Bobby Lamb Weekly Press Conference - Nov. 12 - Mercer University Athletics

Photo by: Mitch Robinson

Bobby Lamb Weekly Press Conference - Nov. 12

11/12/2018 5:12:00 PM | Football

Lamb, Chris Ellington and Isaiah Buehler met with the media on Monday

By: Gerrit W. Van Genderen

MACON, Ga. (Monday, November 12, 2018) – Mercer head football coach Bobby Lamb, tight end Chris Ellington and defensive end Isaiah Buehler met with the media on Monday to discuss the Bears' win at Chattanooga last week, Senior Day and the regular season finale against Furman on Nov. 17.

Bobby Lamb
Opening Statement...
"Thank you all for coming today, unfortunately it's the last press conference of the year for us, but we are coming off a big road win at Chattanooga. I want to commend our team, which was really challenged within the last week. Obviously, there is not a whole lot left to play for except to finish the season out for the seniors, and somehow try to get 5-3 in this conference, which would be the best that Mercer's done [since joining the league in 2014].

"Right now we are sitting at 4-3 after a big win on the road. I want to commend our coaches and players for sticking to the game plan, and like I told the team, it's all about the character of the team, the character of the individual is really going to come out and really show in a game like this [at Chattanooga] and I really thought that we fought, and it did look good.

"Offensively, it was a real struggle and part of that was because Chattanooga's defense is really good and part of that is because we didn't execute very well. I want to commend our defense – what a terrific game they had. Isaiah Buehler probably had his best game since he's been here. Malique Fleming made some unbelievable stops down there on the goal line. We stripped the ball on the 1-yard line after a long run and then we had a goal-line stand inside the 1-yard line, which was huge. The defense just kept coming and kept us in the game. And then a guy named Stephen Houzah showed up. Stephen is one of those guys when the ball is in his hands, some good things happen, and they kicked it to him. We had minimal blocking for him on the way, but, boy, did he find some seams and made some cuts and made a big play [on the 73-yard kick return at the start of the fourth quarter]. We talked about it the entire time on the sidelines that we just needed one play to get us going, one play on offense to get us going and fortunately, that was the play. Then [Chattanooga] elected to kick to him again and we had a great inside seam set up for him, we had great blocking on the second kick and he bounces it outside, uses his speed, and we all laughed at him [the day after] when he fell down on the 1-yard line. But [Houzah falling at the 1-yard line] ended up being a blessing in disguise, because our offense took three snaps to get in [the end zone] but Chattanooga had to use all of their timeouts so it worked out really well. And then our defense went out there and closed the game for a big win on the road, 13-9. That gets us to 4-3 in the league, we've got a big game coming up."

On how Mercer can continue to build off the strong defensive performance…
"If you look at our defense and look at what's happened in the last two weeks, we played really solid on the defensive end. Against ETSU, yeah, we gave up 21 points, but we had two really short fields [to defend]. Saturday [at Chattanooga], to hold them to three field goals was pretty unbelievable and we really fed off the defense and they did a really good job.

"We just hope that it carries over to this final game; I know they want to close out on a high note because we had some struggles early on for our defense, I don't think that's a secret for anyone, but it was a big win and a great defensive performance."

On what the defensive improvements have been late in the season…
"Well, I think the first thing is that all of our players are back. Isaiah [Buehler] has been banged up in and out, Malique Fleming has been in and out, Sidney Otiwu has been in and out. Every time you turn around, Eric Jackson has been in and out. We finally got them all playing together and all playing as one [unit] and they've done a good job, and I think that's the biggest change is that we've got a healthy defense."

On what it would mean to finish this season 5-3 in SoCon play…
"As you go throughout the season, your goals continue to change. We come in always wanting a conference championship, but now our goal is to finish 5-3 in the league, and 5-3 may get you a tie for second place…you never know what's going to happen down the stretch. I do know this, [5-3 will] get you at least third in the league.

"We've got a huge game against Furman coming up. Furman is coming here with a chance to share the Southern Conference championship if ETSU loses, so they're going to come in ready to play and it's going to be a great challenge for our team. Furman is very multiple on offense; when I say multiple I mean that they run just about any scheme possible and it all predicates off their quarterback Harris Roberts. They've played a bunch of quarterbacks throughout the year because they've been banged up a little bit but in the games that they have a lot of success on offense, Harris is the quarterback. Because he can throw the football, they have a lot of play action schemes. He's very efficient in doing that. Last year I think Furman's quarterback was 16-of-19 [passing] against us and I think Harris has some of those games this year. Furman's defense is 3-4 or 4-2-5 and does a great job with multiple looks and hustling to the ball and giving you different looks. So it's going to be a great challenge for our offense, defense and special teams."

On whether it has hit the seniors that Saturday is their final game…
"Unfortunately, yes. You bring these guys in here and some of them are four-year seniors and some of them are five-year seniors and you spend all that time with them, you get to know them and you develop relationships. I always tell them, you're going to remember the wins and the losses but at the end of the day it's more about the relationships that you build while you're here. We have a great senior class and we have a bunch of young men that want to go out on top, but they've meant so much to this program as we continue to build it. Saturday is going to be a special day being senior recognition day."

On Mercer spoiling Furman's playoff chances…
"Unfortunately we are in that situation. Last year, Western Carolina had an opportunity to get into the playoffs and we go up there and we put together a game plan, the coaches do a super job, the kids play well and we come up with a big road win to kind of spoil their chance and opportunity. We'd love to do the same against Furman. We know we've got a great challenge. Furman is going to come here ready to go, they are peaking at the right time, their defense has played well the last three weeks, and they've got a great football team so it'll be a great challenge."

On if Lamb's success at Furman in past adds any extra motivation this week…
"To be honest with you, I have enough to worry about than being a Furman graduate and playing my alma mater. We'll face Furman head coach Clay Hendrix, who is one of my best friends and who was hired there two years ago from the Air Force Academy. Clay and I have been together for a long time – we grew up across the street from each other, were roommates in college and talk about once a week. This week we will not talk; I am not giving him any chance by giving him information and I'm sure he won't give me any information [laughs] but he's done a super job with that program and getting them back to where they were competing for championships and that's certainly what we want to do here as well."

"One last note: Stephen Houzah was named the Southern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week today. Everyone talks about the two kickoff returns he had, which are great – don't get me wrong – but the guy also almost had two blocked punts and made a couple tackles on special teams. He's playing lights out, which is really good to see at the end of his senior year."

Tight End Chris Ellington
On the Chattanooga game…
"It was a great one. Obviously, the offense didn't do our part but the defense was great and Stephen Houzah had a pair of big plays on special teams. It was just a good overall team win."

On his touchdown reception and making an impact on the win…
"I was just making a play when my number was called. Any way that I can help this offense, I will."

On various players having to step up due to injuries and other circumstances…
"It's just the way that this program is. We have a lot of talent around here, injuries are a part of the game and I think [Harrison Frost] has done a great job of stepping in for Kaelan [Riley] and Robert [Riddle] since they've been gone."

On closing out the season at home…
"Playing at home is always great. Sending the seniors out right is definitely our goal as a team."

On the chance of going 5-3 in SoCon play…
"It's definitely going to be a stepping stone for next year and just know that the program is headed into the right direction."

On the play call that led to his touchdown reception at Chattanooga…
"It was good just knowing that the play call was coming and my route was key for the play. I was told to drain the defense and I just made the play."

On his fumble recovery toward the end of the Chattanooga game…
"I was just trying to keep us alive in the game."

Defensive End Isaiah Buehler
On his senior season coming to an end…
"It hasn't hit me yet, I've talked to a couple seniors and it hasn't hit them yet either. It's crazy just to think that we're going through our first lasts – our last Sunday meeting was just yesterday, our last Monday off [from practice], tomorrow is our last practice on a Tuesday. It's crazy to think about how difficult it's been this year in the sense that we've had a lot thrown at us, it's been like a roller coaster. We've bonded as a team, we've come together and it's going to be difficult to leave all of these guys. You just think about all of the guys that you sort of came up with, guys you brought in and helped recruit, guys that you bleed and sweat with every day and play for, so it's tough. It's definitely going to be an emotional day Saturday."

On how the senior class has left a mark at Mercer…
"It's a tribute to what the coaches can do. They are really good at recruiting, they've proven that year in and year out. I think also it's a tribute to our strength and conditioning coaches and their staff. It's a tribute to our trainers to be able to get us on that field and keep us in tip-top shape. I think it's also tribute to the guys who put in work in the offseason and put in work after practice and continuously show up to work every day, so I really think it's a big tribute to this entire team. It shows what kind of mindset we have and what kind of character we have."

On a chance to ruin Furman's playoff chances…
"Yes, we get a chance to try to ruin their season. But I think the big thing around here is to send out the seniors, send us out with a win and try to have a last feel-good moment on the field together.

"Furman is a great team, they are a complete team. They have a really good defense; their defensive line is stout. We've been watching film on other teams and every team plays Furman and we just watch number Jaylan Reid, who is an actual dog. That number 81 kid [Adrian Hope] has like 15 sacks [12.5] on the season because he's just pure talent.

"On their offense they have some big backs. Their offensive line has been coached up and they do a good job, they're huge, and their offensive line coach does a great job with them. It's definitely going to be a test, it's going to be a fun game, it's going to be a really physical game that's for sure so I look forward to playing Furman and I look forward to beating Furman."

On getting most of the defense healthy at the end of the season…
"It's nice just because before the season you have everyone talking about having all of these main players who really bring the defense together, and injuries happen, it's football. We sort of didn't see the fruits of our labor from fall camp progressing into the season into these last couple of weeks and now that we have everyone back and rolling, we are looking good. We lost Bradley Earnest the first couple of weeks and we all see how good of a player he is. There's a lot of 'what if' moments. What if we had Robert Riddle the entire season? What if we had [Earnest] the first few weeks? But it's an amazing feeling [to have the full defensive unit healthy]. I think we all are just coming together, I think our coaches are just doing a good job in preparing us, our mindsets, and with practice we have been preparing ourselves just physically."

On the chance to finish the season with a 5-3 SoCon record…
"It'd be great. It's just brick by brick. Every year we've always improved on our SoCon record and I think it'd just be great to say we had a great year in the SoCon outside the rest of our schedule. It'd be great to go out and get a dub for the seniors, for this program, for the fans, for everybody who's been a part of this ride and I think it'd be great."

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