	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 12, 2016

Carlos Henderson

Ruston, Louisiana

UTSA - 35, Louisiana Tech - 63

Q. Carlos, you guys get your second division championship in the last three seasons. How does it feel?
CARLOS HENDERSON: It feels good. It feels really good to go out there and execute it the way we did knowing it was a big game for us, knowing what was at stake, knowing what was on the line, and to win in the fashion we did, I really appreciate those guys working hard and our coaches for coaching them. And I appreciate the whole organization. It feel good, real good.

Q. Having been in this position this time last season coming down to the last game, having the chance to clinch the division and the team falling short, does that drive you guys that much more today?
CARLOS HENDERSON: Yeah. Like you said, last year was a bitter feeling. It was a bitter feeling. We wanted to get that taste out of our mouth. So we came out today with our jobs and everything we had to execute at the right time and we just came out executing and got the job done.

Q. Carlos, this is the last time Trent Taylor will be on your field. You guys have developed quite a relationship. Y'all are close. What have you learned from him as a player and what does it mean for you to be able to play with him?
CARLOS HENDERSON: What I learned from Trent. Trent is an excellent receiver. He works hard day in and day out in practice. I learned to develop good practice habits looking at Trent. Trent is a great competitor. It's just amazing playing with Trent. Trent is just one of those guys that's never going to give up and one of those guys that lead and one of the guys we need on that team and I learned a lot from Trent, and I'll miss him. I'll miss him. I'll miss playing on the side of Trent.

Q. Seems like 800 something yards the last three or four games. What fuels you out there?
CARLOS HENDERSON: I've just gone out there do what I could do to help my team. I don't really care for the individual accolades. I'm just a team player, I go out there and try to help my team on every game, and I go out there and try to do everything that I need to do for my team to win.

Q. You guys pretty much set the tone right out of the gate with a kickoff return. What was the atmosphere like on the sideline?
CARLOS HENDERSON: When we make plays like that, that's always good. That's always good for the sideline, energy that's always good for our team going into the game. So I think that helped us. That helped us gain more confidence. We had confidence, but that helped us a lot, give us momentum to play hard and just to go out there and do the best we can.

Q. Kind of going off of two questions ago, I feel like people have asked you after big games, you've had two different five-touchdown games this year, and every time, it's I'm happy for my teammates. I want to thank my offensive line, my coaches. What's it going to take for you to brag about yourself after a good day?
CARLOS HENDERSON: I can't, because without them I wouldn't be able to make the plays I'll be able to make, and without my coaches putting me on the field I wouldn't be able to execute and produce for them. So I thank my coaches and my teammates. I just love those guys. Without them I would not be getting the results or whatever I'm getting, so I appreciate those guys.

Q. The kickoff return, (indiscernible).
CARLOS HENDERSON: My coach talked about how we had to make a big play on special teams, again, to keep the tone. I just saw creases, and I just -- just hit it. I really can't explain how I did it.

Q. How important is special teams play going into another big game with Southern Miss?
CARLOS HENDERSON: Special teams will be really important because special teams flip the field, gives the opposite team good field position, so special teams will play a big role because special teams sometimes wins games, and I think special teams will play a big role as a take on Southern Miss two weeks from now. So it's important we execute like we did tonight on special teams again versus Southern Miss.

Q. You started the year one and three, won seven straight games. How do you explain the turnaround, winning the division with still two weeks left in the season? Two years ago against Rice it took you all down to the wire in the last game to wrap it up. How do you explain just the way you all have evolved throughout the years?
CARLOS HENDERSON: We feel like our backs was against the wall. We felt like we had no other option but to win. We say we wanted to achieve before the season started and that was to make it to a championship. I just credit to those guys for just playing, just unbelievably playing good, great. It's just wonderful to have those guys out there making the plays and executing how they're supposed to. And that's what got us this far.

Q. Did you know Trent had that much of a leg?
CARLOS HENDERSON: No, no. That was a surprise for me. I'm glad he made it, though. That was big time. That was big time. No, I did not know Trent had a leg like that.

Q. With the roll that you guys are on right now, would you say the bye week is coming at a bad time?
CARLOS HENDERSON: Nah. I wouldn't say that because we've been going like 10 weeks, 11 weeks straight. We still will continue to work hard at practice, focus on our next opponent and move forward, no dropoffs or nothing like that. It really came -- I can say it came at a good time because we're kind of nicked up, banged up. So we need a little rest.

Q. The past couple of games I guess defense is starting to figure out Trent Taylor. How do you feel about being more and more involved in this offense?
CARLOS HENDERSON: As I be more involved in the offense, I think I'm put in positions to make the team better as the coaches say. Trent being involved that open up Windows for other guys to have success, like Alfred Smith had tonight. I think Alfred Smith had a great game tonight. He stepped up big time when we needed him, and I think that was good.

Q. Going down to Southern Miss, do you think there will be some talk about what they did when they came here last year?
CARLOS HENDERSON: Oh, yeah. We scheduled this game -- we served this game on the schedule knowing how they did us last year. It was pretty bad, and they can't beat us in our own house. But we focus on -- when we go down there, we're going to focus on winning and just playing to our best ability so we can finish doing what we're doing.

Q. You only had two touches, three touchdowns trailing your five catches. You were still able to squirrel out points. What do you think that says about the development of the offense with guys like Alfred earned 26, Marlon had that long touchdown where you and Trent don't necessarily have that huge game on the offense.
CARLOS HENDERSON: That's good. That's good, because sometimes they find the scheme for me and Trent, and that gives other guys opportunities to make big plays and being able to execute for the team. I think that's big time how they stepped up tonight. I'm so proud of those guys. I complimented them on their game tonight and how they played. I think that's going to play a big role going into Southern Miss and going into the championship. They'll be big for us. To have other guys step up like they did tonight, I think that'll be awesome.

Q. A couple of New Orleans guys, Tarzan and Marlon getting a couple touchdowns, but Tarzan has had a rough year this year. Today was kind of his coming-out party, and then Marlon gets his first career touchdown today. What's it like to watch those guys grow up in front of your eyes?
CARLOS HENDERSON: It's good, because I had to grow up in front of a lot of guys that was here last year but not here today. That was real eye opening and real good to see your teammates stepping up like that, in a game like this where a lot's riding on the line. It felt great. It felt great for those guys to step up the way they did, and I can't commend them enough for executing their job how they did. That was a good job on those guys' part.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297