Postgame Quotes From App State's Win vs. Troy

Appalachian State 21, Troy 10
Nov. 24, 2018 | Boone, N.C. | Kidd Brewer Stadium
 
Appalachian State head coach Scott Satterfield
 
Opening Statement:
"First of all, give a lot of credit to Troy and how Neal (Brown) has run that program. They've done a great job over the years, so we have the ultimate respect for those guys and their program. Our kids came out and had a great week of preparation, and they've done it the past few weeks. They had a business-minded approach and came out and played really good in the first half. Our first half was really good, offensively and defensively. In the second half, we were sloppy on offense with penalties and dropped balls, which hurt us. The defense continued to play, and they've been solid all season long with the way they've stopped guys and kept them out of the end zone, so I'm really proud of them. To be able to host the first Sun Belt Championship game, what an honor. We've done a lot of firsts here at Appalachian State in our program, and now we're adding to it. We're very excited about that, and I understand that we play Louisiana. We have to come back and host Louisiana and have another great week of preparation."
 
On stopping the run in today's game:
"Our defense is one of best run defenses out there. We do a great job stopping the run, and that is our No. 1 goal. We knew if we could make them one-dimensional today that we would have a chance. If you've looked at what they've done the last three weeks, they've tried to run the football and take some short throws here and there. We wanted to cut that run out, and our guys did a great job with that. Just fitting the gaps, that's really what it comes down to. We have a very aggressive D-line, and our four linebackers were fitting those gaps correctly to shut that run down and make them one-dimensional. It's hard to throw the football when you're one-dimensional like that. Our goal offensively was to try to get over 200 yards, and I see that we finished at 201 against a really good run-stopping defense. They may have been No. 1 in run defense, so for us to come in here and outrush them 201-62, that's a big difference in that football game. That's one of the reasons we were able to win the game."
 
On the senior class and their impact on the program:
"This group is extremely special because they've been here four and five years and have been through a lot. They ushered us into the transition. For them, what they've been able to do and been able to accomplish an opportunity to go win three straight Sun Belt Championships, go to four straight bowls and be one of the winningest classes we've had here, is tremendous. We have a saying here, 'Only the strong survive' because when you're a freshman and come in here you may have 25 or 30 and by the end you have 12 or 13. It happens every year. I remember we had over 50 my freshman year in 1991, and there were only seven of us left in 1995. It's a hard sport. It's what I was talking to Neal about pregame. This is a hard sport, and every day you're getting hit on, then you have to go to class and then you come back and get hit on more. So, it wears on guys over a period of time, but the guys who stick it out and make it through those sticking points, I love those guys. We have some guys in the locker room right now – Kennan Gilchrist and John Law – these guys are coming back. Last week, we had Ronald Blair. They're welcome to come back any time and they love it because they know what these guys have been through. That's what makes this a special spot and it's why I love it.
 
On playing in big games/moments:
"We love and embrace these moments for an opportunity to do something special. That team there had won 13 straight Sun Belt games, so for them to come in here and for us to beat them like that, that was special. Next week, Louisiana will be coming back here. They're a team we beat not too long ago, so I'm sure they're going to be eager and hungry to come back in here. For us, in our locker room, I did not know who had won (the other game) yet, and they said it didn't matter. They're just ready to play because we know what we're playing for. We always focus on ourselves and each other. If we worry about how much better we can get and our assignment and our guys doing our job, then it really doesn't matter who we play. We know what's riding on this, the last game here at Kidd Brewer this year is for a Sun Belt Championship, and we're excited for it."
 
Troy head coach Neal Brown
 
Opening statement:
"Tough defeat. To come here and play as hard as we did and come out on the short end, it's disappointing. I'm proud of the guys we've got in the locker room. I don't need a trophy to tell me that we're champions. We're 7-1 and finishing the regular season at 9-3. With all the adversity we've been through, with as many games that we've won over the last few of years, I'm proud of the guys and I'm proud of our staff. We competed hard. We just didn't get it done. I thought we did not come out, for whatever reason, of the locker room fast. They were able to jump out and get two touchdowns on really short fields. Short fields, and they capitalized on that. I thought that our defense was lights out really for two and half quarters. That's a good football team, and offensively we just really struggled to get anything going. You know, they're in the top 10 in the country on defense for a reason. I don't know if we had an explosive play the whole day. We tried and just didn't. You know, we had a couple of people that were wide open and couldn't protect them, and when we were protected we couldn't get open. It's tough sledding running the ball. They got numbers in the box the whole day. And at the end of the day, you can't turn the ball over, and we did at least once. So, I thought special teams held in there by making big plays. I thought we did some decent things, but disappointing outcome and proud of how are guys competed."
 
On App State's early offense
"You know, two of those touchdowns were short fields. They came out and were aggressive throwing the football. They've been a primarily running football team, and they threw the football. We blew and had some missed assignments, and they got us. Their kids made plays, and No. 2 is a player. Their quarterback is a good player, and they did a good job protecting him early. They jumped out, but I thought we rebounded. I thought our coaches made some good adjustments. Our guys came back and we played with our hair on fire really for the last two and half quarters defensively."
 
Appalachian State defensive lineman/special teams player Caleb Spurlin
 
On his forced fumble/fumble recovery on a fake punt
"I had the shield (man), and I saw immediately it was a fake to a pass. I knew I didn't have anybody in coverage, so I was trying to chase the ball. I saw the ball there, so see ball, get ball. I knew I had it while I was still standing up."
 
Appalachian State safety Austin Exford
 
On his forced fumble
"He was carrying the ball a little loose, and there were a lot of defenders around him, so I was able to just rip it out. It definitely kept the momentum rolling. We got off to a hot start offensively and defensively. That forced fumble just kept the ball rolling."
 
Appalachian State running back Darrynton Evans
 
On big plays
"As long as the offensive line does their job up front and Zac (Thomas) and the running backs do our job, we feel like we can bust out any play for any yardage if we need to."
 
On playing in the first Sun Belt Championship Game
"It's the inaugural game, so it's like a 'make a statement' game for both sides, the East and the West going on into history."
 
Appalachian State outside linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither
 
On his game-high 14 tackles and the defensive performance
"Our defensive line played outstanding because I don't think there was one time where an offensive lineman climbed up to block me or an inside linebacker, so that was key. We had no mental errors to where a linebacker was out of their gaps besides one time, so everyone was reading their keys and playing hard. That was the key to stopping their run."
 
Appalachian State receiver Corey Sutton
 
On his two-touchdown first half
"In the first half, there was really good play-calling. Between me and Zac, we're always going to do what we have to do to get open and make plays."
 
Appalachian State cornerback Clifton Duck
 
On App State's success in making the FCS-to-FBS transition
"It's definitely mind-blowing, for guys like me specifically with one offer. App being the great place it is took a chance on me, but if people were here to see the team, it's not a surprise. We put guys on the wall that pave the way, and we have guys like this man right here (Akeem Davis-Gaither) who had 14 tackles. You look at them playing with passion and love for the game, and that's just how this team is. We go so hard for the man beside us and not just yourself, so it's mind-blowing, but not a surprise."