Postgame Quotes: Mississippi State Student-Athletes (Nov. 23)

Mississippi State vs. Abilene Christian
Mississippi State Student-Athlete Quotes
November 23, 2019 | Davis Wade Stadium

Offensive Student-Athletes

QB Tommy Stevens
Q: Do you think you all got out of the game what you wanted to get out of it?
TS: "Yeah, we won. That's obviously the number one goal and we won the game. Obviously, there's a lot of things we need to clean up though. We won the game and put up a lot of points, but there's a lot in the film room we need to get better off of though. All in all, it was a good team win. I'm ready for the next one."

Q: Coach said it was a matter of execution to get rolling early on, what were you seeing there?
TS: "I agree. It starts with me and some throws I could have put in better places for the guys to make plays on. Ultimately, I have to get our guys the chance to make plays. I'll take the blame for that one. Like I said, we're going to learn from it tomorrow and get moving on this short week."

Q: Your new to the Egg Bowl, have your teammates told you what to expect?
TS: "Yeah. It's definitely been talked about a lot since I've gotten here, [in. regards to] the expectation and all of that. It's definitely something I've been looking forward to and we're going to have to bring it."

Q: For the guys that are from Mississippi, what have they told you to get you hyped up?
TS: "The people that live in the state of Mississippi know how important the game is…It's different to the people in Mississippi. It's obviously a really, really big deal and I've accepted that message and taken it as if I was from Mississippi because I know that it means everything to my teammates. At the end of the day, we just want to win the game."

RB Kylin Hill
Q: You talked about how you adjusted your running style, how much do you feel like that worked for you tonight?
KH: "A lot. Teams previously have stacked the box, so I can't be back there making too many moves. I have to be decisive, see the hole, hit it and get what I can get."

Q: How do you feel like the offense performed?
KH: "Pretty well, but it can be better. It can always be better, even from a win. We're just going to go over the tape and see what we can improve."

Q: How much is the way that Tommy [Stevens] has been running the ball opened things for you?
KH: "A whole lot, teams are not trying to let me get to the edge. They're all flowing to me, so it opens opportunity and time to capitalize on that which is amazing."

Q: With a bowl game riding on this game on Thanksgiving [Egg Bowl], what's the mindset in the locker room?
KH: "I'm ready. I'm locked in and focused. I know what it means."

Q: "What have you told some of the guys who haven't been in an Egg Bowl yet?
KH: "I've already told the young guys that this week is one of the weeks that you can't play around with. This is basically the Super Bowl for us or a championship for us. It's a big rivalry that we've got to take it to the field."

Defensive Student-Athletes

S Fred Peters
Q: How did it feel playing tonight?
FP: "It felt great. I just had an opportunity, then I went out there and just played my best. I got my first opportunity to get out there for real, and I just gave it my all."

Q: How much of a confidence boost does it give the defense to have everyone back next week?
FP: "It will boost a lot of confidence. We will have everyone back on a defensive position, pretty much. But I believe we will come out ready to play."

Q: What was said in the locker room in preparation for next game?
FP: "The coaches just came in after the game and said, 'keep your head on straight, and come in and work tomorrow.'"

S Shawn Preston Jr.
Q: What was the defensive game plan going into this game?
SP: "Coach [Bob] Shoop gave us a game plan. He wanted, for this game, for people to make plays. He wanted us to come out big, buildup pressure, get a couple sacks and get a couple turnovers. We did that tonight, so that was a positive."

Q: How was the communication on the defense?
SP: "It was different. I mean, as the game went on, you know, because it was my first career start, so I guess I had a couple first-game jitters. I mean, it was pretty good. We got the car around. Yeah, it was good."

Q: How much of a confidence boost does it give the defense to have everyone back next week?
SP: "It's definitely a big confidence boost. Like Coach Shoop said, we got all our bullets from the chamber. We're locked and loaded. It's going to be a good game. It's senior day for the seniors. That's definitely something to look forward too. Of course, the Egg Bowl, and of course, we are trying to get the Egg Bowl trophy back to Starkville."

CB Martin Emerson
Q: What has the change in the lineup been like for the defense?
ME: "Next man up, mentality, so it hasn't been hard, really. Just communicate, and as long as we're on the same page, and play together, we should be good."

Q: What are you expecting to see from the Egg Bowl?
ME: "I know it's a big rivalry. Growing up, I know I'm out of state, but I knew about the Egg Bowl. You know, Mississippi State and Ole Miss, I know it's a big rivalry. I'm proud to be a part of it, and I'm proud to be at Mississippi State. We'll go out and play."

Q: How quickly can you get ready for the next game?
ME: "It's a quick turnaround, so we will take care of our bodies tomorrow, watch film, and have to put ourselves in a great position. We have to watch a lot of film and just buy into what the coaches say because we have a quick turnaround. Everything will be faster, so we have to prepare quicker."

Mississippi State University Athletics

Postgame Quotes: Mississippi State Student-Athletes (Nov. 23)

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Players Mentioned

Martin Emerson

Kylin Hill

Fred Peters

Shawn Preston Jr.

Tommy Stevens

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