University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach Russ Huesman spoke about the Mocs' huge game Saturday at No. 9 Wofford, the playoffs and more during his weekly media luncheon Wednesday.
Here's some of what he had to say:
On the Terriers' defense, which leads the Southern Conference in yards allowed ...
I think the one thing that gets overlooked with them is how well they play defense. They're really good, fifth in the [FCS] in total defense now, leading our league. They play really good defense; they're well coached, they're disciplined, they use their hands well.
Everybody always wants to talk about their offense, and their offense is really good. When you're leading the country in rushing, obviously you're doing something right.
On when he started believing that UTC could make the playoffs ...
In July, when all of our kids were here working hard. I thought coming in, I thought we could be a playoff team. I thought we had a good football team.
I don't think there was ever any doubt during the course of the season. ... When we were 0-2, I don't think anybody thought we didn't have a chance. We knew we had a shot.
On Wofford in 2010 vs. the 2009 team that UTC beat 38-9 ...
The difference between them this year and last year, they're healthy this year. Last year they were decimated with injuries and they're healthy, so we've got a tough road ahead of us.
Update
[Note: Here's the section where Huesman is as entertaining as he's been all season.]
On all 20 teams in the playoffs having a chance ....
I guess the politically correct way to say that is, yeah, so I'll leave it at that.
There's going to be people that have no chance to win it, and that's the way it is every year. But politically correct, yeah, all 20 teams are playing and got a shot.
On if UTC has a chance to win the title if it gets in ...
I think so, yeah. And don't ask me who doesn't have a chance.
A Huesman non sequitur ...
I listen to other coaches talk and I've got to be, like, the minority, a dinosaur in this profession, because everybody's politically correct: [using a strange voice] "If the committee sees fit to put us in, blah, blah, blah. I don't want to talk about the playoffs, blah, blah, blah."
And I'm talking about them all the time. I must be either the dumbest coach in the world or the smartest coach in the world. We'll find out Saturday - I'm probably the dumbest.
That just came into my head right there and I thought I'd throw it out.
You ever notice that about coaches, "Playoffs! I'm not talking about the playoffs."
For more on the Mocs, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.
You can follow John Frierson's Mocs coverage at twitter.com/mocsbeat.