October 13, 2015

Ken Sparks Press Conference: Pre-Newberry

The following is a written transcript from the weekly Ken Sparks press conference.

Ken Sparks Press Conference

Pre-Newberry

10-13-15

SPARKS: It's going to be a great challenge. Newberry is one of those real physical, big football teams that will challenge our little boys. We are going to have to play well and play a lot better than how we have been playing. We will have to continue to try to develop and get better by playing the Eagles are supposed to play. We are the key. We can beat ourselves. It's all about playing us. We have to block and tackle and play football.

Q1: This series is tied 4-4 in the last eight meetings. The meetings haven't really been close. You have been blowing each other out since 2010. Any idea why that would be?

SPARKS: I don't know but it has been a strange last few years. Last year was one of the most disappointing times in my coaching career. It wasn't so much the score but the way we went about the score and the way we responded. We didn't compete the way we were supposed to compete. It was a very disappointing ballgame last year for me personally.

Q2: They have pretty much played exclusively close ballgames this season. Every game with the exception of North Greeneville has come down to a touchdown or less. Do you get any sense of grit or determination from them based on the film that you have viewed?

SPARKS: Well, I don't think you can go by past scores. That's a pretty dead end on that one. That have played two division I teams and beat one of them and lost to one of them. That's not bad. The one they lost to came down to the last play of the game, I think, and they got beat by only three points. They wore North Greeneville out. North Greeneville has worn everyone else out. Then they lose to Mars Hill on Saturday in a downpour. It was a monsoon. The two games they lost has been when it rained. We need to get the fire department up here to spray water when we play Saturday. They are a pretty good ball team and we will have to play well.

Q3: They have had some fun at quarterback. Raleigh Yeldell went down with an early season ankle injury. They played three quarterbacks last week against Mars Hill. How do you prepare for Yeldell? How do you prepare for Zach Blair? How do you prepare for Braxton Ivery?

SPARKS: Yeldell will be back wide open against us. Last year, I think he competed his first seven passes for three touchdowns and a 30 yard run for an almost touchdown. He is a good athlete and we know what he can do. He really picked us apart last year. The ones they hold out usually show up and play against us. I'm sure that will happen Saturday.

Q4: What makes Yeldell a threat?

SPARKS: He's very athletic. He's a run and pass threat. He's a dual threat. He threw the ball very, very accurate against us last year. He is just a good athlete and a good football player.

Q5: They are running the football a ton this season and probably more than they have in the past four years. How much of that is credited to the tailbacks in Romelo Doctor and Kevin Miller?

SPARKS: Ant the quarterback. I think they feel like they have the tools and the talents to be a running football team. That big offense line up there that averages about 6-4, 300 pounds is not a bad way to start. The interesting thing to me was that on offense and defense is that I think they have 15 seniors that are going to start. We are going to matchup with 15 sophomores and freshman. That makes it pretty interesting.

Q6: Defensive line. We talked about injuries throughout the season but now some are starting to get back and get healthy. They had three sacks in three straight plays in that Brevard game. What have you seen in that group's development throughout the year?

SPARKS: Well, we are pulling for development. It would be great if we could get them all on the field at the same time. We know that won't happen because we have one out for the year and we have a couple of them that are banged up right now and probably won't play this ballgame. It really stretches us, when you are already young and experienced, and then three of them can't play. We are playing some guys that are playing their hearts out that in a normal situation, they probably wouldn't be playing much. They are doing the best they can do and thank you for their effort. Let's just continue to improve.

Q7: on the other side of the ball, the offensive line was challenged a little bit after the L-R game. How do you think they responded after this week?

SPARKS: Well, we played a little better, but it wasn't against the competition we are going to face this week. I think the verdict is still out. Have we improved? I think we will know this week. That group don't have too many excuses because most of them have played, whereas on the defensive front, none of them have every played for us before. It is a great challenge and a great opportunity for us.

Q8: Derek Evans will start his 30^th game at center for you this week. How has he been one of the leaders for you?

SPARKS: Derek has improved. Derek has gotten a whole lot better. Derek has been fun to watch develop, not only on the field but off the field too. He used to have some excuses for reasons why he couldn't get it done but you don't hear that from him anymore. He is the leader because he leads by example.

Q9: De'Andre Thomas, I don't want to say that he has struggled, but he hasn't had the type of year that you wanted him to have. What are some of the things that he needs to improve on to ensure that he can still become the guy that you thought he could be?

SPARKS: Just the basic stuff, really. Reading the option, throwing the ball and reading the progressions on throwing the football. The quarterback is so much at the mercy of everyone else. If you don't have the blocking and the protection and the backs and the receivers all doing the right thing, then it usually comes out with the quarterback looking bad. That's not always the case, but Dre has struggled some by not taking a step forward and executing our basic offense. He is a great competition and I've never seen anyone work any harder than him. I still believe that something good is going to happen with him before the year is over.

Q10: Homecoming week. I know you have to coach a football game, but what does that mean for you to have a bunch of alumni back in town? What does the week mean to you?

SPARKS: It is special and they have already started coming in. One showed up in my office yesterday and we had one show up this morning for staff meeting. So that is always fun to see them. We just wish we had more time to spend quality time with them. We haven't been able to do that yet because they are so many things that happen on a ball game weekend that's hard and it is usually our biggest recruiting weekend. It's hard to get it done with the people you need to get it done with because you love and care about them so much.

Q11: How big was it to get Jamal Jones back last weekend?

SPARKS: It was big. Jamal Jones is important to us just because of how hard he runs and how much experience he has. He just gives us another dimension of someone who will give us all he has.

Q12: Defensively, Taylor McDonnell leads the team with 40 tackles from his linebacker spot. Anything stick out to you from him?

SPARKS: They had a draft pick last year that was a linebacker and I don't see much difference between the two. I think they have some people that can play.

Q13: Alstevis Squirewell, a big 270 pound defensive end, has blocked a field goal, returned a fumble and an interception for a touchdown. What makes him tick along the front line?

SPARKS: Well, he has started since he was a freshman and he has made a lot of big plays since he was a freshman. He is big and can run and I don't think that is a bad start.

-CN-