Morgan State University Athletics

August 26, 2014
 
QUESTION - How do you feel about this year’s training camp?
 
LEE HULL - “We had a great training camp, the guys were very focused with the new systems that we are putting in both on offensively, defensively, and special teams-wise. They picked it up very quickly and are a great bunch of guys. They work very hard, they want to be good, they want to be great, and came in everyday during camp doing exactly what the coaches wanted them to do.”
 
Q - Coach you have been quoted with saying that the preseason camp was strong, but that you could improve in certain areas. Can you talk a little bit of your thoughts of the bear pre-season camp.
 
LH - “Well for the preseason camp, there was good competition at a lot of positions, especially at the quarterback position. Competition breeds success. Everybody was competing and all the jobs were open, but the quarterback position was the one we were looking for to see who would emerge as a leader. Just yesterday, we announced that ‘Josh’ Council would be our starting quarterback for the Eastern Michigan football game. Our running back spot, a position that was highly competitive too, with Lamont Brown, Herb Walker, and Tracy Martin.  All three guys came ready, were in shape, and competed. Lamont Brown will be our starting running back, but you’ll see Herb Walker, and Tracy Martin in the game. “

“Offensively, our O-line has done a great job and I think that’s our strong point of our offense. We have four returning seniors with Darren Pinnock, who’s voted preseason all-league, and Clarence Swain has done a great job at our center spot as well. Defensively, our guys have been learning and doing a great job of picking the up the new system. They’re aggressive and an attacking defense, and I think the guys really like playing a system that they like defensively. Cody Acker had a great preseason camp; he is the leader of our defense, along with Nate Ayers who’s our starting safety. Both of our guys are seniors and they both had a great preseason camp.”
 
Q - Looking ahead, this week you face Eastern Michigan. Can you talk about the pending matchup?
 
LH - “They’re both new coaches, so I don’t know what to expect. With them being new coaches and bringing in a new system, obviously we don't have any film on them from last year, so their film doesn’t do us any good because there will be a new offense, defense, and special teams system. We look forward to going up there, we know their coach was very successful at Drake, so he’ll have those guys ready to play and we’re excited to get the season started.”
 
Q - Can you tell us more about the linebacker corps? You have three returners from last year how much are you leaning on them to anchor the defense?
 
LH - “We are really counting on those guys to be the anchor of our defense. I spoke a little bit about Cody Acker, but we also have Chris Robinson who started for them [MSU]  last year and Ta’Quon Jackson. All of those guys have great experience and we need them to be very productive for us. For our defense to go, our linebackers have to be productive and with two of them being seniors, with Chris Robinson and Cody Aker, we have leadership there. Actually, Chris Robinson is one of our captains and Cody Acker is on our Player’s Council, so both guys are in leadership roles. We expect those guys to have a big year for us.”
 
Q - Can you talk about Ta’Quon Jackson maturation process?
 
LH - “Ta’Quon has done a great job. When I first got here, to be honest, I didn’t know what to think. He played physical sometimes, and sometimes he didn’t play physical. During the camp, he was physical all the time -- coming down hill. He was at first doing his own thing, but at camp he’s done a great job of learning the defense and understanding where he needs to be. He’s also had success academically, especially this summer getting A’s and B’s and I think that helped him gain confidence. He has been a tremendous guy to work with this preseason camp.” 
 
Q - A lot of players talk about how nervous they are for the first game of the season. With this being your first game as head coach, are you nervous as well?
 
LH - “Well, I have too much work to do to be nervous. (laughs) Right now, I’m not nervous. You might ask me that question before the game, but right now I’m just preparing the team to get ready to go down to Eastern Michigan to win.”