Junior Defensive Back P.J. Locke III



On Hurricane Harvey and its impact on his hometown of Beaumont: Not so much right now, I'll ask you guys to send prayers to my family in this situation. My whole neighborhood is pretty much all flooded, all the houses underwater. My house sits up high, so we don't really have that problem right now but we just want to make it though this time. We have levees by our house and it just releases water and that makes it even worse. So you just want to make it through the night. Hopefully, that water won't rise up to our house.



On the difficulty of preparing for Maryland with the situation back home: It's definitely pretty hard. Just knowing my family, even though they can't make it to the game. It's just tough in this situation because I know that I'm a really helpful person and my family is definitely dear to me. They're stuck in this situation right now, so I'm just trying to put it to the side as best as I can.



On being a team leader despite what's happening in the Houston area: Definitely, I've just got to be strong for my team. We've got a game coming up and as a leader on the team you've just got to set stuff aside and be strong for your teammates, let them know that you're all locked in. Because if I'm not locked in, it can have a domino effect and I definitely don't want that.



On Poona Ford being named a captain: Poona's one of those guys that definitely doesn't talk a lot. That's just him, but he works his butt off. That's how he earned his captain's job, he speaks when needed and Poona has a very strong voice on this team just from his leading by example. It kind of just carries over. When he talks, everybody just drops everything and listens to him.



On Saturday's game being special, being the season opener: Putting all the extra work in with the new coaching staff, the strength work that we did and just finally putting it to show. There's enough talking about it, just the lead up and trying to put all our action on the field and showing it.



Senior Defensive Lineman Poona Ford



On being named a captain: It was just an honor that I was voted amongst my peers as being one of the leaders on this team. I'm going to do my best to lead us to victory.



On Saturday's game against Maryland: We're just preparing to start that run. They have a pretty shifty quarterback. We're just focused on him. We want to try and keep him contained and get him on the ground.



On His quiet leadership style: I just always lead by example. There are some people that may think that stuff goes unnoticed but in the long run people see what you do every day and how hard you work. People notice it.



On being prepared to defend a dual-threat quarterback: Everyone's just doing their job being where they're supposed to be at the right time and place. That's going to help us a lot when trying to contain him and not let him get outside.



On his relationship with his high school coach: Going into my junior year, our coach from the previous year had gotten fired. At that point I kind of lost hope of going on to the next level. I was about to enlist in the army but then they hired a new coach. Coach sat down and talked to me. He told me I was going to play in a 3-technique. He told me if I trusted him he would get me to where I wanted to be. So I trusted him. After that, the scholarships started rolling in and now I'm here today. I'm just thankful for everything he did for me.



Sophomore Quarterback Shane Buechele



On how the week has gone with the events in Houston: We're definitely praying for everyone in Houston, especially the families of the guys on the team. However, football is a getaway. Whenever we're on the field we get to only think about football and get everything else off of our mind. Those problems will be there when we're done and then we can check on everybody and make sure they are ok.



On being named the starting quarterback: It's a constant competition, no matter if you're the starter or not. That's how it should be. You're trying to get better every day and that's what he (Coach Herman) wants.



On the feelings he felt as a starter last year compared to this upcoming season: Last year was a weird feeling because I was so comfortable due to all of the preparation we had. Even playing in front of that many people, I had a weird feeling of comfort. I think it will be the same this time too. We've been preparing for this team for a while and just having the opportunity to go out there on our field for the first game will be good. It will be really exciting.



On the quarterback not being named a captain: You want older guys as leaders. Obviously though, I want to be a captain. I want to be one of those guys. However, it's made for older guys. For guys who have experience and have been through a lot of stuff. The captains that we have are great people on and off the field.



On what improvements he has made since last year: I feel more confident with what's happening on the field. I feel smarter. I feel healthier. It's going to be a good season and a lot of fun. Getting the ball to our athletes and just being able to play the game.



On what has jumped out about the Maryland defense: They have a lot of players returning. They have some years to them and they are going to be smart guys. They don't do anything crazy from what we have seen. However, they are experienced and have had some time there.



On feeling if this is his team: I think so, especially on the offensive side. I think it's really important to be able to lead those guys and be a vocal leader as well. Making sure they know I have their back and I know they have mine.



Senior linebacker Naashon Hughes



On this season's opener: This season as a defense and team, I feel the leadership role taken on from each and every person to step up more than has been in the past.



On being named team captain: It is a tribute from my teammates that I have been working hard since the beginning of the summer. Same for P.J. (Locke), Poona (Ford), and Connor (Williams). Seeing how the team chose us to lead them shows a great deal of respect.



On Poona Ford being quiet and named a captain: People are always telling me Poona is a quiet guy. I say "When?" He talks every now and then, he talks when he needs to. He doesn't talk as much on the field when we are doing drills. I guess that's why people say he is less vocal. But your work and work ethic people see regardless. A lot of teammates and people here notice that about Poona that he goes to work every day. That's why they named him captain as well.



On Poona Ford having considered being in the Marines: Poona and I actually talked about it when we both got here. I'm from a military family so both of us would have probably known each other in another life if we didn't play football.



On what to expect from the defense Saturday: Us flying around, making plays here and there. The leadership we have been working on and the family and close knit group that we have made over the course of the past nine months, I expect to see that a lot.



On the current coaching staff being stable: These coaches each and every day preach family and unit pride. That is the core and the foundation of what the team should be about. Each and every person caring about one another. It goes from teammates to coaches to the staff. You can see and feel a love and family bond here. Everybody else has preached it. But we get it non-stop everyday now.



On Hurricane Harvey impacting the Houston guys in the locker room: We are close as a family now. There are 21 guys on the team from Houston. When Hurricane Harvey hit we pulled those guys aside and asked if they got their families out and if everything was OK. If there was anything as a team and a family we could do to help the guys get through the situation. Those guys have been strong. I don't know how those guys have been able to handle that their families are in a hurricane and things not being right at home. Then still having to come and play. The Houston guys have been moved from Houston to Austin. They stay right across the street from me. I see a couple of them from time to time. I see the look on their faces and that they really want to go home and make sure their families are safe.



Junior offensive lineman Connor Williams



On the right side of the offensive line: I feel like they are competing everyday and they are making each other better. We've been practicing for 30 days straight so you've got to been improving.



On taking on his role as a captain: You have to take it seriously. It's a job the team has bestowed upon you to spread the culture. Whatever it takes to make sure the culture is spread.



On getting recognition from his teammates as captain: I cannot explain to you the feeling. Coach Warehime had my mom on the phone when I came out of the meeting after they announced it. I got on the phone with her and I tried to say it and I couldn't even spit it out. I was so taken away. I had to go in the bathroom and I still couldn't say it. I just started bawling crying and she thought I was injured. I finally got the words out. It was very humbling that my teammates voted on us.



On working with Coach Warehime for the past nine months: I think it has been a journey. We have gotten a lot better in the last nine months. We have progressed a lot as a whole offensive line. I feel like we all believe in ourselves and our abilities now.



On the difference between the defense they play against in practice now versus in the past: Sometimes the defense stones us and it gets the offense down. I have to remind the offense and the offensive line that this is probably one of the better defenses I've gone against in the past three years playing here. They can get us down, but then again we are not going to see a defense like ours.