RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz, graduate quarterback Austin Kendall and senior linebacker Trey Baldwin spoke with the media ahead of LA Tech's home-opener against Southeastern on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 6 p.m. CT at Joe Aillet Stadium.
 
On the Mississippi State game:
"It's a first game. I always say in a first game you learn an awful lot about your football team. I was really proud of the way this group of guys came together. We've talked a lot in the offseason about the number of additions we made to this team and how we all needed to be on the same page and pulling the rope in the same direction. I was really proud of the way they've come together. Proud of the way they competed. Their effort. Just all the intangible things you talk about on game day. I couldn't be more proud of the effort they put forth. Unfortunately, as exciting as it was and as fun it was and the wave of emotions from being down to then being up to ending up losing the game and then having the opportunity at the end to win it, it certainly was a game that had a huge range of emotions in it. I'm really proud of the way the team came back from being down 14 points early. We started slow offensively. In our first four or five plays we had two turnovers. We were down 14-0, but nobody flinched. Nobody panicked. They just kept playing the game and ended up with a 34-14 lead. There in the fourth quarter, unfortunately, we stopped turning the ball over offensively but we had two breakdowns on special teams with a 20-yard punt and a long kickoff return which put them on a short field and they scored 21 points in the fourth quarter and we weren't able to overcome it in the end. Him missing that kick never even entered my mind that that was a possibility. I just have great confidence and trust in Jacob (Barnes). You look at the success that he's had and the accuracy he has. When we got that first down, the ball was on the 30-yard line and we were in his range. I felt really good about it. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a low kick with some penetration and they got a finger on it. It doesn't diminish or take away from the excitement I have about this football team right now. I always tell them you have 24 hours to mourn and 24 hours to celebrate. I need to heed my own advice because this one is going to be hard to get over, but we have to."
 
"We go back to practice today. We have a great challenge. We're excited to have the opportunity to come home to Joe Aillet Stadium and play our first game in 2021 in Joe Aillet Stadium. We're excited to see the student body and the home crowd and have the opportunity to create some excitement and some energy in The Joe this weekend."
 
On Southeastern:
"I'm really excited to have the opportunity to come back home. I'm excited to watch this team play another week. To see the growth we can make as a football team. To see how we handle this week of practice coming off a very difficult, emotional loss and can we put that behind us and get ready to play. We have a very talented team coming in here. I know some people may look at and say, 'Well, it's a FCS opponent.' But, it's not your typical FCS opponent. Obviously, there's a lot of things that run into this game when you start talking about a team that's in the state. You start talking about the ties where many of our players played with their players or played against their players or played in all-star games with their players. There's a geographical rivalry that goes along with this that is going to bring out the best in everybody. I look at this team that is ranked No. 13 in the country. I know Frank Scelfo's background. He was here at Louisiana Tech and knows a lot about this. He has two coaches on his staff who both played here at Louisiana Tech. They've got a very, very talented football team. This is not going to be an easy game by any means. They have what is the equivalent to the Heisman Trophy winner in the Walter Payton Award. Cole Kelley won the Walter Payton Award a year ago and is the best player in FCS football. He's surrounded by some great weapons at wide receiver and four returning offensive linemen. All four were first, second or third team all-conference. They have two preseason all-conference kickers in a kicker and punter. Their defense is much improved from where it was a year ago. They have a lot more size inside. They're doing a great job. It's going to be a great football game. I'm really looking forward to it, but even more so having the opportunity to come back home. We haven't really played in what we know as The Joe and the atmosphere it created in Joe Aillet Stadium by a full student section and by our fan base having the opportunity to come out. This is a three-game homestand. It's going to start with Southeastern and then SMU and then North Texas. It's supposed to be a beautiful day. About 90 degrees at kickoff at 6 o'clock. It ought to be a great day for football. The sun will be down. To the students and the fan base, we encourage you to come out to the stadium this Saturday at o'clock because it's a great venue and, obviously, a great football game between two in-state teams."