University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman spoke about the Mocs’ game Saturday at The Citadel during his weekly media luncheon Wednesday. Also on hand were cornerback Kadeem Wise, defensive tackle Nick Craig and fullback Courtland Ellzey.
Here’s some of what they had to say:
Russ Huesman
On the off week …
To have an open week really helped us. We came out of Western Carolina with some kids that had gone into that game a little bit dinged up and probably got dinged up a little worse. Garrett Hughes and Erroll Wynn, if we’d have played last Saturday, I don’t know how effective they would have been.
In that regard it was good that we had the week off.
The other part of the equation is just playing an option football team this week, to have the extra time to work on them. Normally we wouldn’t work on the opponent the whole week of the open week, we’d just really work on fundamentals and those type of things.
Playing a triple-option team … we designated periods throughout practice each day to defending the option.
On The Citadel’s triple-option offense …
I think what The Citadel’s doing is very similar to Navy, to Georgia Tech, to all the Paul Johnson option football teams.
On if B.J. Coleman would be a good option quarterback …
No. We like B.J. for what he is.
On the play of redshirt freshman cornerback Kadeem Wise, who has tied Huesman’s freshman record with four interceptions …
I know the interceptions are important, and that’s kind of what a DB is judged on … but I think Kadeem had has played so well this whole football season. How he defends people, how he tackles, the mental aspect, the mental part of the game – he’s done a great job.
Kadeem Wise
On if he’s surprised by how well he’s played in his first season …
I’m not surprised, I feel very comfortable out there. Working with Buster [Skrine] and all those guys, they helped me come along well.
On defending the option …
You have your good and your bad versus the option, but the main thing is you’ve got to run. You’ve got to be disciplined and you’ve got to run.
Nick Craig
On UTC playing a complete game …
I want to see a game where the offense and the defense play together, like both on the same level as far as getting the job done. I think the defense some games we’ve let up and the offense picks us up, which is good, and some games the offense lets down a little bit and the defense picks up.
I just want to see, hopefully against The Citadel, where we’re both on the same page and both playing great.
For more on the Mocs, see tomorrow’s Times Free Press.
You can follow John Frierson’s Mocs coverage at twitter.com/mocsbeat.