Oct. 3, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland football head coach Ralph Friedgen spoke with the media on Tuesday. Below are quotes from the press conference:

Opening Statement: "We are coming from an off week and I think it was a beneficial week for us. We have a lot of kids well and hopefully we will keep them well for the remaining two days of work before we head down to Atlanta."

On the upcoming game against Georgia Tech: "This is a big game for us this week. Georgia Tech has a very fine football team. They have a lot of great players and are well-coached. After their impressive win against Virginia Tech last week we have a very tough game ahead of us. I think our kids are excited about it, are looking forward to it, and will get out there and play very hard."

On Drew Weatherly: "Drew has been practicing and hopefully he'll be back. He'll give us some experience and leadership."

On the first ACC game this weekend: "I think it's an important part of our season. I've been looking for that game where we can break through and really put it all together to play to our potential. I'm hoping that is going to be this week, but if it isn't, we are still going to have to play the next week. We can hit this game to get some confidence and get some momentum. That will obviously help us the rest of the season."

On Georgia Tech's game last weekend: "Obviously I am impressed with Calvin Johnson (wide receiver); what a threat he is and what an athlete he is. Reggie Ball (quarterback) is playing the best football of his career. He's always been a very competitive player and he's the guy who runs the show. They have a lot of weapons on offense, and then defensively they have tremendous team speed."

On practices the past week: "I think the mood is good, it is upbeat and the attitudes are good. I've been very pleased and I have enjoyed practices very much."

On playing at Georgia Tech: "Georgia Tech is always going to be a special place for me. I spent nine years of my life there. I have a lot of close friends there that will remain my friends forever. Playing Georgia Tech is not like it was when I first came to Maryland, but it will always be a special game for me."

On Calvin Johnson: "I don't know who else is as big, as fast, and as strong as he is. Guys like him don't come along every day. I had a chance to meet him and I think he's a great kid too. He does concern me. Obviously you want to double this guy, but you don't want to give up the play to someone else."

On Sam Hollenbach: "I thought Sam had a much better day yesterday. He was very precise and he is going to have to be on Saturday. We are going to have to play with tremendous effort, tremendous excitement, and tremendous enthusiasm, and I think we can do that."

On having the first ACC game later in the season: "I like it. Right now we are undefeated in the ACC. You get a chance to see where everybody else is. You can see how other teams have played and then where you would fit in with that."

On changes after a bye week: "I would say there are no changes concerning first team and second team but I think we will play a lot more people."

On the team's lessons from the West Virginia game moving forward to the Georgia Tech game: "I'm hoping they learned that you can't turn the ball over five times. If you notice, Georgia Tech's turnover ratio is very good; that is one of the reasons why they have a very good football team. That is going to be a key to this game. You can't go down there and play conservative. You have to do what you have to do to win the football game. I think we have benefited from that experience [at West Virginia]. We've been there and done that. You have to be able to deal with the crowd noise too; it is part of college football, a part of why we play, a part of what makes it exciting. We have to be able to deal with it."