effort against Jackson State. I thought we played a clean, smart, disciplined game so from the first-game standpoint I thought it was a really good job by our players and coaches.
Turning to Alabama this week, it is a great challenge for us, a great opportunity to play against one of the storied programs in the history of college football. Everybody knows their past history and everything they have done. What I have found pretty incredible is the past seven years they have been ranked number one in the country at one point in the season or another. That just shows you the consistency and dominance they have had over the last decade. They are a very well coached team. Coach (Nick) Saban does an outstanding job. Their assistant coaches do a phenomenal job as well. They have great players. It's a great opportunity and a great challenge for us. It is one we are looking forward to.
On Alabama's defensive front:
Alabama's front seven is rated the No. 1 front seven in the country. They have really good players. They are big guys who can run. From an offensive line standpoint, we have to do a great job fundamentally. We have to play lower than what we did against Jackson County. We have to stay on blocks. You have to strain and finish every play. As big and fast as they are we must do a great job fundamentally and play with a tenacious attitude, great effort and finish every play.
On Alabama RB Derrick Henry:
Alabama has a great running back (Derrick Henry). I have known about him since he was in the fifth or sixth grade. He is from Yulee, Fla., right outside of Fernandina, Fla., where I am from and everybody has been calling me and telling me about this kid since he was in elementary school. I've known about him for a long time. He's a really good player. He runs hard, he's big, he's fast, and he runs behind his pads.
Their offensive line is well coached. They do a great job. Our defensive line or our linebackers have to be fundamentally sound and do what they are coached to do. We have to get off of blocks. We have to tackle well. We have to gang tackle. We have to get 11 hats to the ball and play a physical game defensively like we did last week.
As of Saturday night you said you had not watched any film on Alabama. Has that changed since Saturday night?
A little bit, yeah. We started starting it and breaking it down Sunday. I watched a lot (Sunday) and (Sunday night) and (Monday morning) before this press conference. I have watched a bunch of film.
The media does not give you much of a chance to win against Alabama. How do you keep that from your player's focus?
Ignore the noise. No offense, but we don't listen to the media. Why go down there and play if you have no chance? I don't listen to all that stuff and our players don't list to that stuff. We know what type of team we are. We know what kind of players we have. It's not about Alabama. It's about us. We have to get better. There is enough we did in the Jackson State game that we have to get corrected. We will continue to build on the good things. We are going to bust our tail this week and get ready mentally and physically to go play a very good Alabama team.
How would you evaluate your running backs from the first game?
I thought our backs all had a good game. Shane (Tucker) put one on the ground at the goal line and we were fortunate to recover it. That was probably the glaring mistake there. Jordan (Parker) had the penalty on a touchdown pass. Those two mistakes will get cleaned up. I thought they ran hard. I thought Jeremiah (Bryson) ran hard and he looked fast. Shane made some good cuts. Again, the most impressive thing about them is their selflessness. I love their attitude, how they work and how they compete.
How do you attack Alabama? It looked like they struggled against three backs (in the Wisconsin game).
I don't think Alabama struggled against backs. They allowed 40 yards rushing against Wisconsin and Wisconsin is a power running team. We have to do a great job of running the football because they are really good against the run as they showed against Wisconsin.
Is Brent (Stockstill) going to be the primary QB this week, or do you still plan on playing both Brent and Austin (Grammer)?
I told you last week we would play both quarterbacks. Both quarterbacks played last week. Brent will be the starter this week.
Have you had discussions with Brent about playing against Alabama and on that stage?
No, he's ready. He's no different than anyone else. He will prepare himself mentally. I have not told him anything. I am not going to say, 'We are going to Alabama, you have to do this.' It's Alabama. Let's go play. He played well last week and he will be ready to play this week.
Is there anything about Nick Saban, that he does that you try to emulate over the years to implement into your program because you saw it worked for him?
I try to study as many coaches as I can. I try to read as much as I can and about different coaches, basketball, baseball, football, successful people. I talk to our team a lot about (San Antonio Spurs HC Gregg Popovich) and some things they do. I try to listen and ready and study successful people. Primarily it is coaches but anybody in a leadership role and learn from them.
I think (Saban) has done a great job of staying in the moment and not looking ahead. You hear him talk about the process all the time and that's what we try to do. We worry about ourselves and not who we are playing. I told our team (Sunday) this is a faceless opponent. Just worry about us because we can't control Alabama. I do try to study Coach Saban and listen and read about him as much as I can.
SAFETY KEVIN BYARD
On preparing for Alabama:
I'm preparing for Alabama the same way I prepare for any other team. Alabama is a great team and they have a good running back who I think is on the Heisman watch list, but none of that really matters. I'm just going to keep getting better every day, and same with us as a defense.
On preparing for multiple quarterbacks that could play for Alabama:
I feel like it doesn't really matter. I respect everybody but I fear none, so I'm going to prepare just like I prepared for the quarterback for Jackson State. Maybe they'll throw the ball 30 or 40 times and maybe they'll run the ball 40 times, you never know. I'm just going to play the game as it comes, stay on my keys, and hopefully make a play on the ball when it comes my way.
On what he is telling some of the younger players leading up to a game in front of 100,000 fans:
The main thing is just to keep your composure. Try to treat everything like practice even though there is going to be 100,000 fans screaming. I'm just trying to make sure there mind is right and make sure they're getting prepared. It's going to be a great experience, the experience of a life time, so you can't really take these games lightly, but we'll all be ready.
On the team's mindset heading into the game:
Our confidence is sky high and I feel like we all look at it as another opportunity to go out and play the game we love. It's also an opportunity to hopefully upset one of the best teams in the country. We don't really look at teams for the "A" or the numbers that's on their helmets, it's just another opportunity.
On whether Alabama will try to avoid him like Jackson State did:
Not really, to be honest. I hope they don't, but if they do then I'll be flying around wherever I can get to the ball. I feel like I just always read my keys and I'll make plays if they come my way. I don't really look at it until after the game and say 'they didn't throw the ball my way,' but if the ball is in my vicinity, I feel like they're throwing my way and I'm just going to try to get to the ball.
On changes in his preparation based on Alabama's offense:
I think you have to be conscious of the offense. They have a great running back, so I feel like this game is going to come down to great fundamentals, going back to all the things we did during camp. I think if we have great fundamental tackling this game, we'll be good.
On the feeling of going into Alabama with nobody giving the team a chance:
I think it's one of the best feelings in the world, being the underdog. I feel like I've been an underdog pretty much my whole life, so it's nothing new to me. I feel like it's going to be a great opportunity and a great feeling going into a stadium where 100,000 people are counting you out and you're just going out there trying to prove everybody wrong. That's what we're doing in practice is trying to prove your own self wrong and fighting to get yourself better.
RUNNING BACK JEREMIAH BRYSON
On his preparation for Alabama following contributions in multiple ways against Jackson State:
Just like KB (Kevin Byard) and Coach Stockstill said, we prepare the same way that we did against Jackson State. Every opportunity that I get, I'm going to try to make the best of it.
On the feeling and mentality changing going into a stadium with 100,000 fans:
No, it's just going to be an exciting feeling. Some people on the time will probably never play in front of this many people again like Coach Stockstill said, but I just want to be excited and I want us to go out there and take in the moment and enjoy it, and just play the game like it's just another team.
On facing a run defense that held Wisconsin to 40 yards last week:
We really haven't gotten into the game planning yet, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be like any other game plan. We just want to follow our keys, pay attention to the details and do the little things right. Hopefully that will take care of other stuff on the field.
On whether he expects to be more involved in the passing game than the running game this week:
If that's part of the coaches' game plan. I'm just going to do my job, fill my role and do whatever it takes to help out the team.
On the memory of this game as a senior:
It's a big team and they're ranked high, so I guess in that way it's very exciting, but as a senior I just want to win a lot of games for my teammates and get to a bowl game. It's going to be a fun experience and I'm going to take in the moment, but when kickoff comes it's still business.
On the temptation to shake Nick Saban's hand pre-game:
I feel like Alabama players should want to come shake Coach Stockstill's hand. If that's how you want to look at it, it is what it is. I mean it is Coach Saban, he's won a lot of national championships, but it's going to be strictly business when we get on the field."
On his moment of indecision on one punt return and whether he heard from the coaches:
From Coach Nix, yeah, but we all know Coach Nix and you're going to hear something no matter how it goes. He just told me to make the right decision. That was my first game returning punts, and I tried to time it up off the bounce and it didn't bounce the way I wanted it to. He just told me to trust my gut and make the right decision, and hopefully everything will go better.
On the team's confidence after scoring 70 points last game:
It builds up our confidence and gives the whole team a lot of confidence going into this next game. I just feel like we can take that confidence and carry it over into this next game and if we play like it's just another game then everything will be alright.
On the difficulty of viewing this game as just another game:
I don't feel like it is. We've been talking about it this whole week. At this point it's really just a game. We just want to go out there and execute our keys, play hard and give it everything we have.
On whether there will be any relief to get past this game after all of the build-up:
I wouldn't say it's relief, because we get to play another game of football. This is why we are here; to do something we love. We're just going to go in there, take it as another game, and whatever happens after that game we'll prepare for the next game next week.
Players Mentioned
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