Quotes From Head Coach Ralph Friedgen's Tuesday Press Luncheon
10/21/2003 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 21, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The following are excerpts from University of Maryland head football coach Ralph Friedgen's weekly gathering with local media. Friedgen and the Terrapins travel to Atlanta for their game Thursday, against the Yellow Jackets. The conference match-up will be aired on ESPN at 7:45
On the bye week:
"We had a good week of practice. We're on a winstreak here and we don't want things to change. It was good to have this week off. The guys needed a mental and physical break. It allowed a lot of guys to heal up. I was a little concerned about losing our timing and ending up back at square one, but we have gotten better at that. Things that we have worked on all year long sometimes disappear when we go a week without a game, but it was nice to have a week of practice.
On Georgia Tech's offense:
"It has changed quite a bit (since I was there). Jonathan Smith and Nate Curry were there when I was there. Smith had a big game against Wake and Curry has been a deep threat this year. Some of their primary receivers were there when I was there. There offensive line is very good. Reggie Ball, their freshman quarterback, is very poised and confident. He has a very strong arm.
On Georgia Tech Defense:
"There are a lot of true freshman on that team. I have been very impressed in how they play defense. They might be the best defensive team we face. They don't do a lot of substitutions. There is a lot of blitzing, pressuring, and slanting. Their safeties are a lot of big, strong physical kids-- 6'2 and 6'3, 200 pounds-- who are very aggressive and do a good job defending the pass. I've been impressed with how they have been playing as a team. They are playing with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm. They are a lot faster than they were last year. We are going to have to play our best game to win."
On the game being televised nationally:
"When we win, I really enjoy it. It is the greatest publicity you can get. When you lose, it's not quite the same. You get to play in front of the whole nation. I think our players should get really excited about it. There is a tremendous atmosphere down there, and it is very exciting. That to me is the reason that you play college football."
On the Terps 2001 win over Tech:
"I don't think that (the win) so much helped this team; it helped this program. We won against a nationally-ranked team at their place and it really gave us confidence. It helped us set higher expectations as a football team. It was our sixth win that year and it was a big hurdle for our players at that time. It's ironic that -- should we win-- it will be our sixth win this year. Again, that win gave us confidence to go on and have two successful seasons."
On whether or not time has diluted ties to Georgia Tech:
"Atlanta has been so good to me. Georgia Tech has always been good to me. I'm going to retire there. I have a lot of friends there and they will always be special to me. Now I'm going to return there. But this is a business trip. They are not going to be nice to me, and I am not going to be nice to them. After the game, we'll see what happens. I spent nine years there and was treated very fairly. The people have always been very kind to me.
