Junction

Billy Kennedy

“I really thought we gave up too many points. Incarnate Word played really uptempo and fast, I think they attempted 31 to 33 3's when you play a team like that early in the year you have to be discplined offensively and get back on defense, I thought we struggled with that. They played four guards a lot and we tried to play with both of our post guys, but we learned about our team.”

On the defensive struggles against IW...

“They penetrated and kickeditout for a lot of threes, luckily they didn't make a lot.”

Fabyon Harris...

“He can score. He's very good offensive player. We're playing both guards at the same time a lot. It's a little bit different playing him off the ball but offensively that helps, he's more of a scoring combo guard than he is a true point guard anyway.”

On Reese playing point with Fabyon in the game...

“We want him to control the offense. He makes good decisions most of the time at the point guard spot.”

If defense is the toughest thing for new players...

“Juco guys and new guys that's the biggest challenge. Dash Harris was probably one of the best defensive players in the Big 12 last year. I think we've helped ourselves offensively in that position but defensively it's going to take us a while to adjust to figuring out what they have to do at this level to compete.”

On the minute distribution on the perimeter...

“Alex I think played 20 minutes and Jordan played 20 minutes. All of those guys are going to play quality minutes. If you look at the minutes divided up on the perimeter it was pretty balanced. Elston, J-Mych and Fabyon are ahead of everybody else right now on the perimeter.”

Kourtney Roberson coming back...

“He's doing really good. I just think he hasn't played. He rebounded the ball well for us, he had 13 rebounds with a lot of possessions, I think he understands his role, it's just going to take him a while...”

On if he would go to a four guard lineup more often...

“Not a whole lot, I was hoping not to have to do that so early. If we have to do that in the SEC it's a challenge, but there will be more post players where we can match up at higher level. We know we have to have that as part of our package and that's one thing we learned in the exhibition and the scrimmage.”

On if anyone is stepping up in the post...

“We're kind of rotating guys in and out to see who's going to be our best most consistent player in the post. Right now Kourtney is probably our most consistent guy at both ends. We believe Ray has it in him, but he has to work hard to get more consistent.”

Louisiana Tech uptempo, will press, change defenses, presents a challenge you don't often see this early in the season.

Will try to use their bigs to create an advantage but willing to go to four guards if they have to.

What has been a pleasant surprise so far...

“I think both of our guards ability to get in the paint offensively and push the ball has been the strength of the offense. We don't always make the best decisions in there but last year we struggled to get easy shots offensively...”

“That's been a positive, I think our team chemistry is better, but it's going to take some time, we're relying on some guys that don't have any division one experience.”

Better free throw shooting time, guards got into the lane and got fouled and made their free throws. Have to do that more than last year.

Is this team closer to where you want it compared to last year when you were making adjustments...

“On the perimeter we are. I really like Harris, Caruso and Reese have been really good players for us and they're playing quality minutes. Jordan Green did some good things. Our athleticism and Elston Turner is a guy we know we can count on.”

J-Mychal Reese...

“Since we started practice, he's been a lot better for us. He's got to develop a pace to his game. His really fast with the ball and getting up and down, but slowing him down at times takes time. He has to realize he can't go at the big guys at this level and score on them, but I'm pleased with his development.”

I see what happened, my edits didn't save for some reason. Should be fixed now.

Ryan Swope

- It comes down to executing and really just not beating yourself. Coach emphasizes playing smart football every week, can't turn the ball over, can't have a lot of penalties.

- It's great seeing defenses reeling. Started this summer with strength and conditioning, carried to fall camp working on tempo. Now it's natural. In great shape, feel good. Interesting to see how defenses react to speed. This week is a big week to really emphasize tempo and control the speed of the game.

- Defenses aren't necessarily surprised, but they practice it since the summer and two a days so they've been doing it for so long that bodies have adapted. You can't get physically ready for it in just a week of practice.

- Ole Miss ran some uptempo against them, but that's all.

- Obviously a great football team and coaches. Sure they'll make adjustments. We'll see on Saturday.

- Try to enjoy the atmosphere, one of the reasons he came back, but you treat it like a business trip. Have to take care of business, know the fans are going to be rowdy. Atmosphere will be at a high level. Excited and can't wait.

- Evans has showed a lot of toughness. Yo can tell on Saturdays that he gives 100% but he comes to sideline and every time he has to get on the bike and you see him straining through that injury. It takes someone special to work through that. Tip his hat to Mike, works in practice that way and works in the weightroom that way. He's a tough guy and need tough guys on the football team.

- Execution has been the difference the last few games. Offense has been clicking an executing, tempo has been the best he's seen. Should be 3 or 4 receivers producing. Lewis and Manziel keep the tempo going. Have to just keep on grinding and have a great week of practice.

- Both teams are going to adjust at halftime, hard to answer a question about how you respond because you don't know what they're going to do.

- Doesn't get involved in whether or not spread offenses are 'in the spirit of the game', just goes out and plays football.

Damontre Moore

- Made the effort tape when he ran down the wide receiver.

- Quarterack is up for the Heisman, they talk about Lacy and Yeldon, not sure they're overlooked. They talk more about the defense but it's a defensive league, that comes with the territory.

- Defense is a whole team effort, thinks they've made good progress and get respect from people.

- McCarron is really talented. Fundamentally sound, careful with the ball. Make very few mistakes. Either he makes the play or someone else makes the play, they balance out.

- Manziel is making smarter throws, he was making freshman mistakes at the beginning of the year and learns from everything he does, always the first one in the film room. Michael is always in the film room also always critiquing himself.

- Michael is close to where he used to be, he's getting better every day. Coaches have to pull him off because he's going so hard at times. He doesn't get complacent, he's always getting better.

- Sean Porter is like an older brother, teaches him what he needs to know. Picks on him but in a good way. Porter talks but not excessively, he gets straight to the point. He's a good leader both ways.

- Know how to handle themselves on the road. Think of it as another week and have to approach it, but it's exciting. You have the number one ranked team, who wouldn't get excited to be in that atmosphere and this SEC environment.

- Just going to do what the coaches tell them and try to match intensity.

Nealy

- It's a tuesday and hates tuesday practice but fired up. Have to get fired up today, he's jacked.

- Alabama offensive line is huge. Before practice they have meetings and they put the names and weights down and put starts by the star players but everybody had stars.

- Fall practice was fun, guys were excited to be here. You could feel something special in the air "not in prison." They're up here all day just hanging out.

- Fun to be a part of, more liked around town.

- Going to have to get after McCarron, going to have to scratch and claw to get after him. If you can do that he won't be able to throw.

- Jerseys got everybody excited, Damontre finally looked good for once and the black made the big guys look slimmer.

- The offense is pretty good, they deserve credit and even more than what they're getting. As a defense you could care less what people think. They're not the defense you look at and think 'we want those guys' they're going to go out and play their butts off. Doesn't matter what they look like, doesn't have the definitiion in their arms, hope Alabama looks at them like that.

- Still hasn't really sunk in. Haven't played a number one team. Oklahoma State was 8 last year,but it didn't feel like that. This is the number one team. Played the number 5 team, but this is big time.

- Swope mentioned yesterday that this was the final road game for the seniors. About to come up on a lot of lasts with three games left. As your last road game ever, Tuscaloosa is a pretty cool place to have it at.

- Was definitely rooting for Alabama because they wanted to play the number one team. They're still undefeated 'Let's go out and get it."

- Playing tackle is definitely new. Got to play end a few times last game, but getting double teamed all the time, him and Kirby they give each other high fives. It's the blue collar position. You feel self-accomplished knowing that Damontre puts numbers up. Perfectly fine with not getting any credit. Would rather celebrate with his teammates than just making a tackle or something.

I. Love. Nealy. There, I said it. Really going to miss that guy.

Kevin Sumlin

I think they're a complete football team. Always been known for their defense. You look, that's a really really big athletic and strong offensive line. you move BArrett Jones from tackle to center and put bigger guys at tackle you know what you're dealing with. Eddie Lacy is a popwerful runnig abck, Yelson is fast. The biggest thing about doing a good job with them, interesting is they've been more of a one back team than a 21 personnel. Shown the ability to throw the ball down field off of their playaction which has made them a complete team. For every quarterback there's that moment where you grow up and for AJ McCarron, being able to go down the field and comeback to win, that's a monemt. As an offense they've continued to grow."

"As we've approached it every week, this game has been on the schedule since the beginning of the year. Not going to change their personnel or the way they play. Will be more excited saturday than he is right now. For us, it couldn't couldn't have come at a better time. Guys are used to how we do thigns going on the road, and certainly we've at least started the games witha  lot of energy. We're going to have to use all of that this Saturday if we're going to be successful."

"It's probably because it's about as healthy as he's been the last three weeks. Our guys, this stretch has been something else for them. I think, amazingly enough, the manner in which we've won the last couple of weeks have really given an opportunity for our guys to have a littgle bit of a break, especially in the second half of those games. That LSU game was pretty taxing physically and emotionally, that's a good thing, I'm happy to hear him say that. Spencer, you can't tell if he's geniunely excited or just nuts half the time. He's doing a great job for us, his enthusiasm is contagious. Not just for the defense but for the whole team, that speaks for the whole group of seniors who have done a great  job. transition is tough on everybody, but it's especially hard for the seniors. They didn't sign up for me, it's new systems across the board. The sooner you can get buy in fromt he seniros, the more successful you're going to be.

"Without the leadership of Ryan Swope and Pat Lewis and Sean Porter and Jonathan Stewart and Steven Terrell we wouldn't be where we are right now. We ahven't really accomplished anything yet, but what they've done is put is in position to play meaningful football in November."

"They're confdient. You keep looking from room to room looking for something." Going from room to room looking for something and you see they're good everywhere. Offensive room, special teams, defensive room, they're a completely football team. They're well coached and they're talented. There's a reason why they're the #1 team in the country.

"He's a lot of fun. He's a guy that brings a lot of energy. He's one of those guys that's what college fotball is all abobut. I dont know how he does it, but he does it. you wish he was bigger or wish he was faster, but you can't tell him that. In his eyes he thinks he's King Kong, he makes plays each week. It's important. Other players see that, see how important his performance is personally and for the team and that's what they take."

"I think we're a different team certainly than week one, and ten weeks later we better be, particularly with a young quarterback. We certainly have more offense at our disposal now than we did against Florida. It's growth and it's also comfort level. Just because you put in a play you better have answers for it because defenses in this league are pretty complex. It's not necessarily what you can handle as a coach it's what your players can handle. From week one to nine-ten right now, we've progressed pretty well. Kliff has a good feel for what Johnny cna handle comfortable andwas conservative with that earlier in the year. Johnny has a better understanding now of what we can do. Offensive line has grown a lot since week one."

"They're a good football team. Just like every week. As caoches you sit down and develop a game plan and figure out what you can do to be successful and limit the damage from the other team. We do that every week."

"It's important, the way that we have progressed and the way that we've won or had the opportunity to win has been because of consistency. One of the things you learn early as a coach that you want to avoid is the roller coaster. Talked about that early at Houston, we were up and down, up and down, you have to develope a style that's consistent."

"One of the plusses of not having a bye week, maybe the only plus, is it's consistent. That's kind of where we are this time of year."

- saying he would play other junior colleges when they had a JV at Washington State. Price wanted him to be the head coach of the JV with the GAs and other assistants. Don't have a budget or a schedule, but needed to play some games. That's when he moved to offense and learned what they were doing.

"That's a long time ago. Reggie being around, back in school finishing up his degree is a great thing. That was certainly an exciting game. I don't know what tos ay about that, my mind is so far moved on to this week that I haven't really thought about. I'm just happy to see him back and school finishing that up."

"Coming off of a knee injury, wasn't even a year after surgery coming into two-a-days in fall camp. It's only natural, there's a physical aspect of it, but I don't care what anybody says there's a mental aspect of it too when you come off a knee injury. Being able to run with shorts and shoulder pads on is one thing, but putting that fit in the ground wihen people start hitting you, there's a growth process in that. He's gotten better he's gotten more confdient and gotten stronger and that's because of both physical and mental development."

Sabans teams are always well coached. They're doing things now with a quarterback who can throw the ball and use play action. There's a reason they're #1.

"Sometimes it can be that way. It's your approach to the week. It's also your comfort level and it's also your experience. You have teams that have been in that several times and have a comfort level."

"Philosophically everybody's a little bit different, but if there's something we've gotten out of it as a tema, even though we were disappointed to come out with losses, there's a confidence that were able to handle the physical aspect of these league."

"We haven't played a complete football game yet. I'm not talking about playing a perfect game, but a complete game. Sometimes our starters are out in the third quarter or we have turnovers and find a way to win, we still haven't played a complete game yet and if we do that I think we're dangerous against anybody."

Coach Manziel just like everybody else. "The first game against Florida was a big event so been in some big deals already. If anything, the atmosphere going on the road will be different, but these guys have put us in a position by their play to make these games meaningful, it's not a one game season."

Apologies in advance for the typing errors, but he was flying, I'll come back and clean it up later on.

Hope we can play a complete game on Saturday!

Kingsbury

Kingsbury

- Positives to take from game against LSU, always gain knowledge when you get live reps. 

- LSU is pretty good, they played hard in those games but just didn't get it done.

- Love it every week, don't reinvent the wheel. Just do what they do and try to score points and get first downs.

- Manziel didn't like the playcall at the end of the half. He wants the ball in his hands.

- He has "100%" freedom at the line of scrimmage. Didn't answer who called the 3rd and 11 play to Michael.

- Honored to play Alabama.

- They're good at everything. Have great players. Lost an entire NFL team last year and are number one in scoring defense this year. Speaks volumes about Smart and Saban and why do schematically and in recruiting.

- Didn't any vulnerabilities against LSU, thought Mettenberger played his best game, not sure anything you can take from that.

- Isn't worried about coaching talk, "just trying to get a first down against Alabama."

- Swope's production up because Manziel is more comfortable. He plays a premiere spot but Manziel wasn't comfortable in his reads, watching Swope's progression also with his blocking is fun to watch.

- Kids have started fast every game this year. Preach that. Want to start fast and put the pressure on the defense.

- Brother went to A&M so he was fired up to play, but you try to come into each game the same.