Quotes from Ralph Friedgen's Tuesday Press Luncheon
9/11/2001 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 11, 2001
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland head football coach Ralph Friedgen held an informal lunch meeting today in place of his normal Tuesday media press conference in lieu of recent national events. The following are Friedgen's answers to media questions on how members of his team have been affected and on the general state of his football team:
(On the tragedy at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon)
"WR Aaron Smith's father works in the World Trade Center. He's pretty upset. He's been trying to get a hold of his father [who is OK]. Tom Brattan's brother works in the World Trade Center. After the incident, his brother did call. Contact was made."
Note: Smith later made contact with his father, who is safe. Other Terps including Melvin Fowler, Sal Aragona and Curome Cox all reportedly made contact with relatives who had survived the incident.
"I just talked to Akil. He told me he and his mother plan on going to church after practice. I know Boomer (Esiason's) office for his Cystic Fibrosis foundation is in the World Trade Center. I'm assuming Boomer was in Denver last night. But I know his organization was in that building.
"It's just chaos....It's very difficult."
<>
(On yesterday's practice)
"We had a very good practice last night and I was very pleased with our execution, our enthusiasm. The way we bounced around was good. We really worked on getting better. I really liked our attitude last night."
(On the team's performance thus far)
"They've done everything I've asked them to do. I see them getting better, improving. I see their confidence growing, their belief in themselves growing. I think they like being successful. It beats the alternative. I just hope they keep liking it.
(On the state of the kicking game)
"We didn't kick yesterday. We are going to today. We are going to work hard on it today. I really don't want to make a big issue of that. I want to sit down and evaluate it. Nick missed a forty yarder by a foot. The other one was a breakdown in protection. That probably would have been good. And Vedad came in and made a good kick. I think it's a confidence thing more than anything else. Maybe I hurt the kid more than anyone else because I'm always kidding him, trying to get him ready. Maybe I shouldn't do that. Maybe it's me. I'm going to get back to encouraging him because I've seen him kick in practice and he has a good enough leg. I still think he has the chance to be a very fine placekicker for us."
(On West Virginia TB Avon Cobourne)
"He's a good back. He's fast and strong--probably the best back we've seen. I anticipate him running quite a bit on Saturday."
(On injuries)
"We're pretty healthy. We have a few nicks and bruises, but nothing that will keep anyone out. We do have the latest on Chris Kelley. Dr. Smith has cleared him to start working out. He is still two weeks away.
(On CB Tony Okanlawon)
"I've seen a difference in Tony even from the spring. I thought he played well in the spring, but he had lapses. I haven't seen a lapse since. He is very focused. I think he's playing with a lot of confidence right now."
