Postgame Quotes
South Alabama 64, Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy 6 (Oct. 31, 2009)
South Alabama head coach Joey Jones:
Opening statement:
"I'm proud of the guys today. After the last two games, we've really stressed coming to work every day. We're trying to teach these kids a life lesson, and if they'll approach their work the right way then good things happen. We came out and played extremely well. We probably out-manned the team we played, and we know that, but we played well - we didn't play sloppy. The other team came in here and had a 15-hour bus ride, I'm sure that was a tough thing to do, so my hat is off to them for that. They had some really good athletes, good coaching, and I think it was just a matter of our kids played well."
On the team's goal of improving the passing game:
"They came out and executed very well. The protection got better, and that's where it all starts in the passing game. We had some wide open guys down the field on the first two passes, and Myles (Gibbon) did a good job hitting Courtney (Smith). We just executed well. We worked on it, but we've got to get to where we can do it all the time, and that's still a thing we've got to work on. When you get in third-and-eight types of situations, we've got to be able to execute in those areas. That's something we'll continue to work on."
On if he thinks practicing against each other is helping the team improve:
"There's no doubt in my mind. I firmly believe that if you practice well you're going to play well 99 percent of the time. In practice we went ones on ones with our offense and defense a good bit, and we went full speed a lot of times. I had to kind of slow them down sometimes because they were tackling and I had to back them off, but it was good for us. The speed of the game picked up in practice and I think it translated on the field - that's a lot of the reason why we played as well as we did today."
On how this year is preparing the team for tougher competition in the future:
"Our practices are very tough. We're teaching our practices almost like a spring practice in that we're very physical, ones on ones and inside drill, goalline drills, and you don't get a chance to do that in normal seasons. We've had weeks off when we had to take advantage of things like that, and we're doing all that we can to make our kids better in practice. They're coming out and they're performing in games, and they're playing well. Do we have to get a lot better next year and the year after that? Yes, we do, and we know that. Our goal is to be a very good Division I football program, and we're going to do everything we can to get there. Next year's schedule will be much tougher, and this is all a process, but we feel good about where we are at this point."
Wide Receiver Courtney Smith
On coach Jones' desire to throw the ball more:
"I was happy. We practiced it all week and I knew the first play was going to be to me so I expected the ball and he threw a good one."
On if he was expecting the second offensive play to also go to him
"After the first one they told me they were going to throw it to me again, so I expected it again."
On getting to the next level as a team:
"People didn't expect us to be this good. These guys are straight out of high school. Most of our team is straight out of high school, but the competition is going to get better next year."
Wide Receiver Ralph Turner
On his 85-yard kickoff return touchdown:
"It's been a stressful last four games for me because I haven't really been touching the ball. Once I got the ball the hole was wide open and I just ran."
On the large win margins:
"Everybody's got to play and like Courtney (Smith) said, the competition is going to get better next year."
Defensive Lineman Montavious Williams
On his 24-yard fumble recovery touchdown:
"I saw the ball pop up and I just grabbed it. All I thought was endzone, just run as fast as you can to get there. I've never scored a touchdown before and I'm happy I did today."
On playing a lower level of competition this season:
"That's just better for us. By the time we get into the Sun Belt Conference we'll have had more experience and will be better able to compete."
Quarterback Myles Gibbon
On the offense:
"I got my reps in, and tried to do the best that I could. A lot of guys played today. When I got in, I just tried to do as much as I could, but it worked out alright."
On the two touchdown passes to Courtney Smith:
"Coach stressed to us that he wanted to open up the passing game. On the first two plays, I knew they wanted to hit something deep. They [Fork Union] played the perfect defense for it, and it worked out. It's one of those things where you drop back and everything just slows down. Although it was wide open, those are the passes quarterbacks hate throwing because you don't want to overthrow them. I thought I did overthrow the first one, but I'm glad he was open."
On pass protection:
"We're starting to gel as a team. At the beginning of the season, no one was really sure of what was going to happen. Slowly but surely, I got closer with the offensive line. I'm starting to really feel comfortable back there."
Linebacker Clifton Crews
On the defense's performance:
"One thing Coach Clark preaches is domination. We try to get five turnovers a game and score defensive touchdowns. That's what Coach Clark always preaches."
On his fumble recovery touchdown:
"I was just in the right spot at the right time."
On the defensive pressure:
"I think Coach Clark just continues to come up with a good scheme each week. He always comes up with a good scheme to put constant pressure on the quarterback. It's mainly our coaches putting us in the right spots to make plays."
Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy head coach John Shuman
On today's game:
"We had seen in the paper that South Alabama was working on its passing game. As we got here and watched the pregame warm-up, we knew that they would try to take advantage of the long ball early, and they did. They came back out and did it again. Once you get down 14 points, you become one dimensional - we couldn't run the ball. South Alabama did a great job on the defensive side. They called some great blitzes and used a good scheme against us. On offense, it was obviously men against boys here today. It just didn't go our way today. We really appreciate South Alabama having us here and giving us some great hospitality."
