2024 Chattanooga Football
Postgame Quotes
October 26, 2024 – VMI
Finley Stadium – Chattanooga, Tenn.              
 
Rusty Wright, head coach
Opening statement
"Good win. That's the biggest thing. We figured out a way to win a football game. No two look the same. I give our kids credit. We kept battling and doing the things we're supposed to do. Came out in the second half, didn't turn the ball over and good things happen. We played well defensively. 220 yards they had, I don't know how many they had the last two drives with everybody we put in the game. Just proud of those guys. It's hard, people don't understand this, but it's hard all across this country to be at your best and be as excited as you can be for 12 weeks. It's hard. I give our kids credit. I'm not sure how into it we were mentally. Physically I know we were there, but mentally I'm not sure how into it were early. But they battled and kept us in it and figured out a way to win a football game.
 
On what made the run game successful
"They weren't going to let Javin Whatley beat them. They were lined up and they were not going to let him get by them. We just had to tweak a couple of things at halftime and get them lined up how we were going to need them lined up. We blocked a little better, ran the ball a little better; it worked out."
 
On playing well on both sides of the ball after starting the season 0-3
"Take the Tennessee game out of it, we didn't play that bad. We were close and we were playing some good football teams too. I didn't have any doubt that we had a chance to go play well and do things well. To our credit, our kids credit, our assistant coaches stuck to what we were doing. We haven't changed what we're doing. Probably haven't played as many good football teams as we did in the first three, but we have played some. That's credit to that group and the assistant coaches digging in and believing."

Jeremiah Batiste, Jr., DB
On his interception on the sideline
"It came through preparation all week. Coaches put us in the right spots, and I seen the ball and I went to go play ball, just like he coached all week."
 
On not giving up more than 10 points to a conference team this season
"It starts in the off season. From the off season to the regular season. Everybody pushing each other; all the leaders staying on top of everyone."
 
On going on the road for two games and the mentality it takes
"Same mentality. Next game mentality. Prepare. It's the same for everybody."
 
 
Reid Williams, RJr., OL
On the growth of the offensive line this season
"Early it was fit in where you fit in, how you fit in. As we have gone along this season, I think we've merged really well. We're starting to play better and you can see that as we're running the ball. I think we've just got to continue growing as a group and continuing playing physical."
 
On the mentality factor of the game
"Yeah. I think it's a mentality thing. I mean, at practice, we're trying to push to be more physical. It's Week Eight. You know, your body's a little beat down, but it's a mentality thing. We've got to play physical and if we don't do it during the week, we're not going to do it on Saturday, so we play with that mentality."
 
 
 
Chase Artopoeus, Sr., QB
On running the ball today
"That's just how it was. I think their defense is predicated on stopping some of our guys that we have, some of the receivers that we have specifically. We started taking some play action shots and they were bailing out of there. Linebackers were matching them underneath, so that kind of left their eyes off of me and left me open lanes to run.
 
On another big third quarter
"Really good job. I want to give a big shoutout to the O-Line specifically. The receivers too and the tight ends as well. You know, our running backs really got going in that third quarter. We kind of adjusted some things at halftime. Also where we're starting to get better is downfield blocks. We're handling the box a little better. You can kind of see some of the outside zones are starting to split. We're getting some big chunk plays that maybe weren't there in the first half."
 
On questions about who could replace Ailym Ford
"Reggie Davis is doing a really good job, especially early on. You know he had a fumble and that stuff's going to happen. You carry the ball so much you're going to fumble naturally. I thought he did a really good job not letting that ruin the rest of his game. He really bounced back and almost acted as a leader of some sort, especially in that third quarter."
 
On Western Carolina
"I think there's still four games left in the season. Western Carolina's a really good team. Especially after last year's game. I've got a lot of respect for them. I definitely kept my eye on them in the off season. I've never been to Western Carolina, Cullowhee. It's really fun to play against really good teams like that. I'm definitely excited for the opportunity."
 
 
Alex Mitchell, Jr., LB
On not giving up more than 10 points this season to a SoCon team
"I think we've been doing a great job of that. We hold that to a standard now, keeping it 10 or below. I think it really encourages us to play harder and play more physical, and play our assignments and do what we need to do."
 
On Chattanooga being a defensive team historically
"We're trying to keep that legacy going. I think the way we prepare ourselves for our games, I think we have the most physical practices on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I think it really helps us prepare for what we need to do on Saturdays.
 
On former players coming back for Homecoming
"We love to see those guys come back. I've been here for three years and playing with those guys my freshman and sophomore years and see them come back."
 
On Western Carolina
"It's going to be a tough matchup. Our defense and their offense are gonna have a great battle. It's going to be fun.