OVC Football Media Day Central

PHOTO GALLERY - By Sam Jordan 

Quotes from TSU's Ohio Valley Conference Football Media Day attendees

Head Coach Rod Reed“It’s been really exciting to be at Tennessee State University to try to carry on the legacy. Our next step is to try to win the Ohio Valley Conference Championship. We’ve done all but that at Tennessee State. We’re really excited about the challenge.”
- On entering his ninth season as TSU’s Head Coach

 “We play an HBCU schedule, and that’s our heritage. We wouldn’t have it any other way. It just works out this year that we’re going to play a bunch of road games. We’ve got to be road warriors. Our kids are up for the challenge. The lines are the same on all of those fields. You’ve just got to travel.”
- On playing six-consecutive road games

“We’re always going to be okay on defense. We’ve made some moves on defense to get some guys in. We’ve got a couple JUCO guys coming in on the defensive line. Mekhi Brown transferred in from Alabama. We feel pretty good about that position. Blair Edwards is a linebacker that played our ‘WIL’ last year. He’s back for his senior campaign. Also, Christion Abercrombie is a guy that we’re really high on. He transferred in from Illinois. He’s a kid out of Atlanta that we recruited out of high school. We’re excited about those guys. James Green was a kid that played as a freshman at the ‘SAM’ so he does have some experience at the linebacker spot. Terry Straughter is a kid out of Miami that got here, he was a spring enrollee that had a good spring. I think that one that could be a surprise is Jahsun Bryant out of Cane Ridge. We think he’s going to mature quickly. He definitely has the athletic ability to come in and play as a freshman. We just need to see how quick he can catch on to the defensive scheme.”
- On the defense

“It’s going to be a competition. Those guys battled all spring. I saw good things out of both of those guys. One of the good things is when you have two good players at a position, it brings the best out of them. Those guys are competing really hard. What I’ve seen from Mike (Hughes) this season is that he’s taking a more cerebral approach to the game. He’s studying a lot of film, and I think in addition to his talent, that will bode well for him. Demry (Croft) is a really athletic kid. He showed in the spring that he has a big arm just like Mike. It’s going to be great going into a season with multiple quarterbacks that are very capable of winning game for you.”
- On quarterbacks Micheal Hughes and Demry Croft

“We need to get the ball to (Steven Newbold) as much as possible. When Steve gets the ball in his hands, he makes plays. We will try to do that. We have some other weapons. Treon Harris is moving to receiver. Major Bellamy is a junior college kid from Georgia Military. He’s very explosive. DeVon Johnson, Chris Rowland – so we have some weapons and we need to use all of them.”
- On Steven Newbold and the receivers

 Steven Newbold

“I chose Tennessee State, because when I went there, I liked the energy. The coaches showed me a lot of love. I just liked the environment. I never thought that I’d be in Tennessee growing up. It’s pretty nice. I’d never seen snow before. I saw here, so it’s pretty cool.”
- On his decision to attend Tennessee State

“It’s a lot of fun, especially the John Merritt Classic. You never know who you’re going to play. The environment there, it’s just so exciting. Everyone’s coming out to have a good time and the game is good. It’s a really good atmosphere.”
- On playing in Classic Games

“There’s a big chip on our shoulder. To be picked number six, we’ve got a chip on our shoulder because we’ve got something to fight for.”
- On being selected sixth in the OVC preseason poll

“I’m a playmaker. I’ve been making plays since I was little. If you go look up any of my film, you’ll see me making plays. It’s nothing new.”
- On his big-play ability

“This summer I can see it. This team we have this year - we are one. We almost do everything together. I can tell that this year, we’ll be one team, one unit.”
- On how the team is coming together

 LaQuarius Cook

“Today has been fun. I’ve met a lot of people, and I’ve been introduced to a lot of new people. When you first step up for your first question, it’s a little nerve racking, but after a couple of questions, it was good.” 
- On how Media Day went

“That just comes with not being complacent. We need to always want more no matter how well we start the season, we have to always want more. We can’t settle for just a couple wins. Just keep on going up.”
- On finishing the season strong after a fast start

“Of course I’d love to get an OVC Championship before I leave. As a senior, I need to instill in our guys, finish. No matter what. We’ve lost some close games, and we just need to finish better. If we do that, we should be pretty good.”
- On what message he can give as a senior

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS