Ashley Ingram pre-UVA Wise press conference transcript
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman comes back to Mossy Creek after 35 days away for its annual Homecoming game against UVA Wise. Below are Ashley Ingram's pregame remarks to the media about the Cavaliers.
VIDEO: Ashley Ingram Press Conference
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman comes back to Mossy Creek after 35 days away for its annual Homecoming game against UVA Wise. Below are Ashley Ingram's pregame remarks to the media about the Cavaliers.
OPENING STATEMENT:
INGRAM: We're excited to be home. We're excited for homecoming. Hopefully we'll have a big crowd this weekend. You know, as you win games, each game becomes more meaningful. And obviously we got a very big game this weekend. UVA Wise is coming in. Coach Bass got a lot of respect for him. Very good football coach. These guys are a tough football team. They're going to play hard. Their record just didn't indicate what kind of football team they are. So we have our work cut out for us.
Q1: I do think it's probably one of the scarier games you play. Sure, it's a one win team, but outside of the Anderson game, they've been in every game that they played. How dangerous of a club are they?
INGRAM: Oh, they're dangerous. I mean, they played Wingate close, they played Catawba close. They've got a really, really good running back. They're scrappy on defense and they made a change with the coordinator on defense. So there's a little unknown as to what they're going to do against us. So should be interesting.
Q2: You alluded to the running back, Daniel Thomas. He is the league leader in rushing yardage. He's top 10 in yards per game. What sticks out to you about a guy that's probably a contender for offensive freshman of the year in the league?
INGRAM: He's athletic, one, he's explosive. He plays really hard, he runs really hard. He's just a good football player.
Q3: Homecoming, obviously you don't get to experience all of the festivities on Saturday, but much like the reunion of the 80s teams, you know there's going to be a bunch of folks who hold Carson-Newman near and dear to their heart back on campus, experiencing a whole day's worth of activities. Just how meaningful is it to have so many back on campus for whom this place means so much?
INGRAM: No, it's huge for us. And you know, I think really one of the big things we want to accomplish as a football program is we want to make this university, the alums, the former players, we want them to just be proud of the product we're putting on the field. Then the way we're behaving off the field, our guys are doing a great job with that. We're doing well in the classroom. We're representing, and we need to play well because this place has great tradition and we need to live up to the standard.
Q4: he path for the last seven weeks has been tough game after tough game after tough game. How has that hardened this team's approach as you head into the final four weeks of the year?
INGRAM: I think we, especially the second half, the game against Anderson, and maybe the whole game is probably as well as we've played as a team. So we've just got to keep putting it together. And we've got tough opponents. They'll all be tough in this league. So much parity in the league. We've just got to keep plugging away. And like I said, we've got another opportunity to get better this Saturday, and we're excited for an opportunity.
Q5: Fifteen different guys touched the football against the Trojans. Eleven ball carriers, four different pass catchers. How do you utilize that volume of players touching the ball?
INGRAM: We've got young guys that needed reps, needed opportunities. We were able to get them some this past week, and we're going to try to continue to feed those guys the ball a little bit and, you know, as they grow and mature as players and we can put more on their plate, we'll just try to keep continuing to do that.
Q6: Who surprised you in this position point in the season?
INGRAM: You know, our O-line is coming together. You know, we had some injuries early on, but we've got them back. They're all healthy now. They continue to get better as we go. You know, both quarterbacks played well last week. Our slots are playing well. We got some young B-backs that are getting some reps. Defensively, you know, we're doing a lot of good things and Coach Almond's doing a great job using different packages and getting more DBs on the field in their base package. But I'm just pleased with where we're at and pleased that our guys are still excited about playing and we're just trying to plug away and get better each week.
Q7: Number one in the conference in scoring defense, number two in yardage allowed, number one in first downs allowed. There has been no drop off from Larry Slade's retirement to Tyler taking the reins of that thing. What do you think that is owed to?
INGRAM: Well, I think the whole thought knowing that Coach Slade was likely just going to coach one more year as we brought Tyler in with the anticipation that he would be promoted to DC so the continuity's there. Obviously he does things a little different than Coach Slade, but there's obviously still a lot of carryover too. Just kind of what we thought we'd be good on defense and we're playing well there and then we're trying to play complimentary football. You know, we want to win games. We're not turning the ball over on offense. We're running the ball. We're controlling the clock for the most part. So that's been a positive.
Q8: Cruz Temple's the SAC defensive player of the week. Nobody on defense really has insane stats week in, week out, but he's clearly of the mold of high level linebackers that have come through here the past few years. What sticks out to you about the season that he's having to finally get a player of the week?
INGRAM: The great thing about Cruz is you know exactly what you're going to get every week. You're going to get great effort, you're going to get great intensity, you're going to get passion, you're going to get a guy that's going to chase the football, that's going to compete every single snap and I think he rubs off on our defense.
Q9: You touched on Zane and Teddy both playing well at quarterback. I don't know that you started this season with the thought of utilizing both, but because of injuries you've kind of had that hand forced and now you have two guys clearly that are are capable of starting and leading you to wins. What's the strategy behind those two's implementation on the field?
INGRAM: Yeah, well, you said it. Both have had a little nagging injuries, nothing very serious, but just kind of warranted to play another guy. And it's looks like it's a pretty good little system we've got going right now and we'll just figure out whoever's got the hot hand, they'll get the shot.
Q10: UVA Wise, you've got a little coaching tree cooking. You've got Max Bryant who graduated here as a defensive lineman last year. He's an assistant for Gary Bass at Wise. What's it like seeing one of your own on the opposite side of the field from you?
INGRAM: We'll talk to him after the game. Now Max is a great young man. I'm excited that he's doing well there. Not surprised whatsoever. But we want to kick Max's butt on Saturday.
Q11: Anything else?
INGRAM: No, that's it. We're just excited for the opportunity.
Kickoff between the Eagles and Cavs is set for 3 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 2 p.m. with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), MIX 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. A video stream is available with a subscription to FloCollege at cneagles.com/FloFB. The ESN also allows you to go "Inside the Radio Booth" with a live feed of the ESN crew on YouTube
