JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 16, 2023) – Fresh off a 41-10 victory over Wofford, the ETSU football team turns its attention to The Rail Rivalry game with No. 20 Chattanooga on Saturday. Head Coach George Quarles, running back Zach Borisch and defensive lineman Max Evans met with the media on Monday to discuss last weekend's win and the upcoming matchup with the Mocs.
 
Below are the comments from Coach Quarles, Borisch and Evans.

 
HEAD COACH GEORGE QUARLES
 
With a game vs. a nationally-ranked team ahead, how important was it to get last Saturday's win
No question it was important. Chattanooga is a very talented team so having some momentum is great for us. I think Saturday's win instilled some confidence throughout our entire team as well. Momentum is a funny thing. When you have it, the ball seems to bounce your way but when you don't it can be very challenging. Hopefully we can keep the momentum not only for Saturday but also moving forward.
 
Scouting Report on Chattanooga
Chattanooga is playing with a lot of confidence right now, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They held Mercer to zero rushing yards which is something you don't see very often. Their offense is probably the most well-rounded group that we have faced this year. Their quarterback is playing well, running game is clicking along and they have a trio of three good wide receivers. It'll be a tough challenge for sure.
 
Sheldon Arnold II had another stellar performance on Saturday, what are your thoughts on his recent play
He just keeps making plays. Sheldon is one of the most competitive people you'll ever be around. He loves competing whether it be practice or in a game situation. I think it rubs off on the other guys and I think his energy is contagious. The interception he had on Saturday that he returned for a touchdown seemed to really spark us to the performance we had on defense.
 
On the depth in the running back room & how to make sure those guys are integral parts of the offense
That's been the deepest position group on our team this year and they've been the healthiest too. We used the wildcat sometimes on Saturday and that's something we will continue to do. Right now, we have several guys that have earned the right to get touches. Bryson Irby, Zach Borisch and Trey Foster all did well. Amir Dendy and Torey Lambert are in that group too. When they play well, our team's success seems to follow.
 
RUNNING BACK ZACH BORISCH
How'd it feel to be back in that wildcat quarterback role on Saturday
It felt great to be back in that situation. I had run the wildcat at my previous school (University of Idaho). I was really excited that was part of the plan to help us get the win. I think whenever you mix it up, try new things it's exciting and fun so I enjoyed it.
 
How do you feel like William Riddle played in his first extended action
He is very committed. He is one of the last guys to leave the practice field every day and he's also a joy to be around. I texted him after the game and I said that I've played with a lot of different quarterbacks and he showed a lot of poise out there and I was proud of him. He is very calm. He doesn't get too high or too low so he stays in that middle ground. That gives the team confidence that we can get through any situation, which is what you want in a quarterback.
 
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN MAX EVANS
How good did it feel for the defense to have a performance like it did on Saturday
It was great. Being able to string together back-to-back good defensive performances against Mercer and then again against Wofford should give us quite a bit of momentum heading into this week's rivalry game.
 
How big is the Chattanooga rivalry in the locker room
It's a big deal for us too. With that said, we don't want to overhype anything. In a lot of ways, it's like any other week of the season but in the back of our minds we know it means a little bit more.  
 
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