EMU Football Pregame Press Conference: Week 1 at UMass

all right coach good morning good morning happy way to kick off the 2024 season let's get a thought from you on uh how Camp has been and turn your attention now to game one Camp would byy quickly um that's a good thing uh for sure we're relatively healthy uh I say that you know there are people who have been nicked up and um couple surgeries um so but relatively with 119 guys um feel good about getting into game week and also feel really good about how we've come together and assimilated you know uh 53 new players most of which goes back to January uh but nonetheless you know that ends up being nearly half the team of people who weren't with us last fall and so um I think we gotten better uh pretty much every day um and we are really excited about getting started tell want to kick coach have you named a starting quarterback yet for this first game Cole Schneider is going to uh start Force this week and he has a great deal of experience um how has He adjusted I know you've had time to work with him but how has he fit into to your scheme and what what does he bring to this squad offensively yeah I know people always you know want to get to that part but first um he's just an an excellent fit uh for our program in terms of our c culture and who he is his character he is very mature he's very serious about football um you know just he's a guy that takes copious notes and is in the building um outside of you know time where we're going through meetings and practice and and so uh feel really good just about his experience you know having obviously been in the Mac for for two seasons just a season veteran um and then uh real smart football player um he is always classify you know guys with you know you want the ball in his hands in terms of running it all the way down to you know can you maneuver in the pocket he's he's somebody who can keep a defense honest um you know running the ball like if you're not going to pay attention to him then he'll he'll be able to hurt you um but uh his arm right in terms of his physical ability is is uh um his strength and uh accurate again just really studies football and so knows where to go with the ball and um we're excited about it how have you felt about your back field replacing Jaylen Jackson at Samson Evans a lot of production there how you feeling about your running back court yeah um you know that's a another position you know that's going to be new I mean Dante McMillan got some reps towards the end of last season and did real well um and so you know he and uh Delbert Mims and then Elijah Jackson Anderson are really in our top three spots right now um and we feel really good about it um we really do uh I mean Dante runs the ball like violently he runs hard and he's got good speed and then you know Dell is the most like Samson in that you know he is uh he can get the the hard yards um he can be in every down back as well um but he uh you know he he can be he can be a load um and then Elijah Jackson Anderson is just so explosive um and so that you know the combination of those three guys and it doesn't stop at those three but those would be the top three right now uh you gave the deuce to Orin manman Singleton um traditionally that's gone to a senior you kind of went away from that friend what did you see in Singleton as far as him wearing the deuce and if you could give us some background into the the name man man yeah so um he's earned it you know and it goes to our most senior and best player you know um at the wide receiver position and as you know we've done it to a junior before at tight end with Thomas Odo um and uh yeah he's he certainly has earned it got here in January he's been been electric I think you know our team just started talking about him um within a few days after he was here they probably went out into the bubble and you know were throwing and whatnot got to recruit him out of uh Hutch Jr College um and now that he's been here for you know eight nine months um I think he's going to be a tough a tough matchup for people tough to cover um quiet um loves football great teammate um just goes about it business he's got one of those fires that burn but again he's not a real loud bring attention um to myself um kind of guy and I can let you know about his nickname but uh that came what about 21 years ago you know so um yeah but uh we're sure glad he's with us uh UMass has really pride of themselves in becoming a faster team this year with some guys that we know CJ Hester from Western Michigan Sterling Galan we saw him at Jacksonville State they seem to want to play a much faster Tempo faster style of football how are you feeling defensively about the matchup and could you talk a little bit about the defense you're putting on the field in game one yeah well you know um I feel really good about our defense we you know starting on the defensive line and starting from the inside out you know not only do you have a a Payton price and a Melvin Swindle we've been here for four years and um played a lot of football here and um you know play at a high level uh We've brought in three transfers that were all starting you know at their previous institutions and so have experience and have really been great additions um and so we really feel as that we've bolstered you know the the inside of our defensive line and then we were super thin last year mostly due to injury um at defensive end and that was part of the you know the Genesis of um justo Jefferson moving to defensive end you got Joey zalinski but Carter Evans you know was was injured you know Jaden Gaines going back to last year was injured and Malik Bogard um was injured um and then Sterling miles you know was injured and so um not only getting guys healthy um but then we've also um got a a transfer at that spot too with um Jeff Adam um and then you've got you know just the development of guys like Messiah Blair and Luke Fletcher you know who were freshman last year who are growing up so just feel as though we have more depth um and then you know our two returning starters from last year both back um on the D line defensive secondary look I mean dayquan white had a fabulous year last year now you got a healthy Joshua Scott which really seems to give you a lot of depth back there and it just seems like you're in a good position in the defensive secondary do you feel that way we certainly missed um Josh Scott you know you know last year had had an injury and he's 100% healthy and playing at a really high level um and then yeah so uh you know dayquan um obviously came in as a freshman and ended up playing the entire season and played really well and is has has improved for sure in his first off season with us um and then uh we feel really good about our recruiting and we've had some transfer help there too but then also um bringing in a good group of guys and developing them and you know dran MCN um who came from uh Mississippi junior college is just been amazing fit a really good player um and so excited about him but J Jem Jenkins has really had a great um camp and a Jordan Tony who was a freshman who got here you know back in January so those guys you know talking about the corner position and then at safety you know you got uh quintavius gandr who's played a lot of football um which were super excited about him and then Jason Marshall and David Carter David Carter has just been um so consistent can play both positions back there and um uh just really feel great about his experience and then you know Jason Marshall's had a fantastic Camp um and then we do have a couple guys who are nicked up um at that spot uh and then at linebacker you know we lost um our two starters and I think both top 10 in the country and tackles and whatnot and so you know way back to January you know we we knew that that was a position that we need to bring folks in and we did and feel feel really good about it you know you got Zack mochin and Kendrick ning both returning um you know uh scholarship guys that uh we feel really good about and then the JT Kellan and the um a junk James junam and uh uh Luke Murphy have all been really good fits I think coach NM does a really good job with figuring out what they're all best at and putting them in positions to be successful so again there's a lot of lot of new faces but our culture has um been super solid and those guys have been attracted to that we've found the right people that want to be a part of who Eastern Michigan football is and what we're all about and so um it's been it's been really good we feel really good about our defense final question for me just your General thoughts on UMass and how it is I mean you guys are very familiar with them this will be the fourth straight year we played against UMass do you prepare more for what you know out of the scheme because it seems like it's hard with so many transfers especially in like their defensive secondary they brought in a lot of FCS guys um do do you is it harder to prepare when you totally don't know the talent as much as what you think you're going to see scheme wise yeah so I think that's going to be all college football so the first had a lot of first games of the season now right and you just never can forget that eight nine months of preparation you know new coaches just all of that The self- Scouting of what they did well and what they want to improve on and so you always have to be prepared uh for the unexpected in game one more so than any other year with the transfer portal now you not only have have to worry about different schemes that can happen now it's it's almost impossible to know what what A team's Personnel um is going to be like and so um you know they like us have got some new faces um and so um yeah they're they're obviously very well coached have a new offensive coordinator who we faced was Cole's offensive coordinator at Buffalo um have great respect for him um he's really good at what he does and of course with Don Brown being their head coach and running their defense um they'll be really good on D and um um and so that I mean not that that's not going to change but the coordinator hasn't changed in that way so just first game of the year they were Sensational in their first game last year went to New Mexico State who ended up having a fantastic season and beat them at their place and so this would be a um this will be a huge battle thank you Alex before you uh Howard Herman from The Berkshire Eagle uh couldn't join us but he his question was uh how do you see the new clock rules impacting the game this year and additionally with that how your transition has been with the helmet to helmet communication yeah the clock rules really just going from one minute to two minutes um so it'll have double the effect you know um from 1 to two minutes if that's what he's asking about um and then there's an addition timeout with the they're not calling it a two-minute warning but that's essentially what it's going to be so we've we've practiced that um and I think if it had gone you know last year was the was the sort of the new learning if you will so it's just going to be elongated this year is how we feel about it and then the the coach to player um yeah we feel good about that uh We've practiced it you know every day um you know with the the system that we have and whatnot and I think that it's worked uh it's worked well sometimes in practice it's hard to shut it off at 15 seconds so some of the conversations probably go longer than they will in a game um but yeah it's that that's definitely different um you know I personally think that it just cheapens it some the coaching right uh tell people what to do versus coach them um get them ready but it is what it is and that's that's how we're going coach what would you say that you learned about your team throughout camp this uh the past few weeks it's good learned learned a lot of things um I would just tell you I mean this isn't surprising uh but they uh think they care about each other um I've seen that over and over and they they really they really do care about uh representing you know this football program uh um in a real positive light you know on and off the field I think that's uh something that's come forth uh throughout camp and obviously like the goals of course are include like winning the M championship and having so much more success afterwards but what would you say like the most immediate challenge for this team is as you guys enter 2024 uh outside of you Mass you mean yeah just like as like a season challenge yeah I I think you know with a bunch of new players I've had to just remind myself um that 53 guys from this point on you know haven't done things with us you know that I ordinarily would you know not have to think about um and so that you know that goes from how we sit in team meetings or you know how how we travel but then um yeah I mean playing together you know we're going to have some new faces out there um and I feel really good about Camp you know went through the other night we were closing Camp about how many hours of meeting time and how many periods of we had 345 periods of practice I think it was you know went through um uh just how many punt reps you know we've taken or or all of those things but the two lives scrimmages but you know until you until you play you know I think that there's going to be uh um you know not unknowns but you just you don't gain experience until you do it that makes sense yeah I mean especially all line to that kind of my next question you know you're used to having especially over the last couple years you know some guys who are third fourth fifth year returning guys like Brian douly was a starter preo right you have to replace him and you don't have that same luxury where you have that you know long time like an experienced guy up front to lean on or a group of experienced guys what's it going to be like for this o line to kind of play up to that level that so many of those other guys before played up to yeah I think the lines of microcosm of the team in that way but I would say that Brock Roman and uh Mickey rinsky both it's not been fiveyear starters and all of that but th those guys have uh you know experience uh for sure but uh to your point um you know I would tell you this we have a large large number of guys that are above the line uh that's one of the ways that I go about it you know by position group is like how many guys are ready to play can play um and then you know sorting that out right who's going to start who's going to be playing who's playing inside and who's playing outside uh coach Coughlin has done a really good job with that we feel as though we have uh talented players uh for sure but you know very little Eastern Michigan football experi erience um and so again that's just another again a microcosm of of the greater hole of just we got to get out there and play uh earlier you you mentioned we were talking about Warren Singleton uh you said that he's unguardable that's how you view him what makes him unguardable or what can make him unguardable is it his speed is it him being able to like make catches in tight spaces like what is it about him yeah no he's um he's you know cat quick um he can run for sure he's got great hands and then you know one of the things that just gets overlooked he's just smart you know he's got his football intelligence just his Instinct and whatnot um um he just I think he gets it you know when you coach him and you tell him what to do and why we're doing it he understands it and so you know his his route running um has purpose to it very coachable um and so uh yeah I think he's the whole package and my last uh one player that's going to be on UMass side that you recognized Tim Grant Randall uh transfer this past year what's it going to be like having to face someone that you know you just you know developed over the past couple of years too and what else are you kind of expecting out of him and that defense that's going to be in front of your offense uh like I they they've they've been and will continue to be a really really good defense and um he's starting for him you know so he's obviously um made a made a huge impact for him and you know Tim Durant Randall you know this you're going to get everything he's got you know he uh he brings it he's um super competitive strong um you know cares and uh so we're going to get everything he's got yeah um so going back to new faces and new recruits what are some players that stood out to you pre-season that you weren't expecting and who should fans be watching for for the first game any specific yeah that's um yeah I wouldn't I wouldn't categorize as like surprises but like I would say new faces I mean we talk about you know man man um you know Marcus Allen will also be um a new face out at wide receiver um that people haven't seen uh yet Mack indad and Blake Buster would be um you know two faces that people haven't seen before we talked about the running backs um the interior defensive lineman you know that I mentioned and then the linebackers uh so um I think that's that that crew right there um you know the interior defensive lineman um they're all going to be rotating and and playing a bunch but uh I think that you'll hear their names um and then again with the the linebackers being new other than you know Zach and and Kendrick um our Specialists you know uh both turn we'll have a new Long Snapper we have two long Snappers that both are are capable um after uh you know having Ste Steven Bird for you know like five maybe six years there too with Co so yeah there'll be there'll be some some new names and faces for people to get used to and can you highlight any areas of focus during fall camp that crucial that you're going to implement into the game anything like that yeah our game go goals are are always as a program are going to be to win special teams in the turnover takeaway you know ratio and um we we work at those things incessantly they're both a huge part of our culture our guys they believe in it because they know that it dictates outcomes of games and so um I think that that's been definitely a focus in Camp and something that absolutely needs to come to fruition you know on Saturday y retweeted odoya chasing down to make a tackle in a preseason game unbelievable effort by him what do you feel when you watch a play like that and that's a guy that came through your program yeah it's um just total Pride you know what I mean I mean it's just he's really doing well we have a coach former coach from here who's who's with the Titans and so we'll see how it all plays out but you know we're really obviously pulling for him um in his third year um but that I mean I don't know how many yards he ran but it's felt like a 100 yeah oh it had to be more than that right cuz he started on the left side and came all the way back around which was just awesome but you know it's when when our guys are being described um you know by Media or by coaches and interviews and whatnot you know it's it is it's the Relentless effort you know and just being awesome teammates and obviously they're incredibly um talented and so yeah but uh um yeah we're super proud of them and we you know our guys you know we share that we got a a lot of guys who are on NFL rosters right now and so I'm hoping that uh tomorrow goes well thank you coach thanks for your time today all right yep thank youen you K us off welcome to Eastern Michigan First of all the name man man can you tell us the story behind that um I first got a name when I was born my auntie had gave it to me when I first came out the womb she was like met man and I just Stu with me coach talked about you being a unguardable um if you were to describe your own style of play what do you bring to this offense um I think I could be electric for the offense um yeah just bring like electric to the offense how's your Chemistry been with Cole Snider Cole he's a great person on and off the field he a great teammate so just being able to play with him and how he take football serious like you want you want that guy as a quarterback as you guys have looked at um mass and started preparing for them what have you seen out of them defensively I think they they a great defense and you don't want to take them lightly uh but I think our offense The Way We The Way We Come Together as offense I think we'll be able to win why did you feel like you'd be a good fit for Eastern Michigan why did you like like it here uh when I took my visit uh the way the team is the way the way they compete I mean I just want to be a part of this team program what does the dece mean to you you know it's a special number here at Eastern Michigan what does it mean for you to be able to wear that number this season it means a lot it's an honor to rock Deuce at Eastern uh the way the guys talk about the dece the way they the way D re talked about his son describing his son the way he loved to compete I mean it's it's honor way to do have you set any personal goals for yourself this season what you'd like to achieve uh no sir no not not this season just catch the ball score yes sir yeah uh obviously this is your second stop in this conference uh went from aan Junior College in here how much do you look at this as like a second chance for you to like have the college career that you like wanted to in the first place uh I I do look at a second chance um The Way co he gave me opportunity to come come to Eastern so it's a blessing to be here I know like staying out here is not it's probably not easy to be like a far away from home in Florida right you know how what would you say about like living out here in the Midwest competing with these kind of guys like having like living in the culture that you're in right now like how how different is that from like uh from like back home in Florida I mean my teammate they make it feel like home so like we owning out the field like we we always together going out to eat playing the game together so it just it feels like home how do you feel about like the rest of your receiving room and how do you fit in with them and how do you feel like the other guys around you are also going to contribute and make plays with them uh the way we the way we compete at practice the way we uh push each other to be great every day I mean it's a great room one of the best rooms I've been a part of is there like anybody like one of your receivers or maybe one of the quarterbacks that you're doing one-on ones with you know is there anybody that like comes to mind that's probably pushed you the most since you've shown up here uh Joshua Scott he he's been he been one one of the ones uh dayquan Marcus Allen Terry lock I mean it's it's a lot I can go on them guys they push me every day to be great uh obviously you know this will be my last one we're you starting off the season finally going to UMass this week what are you looking forward to most to get your you know your emu career off to the right start uh I just playing together with the guys uh being able to go against some somebody else instead of your teammate I mean just to see the way we going to come together and try to get this win we're going to get this win like it's it's it's going to be exciting thank you um how have you been prepared for your season opener game um and expectations for the game my uh I just want to win with my teammates I don't really have no goals I just want to win with my teammates expect all right thanks thank you thank y'all