HATCHER INTERVIEW

GAME NOTES

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --The Samford football team practiced for about an hour and a half in shorts and helmets Monday afternoon at Seibert Stadium.
 
The Bulldogs began installing their game plan for Saturday's game at ACC foe Louisville. Samford head coach Chris Hatcher said he liked the way his team responded, coming off its first defeat of the season.
 
"We had a good one today," Hatcher said. "We're a little mad and disappointed about the defeat on Saturday, but we came out and we practiced like that. That was really good to see out of the guys. I was really pleased with the way we responded to the adversity. Today, we're just kind of getting the big picture of Louisville, but if we can have a great week of practices like we had today, we'll be ready on Saturday night."
 
Samford enters this week with a record of 2-1 overall and 0-1 in Southern Conference play after a 31-21 setback to then 10^th-ranked Chattanooga. Hatcher said, looking back at last week's game, he saw some positives that the team can build on as the season progresses.
 
"We played extremely hard," Hatcher said. "We played hard for 60 game minutes, which is always very important. Unfortunately, in the second half we just never got a play to get us over the hump and get it to a one-score game. We have to make some plays down the stretch, we have to execute better with more consistency, and if we do that, we're going to be fine."
 
Louisville comes into Saturday's game with a mark of 0-3 overall and 0-1 in ACC play. The Cardinals are coming off a 20-17 loss to then ninth-ranked Clemson. Hatcher said he knows his team will face a stiff challenge in its lone FBS opponent of the 2015 season.
 
"They're a great ACC school," Hatcher said. "They're very well coached. This is going to be a tough ordeal for our football team, but we are going to go up there, play to our level, play the best we can and see what happens."
 
Samford will practice again Tuesday. The workout is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. at Seibert Stadium.
 
Saturday's game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. (CDT) at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Ky. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Fans can also listen to the game locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu.