WKU Football: Recapping the Game 12 Press Conference for Middle Tennessee
On Monday afternoon, head coach Tyson Helton held his weekly press conference to recap the Southern Miss win and preview the 100 Miles of…
On Monday afternoon, head coach Tyson Helton held his weekly press conference to recap the Southern Miss win and preview the 100 Miles of Hate contest against MTSU:
Here is a recap of what he said:
We’ve got rivalry week coming up. Should be a great game
Great we get to play them at home for the last game of the season
Records don’t matter in this one
Guys are looking forward to it
“Our guys are a mature bunch, they know it’s a big game”
There’s always been a back and forth between the two schools
“We need to take care of business.”
“They will be ready to play and we need to match that intensity”
Our guys are excited to have the last game at home against a rival
-”It’s going to take our best effort to make that happen”
“I’ve been looking at them hard the past”
They’ve lost some guys that in recent years that they’ve been counting on and have had some injuries along the way.
“This time of year you always find a way to give an effort during a rivalry game”
They’ve had some close ones too
“It could be a last five-minute type of game this week. I hope not but I could see it that way”
“The number one focus is to win the game. I don’t care how you do it”
The best way to do it is play great team football
“We’ve played really good team football in the last few weeks”
“Our defense was outstanding in the last game”
“In first half our Offense was able to do some real good things in the first half, scoring 21.”
“They started to play good defense in second half but our defense was matching them and making plays”
“If we continued to play good defense in second half and make plays on offense we’d win the game”
“In both games (USM & Arkansas) we played great team football”
“We’re going to need to do that in last game to win that one”
“I’m very proud of them for doing that (winning on the road)”
“We have a very mature football team”
“Our guys like the adversary:
They embrace the adversary
“There’s a lot left to play for”
“There’s a lot of goals we still have”
“Our football team is really starting to peak right now”
“Hopefully we’ll have our best game for our last game. That’s the hope”
It’s huge to finish the best you can
Everyone remembers the last game
To get a win for seniors would be huge
“We’d be happy to represent our program in any bowl that they’d choose”
“Next season it will be their (backups) turn”
“We’ve got guys we trust and believe in”
“That’s a big part of having a good football team is having that core (of players) intact”
“I really wanted to take a look at him (Gino Appleberry)”
He’s really put in his time this year. He’s been a great team player
“Does anything you ask. Let’s give him an opportunity to shine”
It was impressive what he did, he made a short yardage run on 3rd/4th down to move the chains
“We wanted to get KT (Kavaris Thomas) out there. He’s done a great job being ready”
“We’ve a lot of great guys for us, hopefully they’re stars down the road”
Ty Storey was layoff receiver Kavaris Thomas pass. Play was supposed to go to LaFrance on wheel route, he did a good job of picking up 7 yards
“Need to get him (KT) the ball more”
“I’ve been very surprised with Gaej from the get-go”
How he’s embraced the move (to running back), how durable he’s been and dependable he’s been
It’s been hard to put another running back in the game
“You want a guy you can depend on, a guy that you believe in”
“He’s definitely been that guy for us”
“As we move forward, I’d always like running back by committee”
“We know we can win with him”
Next season will bring a different perspective
Looking forward to what he can do next season (Gaej) but also what the other backs can do
“I was never more happy as a coach (on DeAngelo Malone’s touchdown)”
“I sprinted down the sideline, usually I keep my emotions in check”
“The sack fumble sealed the win for us”
“That’s what Deangelo has been for us all year”
“When you really need the play he always comes through for us”
“My hats off to Jeremy Darvin too, he was about to sack the qb and DeAngelo was able to clean it up”
Says a lot about how our guys play for each other
“The best thing that I’ve learned as a new head coach is that I love defensive scores”
They’re the greatest thing in football
We’ve done it two weeks in a row and it’s like the greatest feeling
“The number one thing for us to win as a team”
“This is the funnest offense that I’ve been able to coach in a different sense”
In a sense that the guys are different
“The dependability, the want to, they belief in each other, how they embrace competition”
“It’s been really fun to coach those guys”
“On defense it’s great to watch how they go out there every single week and dominate games”
“It’s been a great season, I’d like to end on a terrific note and have a great team win in the last one”
“I didn’t know what we’d be like going into the season”
“I’d hope we’d be a good football team.”
Every Coach takes pride in not where a team starts but how their team finishes the season
Coming down the stretch and finishing strong, there’s been a lot of growth and development as a team
“It’s a special thing to have that bond with the players”
“We’ve have something special moving forward here”
“We want to make sure we finish the right way with a win this weekend”
(Steven Duncan) “He’s doing great, rehab been phenomenal”
He’s back working out and is out there at practice and he stays locked in
Always watching film and he’s like a coach on the field
Hasn’t missed a beat other than not practicing
The big takeway from this press conference was how he spoke about this years team and it’s growth. It has been evident on the field but you can tell this team has a special place in Helton’s heart. The remarks on the pieces coming back next year is also huge. I believe that if WKU can find some replacements (QB, WR, LB), there’s no excuse to not compete for a conference title in 2020. It’s exciting that football is back on track and should continue to be towards the top of the CUSA standings for the forseeable future.
Tune back for a lot more coverage of this week’s rivalry game against the Blue Raiders. Helton can beat Brohm’s debut record should he win out (9–4 overall). Rivalry week is always huge no matter what the record, hopefully the Hilltoppers cap of a special regular season with a convincing rivarly win.