Several days ago, K.C. Keeler was more familiar with Finley Stadium than he was with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football program, but that has changed.
Keeler guided Delaware to the 2003 Football Championship Subdivision national championship in Chattanooga and came back with quarterback Joe Flacco in 2007, when the Blue Hens lost to Appalachian State before the largest crowd (23,010) in Finley history. Now in his third season at Sam Houston State, Keeler is preparing for Saturday’s second-round playoff game against UTC and took time off Wednesday to join “Press Row” on ESPN 105.1 FM.
Q: You guys were ranked No. 1 after the regular season yet got seeded fifth. What was your reaction to that, and are you using that as motivation?
A: “All I’ll say is we were No. 3 in the country last year and No. 4 the year before that, and this team is better in all three phases of the game and has proven that on the field. Our schedule maybe wasn’t up to their liking, but New Mexico dropped us late and picked up another FCS school, so it really wasn’t our intention to not have a top-level FCS opponent or play a I-A game. In the big game we had at the end of the season against the No. 7 team in the country, Central Arkansas, we’re up by 42 early in the fourth quarter and started pulling our kids out.
“I’m not sure what exactly they wanted us to do to prove that we were more deserving, but we really can’t worry about that now.”
Q: What is your take on the Mocs, and did their performance at Alabama catch the attention of your players?
A: “It was really impressive how they didn’t back down at all. They kept going at them aggressively, and you could see (Nick) Saban’s disappointment and frustration. That really grabbed the attention of our guys, but you can just watch the tape of them day in and day out and see that they’re very physical and aggressive. I love their athleticism on defense, and they’re always in the right position on defense. Always.
“They can give you different looks on offense and will confuse you with some motions. We were fortunate to have last week off, and we actually started working on Chattanooga, because we felt that Weber State traveling across the country and playing an afternoon game would be hard for them. We gambled that we would play Chattanooga, and fortunately it worked out.”
Q: Russ Huesman was on earlier this week and said he didn’t want the score getting in the 40s. Would you be concerned if it stayed low?
A: “I think it will be in the teens or 20s if the weather conditions are what they’re talking about. They’re talking about some heavy rains, which could make it more of a two-tight end game for us. People struggle when we have the opportunity to spread you out, because we have such incredible speed. We’re averaging 54 points and almost 600 yards of total offense, and we’re usually pulling our guys at the end of the third quarter.
“Our typical halftime score has been 35-7. We’re really explosive and have been fortunate to play in really great weather all year long, but it’s supposed to be a wet one Saturday. Their front four against our offensive line should be a great matchup.”
Q: You’ve coached in FCS title games in Chattanooga and in Frisco (Texas). What are the pros and cons to both locales?
A: “You have the better weather in Frisco. If you remember the 2003 national championship at your place, it was probably the coldest day of my life. We won 40-0, and I kept telling our operations director to not let them pour water on me until there were 10 seconds left. It was unbelievably cold that night.
“They are both great venues, and Chattanooga did a great job, but they do a great job down here, too. In many ways it’s a toss-up, but I would say the biggest difference is that you get the better weather here in Texas.”
Q: Turning to our rapid fire, how many teams should be in the FCS playoffs?
A: “I like how we currently do it (with 24). I think the FBS should go to eight, but that’s off topic.”
Q: Who is the Mocs player who jumps out at you most?
A: “Their defensive end, No. 93 (Keionta Davis). Wow. He’s just electric. Their whole defensive line is electric.”
Q: How many times do you mention Flacco on recruiting visits?
A: “I try to keep it under seven.”
Q: Do you still catch grief for occasionally wearing sunglasses at night?
A: “If you come in my office, you will see about 30 pairs of sunglasses. We practice in the mornings, and I wear a different pair. The kids have a little fun with me on that, but I have very sensitive eyes.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.