Zach Arnett postgame press conference - Western Michigan

Injuries

Q: Do you have any updates on any injuries to Will Rogers and Woody (Jo’Quavious) Marks as to what their timeline could be?
A: No, no updates. We’ll come back to the facility and well do a thorough evaluation and we’ll have some more info when we talk on Monday, but those guys are both warriors. They didn’t want to come out. That’s why I appreciate coaching guys like that. They’re Bulldog mentality guys.

Defense

Q: Defensively it still seemed like you guys had some issues getting off the field … what was happening out there, what did you see from your defense?

A: Yeah, the momentum flipped there when we got, I think, one conversion. We started really good (on) both sides of the ball. We emphasized all week starting fast, and I appreciate the players taking that to heart. The offense comes out and scores 10 points. The first two drives, the defense is getting off the field. Then we get 17 to nothing, then we give up a third down conversion and don’t quite tackle quite as well, because I think the ball is thrown short of the sticks, and then the momentum kind of flipped on us, and obviously we had trouble getting it back there until the end of the game, and so we’ll look at the film, you know, they brought in a different quarterback. Obviously, he found some guys versus zone coverage and found some throws, and so obviously we’re not satisfied. The players aren’t satisfied, and we’re going to utilize this bye week to really highlight the ways in which we need to improve, because we’re facing a lot of really good teams in this second half (of the season) and it’s time to make our run. It’s a good thing we’re going into a bye week, we get a chance to freshen up and really evaluate what we’re doing well on both sides of the ball.

Secondary

Q: Brice Pollock got a lot of really good run in today. What did you like out of him, and then what did you see out of that defensive backfield as a whole today?

A: Yeah, anytime you get a true freshman significant snaps, I think I’ve said this maybe in earlier press conferences or obligations, but the only way to develop at this game is to play this game. So to get to have a true freshman who shows the promise to get on the field immediately, and then to get him a lot of reps, I would say that’s the best thing for his development. And so I know he was in coverage there on the fourth down and short, and made several other plays himself. He’s made quite a few plays throughout the course of the season, and so we are excited about his development and continued development.

Mike Wright

Q: We saw some extended play there from Mike Wright even before Will got hurt. What’d you think of the way he ran some of the drives he was in there for extended stretches?

A: Yeah, I think Mike’s continued to do what we talked about on Monday, right? We said every time he’s been called he’s answered the call, and he’s provided a spark for our offense…that he would get more opportunities, right? So it’s just what I said on Monday, right? He got a few more opportunities and allows us to expand the package for him. And he answered the call again, so (I’m) happy to see that, and then we’ve got two quarterbacks who did a lot of really good things to spark our offense today, and so that’s really the theme.

Halftime Turnovers

Q: Second straight game with a turnover right before halftime…what have you seen in these situations?

A: You’ve got to protect the football, and that was also on the kickoff return. You know, they’re kicking it different places because of our two-deep returners and the threats that they are with the ball in their hands, so which means you’ve got other guys carrying the ball than maybe your primary guys. We can’t have poor ball security, particularly in that situation to where now the opponent gets an additional drive deep in your territory before the half. (I’m) glad the defense came out, stopped them and forced a field goal … so we didn’t give up points, but you can’t give additional possessions.

Roberson

Q: Pretty nice showing from Freddie Roberson today, what kind of enabled him to get to this position and how would you assess how he performed today?

A: Yeah, he took advantage of his opportunities. I think I said it to the halftime reporter, but how do you create momentum in a game? People make plays. Somebody’s got to make a play. The long touchdown pass where he goes up over the defender and catches it and comes down with a touchdown, that’s what you need outside receivers to do, because you’re going to be in tight, man to man coverage in college football, and you’ve got to be able to go up and make plays. So for him to go do that was really good. He had quite a few other good catches and runs after the catch, and obviously he’s seen increased opportunities because Justin Robinson has been unavailable to go these last two weeks, and again, that is good for our development as a team as an offense. All of these guys who are getting increased action because the starter or the guy who they rotated with are unavailable, that is how you develop and that’s how you improve.

Running Backs

Q: Coming into the season, how deep that running back room was, but we had a chance to see Seth (Davis) and Keyvone (Lee) really shine today, just talk about that running back room and those two guys getting a chance and making the most of it.

A: Yeah, there’s a reason we were excited Keyvone came here from Penn State when we got him. (He’s) a bigger back, physical back who can break tackles. Seth, to his credit, he has probably maybe been the one freshman who, from the start, he’s an early enrollee so he got a jump on learning the offense and getting carries, probably the freshman who has been the most consistent and has looked like he’s been game ready from the very jump. He’s kind of a slasher. He’s a stronger runner than people probably give him credit for because he’s lower in size, but he’s kind of a slasher. He can kind of find the seams in there and wiggle his way through there and then accelerate out of it, and he did a really nice job for us.

Mike Wright’s role

Q: What did you think of the way Mike Wright embraced his role when he first got to Mississippi State and how he’s kind of stayed patient whether it be less playing time in some games, more playing time today, how he’s kind of embraced the role he’s been handed here?

A: Oh, he’s great. He’s a great team guy, and he’s emblematic of a lot of guys on our roster. Again, we talk a lot about what is a football player, right? Tough, physical, ready to do whatever it takes for the team to win, no matter what that role is. We have a lot of guys who embrace that mentality. Mike is certainly one of them, and Will (Rogers) is, too. So to have two guys in that room who can push each other and bring different flairs and flavors to our offense, that’s really good because it forces the opponents to prepare for more, and so it’s a pleasure to coach those guys.

Tulu (Lideatrick) Griffin

Q: Tulu didn’t go there in the first half, is that injury related or coach’s decision related?

A: That’s an internal matter, and I’m not going to get into specifics, but I will say we have standards and expectations in this program. Accountability is one of them, and so he didn’t play the first half, but to his credit, it’s all about how you respond. And he came out the second half and provided a spark to our offense and did some really good things.