Ball State University Athletics
Mike Uremovich
Opening Statement: "Coach [Eddie] George has done a great job with his football team. I mean, [Bowling Green] has a very challenging schedule, like a lot of people do in the [Mid-American Conference], to start the season. They've won two in a row now in conference play, beating Miami (OH) and Sacramento State. Offensively, two of the better [running] backs in the conference both play for them. They have a physical offensive line, and the quarterback [Jay Kastantin], like a lot of guys we've played this year, can make plays with his feet. They're very capable at wide receiver, and they've got a super talented tight end [Eli Jacon-Duffy] that makes a lot of catches for them. He's a good blocker too, but he's definitely a pass threat. Then, as far as them on defense, they've got the one [defensive end], No. 23 [Myles Bradley], who is a leading sack guy in the MAC. He's a super talented pass rusher, and he's good in the run game. I mean, he's done it against everybody. He's done it against South Florida, Iowa State, Nebraska. He's a really talented player. They're the No. 1 pass defense in the conference. Part of that is because of the pressure they get. Part of it is because of what they do on the back end. They are physical, as you'd expect. I mean, a team that [Eddie George] is going to coach is going to run the ball and stop the run. They're a very disciplined football team, and they're playing their best football right now. I mean, obviously they've won two in a row, and they've got us at home. I've coached there before. It's always a really good environment. They have a bunch of people show up at their games, and it'll be a big challenge for us to go on the road. We have to play really good football. We have to play sound football, and we have to eliminate the penalties that we've had multiple games this year. We can't give them a short field in any phase of the game with our penalties, and with the way they control the football on offense, you're going to get fewer possessions. The penalties on offense will really kill your drive, but also you're not going to get as many times to have the football either, so we've got to be more disciplined, and we've got to go play a good game on the road."
Q: "How is the defense preparing for the threats you talked about?"
A: "[Bowling Green] is really good on offense because they run the football so well. When somebody runs the football as well as they do, then the pass game becomes a little bit easier with the play actions and the nakeds and the shots down the field. Like I said, the quarterback extends plays with his feet and will throw the ball, whether it's a pass play designed or he's just scrambling out, and you've got to play your scramble rules. It all starts, and I say it every week, but it starts with being good on first and second down. If you've got them in third-and-one, two or three, I mean, they're really good at running the football, but then that opens up the play-action game. We've got to be good on first and second down."
Q: "How do you think Bowling Green has been able to bounce back in conference play after getting off to a rough start earlier this year?"
A: "[Bowling Green] had a really tough non-conference schedule, like a lot of people do in the MAC. They played a really quality schedule, and they played good football in those games. They got into MAC play, and they've taken care of business in MAC play. Obviously, Miami (OH) is usually one of the better teams in the league, and they beat them, and then they really dominated Sacramento State on Saturday. I think that they've continued to improve every week, and then they've gotten into conference play now when they're not playing some of the Power Four schools they had to play. They've done a nice job of controlling the clock, controlling the ball and winning the games."
Q: "How is the team preparing for the challenge of going on the road?"
A: "The only road game that we get to play this week is this one. We have not played well on the road, as you guys bring up all the time, and you should. It's your job, but the only game that we can affect right now is this one right now. That's where all of our focus is at. It's on Bowling Green, and it'll be a big challenge because, like I said, I've coached there before, and I've been watching them for the last two days. They get good crowds at their games. They've got good support, and they've won two in a row, so you'd expect them to have a bunch of people out there. Right now, it's about just getting our team ready to go play well on the road."
Q: "The offense showed encouraging progress at Northwestern. How do you continue that momentum?"
A: "We have to keep executing on offense, and we have to be able to finish in the end zone. That was a disappointing thing on Saturday. I thought we should have scored more points for the amount of efficiency and the way we moved the football against Northwestern. We've got to find ways to finish in the red zone, and part of that is not stopping ourselves on drives with pre-snap penalties or post-snap penalties. Then, the other part of it is that you don't want to have to go 12 plays every time. You've got to get some explosive plays that are going to put you in the end zone."
Q: "How do the conditions of TJ Horton and Jalen Bonds look going into this weekend?"
A: "TJ is feeling better. Jalen, we still don't know if he'll be ready to play this week. It still might be some more time for him, but TJ is feeling better and better. He's still not 100%, but, I mean, you could tell Saturday he moved around much better than he did the previous week. He's feeling good too. He's getting better every week. We've got a bunch of guys that are banged up. That's college football right now. Usually, we see how they're doing on Tuesday, and there'll be some guys that can't practice this Tuesday. I know they plan on playing on Saturday. Thursday is kind of the drop-dead date. If you can't practice Thursday, it's kind of tough to play in a game with one day of practice."
Q: "You grew up a Chicago Bears fan during the Mike Ditka days. Do you have any memories of him to reflect on with the announcement of his passing last week?"
A: "I actually went to Platteville training camp when I was a kid. My dad brought me up there a couple times, and [Mike Ditka] would always sit on a little golf cart after practice, and he would sign every kid's autograph that was there, and it would take a long time. He'd sign everybody's autograph, and just growing up in Chicago and watching the '85 Bears, and I'm not gonna lie to you, when they played after he passed away and they played the little video, it was a little emotional because it just brought back a lot of memories of being a kid and a Bears fan. He's synonymous with the Bears, obviously as a player and a coach, and it's sad to see him go. There's very few people who had an impact on the NFL the way that guy did."
Ben Marsh
Q: "How do you feel about the upcoming Bowling Green game so far?"
A: "The main thing this week is focusing on continuing to get better as a team. We're focused more on us. Obviously, there's game planning involved. We're trying to get better every day and work towards defeating the opponent, but the main thing right now is focusing on ourselves."
Q: "What do you think Bowling Green brings to the table coming into Saturday?"
A: "I'm sure they're going to play hard. They like to run the ball, and the main focus this week is on what we're going to do to stop the run and continue to put better effort out on the field every week."
Q: "How is the defense looking to get after the quarterback against Bowling Green?"
A: "We're going to have some good blitzes dialed up, and we're going to go out there this week, and we're going to practice those. We're going to make sure that we know what to expect. Then we're going to just go out there and play hard."
Q: "What challenges does Bowling Green's quarterback present?"
A: "With players like [Jay Kastantin], you've got to focus on keeping him contained. We're going to try to close the pocket in on them and stop him that way."
Q: "The team is starting the year 1-5. Are you confident that the team will turn things around in the back half of the schedule?"
A: "I think we've continued to put better things on film each and every week, and we've continued to improve on both sides of the ball. I think there's still obviously some things we've got to work on, but I don't think our record really reflects who we are as a team, and I know that everyone's going to come in, work hard this week, and we're going to go out there and try to put our best football on the field."
Keldric Luster
Q: "How do you feel about where the offense is at right now?"
A: "I'm pretty confident and pretty positive about where we are as an offense. There's a lot of good things in the tape, and I feel like the pace we're going offensively, as we continue to put a lot of good things on the tape, the outcome will be more in our favor in these upcoming few games."
Q: "What's it like to have good chemistry with Jabari Smith and Jamarion Mcdougle?"
A: "I really feel like it starts with the coaches upstairs. Honestly, with them simplifying the game plan and just allowing us to get back to day-one basics and allowing us to get our playmakers the ball. I think I checked yesterday, and if I'm correct, almost every receiver had a touch Saturday. It's all about just allowing us to get them the ball and allowing them to make plays."
Q: "How do you view Bowling Green's defense going into this game?"
A: "That's a great team, obviously. I'm just worried about us. I'm worried about us first before I worry about Bowling Green. I feel like once we fix all the things that we have messed up these past few weeks, you know, the things that really hurt us in the game, we'll be fine."
Q: "Bowling Green has a top sack leader in the MAC. How are you preparing for him?"
A: "I'm really not too worried about it. I trust my offensive line. I have all the faith in the world in my offensive line. Like I said, I'm just worried about us. Once we fix us, we'll be fine."
Q: "The team is starting the year 1-5. Are you confident that the team will turn things around in the back half of the schedule?"
A: "I'm more than confident. I'm not too worried about what happened in the past or about the future. I'm only worried about today and how we can get better daily and allow us to come out with the win at the end of the week."