University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Interim Head Coach Reed Stringer Media Availability – The Troy Game
11/26/2024 11:17:00 AM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss interim football coach Reed Stringer spoke with members of the media following practice on Tuesday, Nov. 26, and discussed the program's final game of the season at Troy.
The Golden Eagles (1-10, 0-7) take on the Trojans (3-7, 2-5) for the for the 14th time with Southern Miss holding an 8-5 advantage in the series. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT on Saturday, Nov 30, at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy. Fans can take in the broadcast on ESPN+ or tune in to Rock 104.5 FM, Southern Miss' Flagship Station, to hear the Voice of the Golden Eagles, John Cox, and Lee Roberts on the Southern Miss Sports Network radio broadcast.
Here is what Stringer said to the media:
On the Mindset Going into the Last Game of the Season:
"We are playing for pride right now. We have been playing a little bit better, a little bit smarter, a little bit cleaner, but it still has not been good enough. I do see improvement and I told the guys 'as long as you keep playing hard and playing for each other, good things are going to start happening for us.' We are excited about this opportunity.
They are going to get a little bit of time off for Thanksgiving and maybe get a chance to refresh there and take a lit bit off their legs in practice. Just want a fresh team, an excited team to go play. That is what these games are about. We had a good practice today and I know that we will come back tomorrow and do the same thing as we are excited about playing this weekend."
On the Plan for Thanksgiving:
"We will have a Thanksgiving meal Thursday right after practice and then we will let them go. We are going to let the non-travel go and they will not have to come back on Friday. And then our guys that live within an hour or an hour and a half, if they want to try to get home with the family we are going to let them do that and take some guys with them so that everybody can enjoy Thanksgiving together. We will get back at 10 o'clock Friday morning for our meetings, get a little practice in and then get on the bus and head to Troy."
On What He Expects from Troy:
"They are a much-improved football team. They are year one of their program and they have been building all year. They had a lot of inconsistencies of who their starters were, especially up front on the O-line for the first couple of games. They have played the same guys over the last couple of weeks and you can tell that they are getting better. It is a typical first year of a program that kind of reminds me of us in 2021 and how we started playing better towards the end of the year. They have a good squad. A lot of those guys have been a part of the two previous championship teams at Troy so they know how to win. They are very well coached and it is going to be a really big challenge. We are us going to keep preparing ourselves and worry about us hopefully play a good game."
On what he will take away from this interim coach experience:
"It has been a unique experience, but I have enjoyed it. I have enjoyed trying to put a little bit of my influence on how these kids play and act, and what we are doing schematically. I couldn't really change a lot seven games into the season and I didn't want to do that. I have stuck to who I am and have tried to be as consistent as I can be and keep my messaging very consistent with everybody – players, coaches, staff. It's not fun losing. It's never fun losing, especially here at Southern Miss. We are not supposed to lose here at Southern Miss, but I see the future coming. I see the young players, the fact that our players didn't quit. They keep fighting, they keep playing hard, so the future is bright. That is what that is exciting about it. From the very beginning, all I have wanted to do is pass on a program to a new coach who is something that we can be proud of that we are passing to him and that he can take an be appreciate of what we did. And I think we have done that."
The Golden Eagles (1-10, 0-7) take on the Trojans (3-7, 2-5) for the for the 14th time with Southern Miss holding an 8-5 advantage in the series. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT on Saturday, Nov 30, at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy. Fans can take in the broadcast on ESPN+ or tune in to Rock 104.5 FM, Southern Miss' Flagship Station, to hear the Voice of the Golden Eagles, John Cox, and Lee Roberts on the Southern Miss Sports Network radio broadcast.
Here is what Stringer said to the media:
On the Mindset Going into the Last Game of the Season:
"We are playing for pride right now. We have been playing a little bit better, a little bit smarter, a little bit cleaner, but it still has not been good enough. I do see improvement and I told the guys 'as long as you keep playing hard and playing for each other, good things are going to start happening for us.' We are excited about this opportunity.
They are going to get a little bit of time off for Thanksgiving and maybe get a chance to refresh there and take a lit bit off their legs in practice. Just want a fresh team, an excited team to go play. That is what these games are about. We had a good practice today and I know that we will come back tomorrow and do the same thing as we are excited about playing this weekend."
On the Plan for Thanksgiving:
"We will have a Thanksgiving meal Thursday right after practice and then we will let them go. We are going to let the non-travel go and they will not have to come back on Friday. And then our guys that live within an hour or an hour and a half, if they want to try to get home with the family we are going to let them do that and take some guys with them so that everybody can enjoy Thanksgiving together. We will get back at 10 o'clock Friday morning for our meetings, get a little practice in and then get on the bus and head to Troy."
On What He Expects from Troy:
"They are a much-improved football team. They are year one of their program and they have been building all year. They had a lot of inconsistencies of who their starters were, especially up front on the O-line for the first couple of games. They have played the same guys over the last couple of weeks and you can tell that they are getting better. It is a typical first year of a program that kind of reminds me of us in 2021 and how we started playing better towards the end of the year. They have a good squad. A lot of those guys have been a part of the two previous championship teams at Troy so they know how to win. They are very well coached and it is going to be a really big challenge. We are us going to keep preparing ourselves and worry about us hopefully play a good game."
On what he will take away from this interim coach experience:
"It has been a unique experience, but I have enjoyed it. I have enjoyed trying to put a little bit of my influence on how these kids play and act, and what we are doing schematically. I couldn't really change a lot seven games into the season and I didn't want to do that. I have stuck to who I am and have tried to be as consistent as I can be and keep my messaging very consistent with everybody – players, coaches, staff. It's not fun losing. It's never fun losing, especially here at Southern Miss. We are not supposed to lose here at Southern Miss, but I see the future coming. I see the young players, the fact that our players didn't quit. They keep fighting, they keep playing hard, so the future is bright. That is what that is exciting about it. From the very beginning, all I have wanted to do is pass on a program to a new coach who is something that we can be proud of that we are passing to him and that he can take an be appreciate of what we did. And I think we have done that."
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