Preston Stone Discusses SMU Mustangs 2024 Expectations & SMU Matchup vs. Nevada Wolf Pack

[Music] well when did Coach tell you that you got the job and getting the nod uh against Nevada uh I think last week um last week I mean I've been preparing like I'm going to be the starter since you know since I got healthy so um but it was definitely great to have that re re reaffirmation from coach Lashley and I'm ready to go you've battled to be a starter ever since you got here did this year feel any different coming off starting but also the injury or how did this maybe compare to last off season and your first offseason yeah I think um obviously anybody who breaks your leg is going to set set him back a little bit um you a little bit mentally you got to gain that confidence back through your work ethic and your preparation and you know just missing a whole spring that it takes a it takes a little bit to get the speed of the game back but um you know I think once I got healthy and once I started getting back at fall Camp it started to feel a little bit more like second nature and I think um you having dang near a whole year of playing under my belt last year definitely helped what did you learn about yourself through that injury ofs me I think just adversity makes you who you are it shows you who you are um it's very easy to have great character and to you know trust in God trust in yourself when everything's going well and then you know when something like last year happens you break your leg you've been preparing to play in the championship game your whole life at the highest level um it shows you who you are and it also shows you you know who your real friends are who your real family is and I think I've had an amazing support system with me throughout this whole this whole process um really throughout my whole life and throughout College uh when the adversity did hit and so um I just couldn't be more proud of my team and how we've rallied around each other and I think we're ready to go beat Nevada coach Lashley said that he expects Kevin to still you know get some playing time as well does that change things for you and what's it like to know that you know you might be kind of sharing SNS with him and having him come in as well um I'm just going to play my game you know I think um I feel as prepared to go play a game as I ever have um you know when Kevin goes in he's going to do great there's there's no question about that he's a great player he's a great great guy so um I'm just going to do my job as best I can be as good of a leader as I can and uh get ready for the battle does the mindset change for you compared to last year where it was your first time you know really being the starter the guy and and doing all those things and now you got all your receivers back you've got so much continuity around you is it a little bit more settling in a sense or is it 100% 100% I think I really feel like my confidence is at an all-time high playing right now um you know I feel more stable in the pocket I feel like I have more chemistry with this receiver group than I've ever had um so you know I feel I have a ton of confidence in myself a ton of confidence in my team and I have no doubt that we're ready can you tell where this team is versus since last year at this point in time going in to the season and how confident are you that you'll make a nice run like you did last year well there's no question that we have more Talent than we've ever had since I've been here um and that comes from the younger guys that have developed and have done really well you know I think you know we've got a ton of transfers but there's also guys like you know Ahad Moses it's just year three for him he's one of the best players we have on defense he's not a transfer will Nettles has been really great um you know Derek McFall a freshman coming in he's going to be really well so um I think we're we're as prepared as we can be and I feel like I have a ton of confidence in our team right now does it help going up against this defense every every day oh 100% D I'm I look at Elijah Roberts every day and I just go dude I'm so happy I don't have to play against you um you know when Saturdays comes you you you have that Fearless mindset you don't want to you don't want to have any hesitation any sort of fear going against anybody but out here you know I get to look at those guys and I'm just like I feel bad for the other team quarterback what are your thoughts on the that heading into this week uh they're a great team you know I think I remember what it was like our first game uh with a new head coach with Coach Lashley you know we we came out with guns blazing we were you a lot of energy a lot of fun so I expect the same thing from those guys and that is a great program and um but at the same time I have a ton of confidence in us you know I think whether it's Nevada hcu BYU whoever you play the rest of the year if we show up and execute our game there's there's not a team that can beat us I truly believe that what's it like working behind that offensive line watching Jo with the front row seat as he's kind of developed into that Center and and some of those other spots solidified yeah um our o line is great I think um you know we have a ton of talent a lot of guys that have come in this year a lot of guys returning Logan Jo um Sparks is going to be great um you know I think when in the past few years like especially last year you we had Marcus Bryant and hin they were like the Twin Towers like 68 guys on the at tackle spots um and we may not have those 68 guys but I think this is like the nastiest o line we've had since I've been here like those guys really just want to put their head down and go hit somebody so that jacks me up that gives me a ton of confidence and I I feel really confident in our o line right now do you sense the overall confidence boost that that you have with the rest of the team too you guys talk about it defitely definitely you know I think um um you know coming off a championship last year it's something that um we're definitely proud of but it's not something that we're hanging our hat on you know um you can you can feel the energy you can feel the preparation and all the work we've done for the past eight months or so to get ready for the Saturday and um you know I think there's going to be a lot of fireworks on Saturday it's going to be fun awesome thanks PR see you guys thanks [Music] oh