MGN at #CUSAKickoff2017

Folks, your third favorite NT blogger was out in Irving today talking with Seth Littrell, Jeff Wilson, and KiShawn McClain.

I have some quotes of varying quality. By the end of the day players from every team were visibly beaten down by the barrage of questions touching on the same thing.

Other media jumped in with taco talk, “if your coach was a sandwich” type things, and the like. There were video guys, a Louisiana radio guys, some internet radio types, and a couple of beat guys for the major sites.

I kept it on subject though I did jump in on taco talk. I’ve been tweeting the major stuff throughout the day but here are some here:

Litrell On LaTech

“[That’s] a team that has been consistent and solid and had opportunities to compete for championships, along with Western Kentucky. Great players, great coaching staffs, obviously the two at the top at this point, if you look from top-to-bottom there is a lot of solid teams. Great players and great coaches and we got to do a great job of refocusing every week.”

Littrell on his motivation style

“I keep it internal. They know who the guys are at the top of the conference, but at the end of the day it truly doesn’t matter because we focus on how much better we can get ourselves. The more consistent we can get, the better competition we can have, the better we get, the closer we’ll get.”

Have they closed the gap on LaTech

“We’ll see. I feel like I would hope we have. There’s been a lot of hard work and the players have done a great job reestablishing that chemistry.”

Difference from 2016’s Program

“Consistency. At the end of the day that’s something that we struggled with at times. When the highs are high I think we are pretty good. Some of that is consistency and some of that being mentally tough.”

On Good From Last Year

“We were able to overcome adversity. We had good chemistry. We may not have been the best team week in and week out, but it doesn’t matter what game it is, game one, who you are going to play there is always going to be some adversity that is going to hit. The team that can overcome that the quickest is usually the one that wins the game.” “This team really likes each other. I’ve been on some teams that have pointed fingers. Chemistry is important.”

Jeff Wilson On If He Feels Pressure Being The Star on Offense

“No, because if the team does well, the team will do well. I’m nothing without my team, my lineman, my receivers blocking downfield, the quarterback calling the right play. It’s more than me and you have to realize that as a player.”

On Injuries and Prevention

“24/7 Grind. Nothing in particular just not taking any days off.”

On Place In the Conference

“I do [consider himself one of the best RBs in the league]. The reason why I can say that is that I have confidence in the guys around me and when you have that, you have confidence in yourself.”

On Competition

“We look at the entire conference. The conference is so intense, anyone can have a break out at any time, in any game. It’s no ‘okay this is a team, okay they got it, okay we are going to sit down’. Everyone is going to have to bring their A game every game.”

On Army

“The whole team is licking their chops for them, obviously they gave us a heartbreak in our home town and took a ring away from us — a trophy, a championship, and a lot of memories. You know? I feel like we will be able to get some back when we play them on Nov 18. Watching them celebrate left a real bad taste in our mouths not only for them (Army) but for everyone on our schedule.”

On Role In The Offense

“You are going to see me getting in open space. Going to be running but also catching the ball. It’s another part of my game I would like to flourish in and that I can help my team if I caught the ball more.”

Kishawn Mclain On New Coordinator Situation

“The scheme changed a little bit. We have a lot of guys moving around from every position. That’s only the really big difference. We have one guy calling the shots now, so it will be a little different but not as much change.

On Role

“I have a lot of freedom, roaming around, coming from off the edge, covering, tackling, filling the gaps, whatever. Lot of versatility going on.”

On Competition

“I circle everybody [on the schedule]. Whoever we line up against is going to get the best of me and the best of my team. So everyone.”

On Award Watch List And Recognition

Also asked him when he felt he was worthy of that recognition:

“Ever since I stepped on the field. I kept that in my head, and wasn’t really too showboat about it. Now that everyone is starting to realize it, I just stay humble about and keep humble, keep working, and do more.”

Preparing with recognition:

“I”m still the same guy. I have confidence in myself, just lead by example and show everybody that I can compete on that level — on the Power 5 level on on the next level — I want that.

On What A Successful Season Looks Like

“Competed. Competed each and every game.”

On Army

“It happened the way it did. I played in the moment. But that game left a bad taste in our mouths. We took that into Spring ball and into practice. We are hungry and hungrier than ever.”

On Motivation From Last Year

“A big play that sticks out to me is from the Army game when the QB burst for about 60 yards. I just felt I could have read it better, got off my block faster.”

On Difference From 2016

“We are going to have swagger and confidence.”

Fave Uniform?

“Chrome with the white.”

More to come from Irving.