Carson-Newman Football Catawba Pre-Game Press Release Transcripts
Mike Clowney Opening Statement: The big thing for us going into a regular season finale is, one thing we talked about with our guys the whole year start to finish, it gives us the opportunity to finish well if we go finish the race the way we laid it out at the beginning of the year.
Q1: What's it like for this team to have an opportunity to finish with a winning record? One, considering the start to this season, but two, also considering where you were a year ago.
I think it's important. I think it's something that really gives us something else to fight for. That's where we talked about how we fought all year. Going to West Georgia and losing the first game, and you fight all year to get back to five hundred. That's what we talked about after the game Saturday. We're back to five hundred now, so let's just go win the next football game and try to make ourselves a winner.
Q2: You've preached the quest for consistency. I suppose in these past two weeks it feels like that has really started to develop and you've been able to build on success going for three in a row. What's it take to continue that consistency?
It's going to take consistency. It is still going to take guys doing the little things right, believing in themselves, and having confidence to do the things that it takes to win the football game. When we step on the field, we have to believe that we're going to be able to make good things happen, and it's always better for kids when you can see it. Sometimes somebody keeps telling you over and over and over something, but it is always easier once you can see the fruit of that. That's what we talked to them about yesterday having a day off. We talked to them yesterday about this. It is going to take the same stuff. We still have to go through the same execution, we've got to take right steps, we've got to play low, we've got to still fit tight off of blocks. Then all of a sudden see if we can block a punt, see if we can return the kick, see if we can create a short field, see if we get the ball end zone, and see if we can make plays on defense.
Q3: You hit on a few things there that you've done unbelievably well in the last two meetings with Catawba, blocking punts and returning kicks. Four of the last eight kickoffs against the Indians have gone for touchdowns. You scored two touchdowns off blocked punts in the last two meetings. You've gotten pretty good at getting to the punter this season. You're top 10 in the country in punt blocks. What's that a testament to?
I think it's a testament to guys starting to believe in one another. I think that's one thing that we as coaches have begun to do well. Coach Goss is the coordinator, but other coaches on staff are really taking ownership in their part of the kicking game, and what happens is you can kind of see consistent coaching over the year. Guys are starting to develop; they're starting to see and understand the schemes and fits. It's a little different every week, but they're starting to get the carryover. So, that's where you can see us fit tight off that end guy to get vertical where we give ourselves a chance to block a punt without roughing the kicker. That's a skill, and so those guys are starting this work. They've worked enough to start getting better at it, and now they can see it on film. It works if they'll just go do it the correct way.
Q4: Last week you had to face off against one of the most dynamic returners in the country, Robert Carter. You bottled him up pretty well and that actually gets escalated. Kujuan Pryor is number one in the nation in kickoff return yardage. He's one of four guys in the country to return multiple kickoffs for touchdowns this year. What makes him so electric back there returning kicks?
I mean, number one, he speedy, sees the blocks. He does a good job of responding and reacting to them. They do a good job of blocking for him because I mean, same thing as us, they've got a guy back there they believe in, and they know he can do it. So, the big thing for us is we need to keep it deep. We need to kick it deep enough that he can't come out of there, and then we still need to cover just in case he does.
Q5: Catawba has been probably as banged up as anybody that's played football this season. They've had to play through injury. No doubt though that there's probably no quit in a Curtis Walker coached team. What do you expect out of them?
We expect them to come out and give us a great effort. I mean you can see they've been in a good majority of their games. They're a young football team. Overall, when you see what they played the last couple weeks, we expect those guys to come out and give us their very best.
Q6: What has surprised you about the evolution of your own team this year?
It's weird because sometimes surprise would indicate that you didn't see it or didn't know. I think the big thing for us is we've seen the potential with a young group. I think the biggest surprise, I think not necessarily a surprise, but circumstance that you see is them overcoming difficult times. A lot of times when we get our back against the wall, it's easy just to stop, but we got our back against the wall, and guys continue to come out every day. They continue to work, they continue to believe in one another. They continue to believe in what we're doing to get to the point to where they can start seeing some success.
Q7: This will be the last game for some guys for opportunities to impact the record. Braxton Westfield's four catches away from a hundred for a chance to become the sixth guy in program history for that. Trayzel Jureidini-Wyche has a chance to bypass some pretty big names on the defensive line. Just how cool is it to have these moments here for guys down here where they can etch themselves in history, as a guy who still occupies a few spots in that record book?
I think for them, I mean it's hard because you want to see that happen, but when you're going to the football game, the biggest thing you're focused on is taking what you get so that you can go win the football game. So you hope the opportunity presents themselves for those guys to be able to capitalize on those moments and then just be able to celebrate with them when it does. I mean, you're the record book guy. I'm like, oh, I didn't know any of that. Because for us as coaches, I mean you watch the video, you kind of lock in, thinking this route is open, that routes not, we'll get him in the game in this situation. Then, you hope that can give guys an opportunity to finish their career and really etch themselves into history here at Carson-Newman.
Q8: Anything else to add?
I think a big one is the final week, final game for the seniors that we have here. I know last week for us was senior day, and that's their last game that they play here at home, but this is for most of them, this is it. We're just super grateful for all the effort that they put into being Carson-Newman Eagles. For us, it's always good to see those guys, like homecoming last week, be able to have an opportunity and place to come back and call home. So, we're just grateful for those guys that are finishing their career here.
Q9: You talked about getting back to your Carson-Newman beat on the national stage and certainly took some steps this year. Obviously, you want to be in the playoffs, and that's not in the cards. How much of a benefit is it though if you're not in the playoffs to have a chance to close out the year with the winning streak? Something that, if you're in the playoffs, only one team's going to get to do.
There's only two ways where you know when you play your last game, and it is if you're not in playoffs and then if you're in the national championship game. Right now, we're not going to make it. That's just kind of part of it. Sometimes in life you just have to face where you are and move on. But the good thing is it does give us opportunity to celebrate with these guys when this game's over with. Hopefully we'll get this win and be able to go hug and love and take some pictures and relish this moment.
