2024 Chattanooga Football
Postgame Quotes
September 14, 2024 – vs. Mercer – Finley Stadium
Rusty Wright, Head Coach
On tonight's loss to Mercer.
"A lot of credit to Mercer. They came in here and won a football game. They won possession, which in the Southern Conference can win you a football game. You gotta be able to find a way to win a one possession football game. We had talked about it all week that we were going to get their best shot, and we got it. We're our own worst enemy sometimes. We gotta fix ourselves before we worry about anything else."
On there being a lack of effort tonight.
"I didn't think that at all. I don't know what it looked like up there (in the press box/stands), and you can say lackluster since we weren't moving the football, but you gotta give them some credit too. They came and played the right way. We had opportunities to make some plays and we didn't make them. We had chances and we didn't make them. We need to figure out how to make them."
On Chase Artopoeus' performance.
"I don't think he was under pressure all night. In some situations he was under pressure. We need to put him in some better situations. We need to do better on our first downs so we're in a better spot on third down. We missed some shots on first down which got us into some second and longs and third and longs. I didn't realize we only had 278 yards, but I knew it was going to be one of those types of games. It was tight, it was physical."
On how he feels about this team after three weeks.
"We have a good football team, we just have to keep playing. I think our guys thought that we were gonna score, keep scoring and make things 21-0. It was a football game until the last minute. I know they're frustrated and disappointed, and they've got every right to be. I've gotta do a better job with them in some situations, but they've gotta understand that we have to keep coming out and playing no matter what. It doesn't matter. We had some guys play well, but we need to be able to make certain plays on both sides of the ball and the kicking game."
Chase Artopoeus, QB-Sr.
On if he viewed this first game and the 'first game of the season' having had to play to FBS teams to open the year.
"No. I took Tennessee and Georgia State both as serious opponents and I didn't game prep any different way. Our season started two weeks ago. We lost our first and second, but they still counted to us. This was our first league game so I understand looking at that as our first conference game. We lost this one so we have some work to do."
On getting the offense back on the same page.
"That's a good question and I'm asking myself the same question. I'm glad we have a bye week coming up. It's quite lucky, really. Hopefully we can look at the film and start dissecting what's going on with our offense and try to make it more proficient and efficient and just get back to our original form."
On finishing 0-for-12 on third downs but still having a chance to win it at the end of the game.
"That's rough. It's tough to stay in a game with that but that's a testament to our defense. We gave them some bad field position to work with sometimes but I think they did a pretty good job overall. On offense we've got a lot of things to fix, but I think we will.
Sam Phillips, WR-Jr.
On the offense struggling on third down conversions tonight.
"As a team we just have to be able to convert on those. We gotta have the chemistry to be able to build up our drives. We need to work on that next week in practice, just make sure everyone's on the same page. We gotta come out and be locked in for that game."
On Mercer shutting down the run.
"It was hard with how much they were stuffing the box. We gotta be able to make plays on the outside with catches and stuff. Us outside receivers, we gotta go out there and make plays."
On what the offense's focus will be headed into bye week.
"Our offense is fine, nothing is breaking down we just need to get on the same page. Just a couple things here and there, nothing crazy. We've got a long season to go so I'm really not worried about it."
Kameron Brown, LB-Sr.
On the team's strong defensive outing tonight.
"We lowered our pads against them. They're a straight running team we just got to fix ourselves right now."
On his interception.
"That thing was like a dream. Everyone in college wishes they can catch the pick of the game it just popped in my hand it was awesome."
On the defense's focus headed into bye week.
"The focus for us right now is our signs.
We got to fix ourselves with them right now. We're a great team but we didn't show up all the way tonight."
