Postgame Quotes from No. 24 App State's Win vs. Texas State

POSTGAME QUOTES
 
App State head coach Eliah Drinkwitz
 
Opening Statement:
"Obviously, it's a good win. It's always good to win on Senior Day. It took us a little bit to get going. Noel Cook's interception in the third quarter was a huge momentum boost for our team. We were able to capitalize there and finish it off. I'm proud of the way our guys fought and hung in there. Defensively, we played really well except at the end of that drive right before the half. We have to eliminate that, but for the most part we played solid football."
 
On Darrynton Evans' big game and his transition to running back after being recruited as a slot receiver:
"I'm sure glad he made the transition to tailback. He's an elite tailback. He had 154 yards and three touchdowns tonight. He's well over 1,000 yards (for the season). To me, he's one of the most dynamic players in college football because of his speed and return ability, and we're very fortunate to have him. I've been blessed to be around some really good running backs, five of them have been drafted. He's right there with all of them."
 
On building relationships with all the seniors:
"It was a little bit of a 'feel it out' there for a little bit. What helped was that our staff forced the issue. There were some strong bonds with the previous staff and previous coaches. When a new coach comes in and their personality is a little bit different, it takes some time. We really worked on it. I felt like it turned this summer. We did this thing called Brotherhood and Ball on Wednesdays, and I felt like we really started connecting with our guys. Then we had our Mountaineer Olympics, which is what we did in August. During fall camp, when we camped out on The Rock there was something different and it clicked for everybody."
 
On Keishawn Watson's performance on Senior Day:
"I cannot say enough positive things about Keishawn Watson and what he's done and the role he's embraced. He transferred here because he wanted to have a larger role, and Thomas (Hennigan), (Jalen) Virgil, Malik (Williams) and Corey (Sutton) have been playing really well. So, he had to become a team guy. He's been that. He's been a dirty-work guy. He's done everything we've asked him to do, and he's never once complained. He's just done everything we've asked him to do to win. For him to get a touchdown on Senior Day was so appropriate. Football knows. The game knows, and the game knew it was time to reward him. He said, 'Coach I can ball, so what's the big deal?'"
 

App State running back Darrynton Evans
 
On scoring touchdowns in the red zone:
"When you're in the red zone you want to score touchdowns instead of scoring field goals, but as long as we put up points we feel confident that we could have a good chance of coming out on top."

On the transition to running back after being recruited as a slot receiver:
"In high school I primarily played running back so I've been playing running back my whole life. It's just at times I had other people, even high school, that could play running back too, where I could move to slot. So coming in here knowing that I was playing slot at first, it wasn't too bad moving back to running back. It was just not really having enough time during camp with the injuries that came that year to where I had to really speed up the process."
 

App State offensive tackle Victor Johnson

On getting a win on Senior Day:
"It was just special getting to play with these guys. We got a fun team so any time we get to come out here and play with these guys is always fun. I'm definitely going to miss playing at The Rock, so hopefully we get one more here."


App State wide receiver Keishawn Watson

On scoring his first touchdown as a Mountaineer: 
"It's always good to get the first one, but it was easy because it was just me doing my job."

On being part of this App State team after graduating from Western Michigan:
"It's special because I had been a part of teams like this before with the undefeated team in the Cotton Bowl, and this team reminds me exactly like it, to be honest with you."
 

App State defensive tackle E.J. Scott

On the team's strong defensive effort:
"Just knowing that it was Senior Day, knowing that no play is guaranteed. I could've got hurt anytime. I just went out there and played my hardest for my seniors and myself and the rest of my team."

On his journey from Division II to App State:
"I think about my journey every day, because being a D2 player I never thought I was going to play D1 once I went D2. But things played out how they did, and I've been having fun ever since."
 

App State outside linebacker Noel Cook

On securing the momentum-swinging interception:
"It felt really good. I kind of just felt like I needed a redemption for missing the first one, so it just felt really good to go out there and provide the momentum we needed. But I have to credit that to E.J. right here because if he didn't deflect the ball then that play wouldn't have happened."

On his journey from walk-on to multi-year starter at App State:
"It means the world to me. There were times when I felt like I didn't know if I was going to make it to this day, so just being able to grind it out and seeing all the hard word that me and E.J. and all the other seniors have put in to show up on the field, it just means the world to me."


Texas State head coach Jake Spavital

On App State as a whole:
"App State is by far the most talented team in the league. We can't afford to have penalties, have turnovers, and shoot ourselves in the foot against a quality opponent like that."
 
On App State's offensive ability to pull away:
"They were running the ball well, and we wore down. That's kind of what happens to us in the second half. We do such a good job of putting our kids in good positions. The issue is our offense and three and outs. We don't milk much time, and we put the defense out there that is just going to wear down. They kept hammering us. I've always been a fan of coach Shawn Clark over the years. He does a really good job. Those kids are talented, play well together and have answers."
 
On facing a CFP ranked opponent: 
"I think what they've done here over the years, they've established a really good program. They're playing a bunch of juniors and seniors on offense and defense. They're playing a bunch of young guys on special teams, showing that they got the depth. It's a fun place to play and a lot of excitement. I know coach Drink does a good job, and I'd like to see him make a run at (a New Year's Six Bowl) because it's putting a name for the Sun Belt. I do think this is a really good league."