COURTNEY MESSINGHAM, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
On Nicholls’ defense...
“They run really well and they are physical on their front seven.”
On his excitement for the season opener…
“I’m fired up to get out there. We’ve been practicing since spring ball, and our guys worked so hard in the summer and worked against each other. Then you go through fall camp and some point you have to go play against somebody else. So we are fired up just to get the opportunity to get out there and play.”
On the offense’s consistency…
“In practice I feel pretty good with it, especially when our ones are going. We have been consistent and have taken care of the football, which is one of the main concerns every day is take care of the football. But until you get out there and put the product on the field, you think you know, but until it really happens you are never really sure.”
On Nicholls’ backfield…
“Their deal is going to be how do they take full opportunity of every advantage that we give them. And we have to do a great job on our side of the ball taking care of the football, and making their offense drive long, long fields. When we get the football, every opportunity we get inside the 50, we need to be great with it and we need to try to put points on the board. If we punt, so be it, but let’s take care of the ball and make them drive the length of the field.”
On quarterback Skylar Thompson…
“I think the biggest thing is I feel like as camp has gone along, he really has really started to understand the why we are doing what we are doing. His ability to say, ‘Coach, I’d rather do this,’ or, ‘I think this fits better,’ I’m all in because he’s got reasons for why he is doing that. It’s the normal deal where someone says, ‘Hey coach, let’s take some shots and throw it down the field,’ and you want to say, ‘Well, give me some options.’ Well Skylar is ready now to start saying, ‘Yeah, I think if we do this. It fits better with what they are doing.’ That’s great growth and hopefully that continues.”
On scripted plays to start off a game…
“We are more of a script early and then kind of see how the thing unfolds. Obviously, we have a little bit of a contingency plan because you never know if they are going to play exactly what you anticipate.”
On the amount of receivers that might play in the game…
“I would hope five to six. It just kind of depends on how the game flows, and how guys play. I feel good with probably five or six guys getting out there and being able to compete and do well.”
On Nick Lenners and Blaise Gammon…
“The good part is both of them can be physical and are big, thick guys. Neither of them run extremely well. Nick probably runs a little bit better than Blaise, but both of them being 6-5, 6-6, 6-7’and 250 or a little bit more, it allows us to run the ball in either direction with both of them being the lead guy or an extension to the O-Line. I really feel like Nick has done a good job doing some of the motion stuff and be able to start on one side and motion over and play on the other side. So I feel good about both of them.”
On the tight ends/fullbacks…
“We’ll do a little bit of both, meaning we’ll play them 12 personnel and you might say, ‘Wow, it looks like he’s playing fullback than true second tight end,’ and then we will also play traditional where you would say, ‘That’s truly a fullback in the I-formation.’ Generally speaking, the tight ends wouldn’t, per se, be in there, but they could be just because Nick is a really smart football player and understands it. Logan Long, if he gets an opportunity, which he very well could and could definitely be a fullback, needs be. I think the fullback position, they’ve done a nice job. Also the guys that have taken over and playing it.”
On holding back plays in the game plan…
“To be honest with you, there may be some things that are not yet in the game plan, per se, but we pretty much look at these guys like it’s a must-win opportunity. You have to put everything out there that you need, so we didn’t hold anything back or not put anything in.”
On the patience with the offense…
“It doesn’t matter what was done in the past, it matters how much our guys really understand what we are trying to get accomplished now and the ability to execute it. So, hopefully we will play well. I think our guys are ready to play and chopping at the bit to get the opportunity to get on the field and see where things are at. Obviously, we are going to preach to them about taking care of the football and scoring points when we get an opportunity.”
SCOTTIE HAZELTON, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
On coaches being either on the field or in the press box…...
“Myself, Buddy Wyatt and Van Malone will be downstairs. Joe (Klanderman) and Tui (Mike Tuiasosopo) will be upstairs, and then our GA’s will be all be upstairs. We kind of do it by the situation. I am downstairs so I can communicate with linebackers and usually I can cross over to safeties and defensive ends. The guy who is downstairs generally handles all of the game on third down, whether it’s the defensive coach or which one of those guys handle it, and that is Buddy’s area. He is going to do that so Tui can watch the run schemes from upstairs. Joe prefers to be upstairs, and his vision is good about seeing what is going on across the field. I can crossover and talk to those guys if we need to and break it up that way.”
On the defense’s performance in practice...
“Its solid. We still have some ups and downs. They are still 18-to-22 year-old kids. For us, it has been a deal with understanding the style of practice. They have been trained to do it a certain way for so long, and we are doing things a little bit different that you switch something up on or take the pads off or put noise on and the communication goes down because they do not know how to fight through it. Then the next day, you address those things then they’ll be new to that. It is just trying to balance everything out that you could have on game day. Hopefully we will play pretty fast.”
On Nicholls quarterback Chase Fourcade…
“He is a player. Any level as you look at people, you can see he is experienced. He has won a lot of games and he understands their system. He is an explosive player both running the ball and throwing the ball. It gives you a fit on defense that is something you worry about all the time. A guy like that who has been in the system for a long time is dangerous. You can trick him and keep hitting him with things, but when he figures out what you are doing, he can hurt you and be explosive. That is really what offenses look for these days. You can hold them to zero (yards), zero, zero, one (yard) and then he goes for 35 (yards) and a touchdown. You can say you are playing good defense, but you’re down points and you are only eight plays into the game.”
On preparing for Nicholls…
“They have a lot of weapons. It is not just one back, they have about three back there. One guy is a speed guy that runs the ball and can find creases. They have two others that is a very good change up. They got a big bruiser in the backfield, and they got a guy that can cut and do all those things. For us, it is what it is going to be. You have to look at those things and say, ‘OK, if this guy is hurting us, what do you want to do?’ You have to adjust and see how the matchups work out during the game. I think everyone is going to do that. Everyone is going to have a good running back and quarterback, and everyone is at least going to have one good wide receiver. You can kind of make this your test process and say, ‘How are we playing this spot? If it is going to be an issue, then we switch and need to do this.’ We just have to see how it works as we go.”
On defensive end Kyle Ball…
“He has been consistent since he stepped onto the field this fall. He is a guy that understands the defense and his job. He did a really good job when he was hurt in the spring picking up the defense. Most guys without doing it, they cannot do it themselves. He had the ability to take things in the classroom, walk onto the field right away and do them. Reggie (Walker) was nicked up, but I think defensive end is a good position for us. We can play a lot of guys and keep them really fresh. We are excited to have all those defensive ends. They all have little slots where they can play in different areas and in the same area.”
On Nicholls’ defense...
“They run really well and they are physical on their front seven.”
On his excitement for the season opener…
“I’m fired up to get out there. We’ve been practicing since spring ball, and our guys worked so hard in the summer and worked against each other. Then you go through fall camp and some point you have to go play against somebody else. So we are fired up just to get the opportunity to get out there and play.”
On the offense’s consistency…
“In practice I feel pretty good with it, especially when our ones are going. We have been consistent and have taken care of the football, which is one of the main concerns every day is take care of the football. But until you get out there and put the product on the field, you think you know, but until it really happens you are never really sure.”
On Nicholls’ backfield…
“Their deal is going to be how do they take full opportunity of every advantage that we give them. And we have to do a great job on our side of the ball taking care of the football, and making their offense drive long, long fields. When we get the football, every opportunity we get inside the 50, we need to be great with it and we need to try to put points on the board. If we punt, so be it, but let’s take care of the ball and make them drive the length of the field.”
On quarterback Skylar Thompson…
“I think the biggest thing is I feel like as camp has gone along, he really has really started to understand the why we are doing what we are doing. His ability to say, ‘Coach, I’d rather do this,’ or, ‘I think this fits better,’ I’m all in because he’s got reasons for why he is doing that. It’s the normal deal where someone says, ‘Hey coach, let’s take some shots and throw it down the field,’ and you want to say, ‘Well, give me some options.’ Well Skylar is ready now to start saying, ‘Yeah, I think if we do this. It fits better with what they are doing.’ That’s great growth and hopefully that continues.”
On scripted plays to start off a game…
“We are more of a script early and then kind of see how the thing unfolds. Obviously, we have a little bit of a contingency plan because you never know if they are going to play exactly what you anticipate.”
On the amount of receivers that might play in the game…
“I would hope five to six. It just kind of depends on how the game flows, and how guys play. I feel good with probably five or six guys getting out there and being able to compete and do well.”
On Nick Lenners and Blaise Gammon…
“The good part is both of them can be physical and are big, thick guys. Neither of them run extremely well. Nick probably runs a little bit better than Blaise, but both of them being 6-5, 6-6, 6-7’and 250 or a little bit more, it allows us to run the ball in either direction with both of them being the lead guy or an extension to the O-Line. I really feel like Nick has done a good job doing some of the motion stuff and be able to start on one side and motion over and play on the other side. So I feel good about both of them.”
On the tight ends/fullbacks…
“We’ll do a little bit of both, meaning we’ll play them 12 personnel and you might say, ‘Wow, it looks like he’s playing fullback than true second tight end,’ and then we will also play traditional where you would say, ‘That’s truly a fullback in the I-formation.’ Generally speaking, the tight ends wouldn’t, per se, be in there, but they could be just because Nick is a really smart football player and understands it. Logan Long, if he gets an opportunity, which he very well could and could definitely be a fullback, needs be. I think the fullback position, they’ve done a nice job. Also the guys that have taken over and playing it.”
On holding back plays in the game plan…
“To be honest with you, there may be some things that are not yet in the game plan, per se, but we pretty much look at these guys like it’s a must-win opportunity. You have to put everything out there that you need, so we didn’t hold anything back or not put anything in.”
On the patience with the offense…
“It doesn’t matter what was done in the past, it matters how much our guys really understand what we are trying to get accomplished now and the ability to execute it. So, hopefully we will play well. I think our guys are ready to play and chopping at the bit to get the opportunity to get on the field and see where things are at. Obviously, we are going to preach to them about taking care of the football and scoring points when we get an opportunity.”
SCOTTIE HAZELTON, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
On coaches being either on the field or in the press box…...
“Myself, Buddy Wyatt and Van Malone will be downstairs. Joe (Klanderman) and Tui (Mike Tuiasosopo) will be upstairs, and then our GA’s will be all be upstairs. We kind of do it by the situation. I am downstairs so I can communicate with linebackers and usually I can cross over to safeties and defensive ends. The guy who is downstairs generally handles all of the game on third down, whether it’s the defensive coach or which one of those guys handle it, and that is Buddy’s area. He is going to do that so Tui can watch the run schemes from upstairs. Joe prefers to be upstairs, and his vision is good about seeing what is going on across the field. I can crossover and talk to those guys if we need to and break it up that way.”
On the defense’s performance in practice...
“Its solid. We still have some ups and downs. They are still 18-to-22 year-old kids. For us, it has been a deal with understanding the style of practice. They have been trained to do it a certain way for so long, and we are doing things a little bit different that you switch something up on or take the pads off or put noise on and the communication goes down because they do not know how to fight through it. Then the next day, you address those things then they’ll be new to that. It is just trying to balance everything out that you could have on game day. Hopefully we will play pretty fast.”
On Nicholls quarterback Chase Fourcade…
“He is a player. Any level as you look at people, you can see he is experienced. He has won a lot of games and he understands their system. He is an explosive player both running the ball and throwing the ball. It gives you a fit on defense that is something you worry about all the time. A guy like that who has been in the system for a long time is dangerous. You can trick him and keep hitting him with things, but when he figures out what you are doing, he can hurt you and be explosive. That is really what offenses look for these days. You can hold them to zero (yards), zero, zero, one (yard) and then he goes for 35 (yards) and a touchdown. You can say you are playing good defense, but you’re down points and you are only eight plays into the game.”
On preparing for Nicholls…
“They have a lot of weapons. It is not just one back, they have about three back there. One guy is a speed guy that runs the ball and can find creases. They have two others that is a very good change up. They got a big bruiser in the backfield, and they got a guy that can cut and do all those things. For us, it is what it is going to be. You have to look at those things and say, ‘OK, if this guy is hurting us, what do you want to do?’ You have to adjust and see how the matchups work out during the game. I think everyone is going to do that. Everyone is going to have a good running back and quarterback, and everyone is at least going to have one good wide receiver. You can kind of make this your test process and say, ‘How are we playing this spot? If it is going to be an issue, then we switch and need to do this.’ We just have to see how it works as we go.”
On defensive end Kyle Ball…
“He has been consistent since he stepped onto the field this fall. He is a guy that understands the defense and his job. He did a really good job when he was hurt in the spring picking up the defense. Most guys without doing it, they cannot do it themselves. He had the ability to take things in the classroom, walk onto the field right away and do them. Reggie (Walker) was nicked up, but I think defensive end is a good position for us. We can play a lot of guys and keep them really fresh. We are excited to have all those defensive ends. They all have little slots where they can play in different areas and in the same area.”
