Ball State University Athletics
Ball State Football Weekly News Conference Quotes, November 17: Game 11 at Toledo
Coach Uremovich
Opening Statement: "We're excited for the opportunity to get back on the field and go try to win a game on the road. We're playing a really good opponent. Coach Candle does a great job and he runs a great program. Defensively, [Toledo] is one of the top in the country. They're only allowing 88 yards a game, rushing, and they've got 10 interceptions. They have great players at every level. The quarterback is extremely talented, throwing over 2,100 yards, and has not thrown a lot of interceptions. Both backs are physical downhill guys. They're really explosive at the receiver position. One of the kick returners also makes plays as a receiver, and the kick and punt returners are two of the best in the league. it's going to be a real good challenge for us. We've got to get back to work starting tomorrow, and go try to win a game on the road.
Q: "How do you think the team has been able to address the loss to Eastern [Michigan]?"
A: "It's the pain of discipline or the pain pain of regret, and we were not disciplined as a football team. So we've gotta deal with the pain of regret and learn from it and move on. It's a great learning experience for us. You'd like to win and learn, but sometimes losing and not getting what you want is a great teacher. We lacked discipline in all three phases of the game, especially offensively, so it's a learning experience for us. We've got to move on."
Q: "What's the mindset going into the game, knowing you're going up against a tough defense?"
A: "I'm excited to go play, because it's a great challenge. We're going to get to see how our guys bounce back this week. We have to have success on first down. We can't be in third and long all day. We can't do that. We can't live like that Saturday. We've got to make an emphasis to get completions on first down and have effective runs on first down. Three yards isn't terrible on first down, but you can't go backwards, and you can't have a negative play."
Q: "How does the team prepare for environments that you know are going to be hostile?"
A: "We haven't done a great job on the road. We've not played well on the road, and this is great opportunity for us to try to fix that. They always have a good crowd of Toledo. I've coached there multiple times. What also makes it hard is they have really good players, so we have to get off to a good start. We can't have a slow start on the road. We've got to get up in the morning, and get ready to go. We need to start from the first kickoff, because as much as their scoring discrepancy is against their opponents, if you look at it at home, they've killed everybody at home."
Q: "What do you want the team to focus on to do well on the road?"
A: "Honestly, none of those other games mean anything right now. We're only playing Toledo once this year, and it's the one opportunity to go play them on the road. Obviously, we have struggled on the road, but it's not something we're going to talk about all day long, because we can't do anything about those. We can only get ready for this week."
Qian Magwood
Q:"How have you seen the team respond to the loss this past Saturday?"Â
A: "I think everybody's just full steam ahead to the next game, turning the page. All you can really do is learn and move forward, and that's what we plan to do for Toledo."
Q: "What did you think was holding the team back from getting things going?"
A: "Offensively, we just need to finish drives. We've got to score more points. That's the name of the game. The defense can't hold the other team to 24 points and we not win the game. I believe the offense let them down in that aspect, and I take that personally, being one of the older, experienced players. We've got a great opportunity against a great defense. [Toledo] doesn't give up many points. "
Q: "What do you think could open the door to allow the offense to score more points?"
A: "Plays have got to be made. I feel like we're not showing enough consistency. If you turn to the tape, you'll see plays, guys flying around, but it's about the consistency of it. We need to start harder and faster. Sometimes when we make those plays, they don't hit the same when we're down two scores. We need to do it early and often."
Q: "What's the mentality like going into these last two games against two really good defenses?"
A: "These last two games are really the only guaranteed games we have left. The last time we play together as a team depends on how we perform these next two weeks. We just have to move with a full head of steam, knowing it's win or go home."
Q: "Does knowing there's only two guaranteed games left add pressure or motivation?"
A: "I think pressure is a privilege. I've got a privilege to go play these two games. I've got a privilege to go against a Toledo defense that's highly rated. I'm excited for that."
Coach Uremovich
Opening Statement: "We're excited for the opportunity to get back on the field and go try to win a game on the road. We're playing a really good opponent. Coach Candle does a great job and he runs a great program. Defensively, [Toledo] is one of the top in the country. They're only allowing 88 yards a game, rushing, and they've got 10 interceptions. They have great players at every level. The quarterback is extremely talented, throwing over 2,100 yards, and has not thrown a lot of interceptions. Both backs are physical downhill guys. They're really explosive at the receiver position. One of the kick returners also makes plays as a receiver, and the kick and punt returners are two of the best in the league. it's going to be a real good challenge for us. We've got to get back to work starting tomorrow, and go try to win a game on the road.
Q: "How do you think the team has been able to address the loss to Eastern [Michigan]?"
A: "It's the pain of discipline or the pain pain of regret, and we were not disciplined as a football team. So we've gotta deal with the pain of regret and learn from it and move on. It's a great learning experience for us. You'd like to win and learn, but sometimes losing and not getting what you want is a great teacher. We lacked discipline in all three phases of the game, especially offensively, so it's a learning experience for us. We've got to move on."
Q: "What's the mindset going into the game, knowing you're going up against a tough defense?"
A: "I'm excited to go play, because it's a great challenge. We're going to get to see how our guys bounce back this week. We have to have success on first down. We can't be in third and long all day. We can't do that. We can't live like that Saturday. We've got to make an emphasis to get completions on first down and have effective runs on first down. Three yards isn't terrible on first down, but you can't go backwards, and you can't have a negative play."
Q: "How does the team prepare for environments that you know are going to be hostile?"
A: "We haven't done a great job on the road. We've not played well on the road, and this is great opportunity for us to try to fix that. They always have a good crowd of Toledo. I've coached there multiple times. What also makes it hard is they have really good players, so we have to get off to a good start. We can't have a slow start on the road. We've got to get up in the morning, and get ready to go. We need to start from the first kickoff, because as much as their scoring discrepancy is against their opponents, if you look at it at home, they've killed everybody at home."
Q: "What do you want the team to focus on to do well on the road?"
A: "Honestly, none of those other games mean anything right now. We're only playing Toledo once this year, and it's the one opportunity to go play them on the road. Obviously, we have struggled on the road, but it's not something we're going to talk about all day long, because we can't do anything about those. We can only get ready for this week."
Qian Magwood
Q:"How have you seen the team respond to the loss this past Saturday?"Â
A: "I think everybody's just full steam ahead to the next game, turning the page. All you can really do is learn and move forward, and that's what we plan to do for Toledo."
Q: "What did you think was holding the team back from getting things going?"
A: "Offensively, we just need to finish drives. We've got to score more points. That's the name of the game. The defense can't hold the other team to 24 points and we not win the game. I believe the offense let them down in that aspect, and I take that personally, being one of the older, experienced players. We've got a great opportunity against a great defense. [Toledo] doesn't give up many points. "
Q: "What do you think could open the door to allow the offense to score more points?"
A: "Plays have got to be made. I feel like we're not showing enough consistency. If you turn to the tape, you'll see plays, guys flying around, but it's about the consistency of it. We need to start harder and faster. Sometimes when we make those plays, they don't hit the same when we're down two scores. We need to do it early and often."
Q: "What's the mentality like going into these last two games against two really good defenses?"
A: "These last two games are really the only guaranteed games we have left. The last time we play together as a team depends on how we perform these next two weeks. We just have to move with a full head of steam, knowing it's win or go home."
Q: "Does knowing there's only two guaranteed games left add pressure or motivation?"
A: "I think pressure is a privilege. I've got a privilege to go play these two games. I've got a privilege to go against a Toledo defense that's highly rated. I'm excited for that."