NOTABLES: Coach Partridge's MTSU Week Presser 11/21/16


On Middle Tennessee

"It is stating the obvious with them. They are a seven-win team with two huge wins over LA Tech (38-34) and Missouri (51-45). Two very respectful wins that jump off the tape also. Defensively, they have four seniors up front that play really, really good, smart football. They play technique. They take care of their assignments. It is an impressive group, the D-linemen, a Will linebacker [Chris Melton] with 85 tackles and probably one of the best cover corners in the league in #8 [Jeremy Cutrer]. He is an impressive player and is on some postseason award lists…Offensively, [they] average 460 a game. Their story right now is the quarterback change that they have gone through since [Brent] Stockstill got hurt a few weeks ago. Richie James, he is actually a Sarasota kid, is an extremely dynamic special [player]. They put him at wideout, they put him at quarterback in the wildcat package, more so since Stockstill got hurt the last couple of weeks. [They] also put him at running back and he is a returner. We need to know where No. 3 is at all times. The running back, #4 [I’Tavius Mathers] has 1,300 yards and is very explosive. Wide receiver #24 [Ty Lee has] fast ball skills. So they have got skill players that we need to be ready for and they go at a lightning-fast tempo. We will need to get aligned, identify where those guys are and try to come up with our answers."


On Blue Raider's PLay Without Stockstill at QB

"That really is the biggest thing. With Stockstill there was a lot of quarterback designed runs that now they appear to be filling with personnel changes, the wildcat-type package. That is the biggest thing we see is less quarterback design runs with this new quarterback, from a schematic standpoint."


On Player Fatigue Against Old Dominion

"I felt it at halftime. I was concerned about their fatigue level. It was probably part of the factor in the third and fourth quarter, quite honestly. We just really have got to back off this week in terms of the physical stuff we do but that is the challenge to find that balance, to do what you need to do, to be ready to play a game and find a way to win, but also back off and do everything we can to get their legs back. It has been a long season, a long run emotionally and physically, and some guys ran out of gas. We are getting thin on our depth chart at some spots and I think it all piled up there in the third and fourth quarter at times."


On Seeing a Trend With Opponent's Offensive Output and QB's Setting Record Performances

"I don’t. Every week is its own entity. I can review with you and we will look at the whole season once it is done, in terms of what we need to do. We play very sound schemes, schematically. We look at it hard. You look at – is there something schematically that we can do different to change this and we don’t feel that way at all. It is not a schematic challenge. It is our players continuing to grow up in the system and get better. You can use Trey [Hendrickson] as an example. Trey’s film from his sophomore to junior, and then obviously junior to senior, there was tremendous growth there and we need to see that growth on that whole side of the ball and just keep pressing forward. You look at Saturday night’s game for example. Like I said going into the game, you could argue that is the best wide receiver corps in the league and that is saying something since we also faced Western Kentucky. So, part of our plan was to keep them in front of us. Stay deep shoulder. They were going to complete some hitches. [We were] not going to worry about yardage, but worry about points. In the first half it held. We held them to a couple of field goals in the red zone and they threw a hitch and unfortunately we missed a tackle there to get their only touchdown of the first half. Second half, you look at that first drive we had a couple of back-up players at linebackers at the time because we got nicked up in the first half, that led to two explosive runs on that first drive coming out of the break and that led to that touchdown. So, to answer your question we just have to keep getting better as a collective group and see these guys grow up."


On The Team's Halftime Regimen

"Unit, then position. We go in. Offensive coaches huddle. Defensive coaches huddle. I give my thoughts to both. Then those staffs go into the locker room, at that point the kids have hydrated and gone to the bathroom and done whatever they need to do, then they go in and talk as a unit. They each have a different procedure. Roc [Bellantoni] uses a dock cam and has stuff pre-drawn and shows where either we got hit or what adjustments need to be made. Then they split off and talk about those adjustments as position coaches. It is a similar process when Travis [Trickett] and those guys talk offense. "

"Before I go in and talk to the sides of the ball coaches that is when I hit the team. Right when they go in, I will make a few points to the team. Really talk through the drive chart. Here is the big-picture things that affected us in the first half. Then, I go talk to the coaches, then the coaches go talk to their respective units and position groups. Then I follow-up with the guys before we take the tunnel. "


On Parr's Insertion on the Third Drive Against ODU and Momentum

"We got a three-and-out on defense and then went right down and scored. I wouldn’t say it affected the momentum at that time because we answered the bell right away. We will take a look at practice this week and see if that merits Daniel [Parr] getting that time again in the third series. We intend to do it and it has been this way every week. We want to make sure he has practiced and prepared well to get that opportunity in the game. We will see how it goes."


On Shalom Ogbonda's Play Against ODU

"Really, we thought after looking at the film that he had one of his best games. He was very productive. He did a great job of taking care of his gap. A lot of those interior runs, he was a big part of clogging those up.  They didn’t have a lot of success running inside. A lot of their stuff was on the perimeter. He had one of the best games of his career."

• Partridge noted that LB Jacob Douglas is questionable for Saturday's season finale against MTSU.

Year 3 and we are still figuring out when to push guys in practice….

Also make sure you keep pointing out its not a scheme thing you definitely don't want anyone to think its you and it's just the players not executing. Don't take any blame for having one of the worst D's in college football another year.

Also I have a question for the Parr guy on the forum.

In his playing time this year has he even ever flashed on 1 play on what he can do wish his arm?   
Even if he is still learning the speed of the game when you someone that is supposed to have his ''talent'' level you will get flashes of a throw that will make you say "wow'' that what the hype is about.

On a positive Driskel and Motor's play have been the only positives the last few weeks.