App State Mountaineers College Football Pregame Quote, 12/06/2019

It’s an honor to be playing in this game. It’s a testament to our football team and the commitment they’ve made the entire season. It’s a testament to our administration in the investment that they’ve made into our program, and it’s a testament to our coaching staff coming together and being us and our identity as a football team in 2019. We’re exciting to represent our division in the Sun Belt Championship. We’re going to be playing a great team. Congrats to coach Napier on a 10-win season and being named Sun Belt Coach of the Year, and it’s a very quality and strong opponent we’re excited to go to battle against tomorrow.

On helping players get ready for a championship game:

There’s a natural excitement in playing for a championship and understanding the result of the game is going to determine who wins the goal that everybody set out for the season for. But what you have to do each week no matter what happens is that each week starts over and the process begins again. We firmly believe in our process and how we go about each week, and we can’t treat this week any bigger or any different than we have in previous weeks. It’s no different than when we played the Power Five games or conference games. We know the preparation that it takes to be successful, and it’s what we have to duplicate this week. Some people call it the process, but for us it’s just about being 1-0.

On Darrynton and Akeem sweeping the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year awards:

It’s a testament to our football team. Yes, these guys are rightfully deserving of those awards, but they also know they’re a part of the cog that makes them successful. Akeem plays the strike position, which is our field linebacker. It requires other people to do their job for him to be successful. Darrynton is an explosive player and has been electric for us, but those holes have been opened up by the offensive line. Our quarterback has also done a nice job of converting third downs and giving him extra opportunities. It speaks to the entire team for them to accomplish those awards.

On how players like Darrynton and Akeem have helped coach Drinkwitz grow into his head coaching role:

We’ve talked about preference versus performance. I spoke to that at the very first team meeting, and we all had to lower our egos to help us perform at the highest level. I relied on these two guys. These two young men are leaders of our football team, and they’ve both come to me several different times and said, ‚Äòhey coach, have you thought about doing this’ or ‚Äòwe’ve been struggling with this, could you help us?’ And, for me, it was about lowering my ego and accepting their input and understanding that we’re all trying to perform to the highest level that we can to be the best team that we can be. It isn’t about me, and it’s not about them. It’s about us. It’s about our football team and what we’re trying to accomplish this year. Akeem has been a great, valuable resource for me on the defensive side of the ball, and Darrynton is actually quiet by nature, but when he speaks, we all listen because we know he’s bringing some truth to us. Both of these guys have done a really nice job of carrying on the mission. I challenged our trip and talked about how ‚Äòleaders buy in.’ They then try to get everybody else to buy in. They don’t wait and sit back and say ‚Äòwell, is this going to work?’ And, if it does, then they will buy in. These two young men bought in really quickly, and they put themselves out there with the rest of the locker room saying, ‚Äòthis plan is going to work.’ By them doing that, their performance on the field has helped, but their vocal leadership in the locker room helped this team come together.

Junior Running Back Darrynton Evans

On how Darrynton thinks he’s grown this season:

I would say that I’m trying to focus on the passing game this year. I try to keep Zac [Thomas] clean the whole game. I try to pick up on blitzes a lot, so I can know what blitz is coming to slow the game down for me. And, in the run game, when I can see blitzes based off of where they’re going to be at, it allows me to be prepared.

On getting to play the championship game at home:

I would say playing at the Rock is always an advantage. We have a great fan base. App Nation does a great job of coming out. What a better place to play?”

Senior Linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither

On Akeem’s senior season and what’s made this season special:

Just playing with these guys, Darrynton and playing around with Zac [Thomas]. Teaching young guys and showing how things are supposed to be done. And then, just being a big brother to them, showing them how to play hard, getting them to focus on what they need to focus on and just having them have fun with their brothers.”

On how Akeem developed into a leader throughout his time at App State:

Just getting myself around guys like Kennan Gilchrist and Devan Stringer. Both played in front of me, and just taking in what they taught me and buying in to what the coaches taught me. Coach D.J. Smith, him telling me he believed in me and things like that, that helped me build that confidence in myself and keep my nose down and work hard every day.