The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team returns to Finley Stadium this Thursday night for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff against ETSU in its annual 'White Out' game. The game is carried LIVE on the Mocs Sports Network (WFLI 1070 AM / 97.7 AM) and ESPN+.

Below are excerpts from today's press conference with photos.  The full videos are attached to the story.  Today's press conference included remarks from head coach Rusty Wright, junior offensive lineman Cole Strange, freshman running back Ailym Ford and senior linebacker Marshall Cooper.

Rusty Wright, Head Coach
Opening statement after BYE week.
"Feels like it's been a long time since we played a game. We had a good team win a couple Saturday's ago down in Macon against Mercer. We took a couple days off, their first true days off since we started fall camp. We really didn't change what we were doing in practice during the open week, but we started prepping some young guys in some other spots and did things like that to bring those guys along a little faster in this final stretch run. It was a productive week I think, we'll find out. We have a good football team coming down here from Johnson City. Their record might not indicate it, but they do things well and statistically, they've played the top three teams in our league so far. You'll see two similar football teams on Thursday night and it should be a good game, we're looking forward to it."
 
On the overall feeling of playing a Thursday night game.
"The length of time it takes to get there. As coaches, we'd love to play at 10 a.m. every Saturday, but I think it's a really neat change up in the middle of a grind. I always enjoyed it in the MAC or the Sun Belt to have a Thursday night game. I know one year in the MAC we didn't play a game on Saturday in November. I think it's good and I wish our league did it more. I think it's a good thing moving forward in figuring out how to do that. I enjoy them. We'll work a little bit, but I'll get a normal Saturday, so that's a good deal."
 
On the feeling of a BYE week. 
"It's different for every team every week. Sometimes when you're playing well, you want to keep playing. Sometimes if you aren't playing well, you need that open week to figure some things out. I don't put a whole lot of stock into someone when they have a week off, we're going to do what we do. At this point in the season, you know a lot of what the team is going to do. Once you get into the point of the schedule where you play the teams you play every year, I don't know how much effect it really has."
 
On the challenges ETSU presents.
"They're a little more like James Madison, up front and how they try to do things. Those tight ends will be in there, the backs will be in there, they're a lot like us in trying to run the football. I really like what they do offensively. The difference when you watch those guys this year compared to last year's film, they treat it like a street fight. They treated last year like a street fight. Especially the way they came off the ball. I really like the way they play, defensively they play really hard. There's not a lot of space in there to hit a crease. We'll have our hands full, that's for sure."



Cole Strange, Jr.-OL
On the battle agains ETSU & playing on a Thursday night.
"I'd say it's just the way they play. They play tough. I try to look at every game like it's a fight. I like they way they play and respect the way they play, but I won't brace differently for this game. I don't know why we do it, but I like it. We get to play sooner than Saturday, so I definitely like that."

On the overall play from the offensive line unit.
"I think we're doing a lot better than we are in the past. I think it's because we've been playing together for a little longer. I know the right three are new, but everyone has been playing really well. Different people have come and gone, but whoever is starting has stepped up and we've been playing well."



Ailym Ford, Fr.-RB
On thoughts of playing time coming in as a freshman.
"I expected to work for it. I just knew that I had to grind for what I have right now and I knew that I had to be a team player. I started on special teams and found my way to the field. At practice and in drills, they just saw something in me and put me on the field."

On HC Rusty Wright calling him after the coaching change.
"He was just straight-forward, as he is now. He let me know what was going on and just introduced himself. We didn't know he each other and he told me I had to work, it's just not going to be handed to you."

On gearing up for rivalry game against ETSU. 
"Where I'm from we really didn't have a rivalry game like this, so I'm excited to get a feel for how that is. I'm not nervous, I'm just excited."



Marshall Cooper, Sr.-LB
On upcoming rivalry game with ETSU & outlook for the rest of the season.
"They're an aggressive team, especially their offensive line. They're going to come out and give it all they got because of where they stand in the league. It's going to be a fun game to be around. Hopefully they'll be a lot of people out there and we can get after it. I know the talent we have on this team and we'll go far if we keep doing the little things right. I hope we set the standard the last couple weeks in how to play. It should be a good end of the year the way we are looking."
 
On how Ailym Ford improves the defense in practice.
"[Ailym] Ford is a little bowling ball. He's a strong dude. He'll put his head down and try to run you over. He's making our linebacker group a lot better. You get into the game and no one is as hard to tackle as he is."