MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama football head coach Joey Jones along with senior linebacker Roman Buchanan and senior running back Tyreis Thomas met with the media Monday to discuss the bye week and preview this weekend's game against Presbyterian.

South Alabama Head Coach Joey Jones
Opening statement: "We practice three days [last week] and worked on fundamentals, gave them off a couple of days then brought them back in yesterday to start a full week of practice.  It [the break] came at a great time; we have some guys out with injuries, but we also have some guys who were beat up and just physically tired.  Getting those guys back, they looked really good in practice yesterday.  We were a lot sharper, the rest really helped them."

On his message to the team this week: "I don't think we can overlook anybody.  Every week there are upsets, some teams beating teams they shouldn't beat.  Our kids see that every week, so we have to get ready to go.  If we want to get into a bowl game this is a must game for us.  We have to be able to go play our kind of football, that's what it comes down to.  It doesn't come down to what they do, it comes down to what we do, and if we can just handle our jobs and do what we are supposed to do we should be in good shape."

On Gerald Everett: "I have told all the scouts that if they take him they are not make mistake.  I think he is going to be an All-Pro type player one day at the position he is in; he is a movement tight end, he is not going to be a tight end who has his hand on the ground blocking middle linebackers and three techniques.  He will be a guy who can move and be a match-up problem for a lot of people in the NFL.  He is a tremendous player with a lot of heart, he steps up big in big games, he has the ability.  There really is not a negative, that's what I am telling all the scouts."

On Presbyterian: "Offensively they do a lot of things, they have a lot of schemes; it makes watching film a lot of work to make sure we get our kids ready to line up correctly.  Defensively they are really good against the run inside.  We don't know as much about them or their personnel since we haven't played them before, but we will certainly need to have a good game plan to execute this week."


Linebacker Roman Buchanan
On how the bye week helped them as they head into these final three games: "This definitely was a well-timed bye week.  Right about now, every team around the nation is pretty beat up.  It's just part of the game and something that you've got to get through as the season wears on.  It was huge for us as we get ready for this three-game stretch."

On the importance of this three-game stretch: "If we just focus on ourselves, focus on what we have to do and like Tyreis [Thomas] said, concentrate on playing one game at a time, I think we'll be fine.  This season has been a tough one with the ups and downs, but after this bye week, I really think that it's time to separate ourselves and play to the standard that we set for ourselves early on this season."

On what the defense has worked on during the bye week: "Quick passes is something I would say that we've definitely worked on and other passing concepts.  It has kind of given us fits the last couple of games.  We've also just worked on our overall focus.  We would stuff our opponent on the first three plays and then give up a 10- or 12-yard play.  We just need to finish drives, have focus and each of us just do our job consistently."


Running Back Tyreis Thomas
On how the bye week helped them as they head into these final three games: "We practiced Sunday night and for me personally, it was week two [of the season] according to my legs.  I saw a lot of our guys getting back to their normal speed.  The bye week also mentally refreshes you.  We all love football and we've been doing it since the summer and some people have probably been hammering themselves since the summer, so it helped mentally refresh everyone and I think it will help us going forward."

On the importance of this three-game stretch: "It's very important to us, but it's also just as important to us as any of our previous games prior to this three-game stretch.  Although we've labeled it as that way, we are going to just approach it one game at a time.  One thing our coaches have told us is that you can't start a run if you don't get the first one, so we're going to take it one game at a time.  The coaches in the running back room have just told us to come with it every day, which they've told us from the beginning of the season.  I don't see too much difference in the way our intensity level should be or what the coaches should be saying to us, but obviously, we understand that we've got to get some wins to help get us to the next level.  The intensity is already there in our minds, it's just about taking it one game at a time."

On what he attributes to the recent increased production of the running game: "Just the focus and execution that we have been playing with.  We've slowed down the scheme for our guys up front.  Honestly, they are just doing their job to their fullest potential and we just run through the hole.  The play of our linemen has helped open things up for us."

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