ja what are the things that you think that the dline just the front seven as a whole needs to do to clean up some of those some of those runs yeah I think really it's just about like what fit are we in are we blitzing you know who's supposed to fit where I think we did a pretty good job for the most part it was literally just like one guy missing a fit here one guy thinking he was fitting here just cleaning up some of those rules and then cleaning up some of those fits I think will really help us but it was it was one guy here or there there was a little bit of miscommunication amongst so that's just something that we will clean up during the bye what was it like to have you know those two interceptions where there's no splash plays really happening on offense either but to keep you in the game with Jacob and and those interceptions yeah I mean we preach turnovers we preach attacking the football um we preach playing behind the line of scrimmage so anytime you can you know Force turnovers and you know create negative plays you know that's a huge deal as a defense so that's something we spend a lot of time on and take a lot of pride in as a defense so you know credit to those guys for making huge plays you know in this game what were you seeing out of their offense that allowed them to be successful on the those fourth down attempts on the fourth down attempts yeah I mean they just they schemed up some really good things um you know give credit to them they have you know phenomenal coaches who schemed up you know some really good plays um they did some things that they hadn't shown on film before uh we had to go back and watch tiffen film for where the staff was previously at to kind of understand it like they came out in Wildcat they didn't show that last week they came out in 12p they had like two snaps at 12p last week so you know they gave us a lot of different stuff they schemed up a very good game and you you know honestly I think you got to give a lot of credit to our coaches we had a Wildcat game plan we had game plans for some of the stuff the 12-piece stuff was a little bit of a you know wrinkle that we didn't think we were going to get but we still had a plan for but you know at the end of the day you know it's those in-game adjustments and give credit to our coaches for doing a great job of making those what was the guy's reaction at halftime when the fans are booing as you're running off yeah I don't think you know we really paid any mind to it like we got in the locker room we got pretty fired up like it was more of you know what can we do better it was you know that is not our standard of football what was just put on that field for the last 30 minutes so really it was about you know inspiring each other um having each other's back in that moment and fixing what went on uh we talked about I don't think we played hard in that first half and you know that's embarrassing and that will be corrected you know through this week and through next week that will never happen again and I think that you know continuing to uphold the standard that is JMU football and the culture of that locker room is you know vitally important and you know give credit to the guys who stepped up and were local at halftime and you know got it corrected for the second half it's sort of a coaching cliche to say you know it's better to learn from a victory than than learn from a loss but what's kind of your thought on the fact that hey after everything we're talking about you did walk out of here with a win tonight yeah I mean you're two and0 but at the end of the day you know we'll come in on Monday and no matter if we win or if we lose it doesn't matter get better and you know how can we continue to get better each and every single day each week and you're going into a biwe and now it's not time to relax whatsoever it's it's not oh we don't play a game on satday we don't have to game plan you know no it's time to go like we have to go right now and I think that what happened on that field today was an absolutely great learning experience and we will use that to move forward and continue to grow this program how much could it help to have this game this early in the season where it is hardfought and maybe not exactly what you guys were expecting yeah I mean I think it's great I think it's great when you have adversity at home to a team that you might feel that you're better than I think this is is an awesome opportunity to learn from especially when you can walk away with a win in the win column you know it's not necessarily pretty but at the end of the day you still won a football game it's hard to win college football games so I don't want to lose sight of that but you know you want it to look a certain way and that was not up to the standard today and you know I think when you can learn from a win versus a loss it's pretty F it's pretty powerful but you know we talk about all the time you know mismanaged success leads to failure and well-managed failure leads to success and you know we probably had some mismanaged success this past week and you know that won't happen again but it didn't lead to a failure but there was some failures today you mentioned in the first half that wasn't the standard of J football was that just something of not taking them very seriously early on as a team or was there a different reason that you felt that you know I don't know exactly what it was I don't think you know I think there was a little bit of an effort issue at times on that field but you know I know from you know our preparation defensively this entire week that you know we took them extremely seriously we went back and watched the staff I know that our coaches had a game plan for stuff that they didn't show yet at Garder web that we knew they could run based on their previous history so the coaches and you know all of us took it uh took them extremely seriously because they have some you know FBS players on their roster they are a good FCS team and you know I think it was really just about like thinking that just because we are JMU we were going to win I think that was a mindset of a few guys but you know that will never happen again you know that uh that needs to be cleaned up going forward slightly off topic but the 20 anniversary of that National Championship team here did those guys uh talk to you or did you have any interaction with any of them or coach Matthews you know unfortunately uh we didn't get to have an interaction them but we've seen coach Matthews at practice he's uh he came and spoke to the team during the Spring and it's obviously great when you have you know one of the greatest groups to ever do it I mean there's two national champions here at JMU anytime you can bring back you know a group like that that really is the greatest to ever do it and honor them it's pretty powerful and you know it really exemplifies what the standard JMU football is so obviously that was exciting to have them back in honor of the 20th anniversary that first national championship but you know I think it's a good reminder of what the standard jamu football is and how we need to uphold that every single day yeah you know you guys you know playing from a home crowd for the first time obviously you know it's your first game in the home stadium do you think that affected anything was there any added pressure of just being at home no I don't think there was uh any added pressure but you know I I will say this this Stadium this environment jmun Nation I mean it I was like I had goosebumps and I had you know a little bit of glass in my eyes you know running out feeling that ban feeling the crowd go crazy I mean it's pretty powerful when you have that many people support you and the way they support you you know it's it's felt and it's an honor and a privilege to put on that uniform and so you know when you perform like that and you don't uphold the standard and you don't give back to that support you're getting you know you're a little disappointed so I know that we will fix that going forward and I promise we will fix that going forward I'll ask you the same question I asked uh coach chz is just like how satisfied are you with the offensive line play so far especially given some struggles early in the games the the first two games I'm satisfied that in the second half we came out and we played who we really are first half we didn't as much but I'm I'm happy I'm proud of the guys for how we did when the game mattered the most at the end you guys were booed at Halftime by your home fans that's not usual what was the reaction in the locker room did you guys hear it did you talk about it yeah we talked about it and we use it as energy like they boot us but we use it as energy that doesn't really happen here and it hasn't happened in a while but we took that and we're like we need to fix it we need to get after it and play who we are as who JMU really is we weren't doing that in the first half and we needed to bring that out for the second half and do what we do do you feel like you kind of won those fans back over a little bit in the second half I hope so we will for sure if we didn't then how how do you guys manage any like possible frustration you guys may be feeling when you come off the field after that first half well you just even frustrations or high energy like a celebration you can't be too high or too low you just got to stay confident and stay calm no matter what the situation is because the game changes so fast what is it like to to block um in front of George you know how explosive is he really and what is in game speed like how impressive is he it's very impressive because I'll just be blocking I see him fly right by me and I'm almost like that's nice to have some a back right a back like George that can just help the o line out when we're struggling a little bit and our running backs are great and they make up for that just based off your experience in past offenses that maybe have struggled and then eventually rekindled their offense later in the season what do you think this offense needs to do to to really get the to get flowing I think it's just like the iPads on the sideline and stuff we get to see what happens it's just like one miss block and that's throughout the whole entire offense like it's not any singular person I had one and I had a few and it's like everyone has like one miss block one loaf or something that if that happen the play is just going to the running back's gone the ball's gone like that'll be in the end zone it's just like we need to play absolutely all out every single play throughout the whole game we can't wait till the second half you're just coming off of just kind of a roller coaster game like that is do you kind of have maybe like a side of relief or you just kind of more motivated to kind of go into this bye and maybe tool things up that you know that weren't going well on the field today I'd say a little bit of both but I'm glad we have a by week because we can go back self- evaluate what we need to do for each and single each and every one of us start getting on UNCC now because this is one of the most important games we're ever going to play in our lives so get after it now and let's attack it you mentioned the first half wasn't JMU football just what were they doing that made it such a struggle offensively I wouldn't say it was what they were doing I would just say it's what we were doing we didn't we I'd say like we just underestimated them a little bit we were loafing a little bit just some Mis blocks I wouldn't say anything they were doing was exponential or anything like we were hurting ourselves I would say you guys are playing more guy more guys are getting snaps on the offensive line a year ago is is there like a adjustment period to having like different combinations out there at different times or does it take a little time to get used to to that change I want to say it takes time to get changed like rotating everyone they we practice with each other all practice all offseason Camp everything so it helps us stay fresh so we can play as hard as we absolutely can every single play having everyone be able to play in the game and it's it's nice when an offense is struggling to kind of get gear sometimes it just takes a playmaker kind of doing something special to break you out of it that didn't happen tonight do you feel like this roster has Playmakers who can break you out of a funk and and it just didn't happen yeah absolutely we have ton of amazing players on this team IO George all sorts of people pry like we have Playmakers and we're going to show that in the future I promise you guys that and you know for maybe the fans that are upset after this game what would be your message to to stick with JMU football throughout the season and to stay excited I would say believe in who we are we're JMU and we know what we have to change and we're going to do that and you'll be proud of us I promise you that obviously your first year here with JMU what's it been like to not only factor in on the Run game but in the past game as well uh just being an overall total package uh wherever they need me wherever they call my number just you know staying ready whether it's in a run game or the pass game obviously just being an overall playmaker making plays in space um being an outlet for alonza or Dylan whoever's in the game at quarterback you know just just being there for him just an outlet and then making plays what were you guys seeing out of the defense that Gardner web presented especially in the first half that was kind of keeping you guys limited as a whole I feel like it was us I don't feel like it was really them as a defense really stopping us a couple penalties a couple penalties here and there um a couple Mis reads from you know either me or the quarterback or stuff like that but it wasn't really the defense that stopped us I feel like it was us to sto stop this you mentioned the term playmaker and sometimes in a game where the offense just can't get in gear it just takes a guy kind of breaking some tackles making a big play one do you feel like you have that kind of ability that other guys on this roster do and why do you think nobody could make that kind of a play tonight uh I feel like you know I feel like I we definitely have explosive Playmakers on a team it's not just me uh number one but uh the ball just didn't find those guys you know cam yamir uh OD you know all Playmakers guys that can get the ball in space and you know make plays you saw last week at Charlotte so you know Finding ways to get them the ball early on finding ways to get me the ball early on you know seven seven went down he he's another playmaker you saw what pry did so you know we we we're a roster full of Playmakers and explosive guys it's definitely not just me um but definitely just getting get getting getting off to an early start would definitely help us out and you know the expectations here are really high but to be booed at halftime in your home opener what was kind of the reaction of the guys to hearing that and and did you talk about it in the locker room honestly I I mean I I don't pay no to the fans Bo obviously we just trying to get the D but you know going back to that locker room mov definitely a level of togetherness guys are poised obviously you know co- players had us fired up at halftime but you know I feel like I know D was over here talking about I feel like they did a great job you know only seven points on another team so you know we got to help them out we got to get off the early starts you know get the ball in the end zone get the ball out you know stuff like that Geor I got to imagine this is kind of a game like this is a long time coming for you you know highly recruiting didn't get many opportunities at UNC just try your best best to speak Sly for a second what does a game like this mean for you a career high and everything uh you know it's a lot of stuff to clean up you know I'm very humble it's really it's really just another game honestly U I feel like I could have did more out there I feel like I could have made more plays a lot of yards left out there um but at end of the day you know it's um I feel like this is what's in store I feel like I need to be here I feel like you know it's not where I want to be but where I need to be and you know uh coach Kenny he's doing a great job but G me the ball uh an ability to make plays and I got to make those plays specifically what are those things that you think you're going to be looking to clean up uh you know just just getting those extra yards you know there's a lot of runs that I broke for like 10 15 and those need to be 50 yard runs you know what I mean uh getting the ball into the end zone uh breaking more tackles uh uh reading my keys more stuff like that but um and then also being a leader on the sideline I'm a little quiet I like the pace and stuff like that but you know I feel like at times I need to hear my voice and you know I make sure it's felt I think I went down a little bit of an injury there or any words for encouragement you might give to him that he might be you know figh back for something uh I I mean I talked to him right after the game I don't I don't really know what it is I'm sure I can't talk about that but you know he's he's definitely he's cheered us on from inside he he's he's definitely goingon to be back and fine for sure how much does having a game like this that kind of maybe shocks you a little bit especially in the first half how much can it help to have it this early in the season uh definitely you don't you don't want to have it late in the season for sure uh but it's a lot of stuff to clean up we we got explosive guys everywhere you know offensive line is doing a great job Alon he's sitting there he's poised he's calm he he definitely knows what he's doing so you know once we get it clicking we definitely going to get it clicking I don't know when that is we got a bye so we got a lot of stuff to clean up guys can recover you know get off their feet a little bit but you know going into that third game you know we got to be ready for sure with so many new faces on this team do you guys still feel like you're trying to gel as a as a unit like across the board definitely me and Dave was just talking about that uh it's honestly no excuses you know what I mean no definitely no excuses going into the game but yeah what 40 30 45 50 new people a whole new staff you know everybody definitely trying to jail and uh be together but end of the day offense got to be better for sure you talk about you know the um you guys need to get off to faster starts there's a lot of explosiveness we haven't seen just when you talk about the offense and you talk about this team in general where do you sort of imagine you know how how much potential is there if that's just kind of been untapped so far through these first two weeks uh definitely got to watch the film and you know see but it's a it's definitely a lot of potential uh really everywhere across the board uh we got to watch the film and just be better I don't really know how to explain it like it's definitely a lot of explosion is from every single position the tight end room we deep the runningback room were deep the wide receiver room were deep quarterback room were deep the offensive line is very very solid you know so you know just getting getting our our Playmakers the ball so they can really make plays and you know open this thing up it'll help the Run game and it'll help the pass game for sure just in case this is our last time we talked to you until his UNC is there anything else you want to say about you know maybe proving some people wrong there and then the next game uh nah I'mma just I'mma just stay calm you know to that moment come that's what I've been telling myself uh I'm going just keep you know recovering um and just watching film and get ready for that you know they G we got two weeks to prepare for them so we should be ready for sure