Bobby Wilder, Tennessee Tech (Week 1 - 8/27/24)

Tennessee Tech head coach Bobby Wilder first game with the golden eagles will be this weekend when they take on Middle Tennessee a longtime rival dating back to an Mt issue was in the OBC so coach how about some general thoughts on your team and then we'll go into some questions I'm very excited with with where we've come from the last 10 months through um the players that returned the uh players that joined our team we we've got a really good mix feel good about the development right now now Kyle everything is about the process it's about implementing our aim high philosophy it's about getting the players focused on the process of winning um we're still learning a lot about each other obviously it's tough when your first game and your new program you got to play up to an FBS but that's you know the hand we've been dealt we got to deal with um biggest question on everybody's mind is the quarterback situation which uh we've got a competition there feel good about both the players Jordan Potts has experienced from last year he played as a a true freshman um you know had some some good performances last year he's had a a good camp he's he's very Dynamic Kyle he's got the ability to throw from the pocket we'll do more with him in movement because he runs so well he's such a good athlete it's like having a you know a running back at at the quarterback position and then Dylan liel uh quarterback that joined us uh in January is more of that pocket guy excuse me really good really good arm Talent throws the ball well so both guys are going to play both guys bring something different uh to our offense they allow us to be dynamic in different ways with what we're doing they make it a little bit tougher on the defense so that's been really good um bigas and Kyle is just trying to get healthy um we've been so banged up and Camp to the point where we had to we had to cut some practices out and just do some special things that are about health and uh and rehab and you know that part of it's been a challenge because we had to change what we were doing practice-wise so we're we're working to get back healthy and and working to put ourselves in a good position for the opener anybody's got a question for coaching just let me know down the chat and I will call on you and then you can unmute yourself um coach so what's you've been at other stops what's the first game at a new school like as the head coach it's always it's exciting there's a newness to it there's an excitement level here on campus and all the credit goes to to president oldum and the direction he has set with what he wants to happen um with the football program as you know Kyle the fan base here has been they've been loyal they've been overly patient uh there hasn't been winning teams here uh really in the last 12 years since 2011 when Watson Brown was the head coach and they won the the championship and went to the playoffs is um has been some some difficult Seasons here and and that had to be met from an Administration T standpoint the support what the program needed they've done that so there's a there's an excitement level uh it's been non-stop every day for 10 months with trying to implement the aim high philosophy and what we need to be successful as Tech so I feel really good about the stability of the program and the direction we're moving in um tell us a little bit about your opponent just what you've seen from them and what you expect to see from them this weekend yeah really this is really interesting the the first game now Kyle in college football with the transfer portal there's so much newness you know coach Mason's team at middle is not unlike our team at Tech from the standpoint of you've got so many new faces and when you have coaching changes there's new staff members So you you're trying to figure out who that other team is and and what they're going to be so there'll be that that feeling out process in the first quarter you know what what are both teams doing with their systems on special teams defense offense um I've always been impressed with with middle coached against them and Conference USA I've been impressed with the players that they have as you know Middle's always played a a difficult schedule they you know they play the Alabam of the world the Missouri of the world they're playing up all the time not unlike what we're doing this year going to middle week one and Georgia week two so that makes it challenging but but middle football has always been you know the players play hard uh they play physical uh so I expect that's what we'll see Saturday night from what will be a I assume a Trad traditional middle tenee football team I know you've talked to fans and supporters uh since you've gotten there I'm going to assume they've told you that this is a rival that they like to play dating back to the old days because it was when they were in the league it was a it was a heated robberry yeah it was really interesting uh Thomas coer and our Sid just put out a interesting article about the history of the game and and the teams you know unfortunately with all the transformation in college football we've lost a lot of these Regional games you thinking middle Tennessee is in Murphy's Boro Tennessee Tech um we're we're we're right here close we're 90 minutes away you know the schools are so close and unfortunately when teams move up levels or make adjustments sometimes you you lose that so I'm glad we're playing this game it's it's a an important game to a lot of our alumni the history of the two schools even though middle is now bigger they're FBS we're FCS there's still some there's still some magic to being able to play teams that are that are close by and an interest for the fan base outside of win or loss or and health what what's what are you most looking forward to your team doing on Saturday and at the end the game you'll be pleased with that happen sure yeah the biggest aspect as a head coach you're looking for in week one is really three really important things number one your your organization you know the management from everybody from everybody on the sports staff for the players you want to make that as smooth as you can for the players how the game goes that transition that's always number one is is you manage all the details from travel and hotel and meetings and meals and everything you do up to the game and then how we perform on the sideline for the players that's number one number two the players ability to play as hard as they can for six seconds and then that mindset of being able to play the next play as I tell the players there's there's going to be good there's going to be some not so good and our ability to respond and then number three anytime My Philosophy is been anytime you play up when you're playing an opponent that is bigger than you is you're you're trying to put yourself in a position in the second half where you have an opportunity to win you're trying to have that ability to be in that football game get into the fourth quarter and you've got an ability to win the game so uh if I see those three things Saturday from a head coaching perspective I'll be pleased well coach we appreciate your time today best of luck this weekend and we'll talk to you at this same time next week all right you got it Kyle thanks for having me