Texas A&M University-Commerce head football coach Colby Carthel spoke with KETR in advance of this week's big game against Midwestern State University.
1. The Lions are ranked no. 4 in the country and the Mustangs are ranked no. 7. But in NCAA Division II, the national championship is determined through a tournament playoff, not a poll. What's the significance of the Lions' national ranking?
"... the ranking that we're going to be most concerned this year is when the regional rankings start coming out in a few weeks..."
2. After the Lions, Midwestern State is the dominant team in the Lone Star Conference. What have the Mustangs been doing right to have been so successful for so long?
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"...they're able to build the program right, you know, with high school kids, and that's where we're at..."
3. What challenges does the Midwestern State offense present?
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"...you've got to stop the run and the pass on the same play -- logistically, that causes some problems..."
4. Not all of the Lions' contributions show up in the individual statistics. Who are some of the players whose role has been valuable, but hasn't translated into numbers on a stat sheet?
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"...our players are playing less reps individually, and so you don't have the big stats putting up with a guy with all these sacks or tackles for loss, but we're staying fresher, staying healthier..."
5. How have the changes in the rules regarding clipping affected the way the Lions prepare for games?
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"...we've had to modify the way we block some of our run plays and even some of our screens..."