VIDEO: Ashley Ingram Press Conference 

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - Carson-Newman opens the seaosn Aug. 29 against Reinhardt at 6 p.m. at Burke-Tarr Stadium. Below are Ashley Ingram's pregame remarks to the media about the Reinhardt Eagles. 

OPENING STATEMENT:

INGRAM: Well it's finally here after I guess almost nine long months, you know, since taking over. We finally got a game. I think the guys will be happy to see someone other than each other as we've gone through spring ball and fall camp. But now we're excited to play. We have a quality opponent coming in. Reinhardt, I think, has made eight consecutive national playoffs. And I've just tried to reiterate to our guys that the battle, you know, is with ourselves. We got a great opponent. We have to be ready to play. I think the guys will be excited. I'm excited. So we're ready to roll.

Q1: It's interesting you started that with it's been a long time coming and my head went to this has been a long camp. Not the the nine months since you've been hired. This has been, I would say, probably the longest camp that Carson-Newman has had, at least between the start of camping classes starting. Is that a benefit to have that much time where guys are just focused on football?

INGRAM: I think so. Now I'm used to it. You know, I've been at Division I level this last 20 plus years. So it's it's normal to me, but it is good. So we're ready to go. And then then after this, you know, we've got an open week. So I think the way to season lays out is good for us being a new program, running a new system off offensively. So yeah, we need everything we can get.

Q2: Reinhardt, you alluded to it - no slouch. And that's doubly true because both quarterbacks they played last year are back, a 1000-yard rusher's back and their two leading receivers are back.  A lot of talented pieces to their puzzle for a team that's pretty doggone good. What is the piece I guess that sticks out to you on the the film study in prep that you've you've done?

INGRAM: I think the big thing is their a team that's made eight playoffs in a row, they're well coached, they are a very good program, they have very talented players. I think they are the real deal. We've got to be ready to play and obviously when you you do something for the first time, you know they're going to be growing pains. We've got to minimize those. We've got to allow our athletes to win. We cannot beat ourselves. The penalties, the the false starts, the turnovers, you know those things will will be kind of paramount in this game.

Q3: One of the Ken Sparks isms that rang true for a long time and this program was only Carson-Newman could beat Carson-Newman. Is that true for you as well?

INGRAM: Well, that's the way we're going to approach it. You know, we're we're focused on Carson-Newman. We've talked to the guys. The battle is with, you know, within and coach Peterson says it all the all the time. I think the number one rule in life is don't beat yourself. And you know, we're we're going to try that. The guys have played well, though. We, you know, knock on wood, we've we've done a good job taking care of the football in camp. We did a good job taking care of the football in in spring ball. So we're excited to play. We've got a quality opponent. But  here we go. It's time to do it.

Q4: 20 some odd days in camp who has been a pleasant surprise as you bear down on game day.

INGRAM: Well, I think the first one that has to jump out would be Turk Daniels, who's going to start for us at left guard. I've been doing this a long time as an offensive line coach. I don't think I've had a true freshman start for me on the offensive line game one. He's got a special talent, he's gifted. He's a great young man. The game of football comes easy to him. He understands things. So he he's been a very pleasant surprise as a true freshman.

Q5: What is it about the skill set that really pops?

INGRAM: Well, he's athletic, he can bend, he's strong, he can move. But I think more importantly that he's one of those guys, if you tell him one time, he gets it. So he's just a football player and things come natural to him on the football field.

Q6: Defensively, not a lot of question marks coming into this season from starters who returned last year. How nice has it been to rely on it to be able to turn to a unit that over the last six weeks of the year only gave up more than 250 yards of total offense once?

INGRAM: t's great to have the continuity we have with the defensive staff to have Coach Slade back then to add Tyler Almond, who's been a great addition, to have those players back. It's allowed me as the head coach to spend more time on offense. That's where the challenge is. Obviously we've got to play well on defense because we're we're we got a good opponent coming in. So we're not taking anything for granted. But it's allowed me to go spend more time with the offense, which is where we need the help right now. We've got great coaches, but the comfort and knowing that Coach Slade and Coach Goss and Coach Jamison and Coach Goins and Coach Ierulli and Coach Almond are over there, the comfort with them being there with these players back, it has been a big benefit for me.

Q7: Major Williams has reaped in preseason accolade after preseason accolade after preseason accolade. What's your hope for him, a guy that you've turned to as a captain? What's your hope for him to start his senior season?

INGRAM: Well, my hope is, is pretty simple. I have really high expectations for him. You know, if he's going to be an All-American candidate and he's going to be a a guy that's on the Senior Bowl watch list, if he's going to be a guy that can play in NFL, he needs to dominate. And I would expect him to dominate each and every Saturday this year. He's got to show up and play. I spoke to a a scout the other day and he said, you know, if you're division two player, he goes when I turn on the film, you better show up and he goes, I may pick any game, but you better show up and you better show up quick. So I think he's going to do it.

Q8: What does it look like if you're successful?

INGRAM: Well, I think the most important thing is it is that you'll see a football team just playing together that's playing really hard. And I've told our guys, if you really care about each other where those aren't just words, that we're going to be the closest team in the country. If that's the case, we'll play really, really hard for each other. We'll lay it on the line for each other. So I hope that you'll see a team that plays hard, that plays fast, that is physical, that it will hit you, that is willing to compete every snap until the final whistle of the game. If we do those things, we'll win a lot of football games.

Carson-Newman opens the season under the lights of Burke-Tarr Stadium on Thursday August 29 at 6 p.m. against Reinhardt. Pregame coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 5 p.m. with the AEC Countdown to Kickoff on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), MIX 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. A video stream is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/FloFB.