MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama football student-athletes and senior captains Harrison Louden and Jimmie Gipson III met with the media Monday to preview Saturday's season finale at New Mexico State.
Harrison Louden
On emotions and expectations going into final college game Saturday against New Mexico State: "I just want to show everybody that we're not a push-over team just because of what our record says. I want to send Coach [Joey] Jones and the rest of the seniors out with a win in their last game."
On how much emotion there will be in the game: "It's definitely going to be a game full of emotions, just because it's my last game, as well as everything that's happened with Coach Jones. You put all of that together and I'm going to leave it all out on the field Saturday."
On what the last week of practice has been like: "It was hard the first day [after hearing about Jones' resignation] just because when you get information like that, it hurts you. We have to realize though that we still have a season to finish and I think everybody is putting in a little more effort than usual into our preparation."
On if the news of Coach Jones' resignation has galvanized the team: "I think so, a lot of people want to send Coach Jones out with a win because of everything he's done for us; we want to do right for him. We want to do right for the seniors as well and I can't emphasize that enough. We want to send everybody out with a win."
On if the team is treating the New Mexico State game like a bowl game: "Maybe not so much treating it as a bowl game. We just know there's a little more weight on this game, because it's Coach Jones and the senior's last game."
Jimmie Gipson III
On emotions and expectations going into final college game Saturday against New Mexico State: "Against New Mexico State on Saturday, I want us to show everyone that we are a good team. I know things haven't panned out the way that we would've liked them too, but I want to go out with a bang; I want to go out with a 'W'."
On how much emotion there will be in the game: "For me, the last week has been really emotional almost to the point that I was tearing up about it because I know what these guys [in our program] are capable of. It makes me upset that we are better that what it says on paper. I just want to go out the right way."
On if the team is treating the New Mexico State game like a bowl game: "For me, it's an opportunity for us to prove something to everybody this game. We need to come out and execute and dominate this game."
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