Head Coach MIKE SANFORD (Full Video)
Opening statement:
"Homecoming week here on The Hill, big opportunity for us against a conference-leading FIU team that's 3-0 in conference. There's not another undefeated team right now in the division, so this is the standard right now in Conference USA. Great opportunity for us to play in front of a great crowd, homecoming crowd, having people coming back. Had a lot of ticket requests for people who have graduated from WKU, so we want to have everybody back and we're excited about this opportunity. We've looked at the film backward, forwards, every which-way from the Old Dominion game. For as many positives as we were to take away from it, I've never seen anything like the end of that game in a lot of different ways. But I'll tell you this, the number of close losses that we've had, I do believe those turn into close victories. You go through it as a team that's growing and learning together. Those close losses you learn from and they have to turn into close victories. We feel like we've learned every single which-way a game can be decided in a close way, and now physically having gone through those games. Some of us are upperclassmen and have been in those situations before, but not many, and we're going to learn and grow and be better because of that. We're ready to put that last chapter behind us and move on towards a big game against FIU."
On the team's attitude during Sunday's practice:
"It was good, it was what you want for a team that wants to finish the game, wants to play together. It was very business-like. And I think the players felt as much as the final result they felt some of the improvements, not all of them, but they felt some of the improvements because of how they practiced and committed themselves on Tuesday and Wednesday [of last week]."
On rushing for a season-high 207 yards vs. ODU:
"We were concerned about their front, that's a good defensive front with players on that front who are going to play on Sunday's. But we also knew they were a little more pass rush specific-type players, so we had to run at them a little bit. We know week-in and week-out we have to put together a game plan that does everything we can to neutralize the strengths of the opponent but also play to our strengths. And I think that's what we did in that game and I think it was effective."
On the challenges he sees from FIU:
"It's an interesting roster. Last year was a senior-heavy, upper-class-heavy group, but this year it's almost like the depth that they created last year and added a couple of pieces. Graduate transfer at linebacker Edwin Freeman, big linebacker, and a couple of junior college transfers that they plugged in. They have good body types and play really sound football and I have a lot a lot of respect for what Butch Davis does, he's a really good coach."
Defensive Coordinator CLAYTON WHITE (Full Video)
On the fourth quarter against Old Dominion:
"The start of the fourth quarter was pretty good. We got the turnover from the sack by Juwuan [Jones]. Obviously, the scoop and score we wish would have been a touchdown by Ben [Holt]. It actually started around, I think, the six-minute mark, the first drive they got. I thought we were decent but they beat us on a juke route inside the five and then didn't get a chance to finish it obviously, the last drive we didn't finish but obviously it's about finishing. It's unfortunate because I feel like the guys, we adjusted after the first quarter, 14 points and we kind of had seven or eight straight stops, we had a field goal of a sudden change but it's very unfortunate to go out and lose the game like that, especially when you feel like you put a lot into it and had the opportunity to beat a talented team."
On the challenges he sees from FIU:
"They're a South Florida football team, so the first thing you think of is speed. They have the speed and the quickness outside at the skilled positions. They have numerous skilled players, they have a quarterback who we didn't really know much going into the season but watching him for a day and a half now he's pretty good. He's got a quick release and I think their offensive line plays really well and really strong up front. They do a good job of putting their guys into positions to give their backs room."
On feshman defensive end Juwuan Jones:
"It starts with film studies throughout the week. You can never just go out there on a Saturday and all of a sudden get it done. I think Juwan did a great job of studying film and knowing his offensive tackles he was going against, also knowing the run-pass keys that we had identified throughout the week and that's what happened on the sack fumble. That was just a normal pass rushing and he knew it was a pass, his mentality was different and I think he made a great play. That was a big-time play at a time we needed it. His main thing is just what he's doing during the week."
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