Sports

Tech football struggles

ANDRE SALE- QB Andre Sale after handing the ball off during the first quarter of the Sept. 30 game against Jacksonville State
Photo by J.K. McMillen

Despite being 0-6 for the first time since 1991, Tech coach Marcus Satterfield believes in his process.

“That’s the beauty of our process,” Satterfield said. “It is because we have our own process. We have been 0-6 at Temple, 6-6 and not gotten to bowl games. When you learn it, you live the process, you start to defend it. We will not go hide.”

Marcus Satterfield served as an assistant coach at Temple for four years before coming to Tech.

Tech played Jacksonville State Saturday, Sept. 30, dropping the contest 34-7.

For the first time this season, Tech had a positive margin in turnovers. Jacksonville State committed three turnovers while Tennessee Tech tallied none.

“They get to go write their own book,” Satterfield said. “They don’t write books about teams that were supposed to win. They will write a book about a team that has a lot of adversity, is down 0-5 and finds a way to win a bunch of ballgames.”

Senior linebacker Elliot Normand said the team is focused on their tasks everyday as well as minimizing their mistakes and capitalizing on their opponent’s mistakes.

After the loss Saturday, wide receiver Dontez Byrd spoke about the team, and his effort on offense.

“Play makers make plays, and I just made a play,” Byrd said.

Satterfield said he pushed Byrd extremely hard the previous week, to test his mental toughness.

"It got personal Monday to see how he would come back this week,” Satterfield said.

Satterfield said the word process, is not just a word, it is everything about their program.

“We've got great leadership. It's only our second OVC game. I wish the public could come out here and be a fly on the wall and watch how our kids work. They'd be amazed,” Satterfield said.

Tech lost a close game with Eastern Illinois, 24-23, on Saturday. Eastern Illinois led a second half comeback to win.

Tech will play at Southeast Missouri State on Oct. 14.