Player Quotes: “When the ball comes my way, I make the catch”

Player Quotes 

Redshirt Junior WR Jauan Jennings:

On getting into a rhythm the last few games:
“I’m just going out there, playing football and running my route as fast as I can. When the ball comes my way, I make the catch. That’s all it is.”

On Keller Chryst’s performance on Saturday:

“He stepped up in a big situation and played to the best of his capability, and that’s all we can ask for.”

On playing on the road at South Carolina:

“It’s a great environment to go on the road and play football in. It’s always great to play football, and it’ll be a challenge for our team. We’re just getting ready and I can’t wait for this weekend.”

Redshirt Junior TE Eli Wolf:

On his thoughts on South Carolina:
“They’re a great football team and anytime you play another SEC opponent it’s going to be a tough game, so we have to be ready.”

On what needs to be done to improve the running game: 
“We just need to open up holes and create protection. All around we have to get better. Saturday was not what we wanted or expected for ourselves, so we have to use this week of practice and move forward.”

On travelling to Columbia this weekend:
“I think we’ll compete anywhere, whether it’s at home or away. A road environment presents another challenge, but I don’t think we’re extremely phased by that and we take pride in playing in any atmosphere.”

Junior DB Baylen Buchanan

On the veteran leadership on the team:

“It starts with knowing what to do. We have to do a better job as veterans knowing and sensing who is ready to play, and who is not. We have to get in the film room to correct it and make sure everyone is on the same page.”

On responding to Pruitt’s challenge:

“I know some guys got in there yesterday and already started on South Carolina. The players are watching the game as a group this week. We have to watch the film, we have to watch the mistakes we made, learn from it and move on.”

On playing the STAR position:

“I feel like I am getting more comfortable each week. Each game I feel like I’m working on a different piece of my game. I feel like I am getting more comfortable blitzing. I feel like I’m getting more physical, and that is an aspect of my game I have been wanting to work on, especially moving back inside.”

Senior DE Kyle Phillips

On the South Carolina series:

“It’s definitely a competitive game each and every time I’ve been here. It’s been down to the last possession. We know each other a lot and we’ve pretty much gained a rivalry with them. We always know when we play South Carolina it’s going to be a tough game.”

On defensive line’s role:

“The game starts up front, so when we’re doing well, our team does well. The team feeds off of what we do, so when we play well, everybody else does pretty well. So, we have to make sure we start off really good Saturday, and it starts this week in practice.”

On his mindset heading into his last five regular-season games as a senior:

“It’s my job to give my all and help my team as well. As I go into these next five games, I just want to take it one game at a time. Every week is a new season, so we have to focus on getting better every day, and hopefully we will be able to win Saturday.”