MOBILE, Ala. - University of South Alabama football head coach Joey Jones was joined by linebacker Josh Chestang and offensive lineman Trey Clark at Monday afternoon's media day at the USA Football Fieldhouse.

The Jaguar trio answered questions from members of the media on Saturday's win over Huntingdon College and on their overall views of the team's inaugural season.

Highlights from the press conference follow below:

Head coach Joey Jones
On how he felt after realizing the team had played its last game this season:
"This weekend I was emotionally and physically drained from a year and a half of putting this thing together, but at the same time I'm just really excited for where our program is at this point. So much hard work has gone into putting this together, and I'm just really pleased with where we are in the process of moving into Division I."

On where the team goes from here:
"The biggest thing we've got to meet with the team about today is that we've got to continually raise the bar starting today and all the way through next season, and even beyond that. We've got to realize where we want to be as a football program, and we've got to continually raise the bar every day, because we're by no means a good Division I program right now. We're going to be there, but we know that we've got a lot of work to do to get to that point."

On what areas need to be improved:
"It's obviously in the weight room and the strength and conditioning area. We've got to become a bigger and faster team, and then the second thing is recruiting. We're hitting the recruiting trail this week, and have been recruiting, but we can focus all of our energies toward recruiting and signing what we deem are Division I players. We've got to make decisions along the way that we're going to sign better players than we've got, or we're not going to sign them. We don't need numbers anymore. We need higher quality players as we go, so we've got to focus on that and not get caught up in trying to sign numbers."

On what he'll remember from this first season:
"The number one thing I'm most pleased about is how the team came together. I'm not just talking about our players and staff, I'm talking about our trainers, equipment people, graduate assistants, and strength and conditioning guys. Everybody that was involved with the program seemed like they were all on the same page, and that was the most pleasing thing - to bring that many people together and get them all going in the same direction. We really had a bunch of great people."

On what it means to the program to win all seven games:
"Number one it makes a statement that South Alabama is here to build a Division I football program. The 7-0 thing is a confidence builder. Success breeds success and losing breeds losing, so I would much rather be 7-0, because I think that carries over. It's not that if we had lost a bunch of games that we wouldn't have had a chance to have a great program, but any time you win kids get used to it and it's harder for them to lose down the road."

Linebacker Josh Chestang
On what it meant to be a part of the inaugural season:
"For me, personally, it was exciting. Every moment of it was exciting. It was a true blessing to be a part of it, and going undefeated meant a lot to us."

On the realization of being the first team at USA during the season:
"Each game was important just to start a new tradition. Being the first team, we wanted to start it off in a good way. We'll soon be a Division I program, so we have to get better day-by-day to achieve that goal and be successful on that level."

On the importance of beating Huntingdon to go undefeated:
"It was very important. Our goal at the beginning of the season was to win every game."

On what lies ahead:
"Now everybody has to get bigger, stronger and faster, and get better. It's all about the weight room now. That's where we'll get better in the offseason. Spring practice is right around the corner, and we're all looking forward to it."

Offensive lineman Trey Clark
On what it meant to be a part of the inaugural season and the success that came with it:
"It was so special. We worked so hard for so long to be able to represent this university in this first year - it meant everything."

On the realization of being the first team at USA while the season was going on:
"We were reminded, and I think the goal of going undefeated was huge in the first year. To be able to do that was special."

On what it meant to go undefeated:
"It was amazing. We worked a long time, and I think going undefeated is the only way to go out."

On what going undefeated does for the future:
"It definitely has an impact for the guys now. It's a huge boost in confidence, but we have to go into offseason conditioning and progress as a team, have a great spring and have that carry over into next fall."

On how the perception of the program has changed:
"I think after finishing 7-0, we've definitely turned some heads and got some attention. We have to keep building upon this season, and add to it next year." 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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