Typically I try to throw together a regular pre-game article with quotes, but my WiFi is about to be shot for the next two hours with me getting a security system. Because of that, I wanted to just throw down all the quotes Nathan got throughout the week:
Cody Barton
What has made him and Chase so successful this season
“We both like to work hard and we take pride in that, it helps that we have good chemistry together. We are both very good friends and we both take pride in being intelligent. We like competing with each other with who is going to get to the ball first and who is going to get more tackles and putting all those things together it has unfolded the way it has.”
What it means to have a great chance to win the South
“It’s awesome. We knew that this year was our year to win the South and our hopes and dreams are still alive and that feels great. We are going to control what we can control and that’s beat Colorado so we are going to do everything we can to make that happen and then what happens on the other end, happens.”
What about Colorado that always makes it a close game
“Maybe because it is late in the season and guys are beat up. They are a good team and it’s evenly matched. It’s been really close these last couple years. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s always a close one.”
Comments about Shelley/Shyne
“We were confident with those guys coming in. If we would have performed better in the red zone the game would not have been that close. Shelley is really mature and poised for a redshirt freshman.”
Why they perform well with backs against the wall
“This whole group, we are a bunch of fighters. When we have a chip on our shoulder we have a lot to prove. At this program they teach a lot of mental toughness so when are backs are against the wall, we want to prove people wrong and come out on top.”
His reaction when Huntley and Moss went down
“The whole team believed in those guys (Shelley and Shyne). We just took it for what it was and we preach if one guy goes down the next guy picks up the rifle and that’s exactly the way we approached it. No one blinked or was worried or had doubt in this team so it was all confidence going into the game.”
Matt Gay
What’s different about this program that makes kickers so successful
“I think it’s been instilled in the program that special teams is what we care about here and Coach Whittingham does a great job of putting that in the players minds and letting them know that special teams is the most important thing. Special teams plays can decide the game and Coach Whit’s voice as head coach really gets the point across to the team.”
Pressure he feels when kicking a longer field goal
“It’s the same process, the same stroke. You go out there and your goal is to put it through the uprights and if anything there is less pressure because you’re back farther and you’re supposed to make the closer ones. For me it’s the same process and the same stroke.”
The returner that Oregon placed in the endzone on his 55-yarder
“As I was taking my steps, I saw him back there. My personal thoughts were that I’m not coming short and risk it for a blocked punt. There was some disrespect by putting a guy back there.”
Thoughts on his role as kicker
“The offense has to be good but not great for me to get an opportunity. It’s kind of that middle ground where you’re just like I want to kick field goals and be successful but it’s better for the team to score touchdowns. I just want to help where I can. Kicker is more of a mental thing than anything. A miss can throw you off and it’s definitely more of a mental game than a physical game.”
Brian Thompson
Thoughts on the Oregon win
“I felt really good, I felt fresh, strong, fast and I just missed being on the football field. I didn’t care what the outcome was. We obviously won and that’s a plus but, you learn to stop taking things for granted after an injury. It just felt good. I felt up to beat. There was a lot of things I can get better at.”
What it was like sitting out the first couple games
“It was definitely frustrating but I stay close with the Lord and I stay in prayer every day. I talked to my mom every day too and that’s what helped me stay positive. Thanks to Coach Holliday, he kept me in good spirits and all the coaches around me.”
How praying helped him
“The Lord is number one in my life so when I get frustrated I always go to the Lord. With the injury in the spring it was tough to just watch because I don’t like to watch. I just kept in good spirits.”
What he looks to leave on the field in the last few games
“I can do anything the team asks. Block, catch, I’m very explosive and I’ll be anywhere coach needs me. I’m not a selfish guy, I’ll just do anything to help the team win.”
What it’s like to not have a “go to guy” and share the ball more amongst the receivers
“We’re so close as a family and in the receiving room, anything we need we go to each other and Coach Holliday and there’s no animosity between us. Not just one of us shine, all of us shine. We all share the ball and we don’t get frustrated when we don’t get the ball. It happens, but we’re just here to win.”
Leki Fotu
Thoughts on the Oregon game
“We definitely stepped up from last weeks game, especially in the pass rush game. I felt more comfortable playing assignment football and helping the linebackers out.”
What changed after the Arizona St. game
“We had more energy and last week, it’s tough playing on the road without a fan base but I felt like last week we didn’t have the energy that we had in past away games. It was a tough loss but we learned from it against Oregon and we showed up.”
How this team handles so much adversity
“Losing those two (Moss and Huntley) was really tough on the team but knowing what we have going on with a chance of still winning the South, everyone has to step up no matter what your role is on the team. It’s going to be tough for us but our mentality is just to keep moving forward.”
“This whole year we’ve just been focusing on the next game. We’re not taking them as just any other game. Our main focus is on Colorado and we just focus on what we can control.”
John Penisini
What it’s like to play with such a great defense around you
“It’s great because we all push each other and hold each other accountable for our assignments.”
How to stay confident
“It’s just hard work and we all push each other to be our best. Everyone is hyping each other up and we need to keep staying humble.”
The difference maker between losses and wins
“Coach Scalley always tells us to prepare as much as we can before every opponent. It doesn’t matter if it’s hours before the game, we need to study our opponent as much as possible.”
Troy Taylor
Where the offense is in his eyes
“Now they really understand it (the offense). At first there was a lot of stopping and explaining but now we are building on everything.”
Jason Shelley
“Jason is a really no-drama kind of kid and that helps a lot when playing quarterback. He played well on Saturday and was poised throughout the game.”
Armand Shyne
“you’re just excited to see what happens when a player like him gets that type of load. He’s shown flashes of it in practice. But when you carry they ball 26 times it’s a different deal. I was very enthused about how he played. 20-25 is a good amount of carries.”
Goal line struggles
“First of all, we didn’t execute in the run game like we had been. The other part is that I went into the game specifically not wanting to turn the ball over in the red zone with a young quarterback. I thought at the end if our defense played well then we would be in it. What you don’t want to do is force some throws and get a pick.”
His reaction to the Moss news
“First of all I just felt bad for him because he’s such a young kid but then I forced myself to move on quickly. I felt really good about it because I knew the guys would rise up around him and you got to be grateful for what you got.”
Cody Barton
What has made him and Chase so successful this season
“We both like to work hard and we take pride in that, it helps that we have good chemistry together. We are both very good friends and we both take pride in being intelligent. We like competing with each other with who is going to get to the ball first and who is going to get more tackles and putting all those things together it has unfolded the way it has.”
What it means to have a great chance to win the South
“It’s awesome. We knew that this year was our year to win the South and our hopes and dreams are still alive and that feels great. We are going to control what we can control and that’s beat Colorado so we are going to do everything we can to make that happen and then what happens on the other end, happens.”
What about Colorado that always makes it a close game
“Maybe because it is late in the season and guys are beat up. They are a good team and it’s evenly matched. It’s been really close these last couple years. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s always a close one.”
Comments about Shelley/Shyne
“We were confident with those guys coming in. If we would have performed better in the red zone the game would not have been that close. Shelley is really mature and poised for a redshirt freshman.”
Why they perform well with backs against the wall
“This whole group, we are a bunch of fighters. When we have a chip on our shoulder we have a lot to prove. At this program they teach a lot of mental toughness so when are backs are against the wall, we want to prove people wrong and come out on top.”
His reaction when Huntley and Moss went down
“The whole team believed in those guys (Shelley and Shyne). We just took it for what it was and we preach if one guy goes down the next guy picks up the rifle and that’s exactly the way we approached it. No one blinked or was worried or had doubt in this team so it was all confidence going into the game.”
Matt Gay
What’s different about this program that makes kickers so successful
“I think it’s been instilled in the program that special teams is what we care about here and Coach Whittingham does a great job of putting that in the players minds and letting them know that special teams is the most important thing. Special teams plays can decide the game and Coach Whit’s voice as head coach really gets the point across to the team.”
Pressure he feels when kicking a longer field goal
“It’s the same process, the same stroke. You go out there and your goal is to put it through the uprights and if anything there is less pressure because you’re back farther and you’re supposed to make the closer ones. For me it’s the same process and the same stroke.”
The returner that Oregon placed in the endzone on his 55-yarder
“As I was taking my steps, I saw him back there. My personal thoughts were that I’m not coming short and risk it for a blocked punt. There was some disrespect by putting a guy back there.”
Thoughts on his role as kicker
“The offense has to be good but not great for me to get an opportunity. It’s kind of that middle ground where you’re just like I want to kick field goals and be successful but it’s better for the team to score touchdowns. I just want to help where I can. Kicker is more of a mental thing than anything. A miss can throw you off and it’s definitely more of a mental game than a physical game.”
Brian Thompson
Thoughts on the Oregon win
“I felt really good, I felt fresh, strong, fast and I just missed being on the football field. I didn’t care what the outcome was. We obviously won and that’s a plus but, you learn to stop taking things for granted after an injury. It just felt good. I felt up to beat. There was a lot of things I can get better at.”
What it was like sitting out the first couple games
“It was definitely frustrating but I stay close with the Lord and I stay in prayer every day. I talked to my mom every day too and that’s what helped me stay positive. Thanks to Coach Holliday, he kept me in good spirits and all the coaches around me.”
How praying helped him
“The Lord is number one in my life so when I get frustrated I always go to the Lord. With the injury in the spring it was tough to just watch because I don’t like to watch. I just kept in good spirits.”
What he looks to leave on the field in the last few games
“I can do anything the team asks. Block, catch, I’m very explosive and I’ll be anywhere coach needs me. I’m not a selfish guy, I’ll just do anything to help the team win.”
What it’s like to not have a “go to guy” and share the ball more amongst the receivers
“We’re so close as a family and in the receiving room, anything we need we go to each other and Coach Holliday and there’s no animosity between us. Not just one of us shine, all of us shine. We all share the ball and we don’t get frustrated when we don’t get the ball. It happens, but we’re just here to win.”
Leki Fotu
Thoughts on the Oregon game
“We definitely stepped up from last weeks game, especially in the pass rush game. I felt more comfortable playing assignment football and helping the linebackers out.”
What changed after the Arizona St. game
“We had more energy and last week, it’s tough playing on the road without a fan base but I felt like last week we didn’t have the energy that we had in past away games. It was a tough loss but we learned from it against Oregon and we showed up.”
How this team handles so much adversity
“Losing those two (Moss and Huntley) was really tough on the team but knowing what we have going on with a chance of still winning the South, everyone has to step up no matter what your role is on the team. It’s going to be tough for us but our mentality is just to keep moving forward.”
“This whole year we’ve just been focusing on the next game. We’re not taking them as just any other game. Our main focus is on Colorado and we just focus on what we can control.”
John Penisini
What it’s like to play with such a great defense around you
“It’s great because we all push each other and hold each other accountable for our assignments.”
How to stay confident
“It’s just hard work and we all push each other to be our best. Everyone is hyping each other up and we need to keep staying humble.”
The difference maker between losses and wins
“Coach Scalley always tells us to prepare as much as we can before every opponent. It doesn’t matter if it’s hours before the game, we need to study our opponent as much as possible.”
Troy Taylor
Where the offense is in his eyes
“Now they really understand it (the offense). At first there was a lot of stopping and explaining but now we are building on everything.”
Jason Shelley
“Jason is a really no-drama kind of kid and that helps a lot when playing quarterback. He played well on Saturday and was poised throughout the game.”
Armand Shyne
“you’re just excited to see what happens when a player like him gets that type of load. He’s shown flashes of it in practice. But when you carry they ball 26 times it’s a different deal. I was very enthused about how he played. 20-25 is a good amount of carries.”
Goal line struggles
“First of all, we didn’t execute in the run game like we had been. The other part is that I went into the game specifically not wanting to turn the ball over in the red zone with a young quarterback. I thought at the end if our defense played well then we would be in it. What you don’t want to do is force some throws and get a pick.”
His reaction to the Moss news
“First of all I just felt bad for him because he’s such a young kid but then I forced myself to move on quickly. I felt really good about it because I knew the guys would rise up around him and you got to be grateful for what you got.”
