UNIVERSITY OF TULSA FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 4, 2023

Ben Kopenski

Anthony Watkins

Press Conference

Tulsa 26, Charlotte 33

Q. Just comment, both of you. It's a heartbreaking loss, but comment on your thoughts about the game.

BEN KOPENSKI: Yeah, it hurts. Can't point the finger at anybody. Definitely not Coach Wilson's fault. None of the coaches, none of the players. I think just collectively as a team, got to keep getting better.

I know I made quite a few mistakes so I got to clean those up. And left some plays out there that I could have made. So I know I can only point the finger at myself and look to correct myself and move on.

ANTHONY WATKINS: Just on offense, I could just only just say, you know, we did what we could, but we just tried to execute a little bit more but they had more energy than us.

It was a tough loss. We got to just learn from it and keep pressing on.

Q. Anthony, the run game has kind of shown some weakness recently. Today it seems like you could look in a positive note going into Tulane that the run game really is starting to look a little better. Can you talk about that and what you saw today?

ANTHONY WATKINS: Basically, you know, it's all about just having opportunity, just taking the shot, you know. Coach always says, don't be hesitant. Just hit it. If it works, then cool. If it doesn't...

But you just got to keep going.

You know, as for like the running game, it has been shaky, up and down, but it's come along collectively though.

Q. Ben, just that fumble recovery helped your team stay in the ballgame. I know it didn't turn out the way you guys wanted it to, but the defensive efforts that you showed today at least helped your team get in this kind of situation. Talk about that?

BEN KOPENSKI: Yeah, it was everybody on the defense played with great effort. On the offense as well. Whole team played with great effort. Just came up short in the end.

That fumble recovery the ball just bounced right to me. I was the only one near it. I had to pick it up.

Q. The goal still in mind of like we talked about earlier this week with some guys is a bowl game. You just have to win out for that to happen. I'm sure it's still on the mind. How do you keep that in the mind going into Tulane next week?

BEN KOPENSKI: Just practice and get better at and what we struggled with and stay together as a team.

ANTHONY WATKINS: Just probably say like I said earlier, just a while ago in the locker room, it's going to be barbecue or mildew. It's all up to us, because we at the ones that have to go out there and execute. If we really want a bowl game, we'll execute and make sure we get to that bowl.