VIDEO: Ashley Ingram Press Conference 

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - No. 19/20 Carson-Newman heads to Wingate to play in the SAC title game Saturday at 3 p.m.  Below are Ashley Ingram's pregame remarks to the media about the matchup with the Wingate Bulldogs.  

OPENING STATEMENT:   

INGRAM:  Well, it's obviously exciting times here at Carson-Newman and just couldn't be more pleased with the effort our players have put in this season dating back to last winter. Couldn't be happier with our coaching staff and all that we've accomplished up to this point. But obviously we want to finish it off the right way and we want to finish with a SAC championship; we have a great challenge in front of us. Obviously, Wingate is a very good football team. You know, they are older, they're mature, they're big, they're fast, they're strong. They've got a coaching staff that's essentially been there forever. I know Coach Jordan just took over as the head coach, but just a great program. And I told him after the game the way they do things - they're a program we'd like to emulate. So we have a great challenge but a great opportunity as well.

Q1:  There's more than just the SAC title on the line in this one. The  winner no doubt has home field advantage for at least the first round of the NCAA playoffs. Potentially longer. If you lose, It's a long wait till Sunday night and the selection show. Do you add any of that to the sauce or is that something that, hey, the championship itself is enough to focus on.

INGRAM:   I think Wingate's enough to focus on. Everything else is just a distraction. I'll say this - we're going there to win the SAC championship and then everything else will take care of itself. That is the motivation. This football team that we're coaching here at Carson-Newman, we've done everything we need to do to make the playoffs. I mean, we're 9-1. We've beaten Wingate, who's number two, arguably number one in our region. We're playing them again at their place. I mean, what else do you need to do? So we've done our part. Now it's. To me, it's about winning a SAC championship and getting a high seed.

Q2: The good thing is you've seen Wingate and know how good they are defensively.  How on earth do you move the ball against Marquise Fleming and the Bulldogs.  

INGRAM:  I think we're a better football team than we were when we played them earlier in the season. And obviously during the game, you know, we lost two quarterbacks and had lost Teddy the week before. You add two to three months of playing, getting better. I think we'll play better and I'm sure they'll play better as well.  We're going to obviously attack them and we're going to take what they give us. So we're not going to go into the game worried about rushing yards. We're going to go into the game, trying to win the game, and if they're overly aggressive in the secondary, we're going to try to throw the ball. And if they're not, we're going to try to run the football and we're just going to try to play a clean game. We'll have to do that to have a chance against this team.

Q3: What makes them so good defensively

INGRAM:  Well, they're very well coached. You know, you look at them as a program, they've won eight games a year every season since 2016, if I'm not mistaken. They're just a good program with really good coaching with really good players, and they've got players that have been in their program 3-5 years. That adds up to a great challenge offensively

Q4:  Probably a touch understated because of how good they are defensively, but they've got some quality pieces offensively as well. And that starts with the quarterback, Brooks Bentley. Clearly, he's an operator and knows what he's doing. What sticks out to you about him, having seen him already this year?

INGRAM:  Well, he's a very good player. As you said, he's an operator. I disagree. I think they're really good on offense, and I actually think they win exactly how they want to win. I think they want to control the ball in the run game. They're very good up front and they're getting better as the season progresses. They want to control the game in the pass game, they want to play great defense and good special teams. I think they're winning exactly the way they want to win. So I think they're good on both sides.

Q5:  Offensively, you have continued to develop a line that is fairly youthful, but now that youthful line has combined double digit starts under its belt. Turk Daniels and Garrett Rice, started every game up front. Focus on Turk. What does he deserve to see at the end of this season based on how he has performed as a freshman?

INGRAM:  You know, again, I'm not really thinking about that, just thinking about beating Wingate, but he's obviously performed very well. You know, he's probably played as well as anyone we have on a team that's leading the league in rushing and I think we're second or third nationally in rushing. So he's played very well. Tre Edwards has played very well at right tackle. Garrett Rice has gotten better and you know, we've got a sophomore at right guard. So we're three freshmen and a sophomore, we've got some other young guys that are going to come along. So our future is bright. We just need all of them to play well again.

Q6:  On Saturday, Justin Johnson got his first career start against Tusculum. Fourth different guy that you've started a quarterback this season. What have you seen out of his development these past two weeks as you continue to baptize people by fire at that position?

INGRAM:  Justin we knew was going to be a good football player. He's savvy, he can make the throws, he's got great poise. We were trying to redshirt him honestly and just kind of forced his hand a little bit. He's doing great, great things obviously can improve in some areas and would anticipate he'll take a step forward again this week

Q7:  Defensively, it feels like that unit has picked up business the past few weeks. They've held people largely in check and started to generate some turnovers. What have you seen turning the tide on that side of the ball?

INGRAM:  I think we've got some continuity and I think we've kind of figured out some spots in the secondary where we want to get people. Got Kendall Williams playing safety. He's helped a lot. You know, those three linebackers are talented kids. Mekhi Brown, Cruz Temple and Christian Hicks. Those guys are finally getting to play together. You know, early in the season, they weren't all out there at the same time, so that's helped a lot. And the defensive front's playing better as well.

Q8:   Have you yet reflected on the fact that this team is playing for a SAC championship?

INGRAM: I haven't really reflected. I'm obviously very pleased with where we're at and, you know, first year in, did I see us doing this? Probably not, but I wasn't thinking about it either. I was thinking about what can we do today to get better and what can we do this week to get better. They're just a resilient bunch. We won some games earlier in the season that maybe we shouldn't have. You know, the Wingate game being one, over at Mars Hill being another. But we just found a way, and I think we're getting better. So obviously we're going to need that this week and to have a chance

Q9: Anything else? 

INGRAM:  No, we're just excited for the opportunity. We have a great opportunity in front of us. Obviously, we have a great challenge as well, and I anticipate us playing well and battling and competing.

Kickoff between the Eagles and Bulldogs is set for 3 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 2 p.m. with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville) and online at cneagles.com/live.