Quotes from the 2011 Southland Conference Football Media Day
2011 Southland Conference Football Media Day
Wednesday, July 27
L'Auberge du Lac Resort
Lake Charles, La.
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Head Coach Clint Conque
On the New Purple & Gray Striped Turf
"It's been exciting for us and particularly for our players. The young guys like we have absolutely love something like this. There is a definite excitement around the turf. But at the same time, as a football coach, I'm more worried about the product we put on the field than the actual field we play on. But I also understand that it's something new, something unique. It's the only field of its kind in the world.
It's really been exciting for our players, and especially our recruits. It's brought a new vibe to the program.
On Returning Experience
"We always have a lot of expectations here at UCA, and this year is nothing new. We have good experience returning at a lot of positions. And the biggest thing is, we have a proven, experienced quarterback in senior Nathan Dick. We all know that this is a quarterback-driven league and the best teams usually have a returning guy at that position.
"But we have good experience, good depth and good athletes at a lot of positions. We expect to challenge for a conference championship, which we expect to do every year."
Tough First Month
"We open at home on a Thursday night, which is always a big game for our students and fans. Then we go on the road to Louisiana Tech, on the road to Sam Houston State to begin conference, then to another FBS school in Arkansas State. That in-state game has drawn a huge amount of attention around the state among our fans and boosters.
"It's a tough way to start the season but I think it will help us down the road when we get into conference play. We should definitely be tested after that first month."
Quarterback Nathan Dick
"This is my third year in the system and my second year under a great quarterback coach in Nathan Brown. He knows the system as well as anyone after playing in it for four years. Having him around makes me more and more confident every time we meet and talk football.
"I'm a lot more comfortable with our system and I feel like I can go out there and be a coach on the field, which is what a quarterback needs to be. I'm looking forward to Sept. 1 to get this season started.
"I think we can be one of the top teams in the conference. I think the only thing that can stop us, if we play to our potential, is ourselves. We have a lot of potential and if we all do what we're capable of doing, I think we can have a very good year."
Linebacker Frank Newsome
I think the field is a a great thing for the players and for our fans. There is a lot of excitement around the field and the campus and town is all excited about it. It's something for us to rally around and get excited about. We're looking forward to getting out there and playing on it in front of our fans.
I think we have a lot of experience and talent on the defensive side. We're looking to build on what we did last year at the end of the season. I think if we're dedicated to our goals, we'll be there to challenge for the championship. We have the players to do that and we just have to work as hard as we can, harder than we did last year.
LAMAR
Head Coach Ray Woodard
"This is a great football league," commented Woodard after leading Lamar to a 5-6 record in 2010. We are more familiar with the conference teams this year after facing four of them last year, but they will be much more familiar with us and we're going to have to be even better this year to compete against them.
"We were 4-2 at home (last season) playing in front of the large crowds. Our fans really travelled well and came out to support us, and I'm hoping that excitement grows and the stadium can get even more hostile.
"Of course, we're tremendously excited about our first season back competing for a Southland title, but, hopefully, it won't be like that (in reference to the eighth-place predictions) when the season is over.
"Having played four of our first five games against schools from the conference last season (SFA and Sam Houston State were the others) gave us a good idea of what we're getting into this year."
Defensive End Jacody Coleman
"It's been a great journey to be playing back at home in front of family. They didn't have the chance to see me that often in Iowa, but now they can be at every game. It makes me happy to bring football back to Lamar where it belongs."
Wide Receiver Marcus Jackson
"We have the whole team coming back and have more depth this year. We believe we can compete with the other Southland Conference teams, and we're very excited that we can do something special this year.
"The Golden Triangle is a great place for football and you can really feel how much they love the sport in the area."
McNEESE STATE
Head Coach Matt Viator
On being picked first in the coaches and second in the SIDs pre-season polls:
"SFA is the obvious choice for me since they are the defending champions. Our players and coaches have to understand that it (pre season poll) doesn't mean anything. High expectations are good but it's a preseason poll. You do want to set the bar high."
On team quarterbacks
"Cody Stroud goes in as the No. 1 there. Riley Dodge has played in a lot of games and in competitive situations. We also expect to have Will Briscoe in the mix. He was able to take part in spring practice but without contact."
On team tailbacks
"We have to remember that we went in last year with four tailbacks and we wound up with one. If we can stay healthy there we have the opportunity to be pretty good."
On team defense
"I like our defense. Desmund Lighten will be a difference maker for us on the defensive line."
On the conference
"I think that our conference as a whole is going to be pretty good. I think that the teams in the conference will run the ball better and will also have better defenses."
Offensive Guard Miguel Gauthreaux
On the offensive line
"We want to build on what we had last year. A goal is not to allow a sack or at least hold to one per game. Our conference has some pretty good defensive ends and linebackers so it's going to be a challenge for us. The offensive lines in the past have set a good tradition and we hope to be able to continue it."
Defensive end Desmund Lighten
On shifting to defensive end from defensive tackle
"A difference is that I will be going up against a tight end instead of some of those 300 pound offensive tackles. I played at end during some third down situations last year. It's going to give me a little more running room."
NICHOLLS STATE
Head Coach Charlie Stubbs
On his expectations for the upcoming season
"First all, we have a lot of work to do. I feel like we got a lot of accomplished since last year, we had a great spring and this summer, out strength and conditioning program went really well, so I feel over these last nine months or so that we've really improved. I'm ready to get these guys in here on August 3rd, we have 27 practices scheduled prior to our first game. We'll have a lot of new faces this year, we have several veterans returning but we'll have quite a few new guys as well."
On the non-conference schedule
"The biggest thing is that we have to bring our "A" game. Once I went through the season, to be able to play on a Thursday night game for the opener will really fit our team, it will fit the community and fit the school, where we can get out there on Sept. 1 and play well and have our fans get a connection with Nicholls football. We'll open with a very good Evangel team, so we'll need to have a great fall camp. Also that gives us nine days before we play Western Michigan, which is a difficult trip and we need some extra time, so I think that gives us an advantage. Then we'll play against in-state FBS Louisiana-Lafayette, which is a tough challenge. So I really like the sequence that we have this year, but for us to be successful we'll have to stay healthy in fall camp and practice very well. "
On Nicholls being ranked sixth in the preseason polls
"I don't really take out too much from the preseason poll. Good thing about this is that you have to play it out on the field. I think it's great as something to talk about for the fans and media, because that's what you want to drum up for the season, you want to get people excited. The bottom line though is we have to play the games, so it's irrelevant. If we were ranked as the top team, we still need to win the games. Even though we weren't at the bottom and people may see that we are improving, we still have a lot of work to do to move it up a few notches. "
Quarterback LaQuintin Caston
On his view of the program under second-year coach Charlie Stubbs
"Our whole program as a unit is more confident. We know where Coach Stubbs has been and that he's committed to carrying us to the future. We're excited as a team because of the attitude and passion that Coach Stubbs has for the program, and we feed off of it. I think right now our program is right where we need to be to take the next step. "
On his continued transition to the new offense
"The transition to the new offense has been a great experience for me. I relate the situation to guys I watched growing up like the University of Florida quarterback Chris Leak. He played in four different offenses when he was there so every season he had a different offensive coordinator, and I've only had two, so I feel that if he was able to win a national championship, then I think our team should be able to win here."
On his expectations for the season
"I expect us to complete. I expect us to be in all the games, especially in our conference. We feel like we should be one of the better teams in conference because we know games aren't decided in a preseason poll. That's the great thing about it is that you still have to play the games. But we're excited to compete against the teams predicted to win the conference, so that's our motivation."
Cornerback Bobby Felder
On his expectations
"My expectation for the season is to just be more prepared than we were last year. With better preparation, come better outcomes. I know Coach Stubbs will have us ready this season, so hopefully it results into better outcomes."
On the changes in the program
"I've seen a lot of changes, especially in community service. My first two seasons we did a little bit of community service, we might have did one or two events a year, but since Coach Stubbs has been here we'll do maybe 10 events in one year. That's one of the biggest changes I've seen. We've also had an upgrade in equipment, Coach Stubbs has got us jug machines so we don't wear the punter's leg out, and we can catch more balls without the quarterback throwing his arm out, just things like that. So he's brought all kinds of things, for example travel suits. He's just making our team very first class, so if we feel first class then we'll play first class."
On being picked sixth in the preseason polls
"It could be a little bit of motivation. Luckily though, we all get to play the games. You can look at it as motivation, but at the same time we just need to find our own motivation. We shouldn't have to look at what others say about us as motivation, we can just use how we finished last year. So we're just going to use our momentum from last season, rather than us being picked sixth in the preseason, so that really doesn't matter to us. "
NORTHWESTERN STATE
Head Coach Bradley Dale Peveto
"I feel like we've come a long way. My first year was a great building block for us. I was proud of our first year. We don't hide behind it. We did a lot of good things and lost a lot of close football games.
"This past season, I thought we took a big step and played for the conference championship the last week. We went into the spring and felt like there were three things we have to improve on. One is our turnover ratio. Our turnover ratio was minus 19 our first year, minus 15 our second year. When your turnover ratio is that bad, you're not going to win many football games, period. And the fact that we won five games with a turnover ratio of minus 15 is pretty incredible to be honest with you.
"Secondly, we felt like had to take our run game to the next level. We've got to be able to run the football game-in and game-out.
"And then thirdly, eliminate foolish penalties. We have shot ourselves in the foot with foolish penalties, and we have worked hard on that.
"Those were the three areas that we felt like we had to lock in and focus on and make improvements going into the 2011 season."
About being selected No. 1 in the Conference in Athlon's Season Preview
"I was proud when that publication came out because it told me that somebody was noticing progress with Northwestern State football. I agree with the poll that I looked at today (Southland Conference poll). I like where we're set and I think the Southland Conference is wide open. I don't care if you're ranked No. 1 or No. 8, it's anybody's game week in and week out. This is a great conference coached by great football coaches and played by very good players. It's a tough league with great parity and I think it's anybody's league to be totally honest."
Tight End Justin Aldredge
"We're all excited about the upcoming season. We had a really good summer with almost everybody on campus participating in workouts. Everyone is on board. We all have one thing on our mind and that's winning a championship.
About the Preseason Southland Conference Polls
"This conference is so wide open. It's hard to sit at the beginning of the season and guess who can win it all. The polls, I know they mean a lot and smart people vote on it, I just don't take it into account because we're all going to play the same way no matter what."
About the 2011 Schedule
"We've got a tough schedule starting out with Delta State and then LSU. Delta State played for the Division II National Championship last season, so we're definitely not overlooking them. We're really excited about our schedule and we know we're going to have our work cut out for the wins."
Linebacker Yaser Elqutub
"My expectations on the season are as high as they've ever been. It's my final year and I can't help but think back when I first came here until now, we have yet to win a Southland Conference championship. I remember the look on the seniors' faces in that 0-11 year and I thought to myself 'that's not going to be us'. Our work ethic has been at the top and our expectations are extremely high."
About the 2011 Schedule
"We have a tough schedule. We're not going to overlook any game. We're going to take them week-by-week. And that's how you've got to play the game if you really want to win, it's to pay attention to what you have and it goes beyond that. Day-by-day, practice- by-practice, playbook-by-playbook, it what it comes down to."
About the Southland Preseason Polls
"All the coaches will tell you it's anybody's game in the conference and I've been witnessed to that the past four years. In my mind, I don't feel like Northwestern State is a fourth place team or a last place team. The effort and the hard work you're going to see this season is going to be indicative of where we really place in the conference standings."
SAM HOUSTON STATE
Head Coach Willie Fritz
"Last year, we had more newcomers in preseason camp than veterans. With our youth, we were a ball control team, trying to use up as much clock as we could offensively. We were conservative and did a good job of not hurting ourselves with turnovers. But I've told the players this season that one-play touchdown drives are fine. We need to make more plays down the field, catching the ball and getting more yards after the catch.
"Defensively we are a blitzing, risk-taking team. We need to come up with more sacks and takeaways. If we can make more big plays on both sides of the both, the sky is the limit for this team.
"We have some excellent leadership with fine senior players like our center Travis Watson and defensive lineman Eddie Decambre who were here with us at media day today. But, we're still a young team with a lot of work to do.
"This is such a competitive league top to bottom so we will have to be ready to play every game."
Offensive Lineman Travis Watson
"As an offensive lineman, it's great to have running backs like Tim Flanders, Ryan Wilson and Ridgeway Frank. Tim was the leading rusher in the conference and league freshman of the year. He is just an amazing back - you give him an inch and he takes a mile. And he's so humble. It's a pleasure to block for all three of these guys.
"Our quarterback Brian Bell really stepped up last year as a true freshman. He always seems calm in the huddle and keeps you calm. We worked hard in spring on the passing game and we're going to see Brian moving us down the field in the air and on the ground."
Defensive Lineman Eddie Decambre
"Coach (Willie) Fritz is such a great leader he has really helped us as seniors become leaders. Each group - the defensive line, the second, the offense - is working hard on getting better every day and that's going to help us all come together as a team this fall.
"Last year, we were No. 1 in the league against the rush but we came into spring ball knowing we've got to strengthen our passing defense. That's been our number one focus.
"A major goal for us is to put more pressure on the quarterback. If we start getting more sacks we're going to create more interceptions and turnovers and give our offense the opportunity to put some points on the board."
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
Head Coach Mike Lucas
On outlook heading into preseason practice
"We are very excited for the open of camp next Tuesday. We have a lot of new faces and we're looking for them to make an immediate impact for us. We play three of our first four games on the road, including two games against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents in Tulane and Southern Miss. So it's vital for us to come together quickly and be ready to go on Sept. 3."
On talented receiving corps
"In Simmie Yarborough, Brandon Collins and Kory Theodore we have a very talented, experienced group of receivers. Simmie has matured a great deal during his time here and we expect him to be able to be an 80 to 100 catch guy this season. Brandon and Kory are both extremely difficult to match up with one on one. We have some young, talented guys behind them, so we're excited about the production that group can have."
On having lost nine starters on defense
"The game Is won in the trenches and we really expect our defensive line to be a strength for us. Devin Boutwell and Tramaine Lucas were both banged up last year and we should be much better inside with them back at full health, along with several key additions. Devan Walker comes back after a very productive sophomore season and we expect him to team with junior college transfers Frank Bryant and Mairo Stovall to give us a group that can really get after the quarterback. We have brought in some talented athletes on defense, but our challenge as a coaching staff is molding them into a cohesive unit."
Wide Receiver Simmie Yarborough
On differences heading into 2011
"We're more disciplined and we've come a long way from this time last year. We have really been focused on leadership and we've been able to see the positive effects of that focus during summer workouts."
On team chemistry
"We've started to gel and we've have great chemistry. The difference between spring practice and now is huge and we've definitely seen a lot of progress."
Defensive Lineman Devin Boutwell
On team's focus heading into 2011
"We have really focused on shoring up the little things to make our team better. We want to cut down on our penalties and mental mistakes and show some more discipline."
On defensive line
"Tramaine Lucas coming back is going to be huge for us and I was a little banged up last year, so having us both back healthy will be key for us. Devan Walker had a great year last season and has continued to get better this summer. As long as we can cut down on our mental mistakes, we feel like the sky's the limit for our group."
On being picked to finish seventh in the Southland
"We don't really pay much attention to the polls. Our motivation doesn't come from where we're picked, but it comes from trying to fix last year's mistakes."
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
Head Coach J.C. Harper
On SFA's quick transition from last place to two-time conference champion
"I don't really think it is anything that I have done personally, but it is because of our great coaching staff and the great players we have brought in. They have bought into everything that we are trying to teach them and have shown great leadership both on and off the field."
On starting the season with a new quarterback for the first time since 2007
"It's obvious that we are going to have a new quarterback, but we are running the same system and we return a lot of starters offensively. We return All-America receivers like Gralyn Crawford and Cordell Roberson, and a veteran offensive line led by preseason All-America George Bias. It is the same story on defensive as we have standouts like Josh Aubrey and Ben Wells in the secondary, Devin Ducote and Derrick Choice at linebacker. We are not worried about the quarterback position."
On the quick turnaround from an 0-11 season to back-to-back conference titles
"I would be lying if I said that I knew we would have this kind of success so soon after my first season (0-11 in 2007), but the success of our program doesn't start with me, but our administration. Led by our President Dr. Baker Pattillo, our Director of Athletics Robert Hill and our Board of Regents, they have given me the opportunity to turn things around and do what I love the most and that is coach players. I am very grateful for that opportunity. I have been blessed with great coaches, great players, and I'm surrounded by an athletics department that does everything it can behind the scenes so that we can be successful on the field."
Linebacker Devin Ducote
On the team's transition from the 2007-11 seasons
"It has been a great experience to overcome so much adversity and reap the rewards of our hard work. In 2007, we had so many good players, but there was no team chemistry and we didn't really work hard. The following year everyone came back with a great attitude, ready to work hard and right the ship. It is a great feeling to know that at the very least we will leave Nacogdoches having helped to turn things around."
On SFA's offense receiving the majority of the headlines
"We like to think our offense is so good because they have to face us in practice every day. When you look at the outcomes of our scrimmages over the past three seasons, the defense actually has the upper hand. But our whole team believes that competition helps build successful season. Our corners get better because they have to face our receivers every day and vice versa. It is that way throughout the whole team. We have a mutual respect for one another. We know our offense is going to go out there and score points, but it is nice to know that if we are in a game where points are hard to come by that they can lean on us. All we care about is winning championships and no one on our team cares who gets the credit."
Offensive Lineman George Bias
On protecting a new quarterback for the first time in his career
"We did lose Jeremy (Moses) but what most people seem to be overlooking is that we are still running the same system. Moses was a great player, but we have several talented guys waiting to take over that starting role this year. They might be young, but they will be surrounded by a lot of veteran guys. We are very excited about the season, and the new quarterbacks."
On success of the offensive line during the past couple of years
"We take great pride in protecting our quarterback, and that is instilled in us from our coach (Chris Truax). He talks about it every day that we are not to let anyone touch our quarterback. I really think this year will be the best line that I've played with. It is rare that you have three first-team all-conference guys on the same line."