WKU Hilltoppers College Football Pregame Quote, 11/22/2021

On what makes the WKU vs. Marshall rivalry so good:

We’re just 2 really good schools, 2 competitive schools. It’s fun to be in those type of games. Marshall does a great job; their new coach has done a fantastic job. I always say Marshall is Marshall. Every year they’re just a really good football team every year. We are always excited to play them because it’s gonna be an exciting game and a competitive game. If you asked me when you would want to play them, now’s the time to play them. Get to the last game and to have that competitive game and that opportunity to represent the East, but they’re a really good football team, a well coach football team. Like I say all the time, it’s gonna everything we got, but I’m excited for the opportunity.

On the pressure of the C-USA title game berth resting on this result:

To me, I try not to look past that it’s just another game, it’s another opponent, it’s a real good opponent to play. Obviously, it’s a big game from a standpoint of whoever wins gets to represent the East. For me though, and the team, we just focus on our day-to-day job. A Monday is a Monday, a Tuesday is a Tuesday. We get to game time and the ball is kicked off, it’s just another game. We just gotta keep that mentality more than anything. That’s kinda just how we operate best, don’t look past anything, don’t really talk about the what-ifs and all those things, just go out there and do our job.

On QB Bailey Zappe and WR Jerreth Sterns being considered for national awards:

Well I don’t mind saying, Bailey Zappe is the best quarterback in America. Am I biased? Sure, I’m biased. But I get to watch the man every single day. And I like to think I have been around some of the top quarterbacks that are up for those awards. And they’re very deserving of those awards as well. In the class that you’re talking about, Bailey Zappe is the best quarterback in America. He deserves every award there is out there, in my opinion. So does Jerreth Sterns, in my opinion he’s the best receiver in America and the numbers say that. I think people are taking notice to that, and we have several more games to play. And they challenge they have is to continue that conversation with their play. That’s the best way to win awards is you just keep going out there playing, you do your job, and the awards will come at the end of the season. I could go on and on. I could talk about Mitchell Tinsley and several other guys; all of our offensive line. But if you just say hey the national awards, Bailey Zappe is the best quarterback in America, Jerreth Sterns is the most productive receiver in America hands down.