VIDEO: Ashley Ingram Press Conference 

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - No. 25/21 Carson-Newman returns to the banks of Mossy Creek looking to improve up a 4-0 start when Barton arrives for a 1 p.m. kickoff Saturday.  Below are Ashley Ingram's pregame remarks to the media about the Barton Bulldogs

OPENING STATEMENT:

INGRAM:  "We're just excited to play again and see if we can improve after a great win on the road at Catawba. Obviously need another good week of practice. Coach (Chip) Hester and Barton are coming off a win. Obviously, he's been in the league for a long time. Very good coach, very good program. I think last time we played them, they beat us pretty good, so we're just excited to get out and see if we've improved."

Q1:  With so many new coaches in the league, is it weird going against somebody that actually has a little bit of familiarity with the history of this institution, this conference.

INGRAM:   I don't really think of it that way. Obviously, I know coach has done a great job there. I know he's a very good football coach. He's got a big football team long on both sides of the ball, so we'll obviously have a challenge this weekend. But our concern is really Carson-Newman. As it is every week,  we need to get a little bit better if we're going to be the kind of team we need to be.

Q2:   Has there been any more fallout from the hurricane? 

INGRAM:  It's back to business. We were obviously fortunate that we didn't have any damage or any issues here on campus. So we're just back to work and we're just pressing forward and getting ready to play this weekend.

Q3:  No football coach has started their career 4-0 at Carson-Newman. Does that invigorate you? Surprise you? 

INGRAM:  Probably all those things, and I mentioned this to the team yesterday. We're 4-0, we're getting some national recognition in polls. I'm happy for our guys. The guys in our program have had a tough three or four years here, so it's nice that they're getting this kind of recognition and they deserve it. But at the same time, we've got to get better this week, and all that really matters is the game against Barton this week. Really, all that matters is practice today. So that's kind of the focus, if we're satisfied with where we are, it probably won't end well. If we can use this as motivation and kind of fuel us, then, then that obviously can be a positive. We're just focused on getting better today.

Q4:   Go up against one of the top receivers in the league this week in Jayden Flood-Brown, reigning SSAC player of the week coming off a six-catch, 162-yard performance. What sticks out to you about his skillset?

INGRAM:   He's talented. He makes plays and we've got  to play a little better on defense than we did this past week. I don't doubt that we will. He's certainly a guy we're going to have to contain. We can't let him get loose like he did this past week.

Q5:  Barton has been known for some great individual talents since restarting their program. Kam Johnson and Jordan Terrell come to mind.  Flood-Brown seems to be picking up that mantle.  If you slow him down, how do you prevent someone else from stepping up in his place to have a big game? 

INGRAM:   It's like, like everything. Offensively and defensively, we've got to control the line of scrimmage. If we can run the ball well, we control the tempo of the game, we'll have a shot. Defensively, we obviously need to stop the run and then it comes down to big plays then can we control the wide receivers? Can we make some plays in the pass game on our side? So it's kind of the same story each and every week.

Q6:   You've done a nice job defensively of bottling up opposing rushing attacks. Haven't given up a rush longer than 20 yards in the last two weeks. What do you owe that to?

INGRAM: We've played well up front.  Controlling the line of scrimmage and getting knocked back is where it's all at. If we can be disruptive up front and, you know, everybody's running zone schemes and gap schemes, a little push against that certainly helps. So we'll need to do that again this weekend.

Q7:  Quarterback play. Zane Whitson guides your team on a game winning drive against Catawba. As you look at what he did last week, what's your biggest areas of emphasis for improvement moving into this week?

INGRAM:  Zane did some good things. Obviously has a little bit of experience, drove us down the field, made some throws, missed a throw, had a pitch or two on the ground. We've got to eliminate the negative plays. I think we maybe had 40 yards in negative plays. That has to be eliminated if we're going to have a chance to win this weekend.

Q8:  Breast cancer awareness weekend on campus. Feels like that's something that touches just about everybody, every family. How important is it to recognize that?

INGRAM:   I think it's big. I don't think there's anybody out there that hasn't been touched by cancer in some form or fashion. I lost a grandmother to cancer. I lost a grandfather to cancer. Obviously we've had players here who've lost loved ones in the same manner. So certainly we want to do all we can to bring awareness and at the same time we want to play well and maybe bring some positivity and joy to people.

Q9:   You've said that you want your team to be the toughest team. You want your team to be the closest team in America. Where is that through four weeks? 

INGRAM:  I think they care about each other. I think we are a close team. I think the struggles of a season and everyone doing things the right way and holding each other accountable, I think it just kind of, kind of adds to that.  I think we're doing a good job with that. You know, the toughest thing, obviously, it's very subjective, but I think the last two weekends have shown that we're a tough, resilient team that hangs in there, that keeps fighting till the end. Fortunately, we've come out on the good side of both of those.

Q10:  Anything else?

INGRAM:  Excited to play again this week. We know we have a quality opponent coming in and we're just excited to get back out there and see if we've improved.

Kickoff between the Eagles and Bulldogs is set for 1 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at noon with the AEC Tailgate Show 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.