Q: Todd Monken is heading into his second season at USM. What is the overall vibe about him around campus?
A: While the record last season doesn’t reflect it, Monken has been able to change the culture around the football program in a very short time. He comes off as a no-nonsense type of coach, but he has earned the respect of his players and the fans to be patient with the program as they rebuild. His biggest impact has come on the recruiting trail thus far. When he arrived at USM, the biggest issue was the overall team speed. Now going into his second season, it is evident that the overall team speed has increased dramatically with the new JUCO transfers and the freshmen class.
 Q: What toll did that infamous losing streak take on the football program? 
A: The losing streak was a huge black eye for the program, especially coming off of a 12-2 season in 2012, which left us on the bubble of potentially making a BCS bowl. We were ranked as high as No. 17 in the BCS that season, then it ultimately came crashing down after Larry Fedora left for UNC and a 23-game losing streak ensued. The streak had a huge impact on the fans and the community to the point where nobody cared to even pay attention to the team anymore. Getting that blowout win over UAB in the final game last year was huge for reviving the program moving forward.
 Q: What are the expectations for this year?
A: The expectations aren’t necessarily too high for this season, but many people around the program, including myself, think it is possible to get into a bowl game. This is a hungry team, coaching staff and fan base that could creep up on some teams. Not to mention with many of USM’s top competitors in C-USA leaving the conference, the competition we face week to week is subpar compared to what we became accustomed to facing.
 Q: What are some offensive and defensive players MSU fans should keep an eye out for Saturday?
A: The first name to keep an eye on is quarterback Nick Mullens. As a true freshman last year, he started the last six games and showed some serious promise. He nearly threw for 2,000 yards with 13 passing touchdowns and two more on the ground. That big win over UAB was his coming out party as he tied a school record with six total touchdowns. Mullens’ favorite deep threat Markese Triplett is somebody to keep an eye on as well. He has really polished up his route running from a year ago and could put up some scary numbers in this air-raid offense. Defensively, it starts up front with defensive end Adam WIlliams. He has shown a good burst coming off the edge, but tends to get caught up sometimes in personal battles with the opposing lineman, but he has the potential to be our top pass rusher this year. In the secondary, look for Picasso Nelson Jr. to make some big plays. He has a knack for always being around the ball somehow. He is the one guy who always has a chance to change momentum with a big play on defense.
 Q: MSU and USM have not played in a while. How does USM view MSU and the rivalry between the two?
A: It’s a huge rivalry for USM. Talking with the players, they are not scared to say that they want to play MSU. They truly feel like they can compete and prove that they should be in discussion for the best team in the state. Many players even said that they have been watching film on MSU ever since the season ended.
 Q: How do you predict the game will play out Saturday?
A: Honestly, it would take something drastic for USM to stay in this game. The talent difference is just too much right now. I do think USM will stay competitive early on, but it probably won’t be sustainable. We have the fire power on offense to score some in this game, but the defense just isn’t quite ready to compete against an SEC school. The only way USM wins this game is if we win the turnover battle by a wide margin.