2024 Chattanooga Football
Postgame Quotes
Nov. 2, 2024 – at Western Carolina – Whitmire Stadium
 
Rusty Wright, head coach
On what was asked of them before the game
"I asked them before the game to just play their tails off each other and do the best they could. I could do a little better job of helping them out there at the end in a couple of different situations. Put them in a little better spot to be successful."
 
On the look after knowing Chase Artopoeus can't play
"We didn't know until Thursday. Luke took back up reps most of the week. It would have mattered. We'd have changed some things. It's not his fault. It's not Chase's fault. It's just circumstances and it is what it is."
 
On Luke Schomburg starting huge games
"I'd just like for the kid to be able to settle in and play when he doesn't feel like the weight of the world is on his shoulders ever Saturday. He's such a good dude. Nobody cares and tries more than he does."
 
On Western Carolina going with a backup quarterback
"He's a good player. They did a good job with him. I knew it was going to be like this today. I knew it wasn't going to be a runaway. When it was 14-0, I knew it going to be 60 minutes worth. The kids a good player. We probably gave him a couple more things we shouldn't have and we've got to do a better job defensively. Give them credit. They figured it out."
 
On the physicality of the football team and keeping composure
"We talked about it this morning before we left the hotel. We had to be composed and consistent all day. That was kind of like the message, being composed and consistent. It's hard. I know it's hard when the guys up in your face and in your grill and yelling and screaming at you and doing all those kind of things, but you've got to do it. You got to act and you gotta be that way and you got to handle things that way and for the most part we did that today."
 
 
Rueben Lowery, III, Sr., DB
On preparation for backup quarterback
"Preparation was a big key. He's [Taron Dickens] a great player. He's very athletic, mobile on his feet. It was a good challenge for our defense. It was a good way to learn and just have a consistency going on to our next preparation, learning from it and growing as a group. He had a good game. We still had chances to get them off the field. We had chances to make plays as well and they made it. So kudos to them and now we can grow from it, learn from it and try to bet better."
 
Where to go from here
"This is what college football is all about. You have a big game. You put your emotions on the line, put your heart on the line for your teammates and then you've got to sit in it. Continue to prepare, continue to strive for our goals that we have this season and to play for each other and not look back."
 
 
 
Luke Schomberg, RSo., QB
On preparation once he found out he would be the starter
"It was kind of short notice, halfway through the week. We stuck with the same game plan. I'm repping the same plays as Chase. We just kind of ran with the same game plan. Chase was a big help.  He did everything he could to help me out. It was like every other week."
 
On how he felt he played the game
"I thought we did a pretty good job all night. I think the fact of the matter is I've just got to play better. I think we had plenty of explosive plays, and I thought that all the other guys on offense played their tails off all night. You just can't give the ball to the other team. You just can't especially in a meaningful game."
 
On where the team goes from here
"I think of kind like we've been doing in practice, we've got to stick together. We can't start pointing fingers and we've got a group of guys who don't to that anyway. We're all really close in the locker room. We beat up on each other at practice. We're physical and that's what helps us play games like today and play them well. WE've gotten so much better at staying out of all the extra stuff that's going on, worrying about each other. Don't worry about the other team. Stay together, stay as one unit and everything else will work itself out."
 
                                                                                   
Quay Wiggles, Sr., DT
On the issues presented by the new quarterback
"We just couldn't keep him contained. He was able to make plays with his legs and find people open. We just got to do a better job of containing him and keeping him in the pocket."
 
On message from senior leadership
"We're still in it. I ain't never over. We still got a few more games to win. We still got to finish this thing outright. We definitely can. With eight wins, we can make it to the playoffs. We just taking it one game at a time now."
 
On how practice prepares the team for games like this
"Definitely. A Tuesday and Wednesday practice prepare us for Saturday nights to come out here and end up going all the way down to the wire."