The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team travels to Birmingham, Ala., for a 3:00 p.m. EDT kickoff against Samford at Siebert Stadium. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 8 in the latest FCS Coaches Poll.

Below are excerpts from today's press conference with photos.  The full videos are attached to the story.  Today's luncheon included remarks from head coach Tom Arth, senior linebacker Tae Davis and senior running back Darrell Bridges.

Tickets are on sale now on GoMocs.com, or by calling the UTC Ticket Office at (423) 266-MOCS (6627).

Tae Davis, Linebacker, Senior
On defending Samford's offensive attack.
"We're looking forward to it. When you play a team that can pass the ball they way they do, it definitely creates a challenge. We need to make sure we do our jobs and keep our eyes up as well as focus on our technique."

On close loss to The Citadel on Saturday.
"It definitely hurts because it was so close. It's also something that we can build on. It shows that we are making progress and that we don't just quit and let the game get away from us. We all have the same mindset of never quitting. That's how we're coached to be and that's what we're going to do."

On what it would mean to upset Samford this Saturday.
"It would mean a lot for all of us. It's been a pretty rough season but it'd be pretty awesome to get a win this Saturday. We're going to go in to the game with a game plan and focus on executing. Hopefully that brings us the W."



Darrell Bridges, Running Back, Senior
On what to play for down the stretch.
"I'm playing for Chattanooga. That's why I came home. I wanted to wear the 'C' on my helmet with 'Chattanooga' across my chest. No one is quitting. Everybody is just trying to find the right direction. We have a great leader in Coach Arth. Everyone is still pushing forward with great attitudes and getting better day-by-day. What we're doing now is setting the base of the foundation for the program in the future. I like the way the direction the program is going in."

On offensive outlook this weekend.
"We're going to still try to ground and pound. That's what our offense hangs its hat on. We hadn't had the chance to get it going yet this season, but we saw glimpses last week so we'll try to keep riding that wave."

On improvement of running attack.
"It was definitely great to get the opportunity to create plays. The offensive line executed and Cole [Copeland] were great at calling blocks and certain pass protections. Getting the win is always the main goal, but it was a little satisfying to see the imrpovement."



Tom Arth, Head Coach
On Saturday;s 20-14 loss against The Citadel.
"I think after coming back and watching the tape, I still don't know if I feel better or worse. I felt better in a lot of ways because I saw so many drastic improvements in a lot of areas of our team. At the same time, that hurt me as much as it made me feel good. With however many improvements we made, we still didn't get what we wanted in the win. We have to keep working hard and finding ways to improve so that our players can start experiencing success following each performance. The offensive line played a really good game and played aggressively. They were assignment sound and it showed. Special teams were exceptional in a lot of areas. Our kickoff return unit and punt return unit were really good. We missed some tackles that led to almost 200 yards of offense. We made some mental errors in pass coverage that hurt us, but overall, it was a solid effort."

On what to improve moving forward.
"I think third downs and our turnover margin are two areas we really need to improve on. We're giving it away a bunch and not creating any takeaways. Those are critical areas. You can take the rest of the game, as well as you play the rest of the game, if you lose the turnover and third down battle your odds of success are really small. That's what we'll try to improve on heading into this week against Samford."

On the play from QB Cole Copeland.
"He learned a lot throughout the entire game. That was the most he's ever been challenged. He has played exceptionally well. This past weekend I think he learned a lot, especially on that last drive. He showed he has the ability to bring the team back. He made three really great throws to put us in that position. He couldn't stop smiling during our final timeout when we called the play. He was really calm and excited to have the ball in his hands in that situation. I feel Cole has that mentality and it's great to see as coaches."

On the play from Darrell Bridges on Saturday.
"Darrell Bridges played his best game as a Moc. He ran with a relentless attitude and made some great plays. He was tremendous in pass protection as well."