Eddie George Monday Press Conference Transcript (Liberty)

Eddie George Press Conference 
Sept. 8, 2025
Bowling Green, Ohio 

Eddie George Opening Statement:
Going into Liberty Week, just putting a button up on last week's game against Cincinnati.

Had a chance to look at the tape a couple times. The takeaways are yes, disappointed with the loss, disappointed with some plays we didn't execute, we didn't finish. But for the most part, when you look at who we are, who we were coming into the season, the relatively young team, where Drew was in terms of not having a spring, I feel like we're getting the train on the tracks. We just have to stay diligent, working hard and getting better each and every day, learning from these losses.

What I got from it was we did not finish the drives when we needed to, to win those types of ball games. We didn't make the necessary stops when we had to, certainly in the first quarter and first half. It was like that all game long. So, it really exposed who we are at this point and we're just not there yet in terms of being able to go into a venue like that, against a team like that, and pull off a victory.

Lack of communication on the defensive side of the football led to a few of the explosive plays. Offensively, we had our opportunities four times in their territory, and came away with zero points. So, we're getting there. We're showing signs of growth, but we've got to learn how to finish and that's only going to be done through time. That's going to be done through the course of the season. That's who we're becoming.

On the flip side, the positives were, hey, we were in the game. We were not outmanned or outmatched or not physical. We were not intimidated about the environment. We did not adhere to any distractions outside from the football game. We were engaged. We were positive. We fought hard. I saw growth out of Drew Pyne, really opened up the offense a bit, have really married with the run game. Now we just have to, again, figure out a few things.

When you look at the game, you break it down into two halves. You know we won the second half, and that's what I challenged my team with. We're going to win the fourth quarter, but we just didn't finish off strong enough to come away with the victory.

So now moving into this week, we know what we have to do during the course of the week to prepare for a really good football team.

Question: Do you envision spreading the ball around to several receivers in the passing game?
Coach George: Yeah, I mean, we have playmakers. It's not about plays, it's about players. The unfortunate thing is when we don't have a Fannin in the building, that'd be great. But a Jyron Johnson, well look at the job he's done.

You look at RJ Garcia, Cameron Pettaway also has been phenomenal for us as a running back and in the return game. Finn Hogan is starting to get involved and we have to get Allen Middleton involved more. So, it starts there.

We have weapons, guys are going to get the ball in their hands so they can do their thing. So anytime Drew has options and all of them can make plays, we want to do just that. We don't want to rely on one guy for all our offensive production or one way of doing.

We have a system that we believe in. The run game sets up everything else and sets the foundation for our passing game. This is how we hang our hat. But when we have these guys that can make plays for us, we're identifying that, we want to try to create problems and figure out how we get the ball in our hands.

Question: Have you always had a positive outlook on both wins and losses, have you always had that?
Coach George: Well, I've always said that as a player. As long as I've played the game of football, I've been coached that way.

Of course you're a competitor. Of course you want to win. But after the sting of the loss subsides, what's there? What's next? The blessings are there. The who you are, staring you right, staring right in your face.

So, you have to do something about that. That's the blessing. OK, you weren't very good in the red zone. You're 75% in the red zone. What's the next thing we should do to score touchdowns? Well, how do we do that? Well, we can't put ourselves in a bad position by having too many men in the huddle. That's on the coaching staff. That's on me.

Those things I have to be conscious of myself. To say, hey, we got the ball on the goal line. So, it's those things. What's the point of harping over a loss and being upset about it? It's good to be upset, but you have to have action behind that.
That's how I’ve always looked at life. I look at life the same way. Everything is a blessing.. You know, there's no such thing as a bad day. It's lessons as we go.

Question: Looking at the season schedule, how do you feel about the teams ahead?
Coach George: Well, I didn't really look at it in terms of the win, loss, win. I had to figure out who we were on the football field.

Then once I figure out what our strengths are, what our weaknesses are, and where the biggest areas for us to grow are, then I'm able to say, OK, I believe we can go out and compete against anybody. That's never been an issue for me.

Things change from week to week. You know, injuries change the complexion of any team and that's the nature of it. I've never looked at it. OK, the first half of the season is really a defining moment. Well, there's going to be a couple of teams in the back end of this deal where they're going to emerge and be a surprise.
Every week is different. As we navigate through the first month or so, these are opportunities for us to find out who we are, both philosophically speaking, but more importantly, who we are as a team and where we need to grow, how we need to be one within one unit moving forward. Setting up for October, November, to play meaningful football games.

Where we're hopefully competing for a championship or a bowl game or something along those lines. That's what I preached day in and day out. We don't focus necessarily on the opponent. We focus on ourselves. We have to focus on our job, doing our job very well. Whoever lines up against us on the schedule, that's who it is. I mean, you have to go out and execute to the best of our ability.

Question: What were the first three months like out here?
Coach George: It's like living out the Best Western, you know, it wasn't like anything.

I had a bed. I had some food. I had access to a clean shower. Again, the waffles there were amazing, so I knew it was only a matter of time before I got settled, but it was important for me to try to get comfortable with my surroundings as best I could and not worry if my bed is comfortable, if I'm staying in a five-star hotel, I'm so glad I was sheltered and get food. I'm about the work, there are no excuses for me.

I don’t believe in excuses. I'm going to play the hand that's dealt and that's it. There’s no complaining by me and I tell my players the same thing. You know, they were complaining about, ‘my eggs aren't over easy or they're not scrambled egg whites.’ We're not eating for pleasure, we're eating for results.

It's grilled chicken and vegetables and potatoes with no butter. Guess what? That's what we want to eat. Eat for results, not for your pleasure. Now when we win, you know, go out and you can get a steak, go out and get that pepperoni pizza with some sausage, bacon, light salt. You know, whatever that is. But for the most part, that's how that's how I've always trained. So I was always believed in that philosophy and that's how I'm doing.

What was the order at Waffle House?
Coach George: Well, actually, they have a waffle at Best Western, but since you asked Waffle House, you get two waffles, scrambled eggs with cheese, grits, and I guess sometimes we do Texas toast too.

Question: What can this team do to have better starts to games?
Coach George: We're going to figure that out this week. I think starting fast, I think getting out there and getting that first first down, offensively speaking, it sets the tone and again, seeing Drew only in two games, I'm still understanding his rhythm, what he likes, what the offense likes. So, it's going to be important for us to focus on getting the first first down and then allowing the offense to go from there.
Defensively it’s getting off to a fast start. Getting the three and out and a turnover. Special forces wise, I think we've seen that first game of the year, I need that touchdown run and Cam Pettaway is a phenomenal back that can do that.

I think I've been on teams where we had a slow start. We've got to figure out ways of maybe going up tempo, maybe you know coming out in two minute, just get that the energy going. But I have to look at how we practice and are we starting our practice fast versus just easing into the day. So that's why I said we got to attack the day. The moment that we wake up, we strike, we're right to our drills. It has to be a fast start to our practice habits versus saying, OK, today we’re going to turn the switch on and go out there and expect to go fast. No, it doesn't work that way. It starts tomorrow morning. You know, how fast did we start the day and was our approach moving off to a fast and crisp start that way. That's how we solve that issue.

Question: Does Liberty’s game last week demonstrate the importance of creating turnovers for your team?
Coach George: That's always been my message from day one. I said we’ll run the football and we stop the run. We want free turnovers and to protect the football. We do that every single day. We focus on ball security, keeping the ball on the outside arm. Talk about the defense making valid attempts at getting the ball out every time in practice, not just during live periods or our physical periods, but on days when we don't have pads. When we see somebody holding the ball, keep being mindful of trying to work on your techniques of getting the ball or getting your two knuckles on the ball, striking with the violence down and through, or getting your hands balled around the nose of the football and ripping it out like you're starting up a lawn mower. Using those techniques, making sure the running backs and receivers are making sure the back door is closed from behind, high and tight. That's preached day in and day out. Whether it's spring, summer, fall or winter, that is talked about. It’s all security getting the ball.

Question: Are you using the last time BG lost to Liberty, which was two years ago, as motivation coming into this week?
Coach George: I wasn't here two years ago and that's in the past. This is this is a brand-new era. We're mindful of this team. We're mindful of the success they've had. They’re what, 21-5 in the last two years, one undefeated season. They have some explosive players offensively. They're capable of doing some great things defensively. They're battle tested.

With that in mind, I can't worry about who they were or what they did two years ago, what Bowling Green did two years ago. It’s what we do moving forward, who we are now. This team, this unit and making sure our minds are right, our hearts are right, and that we know who this opponent is, we know our plan, we know the situations that we're going to be in and that we have to execute thereafter at a high level and not worry about what happened two years ago.

Question: How much of a selling point is developing NFL success, like with Harold Fannin, for BG’s recruiting?
Coach George: How much is it about development? It's the number one thing we're doing is discipline development and using discernment to figure out how we're going to apply those things.

When you come to a place like BG or Tennessee State, where we want to develop you is character, one, two as a player to be a professional, three, with the details and nuances and the technique, the fundamentals of high professional level.

You saw that here for Fannin. If he had left last year and went to Michigan State or Ohio State, he may have had some success, but I don't know enough success to get him to be the third rounder, or to be seen. So, you're going to get the touches, you're going to get the platforms, you want to get the opportunity to be coached and have a chance to play at the next level. He was very fortunate enough to do that.

So, when we're talking to kids, if you're good enough, they're going to find you. You have to find a place where the coaching staff really props your personal development and develops of you as a player. We have men on the staff that have developed young men. I go back to that Tennessee State team. We have five or six guys currently, right now, playing at FBS schools. Sanders Ellis at Purdue, Boogie Trotter at Marshall, Karate Brenson, Wake Forest.

We developed those kids over the last three to four years and now they're given opportunities to be starters or backups at these other places. I embrace that part. There's still a place in college football where yes, it's recruiting, recruiting, recruiting, but you have to develop, develop, develop along with that. I firmly do that. I welcome that challenge. I love getting guys that have the measurables, the size, the speed, but that have the heart to want to be challenged, to want to grow, to want to really grind, to embrace the grind of what it takes to be great. We can do some good things together. That's what I'm looking for in terms of recruiting.
So yes, it helps that Fannin did stay, and he is now on the roster. Having, so far, a good start to a season.

Question: Back in the Doyt last home game, what was that like? What can we bring to homecoming?
Coach George: I hope the same thing. The same energy. Back the Doyt, great fan support. Student section was awesome. The band was great. Pudge was amazing, leading the charge, creating great energy.

So, we're looking forward to our alumni coming back who have graduated, who've been a part of BG over the last few years. We’re excited for them to come back and be a part of homecoming and bring the energy. It's going to be much needed.

Question: Did you taking this job help open the door for other black coaches who aren’t necessarily All-Pros, but qualified to be head coaches at this level?
Coach George: Yeah, and it has already. You look at Eddie Robinson at Alabama State, a former teammate of mine. Chris Dishman, who's at Texas State University, who's also a teammate of mine. The list goes on and on. You have former players who have coached in the game that coached at the HBCU level or in other places. I think the fact that of who I am and the platform I do have and myself and Prime and Michael Vick and Desean Jackson, it opens eyes to say, OK, there might be a different avenue to find other qualified men for these positions of leadership. It's up to us to be successful.

You have to show success. Of course, yes, you've got to win, but you also must show success in the community, success in fundraising, success in developing a quality product on the field, and most definitely off the field.

I believe that this opens the door for a lot of former athletes that don’t necessarily have to go through the process of being a GA first and having to go up the ranks that way. Maybe, you know, it opens the eyes up to different organizations and institutions to look at the character of the man, to look at his track record, to see if he's the perfect fit for his program.

Yeah, I think it is a wonderful opportunity for us to do it, but we have to carry the mantle and we have to respect it. We have to be successful in order for others to have an opportunity to do that.

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