Oct. 16, 2007
Opening statement:
"We enjoyed the off week; it came at a very opportune time for us. We had some kids that needed some rest and now they are back. Hopefully we can get through today without injuries. Virginia is a very good football team, they have won their last six games, they are 3-0 in the ACC and it's a very big game for us."
On team's injury situation:
"We practiced three times last week and there were a lot of kids who didn't practice; we really tried to concentrate on the younger players. The injuries also force us to concentrate on more then one game plan which takes time and preparation. Scott Burley practiced yesterday so hopefully he will be at full strength for Saturday; Erin Henderson played yesterday but is still not at full speed, so hopefully he will be ready by game time. Costa and Jordan Steffy are still out, but Steffy has improved."
On the injury of offensive lineman Andrew Crummey:
"The good news on Andrew is that he will not have to have to operated on, but it will probably be about six weeks before he will be able to come back"
On why Virginia has been able to be so successful this year:
"They are a veteran team. They have 10 (players) back on offense and nine back on defense. I see an improvement in the quarterback play, their running back [Cedric Pearman] is the second-leading rusher in the ACC. They are very big and experienced up front and their defense is great. They have a real great player in Chris Long. I think he is playing extremely well and he dominates the game. He plays with a lot of strength and speed and I think he is one of the best players in the country. They are very sound football team, they don't turn the ball over and they don't have a lot of penalties."
On the Maryland-Virginia rivalry:
"Even when I played long ago, it was always a rivalry and I think the two schools have competed in a lot of different areas. We are very competitive in recruiting as well, so this is a big game for us."
On the play of sophomore quarterback Chris Turner:
"I think he is practicing better. He is practicing with the first team. I would rather have guys like him where they play better during games than in practice, but I think Chris is a guy who just kind of stays on an even keel. He doesn't get too high and he doesn't get too low and I think we should be very appreciative of how he has played and how he has handled the whole situation."
On linebacker Dave Philistin's progress and play against Georgia Tech:
"Dave has improved tremendously through the year and I am very proud of him. I see him getting more and more confident. He has great vision and just like good quarterbacks, good linebackers need to have good vision. He played with a lot of enthusiasm, toughness, and heart. He had a great game."
On the play of Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell:
"Sewell has improved from last year. He is a great athlete who can get out of the pocket and he has a great arm. He is a good-sized kid and I think he has a lot of qualities that make him a good quarterback."
On the importance of this being homecoming:
"All the fans are going to be out there for the game. We are rivals with this team. It's going to be a great atmosphere and there will be a lot of people out there supporting us so we definitely have to stay focused."
On what stands out with Virginia's defense this year:
"They are doing a lot of things that they previously haven't. It's weird because they play a 3-4 defense opposed to a 4-3 like most other teams, so regardless of the formation we are in they can get to their defense out of their 3-4."
On the power house duo he has formed with running back Lance Ball:
"We take a great deal of pride in it. We've been doing it for awhile now, ever since we were sophomores and each year just gets better and better. I think it took a lot of wear and tear off the body, everyone wants to be that guy and have the attention but the way it works out everything has been great for Lance and me."
On last year's game against Virginia and how it feels to be facing them once again:
"They have a six-game winning streak right now and we probably have a target on our back in their eyes. They had us down 20 points last game and we came back and beat them. We definitely have that in the back of our minds so we have to really stay focused this week"
On Virginia's tight ends:
"We have to bring our A-game. They are really good blockers and they catch the ball too. So they definitely have strengths."
On this being the homecoming game:
"We are playing at 8 o'clock at night so that's a fun time to play and its on ESPN so the campus will be an exciting place to be all day."
On the biggest growth he has seen in quarterback Jemeel Sewell's game:
"He's more comfortable and confident this year. He's one of those running quarterbacks. He'll put it down and try to run with it to gain yards. He's big so we have to wrap up and try to bring him down."
On Virginia tight end Tom Santi:
"I remember their tight end from last year when we played them in Virginia. They are definitely tall, aggressive guys but our coaches have prepared us for that. When it comes to knowing who we are up against, we know what we are doing."
On the importance of this being a homecoming game:
"We don't want to lose our Homecoming game. I have family members coming to the game. You don't want to lose any game, but you definitely do not want to lose the homecoming game. I like the atmosphere at this time, I am sure the fans will be more energized than usual and we'll see what kind of jerseys we come out in."
On the rivalry with Virginia:
"This is my third season and it's easy for me to see that this is a huge rivalry every year and everyone looks forward to this game."
On the week off:
"I just wanted to clear my mind and refocus to get ready for this coming week."
On watching trends in Virginia plays and strategies:
"I've seen film, and it's just a game plan thing. There are things we need to prepare for, like Chris Long. He's probably the biggest thing we need to prepare for now. I just need to manage the game like I am coached to do; that's all I need to do. Make my checks, get the ball to the receivers and other athletes, and do my job."
On keeping a level head with all of the attention:
"To be honest, with all the attention and everything that is going on, it is hard. I try to just be who I am. I go to class every day and I do the same things as everyone else and at 2 o'clock everyday, I am back in football mode."
On the play of the Maryland tight ends this season:
"Honestly, we don't have a game plan to get the ball to specific positions. My job is to get the ball to the open receiver and if they are not open then I am not going to throw to them. I don't want to say they haven't been open, there have been a few times where I have missed a tight end and that's one of the things we are trying to correct."
