Weekly SoCon teleconference (11-19)
Coach SpeirCoach SatterfieldWestern Carolina head football coach Mark Speir:
On facing Appalachian State:
"They're a lot like this last team we just played, Furman. They struggled with trying to find a quarterback that they were going to go with; installing a new defense that was completely something new for those defensive guys. Here the second half of the season, they have really looked like the Appalachian State team that everybody in the Southern Conference knows and is accustomed to."
"They've got the best receiving corps probably in the country at this level. And Marcus Cox, their freshman running back - they've really found a special guy in Marcus. They're very athletic on defense - they've got athletes all over the field. It's going to be a huge, monumental task, but we're excited about it."
On whether or not the WCU-ASU series will continue:
"Probably the biggest hurdle as far as us playing App in the near future is that we have to play money games. This year, we played three FBS teams; we're going to play two next year for our budget. You go down and you play an Auburn for half a million dollars; is Appalachian going to be in a position to pay that kind of dollars. Conventional wisdom says, `no, not right now.' So, it's a financial deal as much as anything."
"Obviously we'd want to go play App because of the rivalry, because it's an easy trip as far as logistics. You're not hopping on an airplane and spending half the money you're making in a big game to play it. I think a lot of that will be answered with what these five major conferences do. But it all boils down to if you're playing one FBS school, for us we want to go make as much money as possible. If App's able to pay relative to that, it's a no-brainer."
On how much he feels his team has improved:
"I think we've improved leaps and bounds. What every head coach has told me before and after games is we're so much faster; we're just making a lot of freshman and sophomore mistakes. There's nothing like experience. If one sophomore or freshman is messing up, we're replacing him with another freshman or sophomore. We have to be real objective as coaches, but I feel like this year as opposed to last year, we're giving ourselves chances to win. We've been in most every other ballgame, SoCon-wise, with opportunities to go win it - we just didn't make plays when we had to."
"I'm proud of our guys; they're working, they're practicing hard every week. They're competing every week in practice, and they're learning how to become college players. I think our team has gotten a lot better. We're still not where we've got to be. I think we're better, but we've got a long road to go. I have to keep telling myself that Rome wasn't built in a day, but I'm very proud of this football team. They're great guys and I love coaching them."
Appalachian State head coach Scott Satterfield:
Looking at Saturday's opponent, Western Carolina:
"We're facing a Western Carolina team that has gotten better and better throughout the whole season. They've lost some close games including Wofford where the lost by four points, played Georgia Southern tough and really played Furman tough last week, holding them to six field goals. Defensively, they're getting better. I think offensively, they're able to score points and move the football."
"I think Coach (Mark) Speir and his staff has done a good job of getting things back on track - their record doesn't indicate exactly where they are right now. But they are headed in the right direction, for sure; certainly they can beat anybody in this conference and in this league."
"It's going to be a great football game here. It's the last game for our seniors and the last game for us in the Southern Conference in the history of the program. So, there's a lot riding on this game and certainly our guys will be ready for it this week."
On the rivalry game, the "Battle for the Old Mountain Jug":
"Western Carolina's been a rival for us - the `Battle for the Old Mountain Jug,' and that's huge for us and what it represents, to be able to keep (the Jug) here."
On what concerns his coaching staff about Western Carolina:
"I think there are a lot of things they do well. Defensively, they're a lot more sound this year. The guys are playing hard; they're aggressive, they're making plays. I think that part of it has been impressive to me. I think offensively, they're going to be able to move the football. You take both quarterbacks, doesn't matter who you put in there, those guys can make plays throwing the football. They've got a receiver that's one of the top receives in the conference. And they're able to run the football. I think the ability of the quarterbacks to run it is huge for them as well. Everyone has to be in their gaps to stop the quarterback run. I just think they're a solid football team all around."
On Western Carolina's quarterbacks:"Troy Mitchell, who has been their starter throughout the season, is a very talented runner, first and foremost. He can make a lot of things happen with his legs - I think last year, he had several big runs against us. The one thing I think he's struggled with a little bit has been his consistency throwing it, but he has made a lot of big throws. Eddie Sullivan had a big game this past week. He came in off the bench and threw for close to 250 yards and really sparked their offense. I think he's got big play potential as well. He can make things happen with his feet. In the passing game, he's able to scramble around and find guys that are open, extend the play."
"I think for them, they just want more consistency at quarterback. They're probably trying to find out who's going to be that guy and be most consistent, either Mitchell or Sullivan. I would anticipate that both guys will play against us, and whoever's got the hot hand will probably be who they end up going with."
On whether or not this will be the final meeting between WCU and ASU:
"I don't know. I think, down the road at some point in time you hope that we'd be able to play (WCU). I think with the way we've got our schedules set out in the future with the chance to play one FCS opponent per year to get a home game. There's a chance as we look ahead to the future that we could put Western on the schedule. They're very close to us, a rival game that we've been playing for many years; you'd hate to see it just go away. So hopefully we'd be able to work something out in the future to be able to get those guys here - maybe not on a yearly basis, but maybe once every few years."
Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations
