On Wednesday, I caught up with Saratoga Springs native and red-shirt senior wide receiver Tim Bush.

Bush caught 67 passes for 794 yards and five touchdowns in 2008. Bush is a legitimate No. 1 receiver and despite his size (5-9, 185 lbs.), he is a definitely a big play guy.

With the big season opener against Georgia Southern right around the corner, I wanted to see how the team was preparing.

TB: To be absolutely honest with you, it's been four weeks of preseason ball and I've seen these faces too much, the same colors every single time I come out on the football field. It's going to be pretty exciting going out there and seeing some different color jerseys. Our team as a whole is excited for that. We're ready for the challenge. We don't see ourselves as an underdog coming into this game, we just think of it as a challenge that we have to overcome. We have a lot of great veterans and starters on both sides of the ball and I think we can get it done.

AS: How is this week different now that you're game planning for a different team?

TB: During preseason ball, we only watch film on ourselves. We watch our scouting against our defense. Afterwards, we get a good 30 minutes after our meetings to Georgia Southern. It gets us all pumped up, knowing that these are the kids we're going to be going up against. Especially in the secondary, they have pretty decent corners, but our receiving corps has came along and we just want to showcase what we have.

AS: How does the start of classes change things (Classes began Aug. 31)?

TB: I have to lift at 6 o'clock in the morning, then I have a 7 a.m. meeting, then I have classes all day and then I have to practice for another 2 and 1/2 hours. It's not a short day. It's a very long and tedious day. It's hard.

AS: What are the guys saying to get psyched up against a team that on paper is the heavy favorite?

TB: Our team is a bunch of kids that are very disciplined, play very, very hard and just play to the whistle. We don't care what goes on in between each play. We know that when the time comes to make a play, we'll make one. That makes our team very, very deadly and we have nothing to lose. Overall, our team is just very excited for this game.

AS: It will probably be hotter down there. You guys do anything this week to simulate that?

TB: It's nice that this week is supposed to be a little warmer. It was a little cooler yesterday, it's supposed to be warmer today. It's pretty much about being prepared. There's nothing you can do about that. We're going down there, yeah the temperature is going to be hotter, but most of our team has been hydrating to be prepared for the game on Saturday.

AS: There's going to be a lot of people there. You guys do anything to simulate that?

TB: Not really. It's not like a Montana setting where they're (the fans) right on top of you. They're a little further back. It's a horseshoe stadium I heard. We don't expect it to get to a point where it gets so loud we can't here our cadences and here the calls of our quarterback and likewise for defense.

AS: What are your expectations for this season?

TB: I expect myself to have a great season, everybody does. Every single person who is a starter wants to have a great season. It's all about the opportunities that are giving to me by (Offensive Coordinator) Coach (Ryan) McCarthy, the playcalling and our quarterback Vinnie Esposito. Him and I have developed a huge trust in one another. If our offense gets in a whole, I want to be that go-to guy to keep our offense on the field.

(UAlbany Athletics)

I also talked with Coach Bob Ford and senior running back David McCarty for Saturday's game preview.

Ford told me that the only injuries are junior linebacker and Troy native Chris Blais, who is out four weeks with a injured thumb and Queensbury native Jeff Benway, who is having surgery on his hand.

Look for our story on Troy native Dave Casale in Thursday's paper.