Opening statement
"This day has been a long time coming. When you finish up the season like we did last year you can't wait to get back out on the football field. So much has happened since then. Our campus right now, pumped up for the new facility that is coming up and we'll move into next year and it's a different roster, a different coaching staff, so all those first game things that you're pumped up about are that's where we are right now. Training camp went well, we had injuries like most people do, but I wouldn't say a lot of major injuries so we are in pretty good shape. For our athletes class started today so there are a lot of things going on today, but to get into a routine, a game week routine, this time of year is pretty special."
On Kent State
"We don't know a lot about them, but enough. Shaun Lewis, their head football coach, I kind of know his background. Art Briles, Dino Babers, up-tempo offense and both of his coordinators. One was at Tennessee-Chattanooga, the defensive coordinator, they will run a 3-4 front which is different from what our offense has been practicing. Offensively, the (offensive coordinator) coming from San Jose State, all of these guys have been together and now back together at Kent, we kind of know what they want to do. Our offense going against a similar type of offense we feel like has prepared us the best we can. They were 2-10 last year, like we were, and we know they are really excited for the start of the football season as we are also."
On the starting QB
"AJ Bush will be our starting quarterback. (We are) excited about what AJ has done. He started practicing with our football team in training camp, pulled into a leadership role right away. Based on what he's done on and off the field, classroom, poise, being vocal, and then making plays as much as anything. When you are a graduate transfer quarterback and you know this is your last season that means something to you, so we really like what he will bring to the table for us offensively."
On starting QB AJ Bush Jr.
"On some things for our football team, it's kind of obvious. Like it's obvious right now that I have a beard. It's kind of obvious that AJ is our guy. With that being said, Quarterback-wise, we knew that there was going to be great competition and there was…but it's kind of obvious who our guy is…AJ hadn't played an awful lot, but people that we trusted put their stamp of approval behind him. When you meet him for the first time, you buy into him. You can't wait to make sure that that's exactly what you're going to see on the field, off the field, any time. That's what you want from your quarterback and for young players for them to look up to someone, if they're doing what he's doing we're going to be in pretty good shape…From day one we liked things he did and it just kind of grew throughout. Once we starting practice a little bit more in the stadium, he looked pretty comfortable out there…how you prepare and how you get ready for the season is exactly what AJ has done."
On what the defense can build on
"What we can build on is kind of everything. There were some times, the Purdue game, Minnesota, Wisconsin, we had some moments where we saw signs of what we could be. What we build on is just that, these players have gotten bigger, stronger, faster. It's knowledge of the game, their position, their role and it's time to take that next step. I think we have established how we want to play our front, our defenses, our goal to take the ball away and all the things we think are important the players realize that and now it's time to take that next step as much as anything."
On Rod Smith's offense
"We have had a chance to see it. First off in who and what Rod has brought in, not just Rod, the rest of the offense staff too. They had a plan, a picture ahead of what I want it to look like. A lot of flexibility in a lot of different ways. You have to be able to run the football. How you run the football is a question. You have to be able to pass the ball. AJ is mobile in the pocket, can do a lot of things, but if there's a game we feel like we need to really rely on the pass, I feel like we can do that. I've seen that and I know what we'll be able to do running wise too, right now up to this point you go through camp, I like where we're at."
On game days
"It is one thing to go through practice. But even from practice to times we came into the stadium (it's a) different feel. We saw guys react a little bit differently. That is the case with games. We don't tackle our Quarterbacks or anything like that so we do have to see that final step to finish. Some of the young players will need to be able to do that."
