VIDEO: Mike Turner Press Conference
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Coach Mike Turner spoke with the media Tuesday ahead of Carson-Newman's contest against Limestone.
Opening statement
"Well it's senior day at Limestone and I know those kids will be excited and fired up and ready to play. It's going to be a challenge, any time you go on the road in this league to play it's a challenge. We had a great win last week on the road, we've got to have a great week of preparation. They've got athletes on that football team, they've got kids defensively and offensively that can run and make plays. So we've got to be prepared, have a great plan going in and stick with it and make sure that we are of the right mindset."
On what Turner saw last week against Mars Hill that he would like to replicate against Limestone
"I think playing that way where you've got a great mindset about you, you're not going to let things going on outside be distractions to you. I think it was a great example of three parts of a football team playing together and complimenting each other at the same time."
On Limestone quarterback DJ Phillips
"He's a challenge from the part that he has, they have, packages set for him (where) he's the designated runner, the draws, that type of thing. Showing the option…and their offense where he's a threat to get outside with it, but he's also got receivers there and got athletes that can make plays."
On how Limestone's offense operates with running backs Jerko'ya Patton and Malik Brooks
"The product that they have, the spread, they've got quite a bit of offense about them. They hit you with the zones and the spreads, some option in there and also backs out of the backfield, so they're a very dangerous offensive team."
On Limestone linebacker D'Meko Pryor and the defensive unit overall
"You see athletes. Kids that can run, they're tall kids, kids with great movement about them. They've got lockdown players at corners that'll come up and play you press, man (coverage), so they've got a great package on defense."
On the job that C-N's defense has done as of late
"They've done a great job of putting them in the right place, having to prepare them to have a chance to be successful. Those guys in the secondary have done a good job with their eyes. Also playing with more confidence – a little bit tighter – locking down some areas there and having great coverage. But it goes back to the expectations. They expect to make plays and gosh, if we can play in a game where they got four takeaways when we only got one turnover that we had late in the game (last week), then that's what you're looking for."
On how proud Turner is for having a next man up attitude despite injuries
"There have been (injuries) and they've done a great job in the training room. Our training room staff, getting those kids in rehab, getting them ready to be ready to play. But our kids I think have great heart about them, I really do, I think they're at a point where they want to play and that has a whole lot to do with it right there. The part about wanting to play and being willing that, 'I may not be able to go full speed this day, but the next day I'll be ready to go.'"
On what Turner has seen out of his team's mentality that makes him think they have the chance to write its own story
"I think from the very beginning of the year I thought we had a chance to be able to do that and I'm excited for them to have a chance to write a good story at the end to put themselves in position to be in the playoffs. But I also think they've got a good mindset about them that you don't look anywhere down the road. Right now, we're already in a playoff mode. We have been the last couple of weeks. So when you have that kind of mode, you're not apt to look down the road too far down."
On if it's easier to take one game at a time because the opposition is so tough
"When you look at video and you see the talent that's (on) offense and defense, that they have, like Mars Hill with Craig Rucker, I think you've got to be at the top of your game and your also know that those people, it's going to be a Super Bowl for them (Limestone). It's senior day, their last home game, so they're going to be wide open and not hold anything back and we've got to match that enthusiasm, we've got to match that desire."
On C-N running back Antonio Wimbush's final stretch as an Eagle
"He's going to be stronger and stronger as we go along. We all know the story of him and how hard he's worked to get himself back to being in this position to play. You could just see, like we talked about earlier, the gleam in his eye on Saturday, he was fired up and ready to go. One of those kinds of backs is a treasure to have in the backfield."
On if Wimbush's attitude is contagious
"I think so. Everybody feeds off of him. In different positions, other players feed off of other guys that are leaders or older maybe in those positions. But yeah, I think he's been a great example for our kids."
