RUSTON – Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Cumbie and select players spoke with the media on Tuesday in advance of the Bulldogs' matchup at UTEP on Friday at 8 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.

Sonny Cumbie


Opening Statement…
"Well, football team, we're looking forward to getting back in the Conference USA play this week on the road against UTEP in a great venue in the Sun Bowl. Looking back on last week's game I think there were a lot opportunities that we missed as a football team, to possibly take control of the game in a harsh environment on the road. I was proud once again of the team and our effort and competitiveness they showed. I think there were far too many mistakes on all three sides of the football for us to have a chance to win the game. It will be no different this week in opponent in UTEP. I know both teams are looking forward to get back in conference play it's going to be a Friday night game. I think if the atmosphere in the Sun Bowl, I think it's one of the most historic stadiums there is in particular in the state of Texas. It is a great venue they have a good fan base; they are one of the leading attendance getters in the Conference USA. I know it's going to be a great crowd, Coach Dimel has done a good job with his program over the course of years. He has been very consistent and they are a tough football team. The teams they have played in non-conference if overall look at it they are fourteen and six in terms of teams they have lost to. Their record is very deceiving in terms of the type of football that they are because they have played some really good teams. They played Northwestern who we saw beat Minnesota this week. They played UNLV who is playing some really good football right now at 3-1. The teams that they have gone on the road and lost to are really good football teams. I know every time you step into conference teams are very familiar with each other so it's going to be a great challenge for our football team."

On pass protection carrying over from the Nebraska game…
"I think there was attention to detail in terms of our pass pro. I think our guys were dialed in, in terms of what we had called. I think that game plan, we were able to change up some looks for the defensive line and we knew that was going to be one of their advantages was the defensive line. How do you neutralize what the other team is good at? We tried to put a game plan together to do that. Our guys up front did a very good job of executing it. Everyone was involved because you had running backs who were playing and picking up blitzes for the first time in their career. They were doing it against one of the top defenses in the country. Coach Veal did a great job of getting those guys prepared and Coach Young with the offensive line did a nice job of executing the pass pro. We got the ball out and we were able to move the pocket some. I think all those things contribute to the effort against the defensive line who is top in the country in sacking the quarterback."

On game week with a Friday game…
"These next three weeks you have to accept that they are different in terms of the schedule. We are not going to sit here and for the sake of being the same and continue to do the same thing over and over again because it's a routine game, we're just not going to bang our heads against the wall. It is very fluid; we are going to practice in the P.M. tonight and tomorrow. That way it gives our guys a lot of time to rest and it gives us as coaches ample time to break down UTEP and to get our gameplans put together. When we go out and practice that we are practicing the content that is really going to be what we call. I think from that stand it's a little bit different, I think we have been able to watch a lot of film today and yesterday over UTEP. Hopefully, our players can get their legs back. It's really whoever over these next three weeks handles practice the right way. It's really important for our players to understand the importance of walk-throughs and understand the importance of using them as practices, and how we can gain an advantage if we keyed and lock in for our walk-throughs. These next few weeks for us will be a lot similar for us to the Middle Tennessee game after the Thursday night game it will be a little bit different fortunately for us, we have a Saturday and Sunday in the middle of that."

On Jack Turner's performance on Saturday…
"Well, I think he did a good job of handling our game plan. We talked about already how I thought the protection was really good. I thought he was poised and accurate with the football. We talked about being a great communicator and he did that. I think our guys were able to make some plays and get some good matches for us. I think they were advantageous in terms of moving guys around receiver-wise. We will look to continue to do things like that. It really goes back to whoever is in there putting those guys in the best position to be successful."

On breaking road losing streak…
"We are talking about it everyday with our players in meetings. It is time for us to go on the road and win a football game. I am going to ask the guys today in our team meeting if any of them remember where they were in December of 2020 and how much time has passed. It takes an approach with a great week of preparation, great practice each day and really as we travel on the road as being locked in on the intent of what we are doing as traveling to win a football game. All of those things that we really harp on we are going to continue to talk about. We want to create an environment as coaches where are kids are the most excited team to play. We also have to execute at a high level to allow us to win a football game. That is what last week boiled down to. Whether we played it on the road, at The Joe or out on the practice fields. If we do not execute better on our three sides of football. Playing hard is the standard and requirement to play football in college. We have to execute really well. We are a better executing football team than what we showed on Saturday."

On quarterback situation…
"We are going to see how Hank (Bachmeier) throws tonight and tomorrow… We will figure out that as we go through the week."

On challenges UTEP presents…
"From a defensive line standpoint Maurice Westmoreland does a great job with his effort. He has a really good ball get off in terms of pass rushing. Tyrice Knight is one of the best linebackers in our conference. In the two years that I have been here he is all over the field. He does a great job as their defensive leader. They have another defensive lineman Keenan Stewart and then Praise Amaewhule. When you look at their defensive front and offensive front all you see is a huge volume of career starts. They have a ton of experience on their o-line and a ton of experience on their d-line. It is really important in any league and any team that you have experience in the trenches. A lot of times that is where the football game is won. They play a very physical style of defense. Coach Bradley Dale Peveto has done it a very long time and coach Matt Wallerstedt is on his staff. I know him well. They play with intensity and physicality. They are very disruptive and will challenge you in man coverage. We are going to have to be able to separate and win versus man. We are going to have to put the ball in different places and run the football well. We are going to have to stop the run. It is going to be very similar to what we saw at Nebraska in terms of what they want to do. Gavin Hardison has been starting there a long time. He is a competitive quarterback that has played a lot of football and won a lot of football games. They are a really good football team anytime we play them. In particular at home."

On using last game as confidence for conference play…
"If we use it. If we use that it is confidence. We talk about the type of football team that we wanted to build. We still are in the process. If we execute at a high-level on all four sides of the football. With the fourth side being our sideline. Having great energy and positive energy. We have a chance to be a really good football team. That is the challenge with football, is getting out there and doing that everytime we have the opportunity to play. They should draw a lot of confidence in knowing how we played. Now it is time to put that confidence to work to go out and get the results that we put the work in to get."

On running back situation…
"We will find out as we go this week with those guys as well. Tonight, and Wednesday in terms of the volume of reps that they will be able to do. Being cautiously optimistic. If they are not able to go, we will go again with Dakota (Williams), Jacob Fields and Keldric Moody and we will se how it goes as the week goes on with those other guys."

On elevation being a factor…
"We have not talked about it a lot. It is one of those things that it gets on your radar the more you talk about it. I know the dry air out there is like where I am from. The area is dryer and hopefully this time of the year it is not going to be hot. It is not going to have an impact on how we play."

On defense…
"We have to fit gaps better. The first half of the Nebraska game we did a nice job defensively against the run. In the second half we did not tackle as well and that is the thing that you look at. When we miss tackles against Anthony Grant and the backs that Nebraska had where there quarterback is basically a running back for them. If you miss a tackle it is not going to be a first down it is going to be an explosive touchdown and that is what happened. We have to tackle better and fit gaps better. Offensively, we can help by continuing to maintain drives on third down. We will have a challenge with UTEP because they have some big backs and they make no bones with how they play football also. It is going to be a four-quarter middle drill. We are going to see when we tee it up on Friday night if we are ready to tackle better and fit runs better."

Zach Zimos



On success rushing the passer at Nebraska…
"We kept the game plan pretty simple. We knew they were going to run the ball a lot. We wanted to get after the quarterback and stop of the run game. In the first half I felt like we did that but the couple of explosives definitely hurt us in the end." 

On stopping the run…
"It goes back to us practicing and trying to get a better look. Being aware of our assignments and alignment definitely help. A couple times going back and looking at the film I felt like our alignment was off. Which resulted in big plays. Those are things that we can definitely control and fix in the future to be more successful."

On complications of joining a new team…
"Nebraska was a physical football team. Being in the Big Ten they have a lot of history. It was a good environment to play in. We had some moral victories coming out of it but obviously we lost unfortunately. At the end of the day, we have to take it one game at a time. We have a big stretch coming up with a couple games in a short amount of time. We have to take it one game at a time. UTEP right now is our top priority and most important and our goal is to get a road win."
 
On Linebackers preparing for UTEP…
"As a whole, we are trying to see every picture possible during the week. Sometimes we go out there and see things that we have not seen and we end up having to adjust on the fly. Coach (Cortez) Carter and coach (Scott) Power have done a great job getting us ready for the games."

On UTEP's physicality…
"They have a veteran offensive line and a veteran quarterback with some big running backs and good skill players. At the end of the day, we have to stop the run. They are going to take their shots when they can… We have to set the tone early and see how it goes from there."

On rushing defense…
"It goes back to practicing and trying to see every picture we possibly can. Fitting up different looks. The film obviously… Being physical and getting off blocks and creating havoc in the backfield will definitely stop explosive runs."

On upcoming schedule…
"We are trying to take it one game at a time. We have to take care of our bodies and we have school as well. We are student-athletes so we are trying to knock out as much work as we can before the week happens. Taking care of our body is the most important from a mental aspect and physical aspects. Our trainers do a great job and we are appreciative of them. It is fun that we get to play three games in short amount of time. I have not played anything like that in my college career so I am looking forward to it."

On preparing mentally…
"We are going to be practicing in the afternoon these next couple of days. It is mountain time there so it will be an hour different. I have been going to bed at 9 a.m. during the week because we wake up so early. It is going to be an adjustment. Nothing too crazy we play the majority of our games in the afternoon besides SMU. It should not be too big of an adjustment. Prime time under the lights on Friday. National television. We are looking forward to it and trying to make the most of each opportunity."

Jayden Gray


On defensive line…
"Going into Nebraska we added a couple guys to the travel roster. Everyone honed into the details during practice and that was the most depth that we have had all season."

On preparing for the upcoming stretch of schedule…
"I have never experienced anything like this in my entire football career. Playing this many games in a short week. Preparation for us is big. Especially being a defensive line in the trenches and taking care of our body and what we need to do off the field. We need to focus on the playbook and all the things that we need to take care of on Friday this week."

On improvement on third downs defensively…
"Getting off the field. Coach (Scott) Power always has an emphasis on what we need to do on third down. We have to tackle better and keep getting pressure on the quarterback. Personally as defensive lineman, working on my pass rush this week to get some sacks and get the quarterback down and in his face to make those throws harder for him."

On the UTEP offense…
"Physicality and the veteran leadership they have. I am pretty sure four of their five linemen are seniors. The biggest thing for us being young and new is gelling together. That is the biggest thing with their guys being together for two-three years."

Abraham Delfin


On winning on the road this week…
"It is just getting down to focusing. Not having won a game awhile on the road has been tough. We just have to get down to it. This team is different in the sense that we have a fight in us that I have not seen in us before. The FIU game and how we fought back over the last games we are reaching the point where I think we can get a win on the road this week."

On the run game coming alive…
"I have played in a couple Friday games. It is a quick turnaround. You lose a day and you have to take extra time during the week. You kind of lose the routine of what you do during the week because you have to bump up everything a little bit."

On not allowing a sack against Nebraska…
"We want to keep gelling together. Communication is the biggest part of pass protection. As long as we can keep that up and keep moving forward I think we can continue to improve our pass protection as the season goes on."

On quarterback Jack Turner handling the environment at Nebraska…
"He handled it really well. I liked the way he communicated back there. In an environment like Nebraska communication is the biggest part. The way he handled everything was great."

On breaking a road losing streak…
"Just to never give up. We have been in a couple of close games. One went our way and one did not. It shows that no matter where we are in a game we always have to fight and something to finish. That would help us get a lot of confidence going forward in conference."

On different running backs affecting offensive line play…
"It matters a little bit with consistency because every player has a different style. At the same time, we have same plays and they are taught the same way. It keeps the continuity between the running backs but at the same time each player has their own style."

On Friday's matchup…
"They have a really good defensive line and their linebackers are really good. They move well and get to the ball really fast. They move sideline to sideline. The defensive line group has really good get off guys. It will be really important to make sure that we are on top of everything."