Mike Norvell Weekly Press Conference Highlights

Opening Statement...
"Game week is finally here. There is an unbelievable amount of excitement around our program. Since December 4, the day that I was hired, I have been looking forward to this week and this opportunity. Our players have put in a tremendous amount of work, whether it was in winter conditioning or spring practice, the commitment that they made to each other and to this team. We have had a remarkable fall camp, continuing to build relationships and prepare. To take the field at the at the Liberty Bowl Saturday night is going to be a special day for myself and our staff, but more importantly for the 2016 Memphis Tiger football team. "

"I'm really proud of our players. They have done a remarkable job. It's about that time. Saturday night is going to be an incredible atmosphere with our home opener. We are going to work hard to make you proud with the way we play."

Preparing for the first game atmosphere…
"You can do everything possible in preparation to try to simulate every situation. We have tried to do that. We have been over to the Liberty Bowl, we have run through mock games and gone through pregame multiple times. In spring practice we had a lightening delay. We tried to simulate every situation and create every adversity but when you only get 12 guaranteed opportunities to play this game there is nothing like when the lights come on. I'm excited to see this team take the field and how they respond because they have done a tremendous job in practice in how they have handled all the situations and circumstances we have put them in. When it truly counts, you always hear about guys who elevate their play on game day, and that's what I'm looking to see come Saturday night."

What are you looking forward to most?
"I have been fortunate to have been on a lot great coaching staffs and great teams. I have tried to prepare for this opportunity ever since I got into coaching. I am excited. WE have gone through a lot of situations as a staff and spent endless hours talking through the different scenarios that we might see. For us it's all about truly focusing on the play that's at hand. I know that we are prepared and that we have discussed just about every situation you could possibly imagine. Now we have to go out there and execute and trust the process that we have in place for our communication. We try to leave no stone unturned."

Earning the trust of the team…
"Trust is not something that's developed over a day. It has to be something that's continuous. With our players, I try to go out and be the example by my approach to every meeting and every practice. The mentality, the intensity and the way that we do the little things that we do. I think that's what leadership is. With our players I ask them to do the same thing because I can't put a player on the field that I can't trust. We are in this thing together and we have been able to develop a great level of trust as a football team. Not just coach-to-player, or player-to-coach, but also player-to-player. If we can go out and let our actions speak louder than any words we say then you have an opportunity to lead."

The health of the team going into the season…
"It's been a great camp from that aspect. A lot of that credit goes to Coach (Josh) Storms and our strength and conditioning staff. Our guys this summer ran an unthinkable amount. What they were able to endure in their summer training, their overall strength, when you see what our players have done with their physical development and conditioning levels it's been quite impressive. We are in a really good place health wise. We have lost a couple of players, and everybody knows Brady Davis will be out for the year in kind of freak thing. The overall place of our football team we are in good health."

Scouting Southeast Missouri…
"They are one of the more experienced teams in college football. They have eight starters returning on offense and I think seven on defense. On defense they have two guys that basically missed the entire season last year that are coming back. It's a football lteam that it won't be their first experience on a big stage. They have seven or eight seniors on the defensive front seven. They are going into the third year with their head coach and talking about this being their year to take the next step within their program. We know that we have a quality opponent coming in. They have a lot of experienced players but for us, just like every week, focusing on what we are doing and making sure we take care of our responsibility."

University of Memphis Athletics

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