Quotes from Monday's Practice
9/11/2007 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 10, 2007
Head coach Ralph Friedgen and the Terp players addressed the media following Monday's practice session at the Gossett Team House.
Maryland Head Coach Ralph Friedgen
On the challenge of stopping the West Virginia offense:
"They run the option, and they have one fast guy going this way and another going that way. If you're one step out of position, it's one on one. Then they have this big fullback (Owen Schmitt). He'll be physical with you and knock you over. They look pretty good up front and they have some good receivers."
On how the offense can help defense:
"These guys get out in space and they make you look bad. Our defense has been playing pretty well, but we can't have them on the field the whole game. On offense we have to be able to move the ball and control the ball some. I thought we did that for the last few quarters of the game up there last year. I thought it was pretty even-steven after the first quarter."
On getting off to a good start:
"Obviously it would have been a whole lot easier last year [if we had gotten off to a good start. We have to play the whole six minutes, but obviously I'd like to get off to a good start. We have to play the whole game, but whatever happens you have to deal with it and get through it."
"I thought last year, if you take the 28 points out, we settled down and played pretty good for the most part. We'll find out a little bit more about ourselves this week. I know we're pretty touch to run against because I have to run the offense against our defense all the time. I think we have a little bit more speed than we've had in the past, and I think we have a little more depth. We play more guys."
Defensive Coordinator Chris Cosh
On preparations for West Virginia:
"This game is a big challenge. Our kids are coming back from a late trip to Miami and a short week. [West Virginia] is an explosive team. The other thing about these guys is that they're physical. People look at their speed, and yes they're fast, but they are a physical team that comes right at you."
On the Terps tackling problems in last year's loss to WVU:
"Early on last year sometimes we thought tackling was an option, but it's a necessity and we got better at it. The thing that game taught us was how to persevere. We came through some tough times and we hung together, and I thought at the end of that game last year we still were competing, and that was the positive side."
"We're still working on tackling now. When you have dangerous runners, they're going to break a lot of tackles in the open field. That's how they became dangerous runners. So it's going to be a challenge for us. Part of tackling is taking the proper angle as well."
On how this year's Terp defense is better than the one that fell to WVU last year:
"I think we pursue the ball better and I think our assignments are a lot better. I'm not seeing as many mental errors, thus far in the season. We have to keep building on that. I think, we've tackled better too thus far."
Senior Defensive Lineman Carlos Feliciano
On the team's motivation from last year's loss:
"We were basically embarrassed last year in the first half. We stepped it up, but we couldn't come back from that. We showed that we had heart and we're not just going to let anyone roll over us."
On the run defense not allowing 100 yards rushing in the team's first two games:
"I think it's a big bump for us. We're real confident we can stop the run. Of course, it's going to be a lot more difficult this week against West Virginia, compared to FIU and Villanova. But if we stay with our assignments and play with the right technique we should be fine."
Junior Linebacker Moise Fokou
On how previous games have helped the team prepare for West Virginia:
"Seeing the mobile quarterbacks at FIU and Villanova, I think it helps us get ready for what we're going to see on Thursday night. Obviously Pat White is going to be little faster, but I think it has been good practice."
On quarterback Josh Portis running the scout team in the role of West Virginia quarterback Pat White:
"Oh my goodness, I think he gives us a tremendous look. The kid can run sideways faster than anybody on the team. Man, chasing him around is like an elephant chasing a mouse."
